I love my crock pot. I've had a pot roast in mine since 7am today and I can't wait to get my grub on. You'll need: - Big-ass roast (I usually get ~3+lbs) - ~3 lbs of new potatoes (cut 'em up) - 1 lb. of carrots (I usually get a 1 lb bag of baby carrots) - 1 whole onion (cut it up) - 1 whole green pepper (dice it up) - ~3 Roma tomatoes (dice 'em up) - Several cloves of garlic (I put whole cloves into the roast itself) - 1 bag of frozen buttered sweet corn - 1 can of beef broth - 1 cup of red wine - Spices (either individual spices or something like Cavender's; whatever sounds good to you) Layer it in the pot like so: Potatoes -> carrots -> onion -> green pepper -> big-ass roast (seasoned with garlic and spices) -> then fill in the remaining area with the tomatoes and corn -> pour in the beef broth and wine -> cook it on low for as long as possible (I usually go 12 hours, but it can obviously be sooner if you cook it on high). I prepare it the night before so I can get it cooking early the next morning. I'll put my roast up against anything your grandmother can do.
I go for simplicity Pork Roast Large Jar of Salsa Brisket(I use a rub, can't remember the name/kind) Beef Broth Brown Sugar Liquid Smoke Both incredibly easy, require few ingredients and are extremely delicious. :grin:
Even more simplicity: ingredients: 1 big ass roast 1 package of Liption Onion Soup mix the following ingredients are optional, but will add flavor: some baby carrots some new potatoes an onion some garlic In the morning, brown roast on all sides in a skillet Put roast in crock pot (with all other ingredients listed above) sprinkle packet of soup mix onto roast put lid on crock pot and set timer for dinner time. This recipe makes a tasty roast even without any of those ingredients, but they'll make it even better.
My wife follows this recipe pretty closely...but will add two cans of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup with a little extra water. Excellent gravy-ish mix. This thread is full of YUMMMMMMM!!!!
Mine was somewhere between $20 -$30 and its been great. Its one appliance that you don't need to spend much on to get a good one. Nicer ones will have automatic on/offs which would probably be nice to have, but I wouldn't spend more than $50.
I can't stand food from the crock pot. To have a roast in there that can be easily cooked on a grill or put in the oven brings tears to my eyes. Though, I do like cheese dip, lil smokeys and meatballs from it lol
Here's another one that's awesome for winter: What you'll need: - A bunch of sausage (slice it up. I usually use ~3 lbs and either beef, pork, or turkey, or a mix depending on whether I feel like trying to be healthy.) - New potatoes (~5 lbs - cut 'em up) - ~2 lbs of baby carrots - Whole onion (cut it up) - A few cloves of garlic (minced, sliced, whatever. I mince it.) - Salt & pepper to taste, but you shouldn't need much because the sausage has so much flavor already. Layer it like so: Potatoes -> add water to just below the top of the potatoes -> add carrots -> add onion -> add garlic -> add sausage. The longer you cook the better it is. When it's ready, ladle out some of the water and mix some flour in it before adding it back into the mix (this let's you mix it better, thus preventing lumps). This is my favorite thing ever. My grandmother used to make it, though she didn't use a crock pot.
My favorite Crock Pot recipe! (Bold shows most important steps.) 1. Unplug crockpot. 1a. If needed, clean crockpot. 2. Find original box, if possible. 3. Turn on computer. 4. Go to craig's list. 5. Post an ad for the crockpot. Use term "like new!" 6. Drop price as needed. 7. Purchase La Creuset dutch oven
This is giving me ideas... perhaps I can actually cook something if it's just putting stuff into a pot and turning it on in the morning. Keep 'em coming -- I am intrigued.
I do chicken tacos in the crockpot, where you throw chicken thighs, taco seasoning, onions, tomatoes, and chicken broth in the crockpot and cook all day. Then when you're done, take the meat out and shred it for taco meat. It's awesome. I also do crockpot lasagna, which is the same as regular lasagna, but you layer it in the crockpot and you don't have to cook the pasta first.
Everyone else in my family loves what my mom makes in the crock pot except me, so I doubt that's it. I agree with leroy, I think it ruins meat. Why someone would rather throw meat in a pot, instead of thrown on a grill is beyond me. I can understand the convenience of it though.
In my sudden interest in slow cooking, I went to the wikipedia page on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crock_pot Slow cooking is recommended for tougher/cheaper cuts of meat, and it actually tastes better with them than with more expensive cuts. Interesting. The loss of vitamins/nutrients in vegetables and whatnot bothers me, though! I need TEH VITAMINZ!
This isn't my favorite way to make ribs, I prefer a dry rub, but this is an easy way to make baby back ribs when away from home all day and they'll be falling off the bone tender. 2 racks of baby back ribs 2 bottles of sweet baby rays honey chipole sauce or sauce of your choice Cut ribs into 3 rib sections (usually 4 per rack) Place in crockpot Smother with sauce Cook on low while you are away. Upon return remove from crockpot Finish on med heat grill brushing with fresh BBQ sauce of your choice.