Crockpots

[Josh Feltman]

The cast iron thread revival (thanks Munk )got me thinking about the modernized version of the dutch oven--the crockpot. I like the crockpot when it's really cold outside, because it's great for soups, stews, etc. I also find myself using it when it's really hot, because I can plug it in out on my back deck and keep the heat out of the kitchen. In fact, I've got a nice pork roast with carrots, onions, potatoes, and tons of garlic cooking outside right now as I type this. It should be done in another few hours. How many crockpot fans do we have out there? Any good recipes you'd like to share?
--Josh

 

[Aardvark]

You're going to make me poor(er), Josh. Guess I'm going to have to buy one. That roast sound REEL good.

 

[Josh Feltman]

Aard--I thought crockpots were ubiquitous, maybe even mandatory. When they finally give out the chicken for every pot, I figure mine will go in my crockpot They are cheap and useful--well worth having. If you ever attend potlucks, the crockpot is a wonderful thing. For a long time, my work potluck item has been lil' smokies simmered in bbq sauce. I usually buy two packs and simmer them in two containers of bbq sauce. Bring a pack of toothpicks for skewering. They're usually gone before the lunch even starts.
--Josh

 

[Aardvark]

Used to have one, but a divorce got it.

 

[munk]

The crock pot and skillets should always go to the man- those are a single man's weapons for food preparation. Throw a chicken in the pot, go to work, return to find dinner waiting.

I lived on quesidilla's for years.

The girl friend who stole the stereo committed an unspeakable crime. The woman who keeps the guns...well, enough said about that.



munk

 

[clearblue]

There's a slab of corned beef simmering in the crockpot as we speak.

 

[bilestoad]

My current favourite out of the crock pot is pulled pork. It's amazing, tastes just like that old southern delicacy..(well pretty close...)

 

[Josh Feltman]

Clearblue--glad to hear I'm not the only one crocking tonight

Bilestoad--You wouldn't happen to have a recipe for that, would you?

--Josh

 

[etp777]

man, all y'all are making me hungry.

Feel like my mom's st. patty's day meal after that clear. Corned beef, cabbage and potatoes simmer for a while(can't remember how long) then cook up some hot irish soda bread on the side.

Crock pot is one of best htings made. WHen I moved out, my mom gave me hers(not as much helping me as excuse to buy herself a new one ) and of two cookbooks she bought me on moving out, oneis just crock pot recipes.

 

[Bill Sanders]

I love my crock pots (I have 4 of them different sizes). For some recipes go here: http://southernfood.about.com/library/crock/blcpidx.htm?once=true

 

[45-70]

I know it sounds nuts, but add a bit of Grape Jelly to your pot of litl smokies, one of those almost secret secret items...

Crockpots, cast iron skillets, hmmmm.

Anyone home fry potatoes?

 

[Jotto]

My wife cuts up a deer roast into cubes and seasons it with some stuff called venison and wild game marinade. She puts it into the crock with a sweet onion, carrots and potatoes and it four hours........mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Now on another note, I have one of those brinkman electric smokers and I love that thing. I smoke my deer loins in it with hickory or mesquite wood chunks.

Get all the silver skin off the loins. Shake a light coating of cajun seasoning all over the loin. Wrap the loins in bacon and secure it with toothpicks. Shake a little more cajun on the bacon and put them on the smoker. Now....once they are on the smoker get a handful of brown sugar and mound it up along the top of each loin so it melts over the outside. 2 hours later you will have a delicacy that is so enticing, you may want to hide it from everyone.

Otto

 

[Rusty]

My tall SOUP pot cooked up last night's taco meat and another 7 one-pound baggies of taco meat went into the freezer. It also serves to cook up like 10 pounds of chicken breasts when they go on sale. Put each in baggies individually, then fill up gallon baggies and throw in the freezer in the garage

My slow-cooker is an aluminum rectangular pan with a glass lid that sits on the adjustable heating element. Throw the stuff in, put it on a stove burner til it starts boiling, then turn off the stove, move it to the heating element, then plug in and leave for a few hours. When we do a beef roast, we make ourselves have one regular meal at the table off of it first. Then after that it's free for all with what's over. Naturally about 90% is left over in the fridge to use in everything you can think of.

Last batch I added mint to one portion cooked with cabbage and broth, like the minted beef in Portuguese Soupa. IIRC, ( if you've never been to a Portuguese Festa ) a couple hundred year ago there was a famine in Portugal, and I believe the king sent ( was it three? ) ships to buy food, then waited for their return. They returned on the day of Pentecost, and they still celebrate a festa on the weekend of Pentecost with minted beef and cabbage over toasted bread to sop up the broth.

My hungarian aunt got the recipe from her ( portuguese ) best friend just down the road.

 

[Aardvark]

Anyone home fry potatoes?

You bet! (part of this may sound like heresy). Microwave 5-6 large russets. Let em cool. Peel. Cut into cubes or slices (cubes are less likely to fall apart). Finely chop 1 large yellow onion. Finely chop 7 or 8 pieces of bacon. Heat large (10 - 12 in) cast iron skillet over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add bacon and render until most of the fat is out. Remove the bacon bits and reserve. Drain off whatever fat you don't want. Reheat the skillet and add the potato cubes/slices. Cook on one side until golden. Turn the potatoes over. Add the onions and bacon bits. Cover loosely and fry the potatoes until golden on other side. Take care that the onions don't burn. May have to do a bit of turning. Salt and pepper to taste.

A family favorite.

 

[Rusty]

The hungariuans render 4 slices of bacon, remove and reserve, leaving 3-4 tablespoons of bacon grease.. Add 1 medium ( 2lbs ) cabbage cored and washed then chopped or slawed sprinkle with one teaspoon salt and set aside. Add and fry chopped onion until translucent and crumble the bacon back in. Add cabbage and cook til limp. Cook 8 to ten ounces wide noodles, drain, put in large bowl, add reserved bacon, onion and salted cabbage. Spinkle with pepper and toss. Serve. Basically that's hunky soul food.

 

[Yvsa]

The hungariuans render 4 slices of bacon, remove and reserve, add chopped onion and cabbage, fry, and crumble the bacon back in. Stir in cooked rice. There's a little more to it than just that, but basically that's hunky soul food.

So Bro, what is the "There's a little more to it than just that, but basically that's hunky soul food." part.
You can't do things perfectly right with half a recipe.

 

[Sutcliffe]

Don't use it much once the weather heats up. Like the idea of plugging it in outdoors though. You can make an easy chili in one, but I prefer the kind that has me slaving away for countless hours in the kitchen. Do a pork rib concoction simmered in beer, then taken out and baked in BBQ sauce for the final twenty minutes that is pretty darn good. My biggest non success was four squirrels that I had proudly taken. Tough, bitter and about as unappealing as Haggis(sorry to all those of Highland stock). Gave up hunting squirrel after that little crockpot fiasco. Somehow I didn't blame it on the crockpot.

 

[bilestoad]

Clearblue--glad to hear I'm not the only one crocking tonight

Bilestoad--You wouldn't happen to have a recipe for that, would you?

--Josh

Ask and Ye shall receive:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 Onions finely chopped
6 Cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1 cup tomato based chili sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 boneless pork shoulder trimmed of excess fat about 3 lbs

Kaiser buns halved and warmed

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft.
Add garlic, chili powder and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add chili sauce, brown suggar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and liguid smoke.
Stir to combine and bring to a boil.

Place pork in slow cooker stoneware and pour sauce over.
Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or on HIGH for 6 hours, until pork is falling apart.

Transfer pork to a cutting board and pull the meat apart in shreds using two forks. Return to sauce and keep warm. When ready to serve, spoon shredded pork and sauce over warm buns.


General Observations:

** I use heinz chili sauce as it is a tomato based sauce and has no chili chunks in it. It does make a difference.

adjust chili powder as you see fit. I like a little more than the recipe calls for.

while you CAN take the pork out and "pull" it on a cutting board, it's so soft and tender I just do it right in the crock pot. Saves time and mess.

 

[Rod Allen]

Threads about food and cooking should be banned! Since separating my cooking consists of opening a tin of beans and eating it cold and similar unsavory (no pun intended) practices. But this is inspirational perhaps I might go and get me a Crockpot my mum had one and from what I remember even a hopelessly inadequate male like me may be able to manage it.

 

[etp777]

Not seperated, but as poor lazy bachelor, I don't do much more than that. Boil water for ramen, spaghetti or mac and cheese, cook up some spanish rice stuff(basically boil water again) and occasionally grill some steaks, and that's limit of cooking lately. Oh, and spread mayo or pbj for sandwiches.