Crockpot newbie....please help.

[Anonymous]

I know there are tons of posts on crockpot but none have been helpful so please help me buy a crock pot. I have a family of 3 adults, 2 kids and would like to also have leftovers. It's my understanding that there is the 8hrs vs 4hr issue. Is there one that i can buy that accomodates both? How does it work? Which one do you recommend? I have never used one but it is time....

[Anonymous]

You can get one with digital controls so that you can choose the exact amount of time you want it to cook, at the temp seeting you want (high vs low, which is probably what you mean when you say 4 vs 8 hours), and automatically goes to a "warm" setting when cooking time is done.

I use mine frequently and I think these controls are essential.

[Anonymous]

Get a large oval one for the size of your family. Get one with numerous settings. Mine is a "crock pot" brand. It has High, low, 4, 6, 8, 10 hour settings, and warm. That's all you need.

Here's a link to the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCCPVP600-S-6-Quart-Smart-Pot-Stainless/dp/B004ZUW52W/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1380720870&sr=8-25&keywords=crock+pot+6+quart

[Anonymous]

I have a Hamilton Beech with a digital timer that switches to warm at the end of the cooking period. I find that feature to be critical if you aren't going to be home and work a full day.

We originally had a Cuisinart, but it burned everything, either because it was too big, or it just ran too hot. The Hamilton Beech was a lot less expensive and works better for us.

Don't bother getting one if you don't like slow cooked, braised foods. And keep your expectations reasonable. There are some truly great recipes, but most of those require a lot of prep time before putting the food in the crock. America's Test Kitchen is particularly guilty of this. Their slow cooker cookbook has some good tips, but most of the recipes take more prep time than I have in the morning (and can't be cooked for 8+ hours). Defeats the purpose for me. But maybe your life is more accommodating than mine.

Items that do well in the slow cooker: soups, stews, pot roasts, braised (simmered in liquid) meats with hearty vegetables.

[Anonymous]

What size do you recommend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a Hamilton Beech with a digital timer that switches to warm at the end of the cooking period. I find that feature to be critical if you aren't going to be home and work a full day.

We originally had a Cuisinart, but it burned everything, either because it was too big, or it just ran too hot. The Hamilton Beech was a lot less expensive and works better for us.

Don't bother getting one if you don't like slow cooked, braised foods. And keep your expectations reasonable. There are some truly great recipes, but most of those require a lot of prep time before putting the food in the crock. America's Test Kitchen is particularly guilty of this. Their slow cooker cookbook has some good tips, but most of the recipes take more prep time than I have in the morning (and can't be cooked for 8+ hours). Defeats the purpose for me. But maybe your life is more accommodating than mine.

Items that do well in the slow cooker: soups, stews, pot roasts, braised (simmered in liquid) meats with hearty vegetables.

FYI, I find that if I want to do a complicated recipe that take more prep time, I do the prep the night before, put everything into a big tupperware container in the fridge. In the morning, I dump the tupperware into the crock pot and turn it on. I run it for about 20 minutes more than regular cooking time to adjust to heating the cold food back up.

[Anonymous]

I use mine at least twice a week. I just have a basic crockpot with high, low, and warm settings. But I only work very part-time so I don't need the auto shut-off.

We are having soft tacos tonight. I put boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot (still mostly frozen) and poured a jar of salsa on top. I turned the crockpot on low and it cooked about eight hours. I drained most of the liquid off and shredded the chicken with a fork. I served it with warm flour tortillas, black beans, and all the taco fixings. Quick, easy, relatively cheap, and so yummy!

Love my crockpot!