Pressure / slow cookers

[Bastet]

Why would I want one? What do they do for you that is better than a normal pot?

[Phoenix]

I like my slow cooker because I can load it up and leave it unattended. Then I've got a meal 4-8 hours later.

I often start mine when I go to bed, then my lunch is ready when I wake up.

[sprite]

^^that.

pressure cookers can cook certain foods, like beans, much faster. i've never bothered, mainly because i don't have the space for it. my kitchen is badly designed for storage of large cooking tools. we've decided that the tagine will simply live on the counter top as a sort of decoration.

i would like a slow cooker.

[HalcyonDaze]

Yes, it is a space issue here as well. But I know my friends who have them love the fact they can sort out dinner before going to work and come home to a cooked meal.

[sophie]

I use my pressure cooker frequently. We eat a lot of various types of beans, and the pressure cooker is by far the easiest and fastest way to cook them, and prepare bean soups or other mains. I have a slow cooker, and use it once in a while. It is not as useful for us as the pressure cooker.

[owlet]

We also have a slow cooker. You can't leave food cooking on the hob unattended like you can with a slow cooker, and slow cooking in an oven would dry the food out more and be more expensive as you'd have the oven on for hours.

[whothingie]

I've never used a pressure cooker after seeing my MIL standing on a stepladder cleaning the ceiling when she didn't follow the instructions and had a volcanic eruption type experience, but I do have a very old slow cooker which I use frequently in the winter. Mine is so old it only has the three heats and is large and bulky to store and weighs a ton. The newer versions are far more sophisticated. If looking for one check that the lid is a good fit. Mine isn't tight and a lot of steam escapes.

[whortleberry]

I love our slow cooker and tend to use it quite a lot in winter. It's good for curries and casseroles.

[libbyh]

Slow cookers are brilliant. Chuck everything in the cooker before you go out and it's ready when you get home, no fuss. On the other hand, I've always been a bit scared of pressure cookers, they cook really fast but make weird noises and sound like they are going to explode at any minute.

[weeg]

What everyone else said about slow cookers. I'd never go out all day leaving a pot on my gas stove, but the slow cooker is just brilliant in winter for really tender meat stews and soups.

[sprite]

um. i put my oven/cooker on a timer while i'm out, if i have a stew in a pot with lid.

[Phar Lap]

I had a Sunbeam Crock Pot in the 1970s and it was brilliant - put the ingredients in before leaving home in the morning, when I'd get home, no rushing around to prepare dinner, it was already done. The old ones were heavy and there was no insert.

Today I use a Russell Hobbs Slow cooker. I chose the smaller one as there's only two of us. Just as good, cook on low or high, 4 or 8 hours. Sometimes, I allow an hour or two longer. They are really handy, especially in winter. I've also cooked corned beef. Sometimes if I haven't put a meal in early enough, I use a combination of both low and high - high for one or two hours, the rest on low.

[rezberry]

I love my pressure cooker for making pretty much everything: beans, beef stews, soups, potatoes etc etc. It' s much faster than any other type of cooking.
Got a new multi-function rice cooker last week, and am planning on making Moroccan stew in it tomorrow.

[snowwhite]

Slow cooker was handy when we were eating at different times. J and I would eat earlier, then the rest was still fine for Mr Snow when he got in after running. Still good now for weekend days when it means we don't have to get back in time to cook to eat for 6 (when 2 year-old needs to eat).

[Bastet]

I'd be really worried about leaving something on all day. What if it broke and burned down the place?

What do you cook in it? I can't think of many things I do that would convert to it.

[Phoenix]

Pork roast, beef ribs, beef stew, chili, soups. I will sometimes toss random stuff in with some liquid and see what happens.

[sprite]

the heat is very low, it's far more dangerous to leave your dishwasher or washing machine running when you are out.
in theory, yes, the electrics could fail and send a fire back through the wire, but you would notice damage to to the wiring long before that.

if you don't make a lot of stews or pot roasts, maybe don't bother. or buy a second hand one from a charity shop, so you aren't out much if you don't like it.

[weeg]

Soup, stew, and joints of meat. Pork ribs. Ham in Irn Bru. Chilli. Dahl. All sorts, really.

Also - and this is important for us cold weather dwellers - warm booze. There is no better way of making mulled wine or cider. Warms it up, doesn't evaporate the alcohol. Really, I think this should be more of a sales pitch for them. Mmm. Mulled cider.

They are great for winter warmer type food. Conversely, I've heard that people in hot climates like them because you get hot food without heating up your kitchen much.

[sprite]

ham in irn bru??

[yehyeh]

I make baked beans, macaroni cheese, beef cheeks. I also sometimes throw in some meat, random veg and some stock. Slow cooking makes meat v soft and tender.

I asked an electrician if it is ok to leave it on all day - no problem as the current is so low. Although I only use it when I will be either at home all day or home intermittently.

[Liiisa]

I keep meaning to buy a slow cooker. Some day.

whothingie, I too have had a "beans on the ceiling" experience (tripping housemate who was overconfident about her ability to operate machinery at that dosage level), so no pressure cooker for me either

[ozziegiraffe]

I'd also be too scared to use a pressure cooker, and don't usually cook/ eat beans.
However, I grabbed a $25 slow cooker at Target the other day, as winters get colder here than where I usually live.
Now I need some recipes.

[vinnyd]

Slow cookers are good for beans.

And just recently I learned about caramelizing onions in a slow cooker. Spread a little oil on the bottom, Fill with onions cut in half moons, and leave covered on low for at least eight hours, Stir it up and cook longer uncovered. Freeze in small containers and you have well browned onions almost instantly when you need them.

It does tend to make the house smell of onions, which some people may object to. Not me.