topic Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question. in Kitchen

Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

Lotus — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:18:14 GMT

I am making a recipe I found online using chicken/salsa/corn/black beans/and rice (I am using brown rice). Most of the comments said the rice comes out too mushy so I kept the rice out.

The instructions say to cook on low for 8 hours....high for 4 hrs.

My question is: Should I add the rice now and let it cook for the next hour and a half? Will brown rice cook in that amount of time? How much time in the crock pot (on high) would brown rice take with the other stuff in there?

Or should I just cook the brown rice separately?

I feel like I'm doing a science experiment.

Thanks for any help or suggestions you can make.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

Lotus — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:21:28 GMT

I just found this: http://www.wikihow.com/Add-Rice-to-a-Crock-Pot-Recipe

I think I will cook it separately and then add in the last half hour or so....or maybe not at all.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

Sooner — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:24:10 GMT

Rice is tricky in a crock pot. I'd cook it separately, especially brown rice, to be sure. Have you ever tried baking brown rice? You put it in a pan like a 9 x 13 pan, pour boiling water over, cover with foil and stick it in the oven to bake. I have never had it fail and it is not gummy either.

I don't have the recipe with me, but I'll bet you can search on the internet for it.

Good eatin'! Sounds wonderful!

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

toodles11 — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:24:38 GMT

Do you have a newer crock pot? They tend to cook hotter. Eight hours seems too long to me, although your recipe is sounding really good.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

oceantown — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:28:32 GMT

I would leave out the brown rice because I would be worried that it would not cook completely. The thing is though, your casserole will probably have more liquid because the rice is not in there. The ingredients sound delicious. If you cook the rice separately, you can just serve the chicken mixture over the rice.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

Lotus — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:29:11 GMT

LOL.....it's so old I forgot how old it is......over 10 years for sure.

It'll be in there about a total of 6.5 - 7 hours......I got a late start.

Agreed......cooking the rice separate. I'll do it stove top this time....but the oven method sounds interesting...thanks. I'll google.....or wait for you to post the cooking time.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

Lotus — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:30:28 GMT

On 1/13/2014 oceantown said:
I would leave out the brown rice because I would be worried that it would not cook completely. The thing is though, your casserole will probably have more liquid because the rice is not in there. The ingredients sound delicious. If you cook the rice separately, you can just serve the chicken mixture over the rice.

It is a little liquid-y.....I just peeked. I think I'll transfer to a stove-top pot and let some of the liquid reduce.

It smells really, really good.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

oceantown — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:31:07 GMT

Lotus, let us know how it turns out!

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

Lotus — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:49:29 GMT

I surely will......I'm not sure if I'm a slow cooker type of gal.

I transferred to a large frying pan with lid that's about 2 inches deep....took the chicken out and broke up the 3 breasts (tasted a small piece...really good) and it's now simmering on the stove top.

Rice is boiling.

I'll try and report back before I have to leave for work at 6p.

Thanks again, ladies.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

BLH — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 00:04:41 GMT

Follow the recipe directions.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

Lotus — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 19:48:50 GMT

I finished it on the stove top and reduced the liquid a little. The consistency was perfect. When I did that I pulled the chicken apart into chunks.......cooked the rice in a separate pan.

It was good, but I would probably use 1 small jar of salsa and 1 can of either crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce if I make it again. It was too salsa-y for MY taste. I would probably add some onion and garlic and cumin. I did add some cumin before cooking, but it wasn't enough.

It's definitely a recipe to play around with and easy to assemble.

By the time it was done I had to rush out to work. I made a small container to bring with my. I'm not sure how DS liked it...haven't seen him yet.

It probably would have been great if I had time to shred the chicken and serve it with different topping in a taco shell or a tortilla.

Hope this helped.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

151949 — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:13:14 GMT

I use my slow cooker a lot but I never have had good results with rice - so i cook it separately and add , cooked, at the very end. Some things just aren't good in a crockpot and IMO rice is one of them. Another is tortellini - they get HUGE - i cook them separately too.

Re: Using Slow Cooker (Crock Pot???) for the First Time. Question.

oceantown — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 05:54:40 GMT

Thanks for letting us know how you liked it, Lotus. It sounds good.