topic Re: Question about Crock Pots in Among Friends

Question about Crock Pots

gloriajean — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 16:31:56 GMT

I hardly ever use a crock pot, but I got my sister's old one when she went to the Nursing Home. Last night I decided to pull it out and made a pork roast in it before I went to bed, added onion, seasonings, potatoes and carrots. Well this morning the meat was fine but the vegetables were tough. So I sliced the meat, made gravy, put the sliced pork in the gravy, it was dry, and I cooked the carrots and potatoes separately - potatoes are cooking now, and will add them to the dutch oven. I usually make my pot roasts on top of the stove - guess that's the best way.

Does that happen to you? Maybe I did something wrong. I put it on low for the night. Don't carrots cook in there?

Re: Question about Crock Pots

qualitygal — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 16:39:47 GMT

temp and time? See what it said. Just in case, that would be my first check.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

gloriajean — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 16:44:55 GMT

Doesn't say temp. Just Off, Lo and High. I used Lo and on all night - maybe about 8 hours or so. Long enough anyway. Roast was done and onions, that's all.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

Elbelle — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 16:50:31 GMT

Did you add any water or broth? I always add one can of broth.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

PinkyPetunia — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 17:03:35 GMT

Potatoes and carrots need to be in a liquid to cook properly, so place them on the bottom of the crock pot. 8 hours on low might have been too long of a cooking time for a lean meat.

Learning how to use a crock pot is somewhat of a trial and error thing. You will get the hang of it after using it a few times.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

ChynnaBlue — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 17:07:06 GMT

@Elbelle wrote:
Did you add any water or broth? I always add one can of broth.

Yes, you absolutely need some kind of liquid in there. I've never had vegetables come out tough and it's more often the opposite, that they can be mushy if left too long.

Did you follow a crock pot recipe or just use a stove-top recipe in the crock pot? You need to make sure you use a recipe adapted for the crock pot.

Meat in the crock pot is also more flavorful if it's seared first, so I always season and sear the meat, then add it to the crock pot with the other ingredients.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

gloriajean — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 17:22:54 GMT

I always put a cup of water in it first. I had lots of liquid in which I made gravy out of. Maybe my mistake was not putting the veggies on the bottom. I put them all with the sliced onion on top of the meat. I had no directions. I just did like I do on the stove top. I like that way better, especially since they don't come out that well. Again, the meat was fine. Maybe I should have just cooked the meat and the veggies separate. Thanks for your posts. This is an old crock pot.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

151949 — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 18:13:32 GMT

I'm trying to figure out why you cooked a dinner overnight instead of cooking it during the day.Oh well. yes , your mistake was that the veggies need to be in the water - they go in first and the meat on top.Generally, I prefer to do a roast 4 to 6 hours on high. I don't think low is hot enough to cook meat,esp pork, to be sure anything harmful in it is gone.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

fthunt — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 18:31:36 GMT

My dog wouldn't have let me sleep a wink if she smelled a piece of hot meat! Bow Wow

Re: Question about Crock Pots

gloriajean — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 19:22:20 GMT

151949 - I wonder what all those numbers mean for your nic???? Anyway, the reason I cooked it all in the crockpot overnight was because I planned it to be our lunch, not supper, and glad I did because I had to cook those veggies over again!! Now I know better. I will now (if I use the crock pot again) put the veggies on the bottom in the water.

Thanks everyone!! Knew I could count on you!

Re: Question about Crock Pots

lolakimono — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 19:53:40 GMT

@gloriajean wrote:
151949 - I wonder what all those numbers mean for your nic????

@gloriajean

It is her b-day- 1/5/1949.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

gloriajean — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 20:10:16 GMT

How clever!

Re: Question about Crock Pots

CalminHeart — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 22:52:09 GMT

I never put the vegetables in until about 2 hours before serving.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

Toppers — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 23:09:09 GMT

@gloriajean wrote:
151949 - I wonder what all those numbers mean for your nic???? Anyway, the reason I cooked it all in the crockpot overnight was because I planned it to be our lunch, not supper, and glad I did because I had to cook those veggies over again!! Now I know better. I will now (if I use the crock pot again) put the veggies on the bottom in the water.

Thanks everyone!! Knew I could count on you!

Hi @gloriajean,

You also want to make sure that your cooker is at least half of the way full, for proper cooking, too.

It needs to be at least half of the way full, but not too crowded either, or your food won't cook right, either.

As others have mentioned, the veggies need to be on the bottom of the cooker, as they take longer to cook.

You need some liquid in the cooker, but I generally just put a smaller amount in the cooker if I am using my own recipe, as veggies will add their own liquid as they cook down.

I normally put in about a quarter of a cup of liquid when I am making a roast with veggies.

I like to add some dry gravy mix and some seasonings in with the water, and then you have a nice sort of au jus sauce/gravy for your roast when you are done.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

docsgirl — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:07:36 GMT

I always follow a recipe and as a result never have a mishap. The recipes give all directions and the order in which to place ingredients into the pot. They tell you how long to cook the meal on high and low. If I didn't follow a recipe, I'd have a disaster. In addition to a multitude of recipes, I have a crockpot cookbook. You can find many free recipes on line. I love my crockpot and use it just about every week during the fall, winter, and spring. Last week, in 90 degree temps, I made soup in my crock pot. I was just in the mood for soup despite the heat. You'll get the hang of it and will be thrilled with the many hearty and delicious meals you'll enjoy. docsgirl

Re: Question about Crock Pots

RedTop — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 01:09:46 GMT

That crockpot sounds exactly like the Westbend model I bought for my mom and MIL for Christmas in the mid 70's. They both hated the crockpots, but hung onto them forever because they were gifts.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

software — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 08:03:38 GMT

Personally, I would never do a pork roast in a crock pot. A crock pot does best with meats needing a long slow cook time, which is usually cheaper cuts of beef, pot roast & such. I don't even like chicken in a crock pot. Put your veggies in the bottom first, season your meat and put it on top of the veggies. You can put onion on top of the meat if that's what you like. I also like to add Worcester sauce or other kind of flavored sauce with the water or broth. Those old crock pots are the best.

@gloriajean wrote:
I hardly ever use a crock pot, but I got my sister's old one when she went to the Nursing Home. Last night I decided to pull it out and made a pork roast in it before I went to bed, added onion, seasonings, potatoes and carrots. Well this morning the meat was fine but the vegetables were tough. So I sliced the meat, made gravy, put the sliced pork in the gravy, it was dry, and I cooked the carrots and potatoes separately - potatoes are cooking now, and will add them to the dutch oven. I usually make my pot roasts on top of the stove - guess that's the best way.
Does that happen to you? Maybe I did something wrong. I put it on low for the night. Don't carrots cook in there?

Re: Question about Crock Pots

Toppers — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 15:52:08 GMT

@docsgirl wrote:
I always follow a recipe and as a result never have a mishap. The recipes give all directions and the order in which to place ingredients into the pot. They tell you how long to cook the meal on high and low. If I didn't follow a recipe, I'd have a disaster. In addition to a multitude of recipes, I have a crockpot cookbook. You can find many free recipes on line. I love my crockpot and use it just about every week during the fall, winter, and spring. Last week, in 90 degree temps, I made soup in my crock pot. I was just in the mood for soup despite the heat. You'll get the hang of it and will be thrilled with the many hearty and delicious meals you'll enjoy. docsgirl

Hi @docsgirl,

There are many great online recipes out there, aren't there?

I also like to use recipes, too. I also have many different slow cooker cookbooks too, that I like to use.

I like using a slow cooker during the Summer, especially when I don't want to get the rest of the kitchen too hot.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

Toppers — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 15:58:59 GMT

@software wrote:
Personally, I would never do a pork roast in a crock pot. A crock pot does best with meats needing a long slow cook time, which is usually cheaper cuts of beef, pot roast & such. I don't even like chicken in a crock pot. Put your veggies in the bottom first, season your meat and put it on top of the veggies. You can put onion on top of the meat if that's what you like. I also like to add Worcester sauce or other kind of flavored sauce with the water or broth. Those old crock pots are the best.
@gloriajean wrote:
I hardly ever use a crock pot, but I got my sister's old one when she went to the Nursing Home. Last night I decided to pull it out and made a pork roast in it before I went to bed, added onion, seasonings, potatoes and carrots. Well this morning the meat was fine but the vegetables were tough. So I sliced the meat, made gravy, put the sliced pork in the gravy, it was dry, and I cooked the carrots and potatoes separately - potatoes are cooking now, and will add them to the dutch oven. I usually make my pot roasts on top of the stove - guess that's the best way.
Does that happen to you? Maybe I did something wrong. I put it on low for the night. Don't carrots cook in there?

Hi @software,

I like using a slow cooker to make many different kinds of meals.

I have had good sucess making pork and chicken recipes/meals, although I know that others may not like using their cookers to make those types of meals.

I have made pork ribs in my cooker, and other recipes where pork comes out really tender, and the same with chicken, too.

You're right about a cooker being good for cheaper cuts of meat, too. I have used cheaper and less tender cuts of meat in recipes and the meals have turned out well.

Re: Question about Crock Pots

software — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 16:01:43 GMT

I'm glad you mentioned the pork in the slow cooker, yes the cooker does great when using pork shoulder or pork butt. I completely agree. And still all a matter of personal taste. I may be doing my chicken wrong but it always comes out tasteless from a slow cooker.

Throwback to my childhood, I guess. Pot roast in a slow cooker is so yummy!

@Toppers wrote:
@software wrote:
Personally, I would never do a pork roast in a crock pot. A crock pot does best with meats needing a long slow cook time, which is usually cheaper cuts of beef, pot roast & such. I don't even like chicken in a crock pot. Put your veggies in the bottom first, season your meat and put it on top of the veggies. You can put onion on top of the meat if that's what you like. I also like to add Worcester sauce or other kind of flavored sauce with the water or broth. Those old crock pots are the best.
@gloriajean wrote:
I hardly ever use a crock pot, but I got my sister's old one when she went to the Nursing Home. Last night I decided to pull it out and made a pork roast in it before I went to bed, added onion, seasonings, potatoes and carrots. Well this morning the meat was fine but the vegetables were tough. So I sliced the meat, made gravy, put the sliced pork in the gravy, it was dry, and I cooked the carrots and potatoes separately - potatoes are cooking now, and will add them to the dutch oven. I usually make my pot roasts on top of the stove - guess that's the best way.
Does that happen to you? Maybe I did something wrong. I put it on low for the night. Don't carrots cook in there?

Hi @software,

I like using a slow cooker to make many different kinds of meals.

I have had good sucess making pork and chicken recipes/meals, although I know that others may not like using their cookers to make those types of meals.

I have made pork ribs in my cooker, and other recipes where pork comes out really tender, and the same with chicken, too.

You're right about a cooker being good for cheaper cuts of meat, too. I have used cheaper and less tender cuts of meat in recipes and the meals have turned out well.