Slooooow cooking recipies?

[Scuba_Ben]

I'm looking for some very slow cooking recipies - stuff that I can load into a slow cooker, and let simmer for 24 hours. (I think the longest setting I've seen on timed slow cookers is 12 hours, so I'm also looking for cookers that don't insist on a certain time.)

I've recently learned how to do some Indian dishes (chana saag and beef saag). There was a comment here a while ago that Indian curries and stews are well suited for extended simmering. So that's one angle I can take.

Please share some good recipies and resources for stuff that can simmer all night and all day.

[OneCentStamp]

One of my favorite Sunday lunches is to throw a chuck roast (or a pork shoulder roast works nicely as well) into the slow cooker with a large chopped onion and some appropriate seasonings on Saturday afternoon. The onion, in addition to flavor and aroma, brings a ton of moisture to the game, which is good. Then on Sunday morning, I break up the cooked meat (easily) with a fork, stir in a bottle of good BBQ sauce and let it slow cook again until lunch time. Serve on potato rolls with cole slaw. :)

[silenus]

Stamp's recipe is what I cook in our slow-cooker 90% of the time. The rest is chili.

[Scuba_Ben]

I have good access to chuck roast, so I'll give that a try. Thanks, Stamp.

[stolichnaya]

I am extremely new at this, but I have found that small potatoes with the skin on (vs. larger potatoes cut up) hold up better over long periods, and that chicken and other drier proteins can benefit from being seared before they go into the cooker.

I am in the midst of reviewing a bunch of chicken fajita recipes. Love the slow-cooker. Looking forward to some more tips!

[Johnny L.A.]

Stamp's recipe is what I cook in our slow-cooker 90% of the time
I've done the same thing several times, only without the onion. I've never had any worries about moisture, but then I don't cook it overnight. I cook it in the crock pot or slow cooker on 'high' for six or eight hours. Boy, do I get tired of 'BBQ beef' sandwiches after a couple of days of working on a two-pound roast!

[MadPansy64]

(I think the longest setting I've seen on timed slow cookers is 12 hours, so I'm also looking for cookers that don't insist on a certain time.)
Rival has a couple of models that don't have a timer. I got a medium sized one at Target a few days ago with an oval shaped, removable crock, 3 settings (high, low & warm), & a real glass lid for $25-ish. So far it's perfect, no stupid timer, no stupid beeping, no flashing lights, just high/low/warm/off and it's not yuppie-freakin-beige.

It was to replace a much hated medium-sized so-called "programmable" Rival product. I hated the timer, the buttons, the chip, the instructions & the color, but the damn thing would.not.die.

Look for cheap Rival slow cookers at your favorite discount store.

[OneCentStamp]

I've done the same thing several times, only without the onion. I've never had any worries about moisture, but then I don't cook it overnight.
Give it a try. It's yummy, and it only adds 75 cents and 30 seconds of prep time to the recipe. :)
I cook it in the crock pot or slow cooker on 'high' for six or eight hours. Boy, do I get tired of 'BBQ beef' sandwiches after a couple of days of working on a two-pound roast!
Me too...which is why I also like to do it for office potlucks. :D

[appleciders]

Try chopped pork, white vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, red bell peppers, and crushed red pepper. Potatoes and onions are optional. I sometimes add pineapple with only an hour to go, so it doesn't get all mushy.

[Silence of the clams]

Mutton and cabbage stew:

Put cabbage and mutton in layers in a large pot with whole peppercorns and a handfull of salt. Add half with water, and leave to simmer on the stove as long as you want. Served with boiled potatoes.

[Rick]

Beef Short Ribs
Go to Costco or Sam's Club and buy a tray of beef short ribs. The kind that have been saw cut so they are about 1/4 thick by about 3 bones wide.
1 or 2 Large onion(s)
Dried mushrooms
I can beef broth
1 bottle of red wine
flour

In a large skillet with a little oil, brown the ribs. Set aside on a plate.
Slice the onions and then cut the slices into quarters. Brown the onions in the same pan. Deglaze the pan with the wine.
Place the dried mushrooms in a layer on the bottom of the crock. Put the onions over the top, and layer the ribs over the top. Pour the wine and beef broth over the top, and cook until the meat is falling off the bones, 4-6 hours on high or about 8-10 on low.
Remove the meat, and other solids. Put the liquid into a large pan over high heat. Whisk in the flour to make a gravy.
Goes very well when served over mashed potatoes.

[Mangetout]

24 hours seems like a very long time, even for a slow-cooker. Drying out and overcooking into a caramelised mush that always tastes the same seem to be likely outcomes.

Is there any particular reason why it has to be this long?

[Shirley Ujest]

May I heartily recommend the Slow Cooker's bags that are in the ziplock section of the store. It makes for a superfast clean up!

[Plynck]

If your store carries McCormick's spices, this (http://www.mccormick.com/recipedetail.cfm?id=11602) is a good pulled pork recipe. Not a lot different than what has already been posted. I'll have to try the onion next time.

[Scuba_Ben]

24 hours seems like a very long time, even for a slow-cooker. Drying out and overcooking into a caramelised mush that always tastes the same seem to be likely outcomes.

Is there any particular reason why it has to be this long?
It's a religious issue. For a two-day festival, cooking the second night's supper is deprecated, so I'm looking into long-simmering meals.

Shirley Ujest, thanks for the recommendation about slow cooker bags, I'll pick up a box of those when I get the food for these recipies. (The current leader is applecider's suggestion, using chuck roast instead of pork.)

[Lute Skywatcher]

How do you feel about barbecue ham & beans (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6681375&highlight=high+country+beans#post6681375)?

[Scuba_Ben]

How do you feel about barbecue ham & beans (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6681375&highlight=high+country+beans#post6681375)?
That'll take some adapting, mainly dropping the bacon and using beef instead of ham. It's worth a try.

[Lute Skywatcher]

That'll take some adapting, mainly dropping the bacon and using beef instead of ham. It's worth a try.Like a BBQ pot roast? Yeah, that should work. :)

[Rick]

Not a slow cooker recipe, but Pork butts and beef briskets often cook for 12-24 hours on smokers at about 200-225 degree before they are done.

[GilaB]

Dude, chulent!
Seriously, I doubt too many people other than observant Jews are going to be doing their cooking that far in advance.
A few options that I've done for the Sabbath, other than variations on chulent (which I can post as well, if you don't have a good recipe):

Split-Pea Soup

3 onions
4 stalks celery
1 head garlic
1 lb split peas (about 2 cups)
1 package beef bones
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
pepper to taste
Boiling water
Optional - 1-2 carrots

Roughly chop the onions, celery, and carrots if using. Remove papery skins from garlic cloves. Place in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Puree (an immersion blender is good for this). Place with rest of ingredients in a crock pot, then fill with boiling water (this is sized for a 5.5 quart crock pot, so estimate for that volume if yours is bigger.) Cook on low. Makes an extremely hearty soup.



Yemenite-ish Soup

1 package beef bones
2 onions
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
5-10 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 cup white rice

Place in crock pot. Fill with boiling water. (As with above, this is for a 5.5 quart crock pot.) Cook on low for 24 hours.

Orizza (Moroccan chulent)

1 cup wheat berries (unground wheat kernels), soaked overnight
2 onions
3 T oil
1-2 T sugar
3 cloves garlic
1 large yam, cut in chunks
2 T paprika
1 T garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste (I like a lot of pepper here, as this is actually fairly sweet)
1 lb short ribs or other suitable chulent meat
2 cups water

Chop the onions, then saute until golden. Place all in crockpot, and cook on low.

Note that my crock pot is a relatively hot cooker, and it will simmer, bubbling away, on the 'low' setting. If yours is cooler, you might have to kick it up higher for the first couple of hours for any recipe, including those above.

[romansperson]

How about some cholent (http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/rfcj/CHOLENT/Cholent_with_Beans_and_Potatoes_-_meat.html)?

There's a ton of recipes for it and hameen that can be adjusted for the crockpot (think 24 hours at 225F or 250F instead of 4 or 5 hours at 350F).

[Plynck]

It's a religious issue. For a two-day festival, cooking the second night's supper is deprecated, so I'm looking into long-simmering meals....(The current leader is applecider's suggestion, using chuck roast instead of pork.)That'll take some adapting, mainly dropping the bacon and using beef instead of ham. It's worth a try.Seriously, I doubt too many people other than observant Jews are going to be doing their cooking that far in advance.Oops, sorry. Were you looking for Kosher recipes? I missed that.

[stolichnaya]

Would I be the dingbat in the room if I asked why cooking needs to take more than 24 hours for religious reason?

Wait- let me refine that:

Would I be the dingbat in the room because I asked why cooking needs to take more than 24 hours for religious reason?

[Shayna]

(I think the longest setting I've seen on timed slow cookers is 12 hours, so I'm also looking for cookers that don't insist on a certain time.) The Rival crock pot we have switches to "keep warm" mode indefinitely after the set cook time expires, so that might be an option for you.

This isn't a crock pot recipe, but I'm sure it can be adapted easily enough, so just to give you an option that's not beef, how about Braised Dark Meat Turkey (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31998,00.html)? Simmering it on the stove-top is a 3-3½ hour recipe, so I bet if you use only the turkey legs (the wings might cook too quickly), and set it on low, it would take at least 8-10 hours to cook through, and then it could sit all day on the "keep warm" setting so you could enjoy it the 2nd evening.

[Scuba_Ben]

Oops, sorry. Were you looking for Kosher recipes? I missed that.I went back and checked; I had NOT said that up-thread. I just asked for ideas. Maybe it would have helped if I'd said up front, "No pigs please."

And I didn't come right out and say "cholent" because the first time I tried cholent, it was so bland I threw it out. My second try used vegetarian baked beans instead of dried beans, so the beans were pre-seasoned; it came out much better. (Also, I'm looking for ideas other than Eastern European bean stews.)

I've been going to a Conservadox minyan for a while, and I suspect my level of observance is on the low side there. As far as I can tell, most people at this place closely observe the rules of generally no cooking on a festival, and definitely no cooking on Saturday.

[GilaB]

You can cook on a festival, even if you're Orthodox :), as long as you're not cooking on the first day of the festival purely as preparation for the second day. (The rules are somewhat different for cooking on a festival for a Sabbath that immediately follows it, like Rosh Hashana (this Thursday/Friday) this year.) You can also carry outside without an eruv, FWIW. If you cook something Thursday morning and eat it for both Thursday lunch and dinner (Thursday night is considered part of Friday, Jewish-ly speaking, and thus the next day), no problem, as the cooking wasn't purely to prepare for the next day. There are specifics as to how to do things, such as not using electric appliances that you're turning on and off like blenders or microwaves, or what kind of stovetop you can turn on and off on the holiday - ask here or email me if you have any questions.

Chulents vary very much. Personally, I find most commercial chulent boring and a little unappetizing, although I'll pick at it if there's nothing else available. Most of the chulent recipes you'll see online, like the one linked above, are more starter recipes than something to be taken as gospel - throw in whatever you think would taste good. I make mine with a decent-sized pile of whole spices (a cinnamon stick, star anise, fresh ginger, cardamom pod, cloves, peppercorns, and whatever else I feel like throwing in, tied in cheesecloth), and substituting chicken stock for some of the water. While some people like it and some don't, bland it ain't. I have several friends who add so many chili peppers to theirs that I can't really eat it, I find it so hot. My husband makes his with a ton of barbecue sauce. Another friend swears by a lot of soy sauce, to add that extra umami. Some people throw in hot dogs, which I find makes the whole thing taste of hot dog; that may de-bland it for you, although I don't like it. A college-boy-phase thing to do is to use beer for your liquid, although be warned that it'll make your kitchen smell like a brewery. Cooking it with some beef bones helps a lot - I find a boneless chulent lacks a certain depth of flavor. Chicken chulent is also missing something - the chicken itself is good, but the rest of it is a little flat.

[Mangetout]

It's a religious issue. For a two-day festival, cooking the second night's supper is deprecated, so I'm looking into long-simmering meals.Ah, I see.

I did start wondering if it might be possible to put a completely frozen leg or shoulder of lamb into the pot, add the other ingredients, also deeply chilled, and set the cooker on a timer so that it kicks in at about the time the meat will be thawed and then cooks it for 8 or 10 hours.
Probably not a good idea, as some parts of the container will be at room temperature for extended periods, even when the meat is still thawing.

[Ass For A Hat]

Here's (http://www.amazon.com/Braise-Journey-Through-International-Cuisine/dp/0060561718/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-4612926-1855832?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189478428&sr=1-1) a book that may interest you. It has a wide variety of braised dishes. Many of the recipes use some out of the ordinary ingredients, but if you have access to ethnic or specialty groceries, it's worth your time.

[muldoonthief]

One of my favorite Sunday lunches is to throw a chuck roast (or a pork shoulder roast works nicely as well) into the slow cooker with a large chopped onion and some appropriate seasonings on Saturday afternoon. The onion, in addition to flavor and aroma, brings a ton of moisture to the game, which is good. Then on Sunday morning, I break up the cooked meat (easily) with a fork, stir in a bottle of good BBQ sauce and let it slow cook again until lunch time. Serve on potato rolls with cole slaw. :)

When I read this, I said "Man, I've gotta try that recipe." When silenus advocated it in the next post, I put it on my list of lifetime goals. So Stamp, would you mind elaborating a bit - specifically seasonings to use and recommended BBQ sauce?

[Scuba_Ben]

I had a practical lesson last night in Don't Let the Food Dry Out:

I made a beef saag, and let it simmer for about an hour and a half. I came back to find that most of the liquid had simmered off, and my whole place smelled of burnt beef and burnt spinach.

So now I understand why all the cholent recipies I've seen include a step of "fill the rest of the way up with water."

Sunday morning I'll go look for a slow cooker with a time-cook-then-keep-warm mode, drop in a chuck roast, and see if I can make this work a little better than last night turned out. (I just found the local-ish Target, and I just got my monthly 20% coupon ad from Bed Bath & Random Stuff; one of those should have what I want.)

Hat, my local grocery store has a fairly good and under expansion selection of ethnic seasonings. I've started buying my salsas from that part of the store instead of the snack food aisle.

[OneCentStamp]

When I read this, I said "Man, I've gotta try that recipe." When silenus advocated it in the next post, I put it on my list of lifetime goals. So Stamp, would you mind elaborating a bit - specifically seasonings to use and recommended BBQ sauce?
I like a 2 1/2 lb or so roast. (That's just the size that happens to fit well in my slow cooker.) Chuck roast is perfect for this - cheap, flavorful, with enough fat and collagen to stay nice and succulent. Seasonings include:

- the aforementioned onion (I take one large white onion and chop it pretty roughly)
- a big fat pinch of salt
- a lot of ground black pepper (sorry for the vague measurements; that's how I roll)
- about a teaspoon of garlic powder
- some dry thyme or marjoram

As far as the sauce goes, I like Stubb's or KC Masterpiece. A couple of Christmases ago, a friend got me a gift pack of Tony Roma's four signature sauces, and they made outstanding sandwiches for me for most of the following year. :)