OT Slow cooker (crock pot) recipes

I have a slow cooker / crock pot and should and would like to use it more. My problem is that the gravy is always very thin when I do meaty casseroles and such and then I have to mess about thickening it which seems to negate the idea of an easy one pot meal.

Do any of you have a favourite foolproof recipe that give a good sauce?

Thanks

Lizzy

Reply to
Lizzy Taylor
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When I do something with chunks of meat, I toss the meat in seasoned flour, then brown on the stove before putting in the slow cooker. This adds colour and enough flour to thicken the sauce. But then that is using another pot too - although it is at the beginning.

Other than that I thicken with maizena, which doesn't lump and pretty much just stirs in and then needs to simmer. Works for me. YMMV.

Hanne in DK

Reply to
Hanne

Want a secret weapon? You can put a cup of flour ( or 4 or 5) in a heavy skillet and bake it at 400° stirring about every 15 minutes until it's about the color of an old penny. Takes about an hour. Keep the browned flour in a lidded jar in the refrigerator. When you need to thicken whatever's in the crockpot, you just stir in about ¼ cup of water with a couple of tablespoons of the browned flour. It will both give your gravy good color and thicken. I learned to bake flour when I was needing to make gumbo without it being an all-day long production. Having browned flour ready to use saves a heap of time. Polly

When I do something with chunks of meat, I toss the meat in seasoned flour, then brown on the stove before putting in the slow cooker. This adds colour and enough flour to thicken the sauce. But then that is using another pot too - although it is at the beginning.

Other than that I thicken with maizena, which doesn't lump and pretty much just stirs in and then needs to simmer. Works for me. YMMV.

Hanne in DK

Reply to
Polly Esther

Thanks for letting us know about browning flour to have it ready to thicken up the meat gravy in a crock pot. I reckon it would also work in a pot roast. Now, how about sharing a good gumbo recipe? Barbara in SC

Reply to
Bobbie Sews More

Greek Stew

Lightly spray crock pot

Diced Stewed Tomatoes - 2 Cans Jar Artichoke Hearts - 1 small 8oz with juice Kalamata Olives - 1 pint container with juice (15 to 20 pitted) Chicken Breasts - 4 (We like them sliced up some)

Pour all into the slow cooker and mix slightly. Six (6) hours on Medium or Eight (8) hours on Low

When done prepare one box of Couscous. Takes about 5 minutes. Put some in a bowl/plate, spoon and ladle on chicken and sauce and stuff, and sprinkle with Feta cheese.

We like to have some rough bread and butter with it.

Steven Alaska

Reply to
Steven Cook

Let me make you a gumbo expert. There is a precious book - The Little Gumbo Book with 27 gumbo recipes + all sorts of great guidance. There are copies available at

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for $ 1.00 plus shipping. There's even a recipe for crock pot gumbo - but it looks lethal. Calls for Rotel tomatoes but I'm thinking they make a mild version. Polly ( not affiliated but willing)

"Steven Cook" <

Reply to
Polly Esther

I find that even when I brown it first with flour it still isn't thick enough for me, in fact its thinner aqt the end than when I started, which is a bit of a mystery.

I find the quickest and easiest way is to use McDougalls instant thickening granules or Tesco instant veg. gravy granules, (I get both from Tesco). You just stir a spoonful or so into the casserole - no need to add it to water first, so doesn't cool the gravy at all, In a couple of minutes - thick gravy. DH went to cookery classes years ago and this is how they thickened things there.

If I've used traditional flour/water mix at the end I've just popped the crock part of the cooker in the microwave for a minute or so to bring it back up to gravy cooking temperature.

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

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Hanne wrote:

Reply to
Sally Swindells

Add a bit of instant potatoes flakes. It will thicken up nicely.

G> I have a slow cooker / crock pot and should and would like to use it

Reply to
Ginger in CA

Reply to
Taria

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