I'm a crock pot failure :(

[firecracker725]

Like any good Southern girl, I love my CrockPot. However, there are definitely things that shouldn't go in them. For example, I never do white meat chicken unless I do a whole one. Some of my favorites are Beef Stroganoff, Pulled Pork, and Roast Beef. Right now I have some country style pork ribs with a bit of BBQ sauce in there. Can't wait for dinner!

 

[Shmily1]

Our favorite recipe in the crock pot is a roast of any kind or beef stew meat put in the bottom, a packet of onion soup mix (the powdered kind), and a can of cream of chicken soup. I put it on low and let it cook while I am at work. When I get home, I make rice and a veggie and that's dinner. The gravy is already made for the rice.

 

[mhsjax]

It may not be you. I for one, hate crock pots. I don't like the way food tastes in them, I don't care what anyone says. Others do and that is fine. My mom was the same way. food does taste different and to me it just isn't good. My opinion, I am sure others feel differently.

 

[Schmeck]

I hate crockpots too - but only because mine burned my countertop, and so I am afraid to have one. What use is it to have a slow-cooked meal if I have to stay here at home to keep an eye on it?

I agree that the taste of the food is different, but that can be doctored with some herbs and spices.

 

[North of Mouse]

I don't agree that everything tastes different (as in not as good) in Crockpots. I have owned several of the Rival Crockpot brand over the years with my latest one only a year old, and I have never had a problem with them being too hot.

I always fix my baked (navy pea beans) beans with ham bone in it and it comes out perfect every time. I just put the same seasonings in it that I would had I cooked it on the stove top.

I also love pot roast - well seasoned - then adding veggies toward the last.

To me everything does not belong in a crockpot - just those dishes that would normally need to cook for hours. No matter what the recipe book says about cooking just anything you want - it doesn't work out very well, and takes more effort than it's worth.

No one likes mushy textured food. I do love to fix chili in it, also have made lots of pulled pork.

As with lots of different types cooking, its not for everybody. But after years of cooking, I will not sacrifice taste for using the crockpot, if it did not yield the same results with the recipes I use. I seldom just go by recipes anyway, just add the types seasonings, spices, etc. that we love.

 

[sksjasams]

One thing...you need to make sure the crockpot is more than half full. Three quarters full is ideal. Otherwise the food will cook too quickly.

Maybe the recipes you are using are too small for your crockpot.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

Interesting. I don't think the meat tastes mushy or boiled. I've had much success with meats. I make a fantastic pot roast, bbq and salsa chicken.

 

[jsmith]

I have two of those Fix it and Forgegt it books-and never liked anything ive made out of them....I dont care for roasts cooked in the crock pot at all-as far as im concerned they are great for brothy things, soup , stews, pinto beans and ham, or italian beef sandwiches but anything you would norimally roast not so much. Also great for making bone broth which needs to cook for 24 or more hours. Since i dont make anything with canned cream soups that cuts out alot of the popular crock pot things.

 

[busyshrew]

One thing...you need to make sure the crockpot is more than half full. Three quarters full is ideal. Otherwise the food will cook too quickly.

Maybe the recipes you are using are too small for your crockpot.

Completely agree with this. Also agree with PPs that mention it's only certain types of dishes that crockpot well.
We crockpot! My mum did it, I do it, certain dishes can't be done without it! I always joke that some families crockpot and others pressure cook. I'm terrified of pressure cookers !

I think a couple things to always keep in mind:

1) crockpots are for dishes that go "low and slow": beans, pulled pork, pot roasts, stews, chili, spaghetti bolognese.
2) brown your ingredients first - it adds sooo much flavour to the end product and it's totally worth it!
3) use as little water as possible. If I'm converting a recipe to crockpot, I always reduce the liquid by half or so.

Now, if I could work up the courage to use a pressure cooker....!

 

[Li Li]

I think you just need to make sure that the ingredients in the recipe sound tasty to you. I'm not terribly impressed with the fix it and forget it books, so I just google recipes. I have a FANTASTIC cabbage roll recipe for the crockpot. It's basically deconstructed cabbage rolls and it is so tasty. I also really like making lasagna in the crock pot. Google crockin girls; they have some good recipes.

 

[pookybean]

i make a "roast" chicken in the crockpot that my family loves. i do it with either the whole chicken or chicken breasts...ive even done it with fat boneless breast when they were taken out in error.

i put balls of foil on the bottom of the crock so any juices/fat flows to the bottom, that way the meat isnt sitting in it. i put some lemon pepper and paprika on the top and let it cook until i get home from work. the skin isnt crispy as if i cooked it in the over but the meat is really good.

the crock i have has the probe, so i set it for whatever temp the chicken needs to be and it turns itself to warm when it get there.

i love my crock pot and use it all the time!

keep trying op, you will eventually find what works for your crock and tastes.

 

[Colleen27]

You have to make sure your recipes roughly match the age of your crock pot, because they've changed the cooking temp over the years and using an old recipe in a new pot will get you an overcooked mess while using a new recipe in an older pot will get you a still-raw entree when you're ready to serve it.

I use mine mainly for cuts of meat that I want to simmer until they're fall-apart tender - corned beef, beef or pork roasts, sometimes chicken breasts if I plan to shred them (like for BBQ sandwiches or enchiladas). Much of the huge range of crock pot recipes out there are just lost on me but I have a few simple staple meals I use it for on a regular basis.

 

[Goofyluver]

I love my crockpot. She's one of my best friends.

And I also totally disagree with foods coming out tasting bland or off.

One of my wife's favorite meals is a pulled pork that comes straight out of the crockpot. It makes her eyes roll back in her head. I'd call that a good review.

 

[Fortuosity]

I'm a crock pot failure

You say that like that's a bad thing?


(Nothing against the crock pot, btw. Have one myself, and use it on occasion.)

 

[leebee]

I am also a crock pot failure. I follow the directions but it never works... Mushy texture, watery flavor, etc. I can't be bothered (and don't have time) to season, prep, and brown food in the morning before work, in preparation for a long slow day of cooking. I suppose I could do that on the weekends but i am home on the weekends and have time to cook! I really think I just don't like crock pot foods.

 

[lukenick1]

I think you just need to make sure that the ingredients in the recipe sound tasty to you. I'm not terribly impressed with the fix it and forget it books, so I just google recipes. I have a FANTASTIC cabbage roll recipe for the crockpot. It's basically deconstructed cabbage rolls and it is so tasty. I also really like making lasagna in the crock pot. Google crockin girls; they have some good recipes.

Do you mind sharing that cabbage roll recipe? I'd like to give it a whirl

 

[Li Li]

Do you mind sharing that cabbage roll recipe? I'd like to give it a whirl

Sure!
cabbage roll crockpot
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
2 onions (chopped fine)
2 cloves cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
7 1/2 ozs tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cup tomato soup (divided)
1/2 cup long grain rice
4 cups shredded cabbage
1/3 cup tomato juice

1 In a large skillet brown together the beef, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
2 Cook to done.
3 Drain.
4 Add to this the tomato sauce, 1/2 can of soup and mix well.
5 Add the rice and water and mix well.
6 In your crock pot layer 1/2 meat mixture, 1/2 cabbage.
7 Repeat.
8 Mix together the remaining soup and tomato juice.
9 Slowly pour over mixture in crock.
10 Cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low for 8-10 hours.

I would definitely recommend using a liner for this recipe, and keep an eye on time. My crock pot tends to get very hot and I burned the edges of this one the first time.

Normally, I am not a fan of prep work for crock pot recipes (browning, etc.), but this was worth it.

 

[HollyJoy]

I don't use my crockpot nearly as much as I should/could. I'm a stay at home mom to 3 girls, and though I'm home all day, the evenings get pretty hectic. I read one poster mentioned that most recipes do require some prep, and that's what I've found as well. I usually make pot roast in the crockpot, and have also made chicken noodle soup. Both have always turned out. However, I've found that with the potroast, I cannot put the veggies in all day, or they turn dark in color, and become limp and overcooked. One of the very best things I cook in the crockpot is pork bbq. It's so easy! Get a pork shoulder and put it in your crock pot with some water, vinegar and some vegetable stock (just wing the amounts) and let it cook on LOW over night. The next morning, I take it out and shred it (meat will be very tender and shred easily with a fork). Then I return it to the crockpot and add bbq sauce. Easy as pie!

 

[SpecialK]

You might not be doing anything wrong. You might just not like how crock pot food tastes. I'm not a huge fan of it myself but there are a few things that do fine in it--barbeque pork/beef/chicken is something. Other than that, I sort of feel like you do. And I have crockpots ranging of 30 years old that I still have to a newer one that is about 8 years old. The food doesn't taste better in one of the other.

Same here. I'll make sandwich fillings like pulled pork, Italian beef and French dip in the crockpot, but not any actual meals. I don't like the texture of meat from the crockpot.

 

[ManyMinnie]

I love the idea of a slow cooker. I just don't like the taste and texture. I'm not that crazy about what I feel like is boiled food.

However, I do love Reynold's slow cooker liners. If you use your crock pot, you gotta have these: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Reynolds-Slow-Cooker-Liners-4-ct/11027103

Cheap and no clean up. Amazing!

I recently discovered crock pots liners, used them a couple times and threw the rest away.

The bags all ended up with holes in them, which defeated the whole purpose.