Need crockpot help!!!

[leahannpen]

I love my crockpot. I love to use it, and have lots of recipes, though I do admit to some days just tossing some stuff into it and leaving it all day.

My problem? My food never tastes very good. Even if I follow a recipe.

It's either dry, discolored, over cooked, bland or all the above. LOL. I figure I'm cooking too long, or on the wrong temp, or in too big of a crock. Or, again, all the above!

Does anyone have a recommendation for a crock pot web site, or message boards. Or a book to get... anything to help me maybe learn the basics so I don't totally gross out my family. Right now it's my DH and myself, and a 3 year old. I'm not sure how big my crock is, but it's normal size, so on the bigger side. It's a white Rival with a low/high/warm setting.

Does anyone have the Rival timer thing to have it shut off? Do your potatoes and carrots turn dark and is this normal?

Okay, I'm done babbeling! LOL! Thanks!

 

[phorsenuf]

I have a great crockpot recipe book I picked up at Wal-mart.

Its called Fix it and Forget it Feasting with your slow cooker by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good.

They make things in a crock pot I would never think of doing and they turn out great!

Enjoy!!!

 

[barbeml]

Are you adding enough liquid?

My no-fail favorite: Dredge a pork loin roast in seasoned flour (flour mixed with fresh ground black pepper and garlic salt). Brown it in olive oil and 2 chopped onions in a pot on the stove, 10 mins each side.

Put a cup of baby carrots on bottom of crockpot. Top with roast and onions (scrape up those yummy browned bits from the pot and add them too). Pour a bottle of good beer over all. 6 hours in the crock pot and it is delicious.

 

[4disneyfans]

Several of my favorites are listed below

www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/crockpot
www.recipegoldmine.com
www.astray.com/recipes
www.cookingcashe.com/crockpot

Hope this helps!!!!!

 

[powellrj]

I stopped using my crock-pot alot for the very same reason. I didn't like the way the food tasted. I tried several books, and the bottom line was I just didn't care for food cooked in the crock-pot. I will still cook a turkey breast in it and use it to keep food warm in, but I stopped making meals in it several years ago.

 

[The Princess]

I'm not crazy with my crock pot too so I bought a Nesco roaster and LOVE it!!! its a 6 qt one and I use it alot!!! You may want to give it a try.

 

[Lezah]

www.recipezaar.com

This is the website that started me using my crockpot again. It has actually gotten to the point that last Sunday I used my old one for the potatoes and the new one for some honey garlic ribs!! I love my crockpot and use it every weekend. You can even create your own cookbook there. Hope it helps.

 

[leahannpen]

The Princess, how does that differ from a crock pot? Where did you get it, and how much? Can you make meals?

powellrj, I just bought a turkey breast... can you please tell me how you make yours? Mine is frozen... do you throw it in frozen or thawed? (I guess I'd have to thaw to get the stuff out of the cavity, huh). I'd like to use the meat for sandwiches and such during the week. Healthier.

4disneyfans, thanks... I'm going to check out ALL of those sites!

barbeml, Um, I'll bet ya that may be part of the problem. Atleast for some of my recipes. Hmmm.... Maybe I need to "follow" those recipes better.

phorsenuf, I'm going to Walmart this weekend, so I'll see if they have it. Maybe Ebay does....

 

[JerseyJanice]

I love this site for recipes:

www.crockerykitchen.com

I've been cooking with a crockpot for several years now. It does take some practice.

I have to say that I'm not that happy with the way chicken comes out in it. I did have good results with only one chicken recipe I've tried. I think because it called for dark meat. White meat (chicken breast) doesn't hold up that well in long cooking. I've been meaning to try some other dark meat recipes.

I have never tried to cook a turkey breast in mine. No idea how that would work.

The meals that come out best for me are:

Pot Roast (Excellent! I won't make one any other way.)
Corned Beef
Beef Stew
Steak Pizzaiola
Chile
Pork Chops and Broccoli