Good-Assed Substitutions

[Asherdan]

I put that in there for the dainty folk who worry about maybe getting some uncooked flesh on their lips.

[CortJstr]

I've never had a McRib. But I have had my school cafeteria's version. A knock-off McRib. Terrifying.

[jay-ell]

I have one of those fancy ziplock hand-vacuum pump things, and the ever-so-slightly freezer burnt chops were in one of those special bags with all the air sucked out. Either they'd been in the freezer a little longer than usual, or the bag had some kind of microscopic tear.

Either way, they did just fine in the slow cooker slathered in tomato sauce. Not one of my best recipes, but not bad for a salvage job.

[Asherdan]

I tell you, that slow pot is my second favourite cooking device. They totally don't get enough credit.

Next time quarter some yellow taters, chunk up an onion, add some celery, carrots, black pepper and garlic acros the top of the chops and then fill that sucker to the brim with saurkraut. If you want to substitute for the 'kraut, use you some beet pickled cabbage instead of the standard 'kraut.

You may have to leave the house windows open for a day or three but it's so worth it.

PROTIP: AFTERWARDS, ONLY POOP AT WORK.

[theinevitable]

yeah, I would LOVE a slow-cooker. I think some people (Ebert) basically use a rice cooker as one, but I haven't tried that yet.

These ribs are still in the packaging they were in at the store. Rookie mistake, I guess.

[CortJstr]

My rice cooker has a "slow cooker" setting but I think ti's way too hot. My mom used to cook italian sausage in tomato sauce all day. I tried that in my rice cooker. After like an hour I used a probe thermometer in the sausage to see how it was doing and it was 212 in the center. I'm no slow cooker expert but that seems too hot to me.

[jay-ell]

Dudes, go to Target and get yourself one of these. It is under $20, there is really no excuse not to have one. If $20 is too much of a stretch, put it on your Christmas list; moms and girlfriends love to buy kitchen appliances for the men in their lives.

I have three slow cookers, one of them is this same model and it is the one I use absolutely the most. It's just right for 2 - 4 people, or for cooking up a big batch of something and then freezing the leftovers for quick dinners later. There are cheaper ones, but they sometimes don't have all 3 settings you need (high, low, and warm). When you've got your cooker, come back here and we will start a thread with slow cooker recipes for you.

Do you know what is wonderful? Prepping food before you go to work in the morning and arriving home to the wonderful aroma of a slow-cooked meal just waiting for you to grab a plate and dive in. Truly, truly, this is a thing you can live without, but why would you want to?  

(Edit: I just fixed your link.)

[theinevitable]

I want one very badly, but frankly I have too many kitchen appliances in a small kitchen. There are no more cabinets with space for appliances.

...I'll probably buy one once it gets cold, to start cooking soup. I think the weird cabinet next to the sink has some space near the back...

[jay-ell]

The nice thing is, you can store other things inside a crock pot. I used to keep cookie cutters in mine. They were in a plastic grocery bag, and when I wanted to use the slow cooker I would just take out the whole bag.

Just sayin'.

[wombat]

Do you know what is wonderful? Prepping food before you go to work in the morning and arriving home to the wonderful aroma of a slow-cooked meal just waiting for you to grab a plate and dive in. Truly, truly, this is a thing you can live without, but why would you want to?  

I can't do this because I am afraid to leave the house with hot things plugged in. Of course, right now I also can't do this because I don't go to work in the morning.

[jay-ell]

I can't do this because I am afraid to leave the house with hot things plugged in. Of course, right now I also can't do this because I don't go to work in the morning.

On the first point, I generally am, too, but I feel like a crock pot is safe because it was designed to be left unattended for extended periods of time.

On the second point, I can't help you, except to say that it works equally well after a long day of running errands. But I'm not sure you have those.

[greenkoolayd]

I tell you, that slow pot is my second favourite cooking device. They totally don't get enough credit.

Next time quarter some yellow taters, chunk up an onion, add some celery, carrots, black pepper and garlic acros the top of the chops and then fill that sucker to the brim with saurkraut. If you want to substitute for the 'kraut, use you some beet pickled cabbage instead of the standard 'kraut.

You may have to leave the house windows open for a day or three but it's so worth it.

PROTIP: AFTERWARDS, ONLY POOP AT WORK.

[[high5]] that, or roasting all that stuff is a PA dutch thing for new years day din-din.  good luck, supposedly.

[wombat]

On the second point, I can't help you, except to say that it works equally well after a long day of running errands. But I'm not sure you have those.

Lately I mostly have long days of constantly rechecking my email until I get messages like "Sorry, I gave that piece you sent a month ago to an editor who quit after a week and it fell through the cracks." And yet, somehow I find excuses to get takeout for dinner instead of cooking at all.