Hello crock-cookers!! I have recently rediscovered my crock pot thanks to Reynold's Slow Cooker Liners (cleanup was my #1 reason for not using my beauty), and I've made a lot of delicious items
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The only thing I can figure based on what you wrote is that you started too early or you turned the crock pot on too high.
Also you don't always need to throw everything together at once. Some things can be added later when the meat is almost done, like cabbage and small veggies. That way your meat still gets it's full cooking time and gets done the way you want it and the cabbage doesn't get mushy.
I do that if the recipe calls for it; this one said to put everything in at once. I had it on the low setting; maybe I should try the "warm" setting? The cabbage is actually fine (since I stopped it early), but the rice is almost completely mushy, and I used regular long-grain white rice as the recipe asked for.
Well, cabbage is a naturally watery vegetable so I wouldn't add it right away like the recipe says if you want mushy food. Are you adding water as well? Maybe it's too much water? Every crock pot is different.
my rival crockpot's manual, as well as most of my crock pot cookbooks, say to add soft veggies and potatoes one hour from the end of cooking time, so they don't turn to mush. my meat usually ends up great. first i sear it in a pan on the stove to seal in the juices, then i cook it on low in my crockpot with 1/4-1/2 cup of liquid.
I sear my meat too, but I've always just added the potatoes in the beginning. I'll try that next time. Overall, I think the low setting may just be too high on my crock pot, unless I should be using the "warm" setting, which doesn't seem right.
my crock pot has two "low" settings and two "high" settings. when the time is up on each of those settings, it automatically goes to warm, which keeps it warm enough to prevent bacterial growth, but isn't warm enough to actually cook the food.
The low setting is too high on most modern slow cookers, mine included. Try a less lean cut of meat, like pork shoulder or beef chuck, and leave out the rice -- I think the recipe was wrong to suggest adding rice at the beginning. Best to just cook up some rice and serve it on the side.
I second the above comment - the low setting on my crockpot is too high if I'm going to be gone all day. And I never add the rice at the beginning - it never works. I think the recipe was wrong.
The two common things that I know of (and have experienced) that cause overcooking is meats with too much fat and not filling the slow cooker full enough.
You could try measuring the temperature of your slow cooker. It should be about 200 F for low and 300 F for high, which will keep food temperatures at 170 and 280 respectively. You could try to use a thermometer to measure the temperature of your meat on the day you are home to check it.
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Also you don't always need to throw everything together at once. Some things can be added later when the meat is almost done, like cabbage and small veggies. That way your meat still gets it's full cooking time and gets done the way you want it and the cabbage doesn't get mushy.
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I think I just need to invest in a higher-end slow-cooker now that I know I'm a fan.
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And I like your icon. :)
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You could try measuring the temperature of your slow cooker. It should be about 200 F for low and 300 F for high, which will keep food temperatures at 170 and 280 respectively. You could try to use a thermometer to measure the temperature of your meat on the day you are home to check it.
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