Converting from stove to crock

[jocosa]

If I wanted to make this recipe in my crock, what if anything would I need to change? After I saute the veggies and brown the meat can I just dump it all into the crock and let it go on low all day? Do I need to set it on high a bit to cover the "quick boil" part? Thanks

Comments

[kayre]

I wouldn't saute the green pepper. Saute the meats and other veggies, then throw everything in with the raw green peppers. You can throw the beans in too, and I wouldn't worry about the quick boil part.

[kistha]

Agreed, although other than browning the meats I wouldn't sauté anything, and I add the seasoning to the meat when I brown it.

[loree]

If using raw red kidney beans instead of canned, it's very important to soak for at least 8 hours and boil for at least 10 minutes, discarding the water at each stage, before adding them to your slow cooker. They contain a compound that can make you very ill.

[drgaellon]

The Food and Drug Administration, with its usual excess of caution, recommends boiling them for at least 30 minutes. 10 is probably enough. Do NOT put soaked red kidney beans into your slow cooker without boiling them - the lower cooking temperature may INCREASE the amount of toxin present. Other beans, including white and black kidney beans, have significantly less hemagglutinin, and can safely be cooked in a slow cooker.

If using canned beans (which is what I think the recipe calls for, since it mentions draining them), you can use them right out of the can - but I wouldn't add them to the slow cooker until the last 20-30 minutes of cooking. If you add them at the beginning, they will tend to fall to mush.

[jocosa]

It is canned. :) And ok, will wait till near the end to dump them in. Thanks!

Thank you!

[jocosa]

I'm going with canned, since I think that's what it wants. But thanks for the warning. I always knew you needed to soak them, but never the reason why. Very helpful info!

[rhodielady_47]

The problem with your recipe is that ALL of your ingredients are going in already cooked or mostly cooked, so if you put it all into a crockpot and leave it to cook all day--even on low--you might come up with over-cooked mush.
Do yourself a favor and drop the 4 T shortening or oil. Your recipe really doesn't need it. Most ground beef contains enough fat to fry well if you start it out on low. Maybe a quick spray of cooking oil spray is needed at most.
Perhaps it might be a good idea to try your recipe out in a crockpot on a Saturday or a Sunday where you will be at home. That way, you can check it once an hour and see for yourself how long it takes to fully develop the flavors. (I'm thinking about 4 hours TOPS.)
Hope you will find this useful.
:^}

Thanks!

[jocosa]

I did find it useful. :)

I'm off all week, and making it today, so I'll be sure to monitor it closely. I'll wait until 3ish to get things going then. We usually eat around 7:30/8, so by the time I get it prepped and in the crock that should work out perfect.

The ground beef is a 90/10 "chili" style ground beef.

The bacon part, do you think I'm supposed to cook, then chop up, or chop up and toss in as is? I know it's to add flavor but I'm unsure which way to go with it.

Re: Thanks!

[kistha]

I'd guess chop and cook with the beef.

Re: Thanks!

[polly_b]

Agree with withholding the oil. Also, I'd pre-cook the bacon, personally, then crumble it and add it before serving.

I recently tried out a crockpot chicken fajita recipe that included bell peppers, onions, and garlic. While still tasty, the peppers and onions turned to mush and it didn't look very appetizing. It didn't look like fajitas at all (but it was good over rice, lol).

So, I'd keep the green peppers out of the crock pot and maybe saute them separately and add them before serving with the bacon.

Kidney beans, even canned ones, tend to hold up well in the crock pot, in my experience, but your mileage may vary.

Good luck! Sounds good!