To fuck or to cook?

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally Posted by notcasesensitive

The pork we made was overcooked and I first checked it about an hour before the minimum cooking time. The meatloaf was 180 degrees all the way through by the time I checked it about 90 minutes before the minimum cooking time, but still tasted great and was super tender. Both recipes were for 5-6 qt pots. I don't mind experimenting, but I'm really not a fan of overcooked meat. Answers. I just want answers. If the answer is that I need to continually test the meat basically at all times after starting the slow cooker, well that seems to do away with all the convenience factor of using one.

Sadly, I think your answer is eat out.

[notcasesensitive]

Originally Posted by Flinty_McFlint

Sadly, I think your answer is eat out.

This I can do. Well.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by notcasesensitive

This I can do. Well.

It is good to know that your future sustenance is not dependent on your ability to pose coherent questions on the interwebs.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by notcasesensitive

The pork we made was overcooked and I first checked it about an hour before the minimum cooking time. The meatloaf was 180 degrees all the way through by the time I checked it about 90 minutes before the minimum cooking time, but still tasted great and was super tender. Both recipes were for 5-6 qt pots. I don't mind experimenting, but I'm really not a fan of overcooked meat. Answers. I just want answers. If the answer is that I need to continually test the meat basically at all times after starting the slow cooker, well that seems to do away with all the convenience factor of using one.

meatloaf? slow cookers are for stews.

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

meatloaf? slow cookers are for stews.

I gotsta agree with Hank on this, when we bust out the slow cooker, it's for a chili, pot roast, corned beef, soup or stew type thing. Something that is forgiving as hell for the most part.

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by notcasesensitive

The pork we made was overcooked and I first checked it about an hour before the minimum cooking time. The meatloaf was 180 degrees all the way through by the time I checked it about 90 minutes before the minimum cooking time, but still tasted great and was super tender. Both recipes were for 5-6 qt pots. I don't mind experimenting, but I'm really not a fan of overcooked meat. Answers. I just want answers. If the answer is that I need to continually test the meat basically at all times after starting the slow cooker, well that seems to do away with all the convenience factor of using one.

First question -- are you cooking things on high or low? If you're cooking on high, then switch to low.

I don't understand the concept of pork being overcooked -- the point of making meat like pork in the crockpot is for it to basically break down to melt in your mouth tenderness.

I know there are recipes for meatloaf in the crockpot but it doesn't take that long to cook it in the oven so I'm not planning to use my crockpot for that.

Here are some cooking tips from Rival -- look at the list of cooking times for various weights and types of meat. http://www.crock-pot.com/Hints.aspx?id=ct&fgid=44

Better yet, their recipe section has the ability to specify the quart size of your crock pot: http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipes.aspx

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by Fugee

Better yet, their recipe section has the ability to specify the quart size of your crock pot: http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipes.aspx

Well, maybe this won't be as helpful as I thought. Several of the recipes I looked at had the same recipe (and cooking time) for crockpots ranging from 4 qts to 6.5 qts.

[1436]

Originally Posted by notcasesensitive

I don't mind experimenting, but I'm really not a fan of overcooked meat.

Then never use the slow cooker again. Slow cookers are about overcooked meat overcooked in a way that doesn't ruin the meal. See: your meatloaf.

We only use it for recipes were the difference between done and overdone is 4+ hours. Stews, braising, etc.

[Cletus Miller]

Originally Posted by 1436

then never use the slow cooker again. Slow cookers are about overcooked meat overcooked in a way that doesn't ruin the meal. See: Your meatloaf.

We only use it for recipes were the difference between done and overdone is 4+ hours. Stews, braising, etc.

2

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

you can't overcook in a slow cooker, I thought.

do this- on days you're using it, go pick up fringey. have her taste the dish every 15 minutes after it's cooked for a few hours. if she senses it's done, she unplugs until you get home. win-win?

You can't overcook in a sous vide cooker (though you can turn food mushy). You definitely can in a slow cooker.

[robustpuppy]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

You can't overcook in a sous vide cooker (though you can turn food mushy). You definitely can in a slow cooker.

True. But bear in mind that on Top Chef, whenever anyone says "I decided to cook it sous vide" it means he or she does not win the challenge.

Not that this is relevant to ncs's dilemma.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by robustpuppy

True. But bear in mind that on Top Chef, whenever anyone says "I decided to cook it sous vide" it means he or she does not win the challenge.

Not that this is relevant to ncs's dilemma.

Not really true. Hung won with sous vide a number of times, including the first one of the season (with the weirdo foods -- black chicken or something).

The thing about sous vide, as I understand it (I've eaten food cooked that way, but don't have the tech to cook it) is that the food can come out with an oogy color and too homogenous a texture. So it needs to be finished in the right way (leading to the query: If sous vide is so great, why do you have to cook the food again?)

I concur that this is not relevant to ncs's dilemma. Nor is it relevant to the real question on my mind, which is When did Adder get so bitchy?

[1436]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

Nor is it relevant to the real question on my mind, which is When did Adder get so bitchy?

The paralegal has a boyfriend. I thought you followed the board more closely.

[notcasesensitive]

Originally Posted by Fugee

First question -- are you cooking things on high or low? If you're cooking on high, then switch to low.

I don't understand the concept of pork being overcooked -- the point of making meat like pork in the crockpot is for it to basically break down to melt in your mouth tenderness.

I know there are recipes for meatloaf in the crockpot but it doesn't take that long to cook it in the oven so I'm not planning to use my crockpot for that.

Here are some cooking tips from Rival -- look at the list of cooking times for various weights and types of meat. http://www.crock-pot.com/Hints.aspx?id=ct&fgid=44

Better yet, their recipe section has the ability to specify the quart size of your crock pot: http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipes.aspx

I don't think that pork recipe was supposed to be quite as done as it turned out. Based on, among other things, the picture in the cookbook that had it remaining a sliceable piece of pork. Anyway, thanks for the Rival links. I'll check them out. In answer to your question, we're only using the low setting. I think once I figure out this cooking time thing, I'll really like it. Next up is probably a sirloin chili. Possibly this Sunday.

[1436]

Originally Posted by notcasesensitive

I don't think that pork recipe was supposed to be quite as done as it turned out. Based on, among other things, the picture in the cookbook that had it remaining a sliceable piece of pork. Anyway, thanks for the Rival links. I'll check them out. In answer to your question, we're only using the low setting. I think once I figure out this cooking time thing, I'll really like it. Next up is probably a sirloin chili. Possibly this Sunday.

The crockpot is perfect for chili. May have to monitor the fluid level, but that low slow cooking really melds the flavors.