Crockpot...greatest invention of last century!

I have one of those but I didn't get it to take places. I got it because my last one I pulled off the top of the cabinet and the top crashed to the floor. Now it's all locked together so unless I drop the whole thing, I won't break the lid. LOL

It is older than that. Indians used to heat rocks in the fire and slow cook all of their meals except for buffalo or elk or deer that was cooked over an open fire on thread sticks.

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I have a collection of 8 crock pots now with the ones friends and relatives have given me to replace my old ones but I still use my old ones occasionally .

The oldest of my collection are the two 2 quart ones I took to college with me in 1980 and without a removable crock or polarized plugs on the power cords but they still cook nicely.
I keep two to three cooking on my counter or in the fridge with soup, stew, chicken and rice, beans, barbecue pork and beef, roast and taters ,chicken, turkey and dressing and even pot crock pound cake.

Since my divorce I returned to my crock pots and my crock pot cook books .

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I cook a small hen in mine with honey, soy suace, some ginger and whatever comes to my attention. They like it. I also put some chicken stock, but just enough to make sure the bird is covered in liquid. I actually cook a bunch of stuff in the crock pot. I have three. I got two while in Lake Charles doing the geobatch thing, and my dad left me a real small one. The other two are small and large. I can cook almost anything that is liquid and several semi dry stuff, such as cornbread dressing in it. It is a very easy to clean thing, which is why I use mine as often as I do. Of course chili and soups and corn chowder are things that I almost only cook in the crock pot. Another thing I like about it is that as long as there is plenty of liquid, like soups and chowder, I can leave it cooking forever, almost. When I was alone, I could make chili and it would keep for a couple days(vegetarian chili). Soups are a given for keeping in the crock pot, though they do thicken over time. You know in days of the pioneers (I also call then my wife's college days) they would make stew and keep it on the fire for days. They would add to it and daily eat some, and accounts differ as to how long that pot would sit over the fire, but it was over a day or two, so my leaving soups, stews and such in the crock pot doesn't make me worry. I like the pressure cooker, but the crock pot is right up there for good kitchen things.

Bob, They usta put a small sized canner or large pot on the wood range and leave it as youve said. Theyed keep it on the back burner all the time till an hour or so before eating then pull it up front.. This could go on for weeks. Ive done it with chili for at least 2 weeks 35yrs ago.

I have three...large, med, and small...and use them pretty regularly. Right now, I have a batch of sauerkraut working off in the medium one (which I rarely use)...so far, so good.

I love my crock pot too! I have two, but I especially love my crock pot that has a lid that locks. I can take it to church and not worry about spills! My most popular meal in my crock pot is brown beans. One year during deer season we got an older tough buck and I took the shoulder and cooked it down until it fell apart and added bbq sauce - awesome good! There are so many things you can do. I would really like to make apple sauce.

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About crock pots being too hot --

I've found that the new one (which replaced a 40 year old one whose lid broke) cooks much hotter than the old one. So I have 2 fixes: 1) stick a remote thermometer in whatever's cooking and use the alarm, or 2) use a doubled sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil to line the backside of the pot (the side opposite the controls) -- that's where the heating elements are and that helps protect the contents from the higher temperatures.

We have three crock pots and love using them. We even boil pnuts in crock pots. Crock pots save time, energy and cook great food.

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Whats the largest. I saw a 7qt at WM today.

I have a 7 qt, a 5 qt and a 2 qt. I use them all a lot. I spend a few hours a month putting meals up - many into freezer bags and then into the freezer. Then I take one out each night, let it defrost, tip it into the crockpot and let it cook on low all day... saves me so much time, effort and money.

Today we are eating homegrown chicken with a ham, mushroom, sour cream and white wine sauce. I will cook some spaghetti squash my daughter grew and gave me to go with it (microwave) and that will be that. No more than a few minutes tonight, I spent about 3 hours the other morning putting up 15 meals, I think (4 or 5 different things). I am supposed to butcher a lamb in a few days, so I will have planned what I will be doing with it, and package it with herbs, spices or whatever I need so it is all ready for cooking instead of freezing it plain and then preparing it when I want to eat it.

Mary

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Tomorrow I'm making two medium sized meatloaves in my large one and both of them will go into the freezer for when I don't wanna cook!

Love my crock pots!!! I have three different sizes, and I use them all. I read through this and plan on using some of your ideas. I really like the canning ideas. I'll have to look more into that.

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I still imagine the Model T, the Fordson, and the aeroplane, TV and the puter eclipses the crock pot as the greater inventions of the last Century

I take a turkey breast on the bone, smother it with mayo and seasoning,stick some garlic and onion in the cavity, take a few slices of dehydrated apple and lay around... put a little broth in and cook on low all day.....heavenly!

I have always used crock pots. Use them as fondue pots for cheese and chocolate, beans, roasts, etc.

My stove went out a couple of years ago on DS birthday, so I whip out the crocks. I made cheesy spaghetti (no boiling the pasta!) and a birthday cake!!! Both were wonderful and easy!!!

You can use the large electric roasting pans as a giant crock. You can also keep bread warm in them. Line pot with foil, set on low/warm and put bread in and cover. Keeps bread warm soft.

And you can use them over night, at least the new ones. They have a trip switch so if it gets to hot it will shut off. Good for making overnight oatmeal


Crock pots are WONDERFUL!!!! Can you tell I have lots of different sizes

Someone mentioned the old haybox method but I think using a crockpot to slow-cook food is more like simmering it overnight in a Dutch oven, over a bed of coals. Cast iron holds a lot of heat and will "crock-pot" chili or whatever when you're camping or off-grid living. Just bring the food to a near boil one time and set the Dutch oven off to the side of the fire and rake coals all around, under and over the lid. Do this at night and wake up to a great, and tender meal.

I use the "crocks" from the crock pots on our wood stove. I use a trivet or a grouping of canning jar lids to set the crock on and just let whatever cook all night or all day.

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When we flipped the switch on our electricity for the first time this past summer (nothing prompts you to go on grid faster than a 106 degree heat wave!), the first thing my husband turned on was the AC!

I grabbed my crock pot and started cooking!

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Mine came in handy when we lost our oven for a year

I just made Crockpot Granola in the crockpot. I have tried so many other recipes for the oven but my honey doesn't like it. After it's done and cooled I add Bran Flakes and fruit and/or nuts to make it stretch.

I love my crockpot!

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