Also, I just avoid all chicken recipes in the crockpot. Just never turn out right for meI would think that maybe the person is using the shorter time on high rather then the longer on low. That would lean towards more of a boiled effect. But agree with the previous post of less liquid for these recipes in general (not all the ones in this thread, but slow cooker ones in general).Are you perhaps leaning towards the longer cooking times? For instance, if it says "6 to 8 hours on low," do you automatically go for the 8? Just asking if perhaps you are over-cooking the food, leading to the blandness.I hate to be a negative Nancy, but: I've tried several of the most popular recipes in this thread and: I have the same problem with them that I have everything else done in slow cooker: It just feels like everything is boiled. No matter what the recipe, tastes bland and boiled. Maybe some people like that, I don't know. I don't. I actually know how to cook, maybe that's the difference.
Crock pot recipes always recommend cooking the meat too long IMO, especially if you're using boneless breasts. Try 1 hour on high or maybe 2 hours on low depending on your crock and test for doneness. Any recipe telling you to cook chicken for 4 or 8 hours is going to be bad.Tiger Fan said:Also, I just avoid all chicken recipes in the crockpot. Just never turn out right for meI would think that maybe the person is using the shorter time on high rather then the longer on low. That would lean towards more of a boiled effect. But agree with the previous post of less liquid for these recipes in general (not all the ones in this thread, but slow cooker ones in general).Are you perhaps leaning towards the longer cooking times? For instance, if it says "6 to 8 hours on low," do you automatically go for the 8? Just asking if perhaps you are over-cooking the food, leading to the blandness.I hate to be a negative Nancy, but: I've tried several of the most popular recipes in this thread and: I have the same problem with them that I have everything else done in slow cooker: It just feels like everything is boiled. No matter what the recipe, tastes bland and boiled. Maybe some people like that, I don't know. I don't. I actually know how to cook, maybe that's the difference.
[SIZE=x-large]Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs[/SIZE]
Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup ketchup
2 TB soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28oz) bag fully cooked, frozen meatballs
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce and garlic.
2. Place frozen meatballs in a 3-4 quart crockpot and pour sauce over meatballs. Stir so all meatballs are coated evenly. Cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Made this again yesterday and (at the advice of a friend) for the gravy, I let the butter sit out and get to room temp (i.e. soft), then added the flour, and whisked it into a sort of thick paste, whisking after each added tablespoon of flour. Then put that paste mixture into a pot and added the 2 cups of braising liquid, and whisked the hell out of it for several minutes over medium/high heat. Gravy came out perfect. Just thought I'd pass along the info for anyone who had lumpy gravy like I did the first time from these directions.printable version here
Crock Pot Beef Tips & GravyIngredients:
1 1/2 lbs. beef chuck roast --can also use pre-cut "stew meat"
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning (optional)
1 package of dry onion soup mix
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (lower sodium)
1 (14 oz.) can of beef broth (low sodium)
Directions:
In your 5 quart slow cooker, combine dry onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup and beef broth. Whisk to combine (don't worry if there are lumps, they will come out as it cooks).
Cut beef into about 1 1/2-inch cubes. Sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning on beef.
Add meat to crock pot and give it all a good stir.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Once it's ready, you can work on the gravy. Now, you can serve this up just as it is when it is ready or you can easily thicken up the gravy part.
In a medium pot, melt two tablespoons of butter. Once it is melted, add in about 3 heaping tablespoons of flour. Whisk it together until smooth.
Then pour in 2 cups of the beef broth mixture into the butter/flour mixture. What I like to do is scoop all the beef tips out of the crock pot and put them in a bowl or on a plate. Then pour 2 cups of the beef broth mixture into a measuring cup. Whisk it again until smooth, then bring the heat up to high (while whisking briskly the whole time.) It should quickly begin to thicken. Once it gets to your desired thickness, take it off the heat and pour it back into your crock pot. Then add the beef tips back in and stir well.
Then serve over rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles!
Cook’s note: If you don’t have cream of mushroom soup, you can substitute cream of chicken.
Glad you posted this. I was about to try this last weekend for the Superbowl but our family came down with a nasty GI virus that made the thought of food unbearable. I had already made the meatballs so it's a go this weekend.Have made this a few times and they have been a hit http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/07/honey-garlic-crockpot-meatballs.html(I use mini meatballs instead of full size ones)
[SIZE=x-large]Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs[/SIZE]
Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup ketchup
2 TB soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28oz) bag fully cooked, frozen meatballs
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce and garlic.
2. Place frozen meatballs in a 3-4 quart crockpot and pour sauce over meatballs. Stir so all meatballs are coated evenly. Cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
This - Thai Peanut Chicken - actually did not turn out dry the least little bit!!http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/04/crockpot-thai-peanut-chicken-recipe.html
making this one today for leftovers for the week........
Will definitely be making this again soon; it was a hit in our house.
nope...just sliced it up into 1-2 inch strips and dropped it in the crockDid you brown the meat first?
Had a family request for this weekend.Another recently discovered favorite:
Sweet and Sour Kielbasa
2 pounds kielbasa sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 onion, diced
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Soften the onions in a pan with some oil, then place in crock pot. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar,
onion, vinegar, water, and salt and pepper. Add sliced kielbasa.
Cook on low for 2 hours.
Serve over rice.
hows the healthy factor on these meals?We've now done three different sets of the 20-meals-at-once crockpot assembly line from http://www.laurengreutman.com/category/blog/aldi-meal-plans/ - that's 30 different types of meals now, 2x each. I'd say that 15 have been great and maybe 3 have been duds, the rest in between.
It rules when you have three kids in sports and spend every afternoon zooming around in a minivan - it's too easy to eat fast food if you don't have something ready at home.
We're happy with them. We have a T1 diabetic son, and both my wife and I use Myfitnesspal to count calories, so we're more aware than average of the healthiness of recipes. One of the things we like about these recipes is that for the most part, they start with raw ingredients. Add tomatoes, garlic, and basil - not Good Seasonings dressing packets and a can of cream of mushroom soup.VA703 said:hows the healthy factor on these meals?
will check it out. we have a aldi down the streetTick said:We're happy with them. We have a T1 diabetic son, and both my wife and I use Myfitnesspal to count calories, so we're more aware than average of the healthiness of recipes. One of the things we like about these recipes is that for the most part, they start with raw ingredients. Add tomatoes, garlic, and basil - not Good Seasonings dressing packets and a can of cream of mushroom soup.
I've done some of those Wegman's bags before. Trust the recipe.Pork shoulder with salsa verde from Wegmans. Says to cook in the bag and it doesn't feel right. We'll see in 8 hours.
Use thighs instead of breastsAlso, I just avoid all chicken recipes in the crockpot. Just never turn out right for me
Crockpot Apple Pork Tenderloin
Recipe type: Paleo Main Dish
Author: Clean-Eatz
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 8 hours
Total time: 8 hours 15 mins
Ingredients
- 4 Organic Gala Apples
- 1½lb - 2lb Pork Tenderloin
- Nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp Raw Honey (optional)
Instructions
- Core and slice your apples
- Add a layer of apples in the bottom of the crockpot and sprinkle with nutmeg
- Place slits in your pork tenderloin, and cut tenderloin in half if you need to so it can lay nice and neat in the crockpot.
- Take one apple slice and place in each slit in the tenderloin
- Place tenderloin with apple slices in place into the crockpot ontop of your layer of apples and sprinkle top with Nutmeg
- Place remaining apple slices on top of the pork tenderloin and sprinkle once more with Nutmeg.
- Place crockpot on low, go to work and come home to dinner all ready.
Yes it is. There's a ton of Wegmans around here, and the one out in the burbs opened their own bar/restaurant called the Pub. Still need to try it outI've done some of those Wegman's bags before. Trust the recipe.
Wegman's is possibly the best grocery store out there.
It's nawt ah pot ...it's a cooking system!!!my crock pot has been put to pasture....i'm an INSTANT POT guy now....
Looking forward to a review. This looks really simple and good, but I always roast or grill a loin and can't seem to get my head around putting one in the crock pot.this is in the crockpot as we speak, ready about 630p
Finished. Was very good, though I don't have pork loin often and don't have much to compare it to. The meat was tender and moist, excited to be eating this again tomorrow.Looking forward to a review. This looks really simple and good, but I always roast or grill a loin and can't seem to get my head around putting one in the crock pot.
Never been a fan of the apples in a roast. Did it flavor the meat or sauce to a real extent?Finished. Was very good, though I don't have pork loin often and don't have much to compare it to. The meat was tender and moist, excited to be eating this again tomorrow.
The apples weren't quite as good as I expected. Might want to add more honey (definitely don't skip on the honey IMO).
Overall easy to make and very good, would recommend.
I do think it added to the overall flavor of the dish. The apples themselves weren't great, though.Never been a fan of the apples in a roast. Did it flavor the meat or sauce to a real extent?
What was the meat texture? Fall apart or sliced and held together?
how long did you cook it?I do think it added to the overall flavor of the dish. The apples themselves weren't great, though.
Meat was falling apart pretty good.
8 hours on low... You could probably get away with taking it out earlier or going with a shorter time on high.how long did you cook it?
Yea its pretty damn good. But really its hard to mess up with a crock pot. just toss stuff in and wait. ive never had a bad meal.Bought a crockpot yesterday. First time we've had one in years.
Is Frosty's Italian beef a "must try"? It sounds good
+1 for the Italian beef.Yea its pretty damn good. But really its hard to mess up with a crock pot. just toss stuff in and wait. ive never had a bad meal.
Wife makes something similar. It's damn goodBought a crockpot yesterday. First time we've had one in years.
Is Frosty's Italian beef a "must try"? It sounds good
I googled bog because I'd never heard of it. Sounds good. Do you have a recipe?Made bog yesterday. Had it for dinner and now breakfast. Love this stuff![]()