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chlobo
08-29-2005, 10:48 AM
I came across this yummy sounding recipie for Mediterranean Beef Stew. According to the directions you need to cook it in a dutch oven for 3 hours. I don't have a dutch oven and am not psyched to have the oven on that long so I thought I'd just throw it in the crock pot. Do you think this would be ok? I realize the meat will probably be more crumbly than cubed, as in the original recipie but I won't have to heat my house.

Dyonia
08-31-2005, 06:40 PM
I'm a member of the Slowcooker (crockpot) Yahoo Group, and this is what is posted in their file section on adapting a recipe for the crockpot.

Personally, I think that since it's beef stew, crocking it 6-8 hours on low would be what you need.

HTH!
--Donna


*******INFORMATION BELOW FROM YAHOO SLOWCOOKER GROUP FILES********
This information is courtest of Debb Smith

CROCKPOT CONVERSION CHART

Converting your favourite recipes to the crockpot or slow cooker
is pretty easy. Here is a guideline for approximate cooking times.
If you are cooking on the low setting, make sure that any uncooked
meat cooks for at least 8 hours.

15 to 30 minutes on stovetop =
1 1/2 - 2 hours on high or 4 - 6 hours on low in slow cooker

35 to 45 minutes on stovetop =
2 - 3 hours on high or 4 - 6 hours on low in slow cooker

50 minutes to 3 hours on stovetop =
4 - 5 hours on high or 8 - 18 hours on low in slow cooker


There isn't one tried and true conversion formula that always applies, especially since individual slowcookers can vary, but here are some general guidelines.

By type of food: (from a personal FAQ pulled together by another list member, using list archives and other resources - these are very general approximations and should be monitored more closely the first time you convert a recipe)

Baked potato 8-10 hours low
Dry beans 1-2 hours high, plus 8-9 hours on low
Brisket 10-12 hours low
Casserole 4-9 hours low or 2-4 hours high stirring occasionally
Chicken 7-10 hours low or 3-4 hours high
Corned Beef and cabbage 6-10 hours low or 4-5 hours high
Meat loaf 8-9 hours low
Pot Roast 12 hours low or 4-5 hours high
Ribs-6-8 hours low
Rice 5-9 hours low or 2-3 hours high
Soup 6-12 hours low or 2-6 hours high
Stew 10-12 hours low or 4-5 hours high
Stuffed peppers 6-8 hours low or 3-4 hours high
Swiss Steak 8-10 hours low
Vegetable 2-4 hours low with liquid added

By slowcooker size:

Since how full a slowcooker is affects how hot/quickly things cook, here are some guidelines relating to that.

Better Homes and Gardens' rule of thumb: allow 1 quart volume per 1 pound meat, coinciding with Rival's guideline of a 5 quart slowcooker for larger roasts (3-5 pounds), baking hens (3-4 pounds), and picnic hams (up to 5 pounds).

One of our group members has put together a useful page about further converting recipes from one size slowcooker to another (4 quart, 5 quart and 6 quart slowcookers) http://home.earthlink.net/~kitpath/downlds/slow_cooker_size.htm

Some other useful recipe conversion hints from various sources (in addition to the general slowcooker tips listed elsewhere in this FAQ re: such things as dairy products, browning meats, etc.)

To judge cooking time, use a similar recipe as a guide.

Most meat and vegetable combinations require 7 hours or more on low.

Vegetables do not need to be sauted in advance, except in a few cases for a flavor effect (such as cooking onions for onion soup before simmering in the broth). One exception is eggplant, which has a strong flavor and should be parboiled or sauted before being combined with other foods.

Herbs and spices may behave differently in a slowcooker. Whole herbs and spices may give more flavor than usual, ground ones less. Season carefully, taste before serving, and correct seasonings then if necessary.

You will usually want to reduce the liquid. Most food gives off some liquid of its own while slowcooking and there is very little moisture loss through evaporation. The usual suggestion is to use about one half the liquid. An exception would be something like soup, where the recipe is intended to be primarily liquid, or where you are adding an ingredient such as rice that tends to absorb a lot of liquid.

mskitty
09-01-2005, 03:14 AM
I live by my crockpots during the fall and winter. Gotta love coming home after work and only having to dish it up to have supper ready :)

Fill your crockpot between 2/3 and 3/4 full. It works best in that range. For a stew, make sure your vegtables pieces are about the same size so they all get done at the same time and put them in the bottom of the crockpot since they cook slower. Put all the meat on top. I also find it helps to pan brown meat first especially if you are using greasier meat (lamb cubes in my case). Plan on having to adjust your seasonings to taste at the end of cooking as well as adding a thicking agent as your liquids will not boil away. You could also reduce the amount of liquid you put in but make sure you have 1-2" of moisture in the bottom after you have added your veggies/meat so your meat becomes fall apart tender. Most of my stovetop recipes are for 2 hours which I do on high for 5-6 hours or low all day. Here is my favorite example for regular sized crockpot(4 quart).

Lumberjack Stew:

1 lb stew meat, browned (lamb or pork)
1 tsp salt (or can omit due to high salt in chicken broth)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup sliced onions
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
1 tablespoon Worceshire
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz can of chicken broth
1 pound bag of baby carrots (cut in half)
1 small bag frozen baby onions
Place carrots on bottom of crockpot, followed by the onions and the browned meat on top. Mix liquids and seasonings. Pour in crockpot and cover with lid. Simmer on low all day.
Add: 1 can drained green beans.
Thicken with about 3 tablespoons cornstarch made into a cream paste with water or as much as needed get to desired stew texture.
Salt and pepper to taste.

I only made a few changes from my mom's original recipe. I use a can of chicken broth instead 2 bouillon cubes and "adding water as necessary". I am also lazy and find it a whole lot easier to use baby carrots than peeling and cutting regular ones ;P Lots of times I'll turn on the oven and pop in a batch of biscuits to go with it since it takes a few minutes for it to thicken up once you add the cornstarch mix. Most days I prep the crockpot the night before while I am making lunches for the next day and just put it on in the morning. Usually I turn the crock pot on high for the half hour while I'm eating breakfast and turn it down to low when I grab my lunch as I head out the door so it gets up to cooking temperature quicker.

Hope that helps :)

MsKitty