Dave Smith wrote:

> JL wrote:
>
> >> Logical but not how it works.
> >>
> >> The trick is you add less water to a crockpot recipe. Thats pretty
> much
> >> all that is needed.
> >>
> >>
> >
> > I used a crock pot a few times but it never really impressed me.
>
>
> I have been similarly unimpressed with crock pot meals. The only
> advantage I can see to one of them is as a heating vessel for a pot luck
> or for keeping food warm for a party. I have never owned one and don't
> care to find space for storing one.

I kept the thick, heavy, glazed ceramic insert that held the
ingredients, and was removable, quite attractive really, and got rid of
the electrical heating unit.

I have used the insert to make very large quantities of food for parties
but other wise, with its glass lid it makes a good storage container.

I just too much like to tinker with my food as it cooks to leve it alone
to preceed on its own.

And espicaly with the long slow cooking of meat, skiming is an important
step imo. Espicaly with meat stews and soups. These days i cook my
meats completely seperate from my soup, be it stew, ragout or potage and
serve the seperetly made soup with any meats i have precooked for it.
Warming them together briefly if necessary.

I often braise various cuts of beef and then use the remaining braising
stock as the basis for a soup in which to serve the previously cooked,
fork tender beef. It does not hurt to let it rest for a bit and add
back to the soup any meat juices it might exuded while resting and
before being added to the soup.

Such a preperation allows for a much greater amount of flavor, espeicaly
of the vegitables one makes the soup with and even with a bean and veggi
and pasta soup one gets flavors that would be ovewhelmed if all the
ingredients were cooked together with meat all at once.

Imo the meat flavors in these types of soups that are started with raw
or seared meat and have the veggies cooked with them overwhelms all the
other veggie flavors.

It can be very good cooked this way, but i like doing the meats and soup
seperatly and then serving together.
--

Mr. Joseph Paul Littleshoes Esq.

Domine, dirige nos.

Let the games begin!
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