The: I'm broke and prefer to smoke but gotta eat on the cheap crock pot thread

That 2nd string qb tho. I was watching but when i started messing with the chicken, my 3yo found magic school bus on netflix so how im learning how to stay warm now

 

Im not a fan of the Irish, but I fucking hate LSwho. Go Irish!!

 

Ikr

 

Taco bar for friends gathering today. Chicken breasts, can of Rotel, homemade taco seasoning.

Trying to use up lots of frozen and canned goods so I don’t have to carry them to Utah...

 

Looks and sounds what I made. Turkey tortilla soup stuff. I also threw in a bag of onion soup mix

 

The wife suggested it, I simply forgot it at the store.

 

You mean a high walled cast iron griddle, like mine with home made bacon?



Shallow wall griddle on the gasser, drains don't let it pool quite as deep but deep enough. And of course I collect the bacon grease through the drip holes.



MQQSE has one of my cooking comments using bacon in his signature for a reason

Using the crockpot isn't necessarily due to wanting to smoke but being broke. Sometimes Mother Nature wins. I smoked and grilled last Monday at -7 when I started and -10 when I finished. The high over the last 3 days was -7 and windchill was -33 today. I just didn't have it in me this weekend.

Had my Instant Pot for a month and up till now been using it as a crockpot, got the nonstick liner and lid for it. Gave away one of my other crockpots already and will give away the other one to my son now. The IP works better for carrying to things like potluck at work, you can turn the lid to lock it and carry it one handed. Beats the balancing act of carrying a normal crockpot and doors.

Had a prime grade sirloin steak I was going to grill but gave up due to the cold. So made beef stew tonight with the IP using it as a pressure cooker instead of crockpot. I'm sold, the flavor was intense, meat and vegetables were perfect.



OK so I cut everything small for stew it is more like soup size. But I had to test out my Christmas presents to myself, might have got a little carried away with cutting smaller than I normally would for stew.



Simple enough to do this with a crockpot but with the IP was finished in less than an hour. I'm impressed and will be using it a lot more after doing this. I get why people like them so much now.

Beef Stew. Still going to tweak this but a good baseline.

2 pounds stew meat (or prime grade sirloin LOL)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
6 oz can tomato paste
32 oz beef broth, stock or drippings from a beef smoke
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups carrots
4-5 red potatoes, cubed (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon thyme
2 Bay leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup water

Everything except for flour, water, peas and corn into pot.
Put set valve to sealing
Select Meat\Stew option or manual to 35 min. Pressure cooking
Once done let sit for 10 minutes for meat to absorb juices
Quick release pressure, set valve to vent
Once pressure is released add flour & water mixed, peas and corn
Stir wait 3-5 minutes and done

 

Yes, similar griddle but the one I saw was probably crafted just for fair use. Large, propane fed, no drain holes. Maybe even homemade. But same idea.

So next time, throw some corn on the cob in that grease!!

 

Oh I might have several containers around here with bacon grease and use it like many use butter, and have buttered corn with it before Corn season is a long, long ways off yet though. This is the water tower in town that supplies water to the Seneca Foods processing plant, obviously for sweet corn.

 

.
I just bought my first crock pot to make my first pot roast ... any suggestions on best way to do it ?? ...

I will try this coming weekend ...

 

https://youtu.be/k0d-glHI8D4

 

For those who were curious them young birds were a huge hit, the old bird was a little tuff, but my 3 yo who is super picky at both breast and a wing of one of them baby birds

 

2-3 lbs. roast
4-6 potatoes (peeled,quartered)
small bag of baby carrots
2 white onions (halved)
2 brown gravy packets
Salt and pepper to taste

Salt and pepper the roast and place it in the pot. Fill gaps around it with potatoes and carrots. Place remaining potatoes and carrots on top. Put the onion halves cut side down on top. Mix 1 gravy packet with 1 cup water and pour over top. Low for 8 hours. At 7 hours, repeat gravy step.

Waiting for the next time I make it to write a post with pictures!

 

About that corn, best way to cook it IMO



I have wrapped it in a bacon weave before and grilled it. But it turns out better cooked on fire first then "buttered" with bacon grease.

 

I skip the gravy packets and use onion soup mix packet instead (one)...and I add mushrooms... (to almost every crock pot recipe)

 

I just love CotC. I can’t say I’m particular about how it’s prepared.
I loved the bacon grease one for sure!
Best I’ve had was at the beach, in a new large galvanized garbage can, filled with sea water, then place the entire can on the fire.

I grill them at home in the husk.

 

2-3lb roast
1 brown gravy packet
1 ranch dressing powder packet
1 Italian dressing powder packet

Mix the powders and spread on top of roast.

1/2 cup water around it and set for 7-9hrs and voila. That was our dinner tonight but I didn’t get photos of it.