# Alternative to Crockpot / Slowcooker



## Christine79 (Nov 3, 2005)

Hi Guys!

I was wondering if anyone knew of an alternative to a slow cooker? I recieved a recipe from my grandmother that indicates using a crockpot but I don't have one (nor the money to buy one).

Anyone have any idea? Thanks for your help!


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## Piccolina (Nov 3, 2005)

What sort of recipe is it Christine? Most crock pot recipes can easily be made on stove top or in the oven 

*Welcome to DC Christine!!!*


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## Christine79 (Nov 3, 2005)

Hi Piccolina! Thanks for your reply. It's an Roast Beef recipe that she brought over from Italy... calls for 6 hours in the slow cooker and then it's sliced and put in the oven for another 3 hours or so...... you don't even need a knife to cut it by the end of it. Hmmm.


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## Piccolina (Nov 3, 2005)

Hi Christine, that does sound wonderful! My DH is Italian (born and breed, with the eating habbits to attest to this fact ) and would surely love that recipe! I'd venture to say that if you have the time (I can never bring myself to leave the house with anything in or on the stove) you could cook it as a beef pot roast. I would sear the beef first and than simmer in in a large pot (with a lid) on the back of the stove for hours (covered), basting it from time to time to keep the meat moist and juicy. I have a to-die-for pork recipe that calls for 12-24 hours in a very low oven, and it turns out so tender you'd think you were eating cotton, but I've never tried doing beef quite like that (I wonder if others have).


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## Christine79 (Nov 3, 2005)

That sounds like the best bet. Thanks Jessica. Unfortunately I'm at work so I don't have the recipe here but I'll post it tomorrow when I have a moment for sure  - although just to forwarn you there are no exact mesurments because Nona's been eyeballing it for years  
Thanks again for your help!


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## purrfectlydevine (Nov 3, 2005)

Are these recipes posted anywhere?


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## Piccolina (Nov 3, 2005)

Christine79 said:
			
		

> although just to forwarn you there are no exact mesurments because Nona's been eyeballing it for years
> Thanks again for your help!


 No worries, I don't measure much outside of the baking realm (what a rebel I am - lol ). Don't mention it at all, Christine, we've all here to help. Looking forward to Nona's recipe!


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## Christine79 (Nov 3, 2005)

I was just going to post the recipe on this same thread....although if there's another place to put recipes please let me know. This is my first time to this website so I'm not too sure at all.


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## Piccolina (Nov 3, 2005)

Christine79 said:
			
		

> I was just going to post the recipe on this same thread....although if there's another place to put recipes please let me know. This is my first time to this website so I'm not too sure at all.


You could post it here, or you could post it under the beef section (under the meat area)


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## Mommy Dearest (Feb 11, 2006)

Christine79 said:
			
		

> Hi Guys!
> 
> I was wondering if anyone knew of an alternative to a slow cooker? I recieved a recipe from my grandmother that indicates using a crockpot but I don't have one (nor the money to buy one).
> 
> Anyone have any idea? Thanks for your help!


 

If you have a Nesco electric roaster I know for sure that it has a low temperature (slow cooking) control. You can use this roaster for normal roaster or slow roasting. Rival and Hamilton Beach also have electric roasters in the 18 qt size but I don't know what their temperature gages are.

Did you know that you can get a basic Rival crockpot for as little as $18 (maybe ever less). This time of year, most department stores have their Home Sales and crockpots are getting very popular again. Check Amazon.com too because they always have great sales and if you spend $25 you get free shipping.

Check your cookware.  If you already have a heavy bottomed dutch oven, you can also slow cook in that.

Happy Slow Cooking!


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## Gretchen (Feb 12, 2006)

Even easier than cooking on top of the stove where the simmer may get too high (and toughen the meat), put it in a 300* oven tightly covered.


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## craftynsewon (Mar 10, 2006)

*crockpots*

I see tons of crockpots in the thrift stores for $3- $5


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## Sandyj (Mar 10, 2006)

My husband brought a three legged cast iron pot back from South Africa, it's called a "Potjie" pot, and it's used to cook stews on the fire outside - BUT, I have seen them here at CampMore. This one  happens to be well seasoned. I also have a 5qt iron pot I bought in 1993 at K-Mart (pre-Martha) for $5.
Why am I telling you this? I have a piece of bottom round roast in the freezer, (about 6 - 7 lbs), and I was trying to think of how to cook it. I've read that slow cooking would work great, but I am a little nervous to try this big piece of meat in my slow cooker. Then I thought of my iron pots. The 5qt may be too small (I also want to throw in potatoes and carrots and onion), so I'm dragging my husband's potjie inside (it must be at least 10qts) (it says No. 2 or No. 3 on the side), and I'm going to stick it on top of the stove on Sunday and slow cook this piece of beef - hopefully, kind of like a pot roast. BTW, the potjie has a very heavy iron lid, too. What I like about the iron pots is that I can heat them up first and brown the meat right in the pot, then turn it way way down and let it slow cook.
I don't have a pot roast recipe, and searched for one here the other day, but when I put in the words  pot roast, I think I got every post that had the word "pot" in it, and then also every post with the word "roast". Not enough time to read through them all!!!


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## Constance (Mar 11, 2006)

*Grandma Snarr's Pot Roast*

Here's a recipe for my Grandma Snarr's pot roast:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f48/pot-roast-16899.html


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## Sandyj (Mar 13, 2006)

Hi Constance, you probably think I'm making this up, but I thought of your Grandma Snarr's recipe on Sunday..I must have read it once before. It is a lovely recipe, and so is the one just before it that someone posted from watching the foodnetwork show "How to Boil Water". I pretty much did mine your Grandma's way on Sunday. It came out very tasty, but the cut of meat - a bottom round roast - did not have enough fat and connective tissue I think, and in spite of my best efforts, I felt it was dry (thank heavens the gravy was so nice, it helped a lot). I am going to keep trying until I get this right - I'll be looking for chuck or sirloin. My husband's potjie pot was big enough, but too heavy to work with around the stove. I actually managed to knock it over in the oven, having taken it out to turn the roast. Not the best idea.


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