I wouldn’t have felt compelled to share my slow cooker collection with the world except that the last two people who came to our home exclaimed, “Wow why do you have so many slow cookers?”
Doesn’t everybody? Just kidding. I know most people don’t have a stash of slow cookers.
I asked Kamea the other day, “Kamea, if someone asked you about your mom, like, what does your mom do? What would you say?”
Her response… “I’d say you like pots.”
Me: “Ha – cute and funny but make sure you emphasize the “s” on the end of pot.”
It is what it is. I love the kitchen and cooking and everything that comes with it – pots and all.
But, let’s get more serious.
Why so many slow cookers? Maybe I’m like the cat lady but instead I’m the slow cooker lady.
No, ok I’ll get serious for real. In my defense, this is why I have 4 slow cookers (it used to be five slow cookers until I gave one to a friend)…
Reason 1:
For starters, I have different sizes. In that picture above you’ll see that I have this 7 quart and this 8 quart on top. I have a 6 quart on the bottom and the small orange one is of unknown size but it’s small (maybe a quart?). The thing on the bottom right? That’s a killer pressure cooker I wrote about here. (My husband calls my pressure cooker the “autoclave.”)
The different sizes are important because, well, for obvious reasons. Duh.. size matters. :)
I use the 8 quart primarily for making big batches of stews etc that I’m either making for a big group of people or if I want lots of leftovers or if I want to freeze some in planning ahead. I also use the big 8 quart for making bone broth when I’m not using my sous vide to make it (I prefer the sous vide but I started as a newbie making bone broth in my slow cooker).
I use the 7 quart for middle of the road sized stuff – batches that are bigger but not requiring the 8 quart. Not much more to it than that? The sad life of the middle child I suppose. I do love it though. :)
I use the 6 quart probably most. I like to make meals of stew and chicken soup etc in it and it’s enough for my 3-person family to enjoy a couple of days of meals when I use this size.
I use the cute baby orange slow cooker for things like small servings of veggies or making teas (like simmering fresh ginger and cinnamon sticks all day), and it’s also good for making oatmeal which we don’t do often but if we do, this is a nice small size so I don’t make too much. Oh, and I love my little guy for making “caramelized” onions. I just checked amazon description… it’s 1.5 quarts.
Reason 2:
There are days I use more than one at the same time.
For example, sometimes I like to cook a few beets in one while cooking something else in another. The slow cooker is my favorite way to cook beets – just chop off the greens close to the bulb, wash the beets, rub the beets with an oil like macadamia nut oil or ghee, wrap the beets in foil (individually), and put the beets in the slow cooker (on high) until cooked to desired level on doneness – varies based on size but expect an average of 3 to 6 hours. Once the beets are done, let them cool a bit so you can effortlessly rub the skins off. Then, I put them in the refrigerator for a quick snack or to add to a salad or whatever my heart desires.
Or if I’m cooking some squash or sweet potatoes in one I still have others available to use for making food like this. Or, if I’m making bone broth in one, I have another for making something else. Sometimes I even have 3 going!
See? I use them ALL!
The end.