Slow Cookers - Pre Cooking Meat

[bambino]

Do you brown your meat first in a fry pan before adding it to the slow cooker ?

I never have, I always just chuck it in as is....unless I'm using mince, I always fry that first.

Mum gave me a recipe the other day and it said to fry the meat and onions first, then add them to the cooker with the other ingredients.

Is it nessesary to pre cook the meat first ?

[RoarsomeMum]

You definitely don't have to brown the meat first.. (It's an aesthetic thing more than anything else IMO)

DO DEFROST all meat though, or you may, like me, nearly kill the whole family:o

[Emi]

You definitely don't have to brown the meat first.. (It's an aesthetic thing more than anything else IMO)

:o

:iagree:

[Urban Tumbleweed]

You don't have to but it does enhance the overall flavour of the meat if you do brown it before popping it in :)

Same with leeks and onions too.

[hales83]

Yep I brown my meat and onions

[honeydew]

I've never bothered browning the meat, to me it kinda defeats the purpose of why I use the slowcooker- to make a hassle-free dinner that doesn't take much cleaning up :)

[Cordelia]

i always brown my meat - coz if i dont... it goes all mushy and gray... and it doesn't maintain it's shape. Mince especially!!! you wouldn't boil mince.... and by not brownign it you're doing something similar

[JabberJaw]

I never brown it

[myhusbandswife]

i always brown my meat - coz if i dont... it goes all mushy and gray... and it doesn't maintain it's shape. Mince especially!!! you wouldn't boil mince.... and by not brownign it you're doing something similar

I cook my spag bol in the slow cooker and i dont brown it. I just put it in and cover with water. Im not a huge spag fan but my DH is and he says its the best way hes ever had it

[biscotti]

Yep I brown my meat and onions

:iagree: and I often chuck any vegies in too and brown them as well - they hold their shape better and the flavour is better too I think :chef: