"Polly Esther" > writes:

> One more vote here against Rival. Mine only does high no matter the
> setting. And I know it's mostly socially unacceptable but I really do
> read instructions and 'they say' not to load and refrigerate the
> crock. It really could cause cracking. Has anyone tried the slow
> cooker bags that are supposed to let you simply toss the bag when done
> and not have to wash the crockery? Polly

A friend who routinely serves crockpot food at parties uses the bags.
I've never been able to taste any plastic flavor in the food that comes
out of them, so in that sense they appear to work okay.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, ; http://dd-b.net/
Snapshots: http://dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/data/
Photos: http://dd-b.net/photography/gallery/
Dragaera: http://dragaera.info

My favorite type of crockpots are the oval three piece crockpots, with
the bottom plate that gets hot, the metal pot with handles that sits
on the plate, and the glass top. I prefer it because the metal pot
and glass top you can put into the refrigerator, once it cools, and it
fits easily into a dishwasher. West Bend was the company that was
famous for these types of crock pots, and you can find used ones
reasonably priced on ebay (search for West Bend Crock Pot), or you
might check thrift stores or garage sales for them. I stay away from
the ones with the ceramic liner.

On 2/27/2012 6:34 PM, Michael OConnor wrote:
> My favorite type of crockpots are the oval three piece crockpots, with
> the bottom plate that gets hot, the metal pot with handles that sits
> on the plate, and the glass top. I prefer it because the metal pot
> and glass top you can put into the refrigerator, once it cools, and it
> fits easily into a dishwasher. West Bend was the company that was
> famous for these types of crock pots, and you can find used ones
> reasonably priced on ebay (search for West Bend Crock Pot), or you
> might check thrift stores or garage sales for them. I stay away from
> the ones with the ceramic liner.


I still have my West Bend metal slow cooker. Mine has a plastic lid. I
bought it because it was light-weight and I needed lighter kitchen stuff
when we lived in the RV.

It's a great slow cooker, especially for things like corned beef brisket
because of its shape. The bottom plate, as you call it, is also a griddle.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Monday, February 27, 2012 7:34:52 PM UTC-5, Michael OConnor wrote:
> My favorite type of crockpots are the oval three piece crockpots, with
> the bottom plate that gets hot, the metal pot with handles that sits
> on the plate, and the glass top. I prefer it because the metal pot
> and glass top you can put into the refrigerator, once it cools, and it
> fits easily into a dishwasher. West Bend was the company that was
> famous for these types of crock pots, and you can find used ones
> reasonably priced on ebay (search for West Bend Crock Pot), or you
> might check thrift stores or garage sales for them. I stay away from
> the ones with the ceramic liner.

That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom. I love my West Bend electric kettle, but they don't make that any more either. What's with them?

Jerry
--
There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to
one who is striking at the root. — Henry David Thoreau.

On Feb 28, 8:22*am, Jerry Avins > wrote:
> On Monday, February 27, 2012 7:34:52 PM UTC-5, Michael OConnor wrote:
> > My favorite type of crockpots are the oval three piece crockpots, with
> > the bottom plate that gets hot, the metal pot with handles that sits
> > on the plate, and the glass top. *I prefer it because the metal pot
> > and glass top you can put into the refrigerator, once it cools, and it
> > fits easily into a dishwasher. *West Bend was the company that was
> > famous for these types of crock pots, and you can find used ones
> > reasonably priced on ebay (search for West Bend Crock Pot), or you
> > might check thrift stores or garage sales for them. *I stay away from
> > the ones with the ceramic liner.
>
> That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom. I love my West Bend electric kettle, but they don't make that any more either. What's with them?
>

My first crockpot, from the heyday of "crockery cookery" was a Sunbeam
crocker/cooker/deep fryer. I loved it because it could do all three
things, and I could make, for example, Buffalo wings without having to
use up any more cupboard storage space. For slow cooking you slipped
in the crockery liner. And I believe it heated from the bottom.

When it gave out, I despaired of finding a replacement. The closest
thing I came to was a Dazey's Chef's Pot. Again, for regular cooking
or deep frying you use the basic pot, while for slow cooking you slip
in a crockery liner. Heat comes from a single large heating element
integral with the bottom of the pot. I believe the Chef's Pot is still
available, but no longer comes with the liner. The only thing I don't
like is that the outside gets quite hot, so you have to be careful not
to touch it or place it too near things that will melt, like a bagged
loaf of bread.

But for parties, etc., a plain old slow cooker is great for things
like Swedish meatballs, mulled wine, or hot apple cider.

Jerry Avins wrote:
> Michael OConnor wrote:
>
>> My favorite type of crockpots are the oval three piece crockpots, with
>> the bottom plate that gets hot, the metal pot with handles that sits
>> on the plate, and the glass top. I prefer it because the metal pot
>> and glass top you can put into the refrigerator, once it cools, and it
>> fits easily into a dishwasher. West Bend was the company that was
>> famous for these types of crock pots, and you can find used ones
>> reasonably priced on ebay (search for West Bend Crock Pot), or you
>> might check thrift stores or garage sales for them. I stay away from
>> the ones with the ceramic liner.
>
> That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom. I
> love my West Bend electric kettle, but they don't make that any more
> either. What's with them?

They still sell through home show demonstrations under 3-4 different
brand names. I have one of the oil filled electric skillets from
Society and one of the chrome plated slicer salad shooters from West
Bend. We don't have their crockpot though.

On 2/28/2012 9:22 AM, Jerry Avins wrote:
> That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom. I love my West Bend electric kettle, but they don't make that any more either. What's with them?

My very first slow cooker was that design, way way way back in 1983. It
lasted more than ten years of heavy use, then the base was dropped and
broken and I was unable to replace it. That's when I moved to the Rival
Crock Pot slow cooker, which was fine and dandy until it was dropped
(damned kids!!) a few years ago. I replaced that with another Crock Pot
and have hated the new one ever since--gets too hot, boils dry, scorches
whatever is in it, even when set on low. I've looked at the two piece
slow cookers again, but I'm going to go with a Hamilton Beach. They get
good reviews and good word of mouth.

On 2/28/2012 2:56 PM, Pennyaline wrote:
> On 2/28/2012 9:22 AM, Jerry Avins wrote:
>> That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom. I
>> love my West Bend electric kettle, but they don't make that any more
>> either. What's with them?
>
> My very first slow cooker was that design, way way way back in 1983. It
> lasted more than ten years of heavy use, then the base was dropped and
> broken and I was unable to replace it. That's when I moved to the Rival
> Crock Pot slow cooker, which was fine and dandy until it was dropped
> (damned kids!!) a few years ago. I replaced that with another Crock Pot
> and have hated the new one ever since--gets too hot, boils dry, scorches
> whatever is in it, even when set on low. I've looked at the two piece
> slow cookers again, but I'm going to go with a Hamilton Beach. They get
> good reviews and good word of mouth.

I am very happy with my Hamilton Beach. Hated the Rival I got in 2006.
I am not the only one who has suffered overheating with the brand.
There are many reviews on the Internet that affirm our experience.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:22:17 -0800 (PST), Jerry Avins >
wrote:

>On Monday, February 27, 2012 7:34:52 PM UTC-5, Michael OConnor wrote:
>> My favorite type of crockpots are the oval three piece crockpots, with
>> the bottom plate that gets hot, the metal pot with handles that sits
>> on the plate, and the glass top. I prefer it because the metal pot
>> and glass top you can put into the refrigerator, once it cools, and it
>> fits easily into a dishwasher. West Bend was the company that was
>> famous for these types of crock pots, and you can find used ones
>> reasonably priced on ebay (search for West Bend Crock Pot), or you
>> might check thrift stores or garage sales for them. I stay away from
>> the ones with the ceramic liner.
>
>That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom. I love my West Bend electric kettle, but they don't make that any more either. What's with them?

Y'mean this one?
http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-6400.../dp/B0000BYBTR

Get a slow cooker while you're shopping.
http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-8490.../dp/B001AH5H0A

Jim

On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 18:25:30 -0500, Jim Elbrecht >
wrote:

> On Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:22:17 -0800 (PST), Jerry Avins >
> wrote:
>
> >
> > I love my West Bend electric kettle, but they don't make that any more either. What's with them?
>
> Y'mean this one?
> http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-6400.../dp/B0000BYBTR

It's plastic. Get one that's metal... like this one
http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach...0472050&sr=1-4
>


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>Jerry Avins > wrote:
>
>>That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom...
>
> Get a slow cooker while you're shopping.
> http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-8490.../dp/B001AH5H0A

The ones that are demonstrated at home shows have a round bottom. The
advantage is you can put any of the pans in the line that have the same
diameter into the heating unit. If you buy a set (and that's a big if)
you get several sizes of slow cooker at the same time because several of
the pans fit in the unit.

On 2/29/2012 9:03 AM, Doug Freyburger wrote:
> Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>> Jerry > wrote:
>>
>>> That's the first crock pot I've heard of that heats from the bottom...
>>
>> Get a slow cooker while you're shopping.
>> http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-8490.../dp/B001AH5H0A
>
> The ones that are demonstrated at home shows have a round bottom. The
> advantage is you can put any of the pans in the line that have the same
> diameter into the heating unit. If you buy a set (and that's a big if)
> you get several sizes of slow cooker at the same time because several of
> the pans fit in the unit.



Do you mean these?


http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach...539812&sr=1-20

On Feb 23, 1:37*pm, David Dyer-Bennet > wrote:
> I keep wondering if a crockpot might be useful. *But I've found various
> things on the web that are discouraging me. *I'd like information from
> people doing something like what I want to do, with recent cookers, to
> see if it's practical.
>
> Spending time in the morning to prepare stuff is right out, I'm up,
> through the shower, and out the door, and getting up earlier is no
> something I'm willing to do. *However, refrigerating the loaded
> container overnight, or perhaps the prepared food separately and loading
> it into the container in the morning, are possible.
>
> So the next question is, how long can things cook in the crockpot? *If
> I'm out the door by eight in the morning and not back until 7 at night,
> will it be burned / overcooked? *(There might, sometimes, be a
> possibility of having somebody else take the loaded container from the
> refrigerator and start the crockpot in the middle of the day, but that's
> my least-favorite choice, way too many things to go wrong.)
> --
> David Dyer-Bennet, ;http://dd-b.net/
> Snapshots:http://dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/data/
> Photos:http://dd-b.net/photography/gallery/
> Dragaera:http://dragaera.info

My Arizona cowboy friend had soaked pinto beans for 18 hours before
cooking them. I have found that if you increase the beans to boiling
then shut off the stove and allow them to soak up the excess water for
two hours 3-4 times they are ready without cooking them longer than
ten minutes. I live on the beach not in the desert so there may be
some biometric pressures against the microchip in my back.