Everything I make taste Like ....crockpot...
Crockpot. Maybe I have an old one. Maybe it's broken. It's just seems like it tastes...metallic .. tinny.. I'm just not sure.
I want to love this technology, just like all the others. Do I need a new machine.
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I have never noted any kind of weird taste from crock pot cooked food. I agree with some of the above posts that it's very easy to overcook food in one. Especially if you leave it going all day while you are at work. I've got some leftover pot roast in my freezer now that you could suck through a straw.
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re: kengk
scubadoo97
Dec 3, 2012 05:37 AM
That was part of the problem. I had an old ceramic crock type but the cooking time for an 8 hour day at work was more than what most foods needed even at the low setting so most foods were over cooked and flavors were over extracted and then cooked out.
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It's been a long time since I've used a slow cooker but the tang kind of sounds familiar. Maybe try cooking food within a container, say a roast wrapped in parchment paper. That would insulate it from the crock and give you an idea of whether the taste comes from that or something else.
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Chemicalkinetics
Dec 1, 2012 01:17 PM
Is your crockpot made of metal? Most slow cooker is made with ceramic/stoneware inner inserts. Even this All Clad slow cooker which has an aluminum insert, the aluminum insert is coated with Teflon which means the aluminum does not touch the food.
So whatever you have tasted, it is either (1) not metallic or (2) it is metallic, but not from the slow cooker.
Edited: Now I read your other replies and said that it may not be true metallic. So what is your slow cooker insert made of? Chances are that whatever you have tasted may not be from the slow cooker.
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I just came across a discussion about the flavor of garlic and onions in a crockpot @metafilter:
http://ask.metafilter.com/218723/Badt...
I bet it's garlic. I'm a heavy garlic user. -
Couple of thoughts, although they may not solve your problem:
I have found that cooking most things all-day is too long especially in terms of texture. For example, most forms of chicken just end up sort of mushy and somehow end up tasting the same.
Are you using a good cookbook/set of recipes? At first I just threw stuff in, always included the same liquids (tomato, wine) and it all tasted the same. But I love some ethnic-flavored recipes I have made -- the cooks illustrated cookbook is good - it might be called "slow cooker revolution". Also just made smitten kitchen brisket which was amazing. Some of the things in "Not your mother's slowcooker" are good. But for me, following the specific instructions are important or I find I get same-tasting mush.
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I'm glad to see this posted, I feel the same way about everything except (apple butter) made in my crock pot. It's a ceramic insert model from about 20 yrs ago, bought new and used a few times a year since then. I've tried all sort of different recipes, seasonings (even no seasonings). I never tried a liner as I don't want to cook in plastic.
I recently bought a smaller new model that was on sale for a great price. I haven't tried it yet but I'm hoping it doesn't have the same problem.
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sunshine842
Dec 1, 2012 07:37 AM
what are you all putting in your crock pots?
I've had a long parade of crockpots of various sizes and manufacturers over the years -- I've had great ones and crummy ones, but have never, ever had a metallic taste from anything I've prepared. (and I can taste things like food coloring and MSG, so it's not that I have an insensitive palate).
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I can't abide slow cooker food as to me it tastes, well, institutional, and a lot of stuff comes out tasting very samey. I know I'm not alone in this, however much some people rave about their crockpots/slow cookers.
I'd try some of the suggestions from other posters, and if that doesn't work, I'd just accept that crockpots just don't work for you. I much prefer my pressure cooker, which is pretty high up on the list of things I'd grab from the house if it were on fire....
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re: serah
scubadoo97
Dec 3, 2012 03:59 AM
Also never cared for crockpot food. Tried beans to braised meats and flavor and texture were lacking for me
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I feel the same way--everything I cook in the crockpot has a metallic, unpleasant taste. Ceramic crock, no metal involved, no canned anything-- I just do not care for crockpotted food.
I use mine to keep things warm on a buffet, not to cook in.
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re: Musie
greygarious
Nov 30, 2012 10:26 AM
For the other posters who don't like the flavor as well: try the plastic liner before giving up on the pot entirely. Also, you still need to do some preliminary meat and aromatics browning in a pan in order for flavorful results in many crockpot recipes.
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sunshine842
Nov 29, 2012 10:21 PM
what kind of crockpot do you have? Most modern ones have a ceramic liner...so no source of metallic taste there.
If you have a ceramic-lined crockpot, then I'd start looking at ingredients as Vidute suggested above...
What else do you add? Other herbs? Seasonings? Flavor Enhancers? (I don't add MSG to anything, because I think it tastes like metal).
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re: sunshine842
Crockett67
Nov 30, 2012 05:15 AM
They make any other kind of slow cooker than with ceramic crocks? I'm still new in the slow cooker world, but have cracked one crock. What are the other liners?
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re: Crockett67
sunshine842
Nov 30, 2012 08:01 AM
I dunno -- but all I could think of was a metal liner if everything tastes like metal....
Mine has a removable crock....suppose someone might think it's okay to cook in JUST the outer heated part?
Just wondering.
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re: Crockett67
Chemicalkinetics
Dec 1, 2012 01:22 PM
There are cast aluminum inserts, but even these aluminum inserts are almost always lined with Teflon nonstick coating which means the aluminum does not touch the foods:
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