Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Cooking Fish Recipes in a Slow Cooker

By Jerry Donnel


In the same way you may use your slow cooker to create dishes containing beef, pork or chicken you can also put it to use to cook fish. Fish takes a lot less time to cook than these other meats still you can use your crockpot to prepare delectable fish meals. In fact by using a slow cooker you will be able to retain the oh so distinctive flavor of your fish and keep in all of the moisture as the heat is held low in the slow cooking process.

You could use fish in casserole, stew, soup and pasta recipes. You can even poach or steam it in the crockpot. To poach fish, you just need to add it to the crock pot, cover it with water, stock or wine and put your selected herbs or spices. Parsley and bay leaves are especially good for fish dishes. Poaching may just take forty five minutes, depending on the type of fish you use and its thickness, therefore monitor it. If you are using flat fish you'll be able to braise it. Roll it up before adding it to keep it in one piece and keep the flavor locked in.

How to Cook Shellfish in a Crockpot Shellfish shouldn't be cooked for too much time so if you are preparing stews or soups add them closer to the end of the cooking time. When creating chowders, soups or stews in the crockpot shrimp is a great shellfish to include. They can be added with or without their shells. Some other good crockpot recipes you could add shrimp to are gumbo and jambalaya but remember to pay attention to the cooking time. Clams and mussels create a great foundation for stews particularly when coupled with tomato or wine based sauce.

Slow Cooking Times for Fish

Some meat dishes, especially when you are using tough cuts, may take up to ten hours to tenderize in a crock pot but fish cooks a lot quicker, which is the reason slow cooker recipes for fish generally only need three or four hours. Leaving the fish in the crockpot when it has finished cooking can dry it out so this is not something to leave in there all day while you're out. You will have to serve the fish when it is ready.

Steaks from bigger fishes like mackerel, salmon, haddock and cod may be cooked in the crockpot. It will not be practical to add the entire fish in the pot but you can certainly add the steaks. If you have a whole fish to cook you can also cut into steaks or have your fishmonger do it for you. Since flatfish tends to be much smaller than these types of fishes you can add the whole fish to the slow cooker. Please remember since the flesh is not muscular it'll be delicate and soft and will cook in a short time.

Don't forget about fish and shellfish whenever planning your slow cooker recipes and meals because, prepared properly, they can come out really flavorful and soft. You can make a myriad of stews or soups with seafood or fish in a crockpot and you can also poach fish for an ultra soft and tender result.




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