TIP ROAST SLOW COOKER RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a large pan. Dust 1½ kg rolled beef brisket with 2 tbsp plain flour and season well with salt and pepper.
• Put 3 chopped carrots, 3 chopped celery sticks, 2 chopped parsnips, 1 chopped onion and 80g button mushrooms in the bottom of your slow cooker and turn it to Low.
• Sear the beef all over in the hot pan then place it on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.
• Add the 2 bay leaves, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 tsp English mustard then pour over 500ml red wine and 250ml beef stock. Cover with the lid and cook for 7 hours.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Carefully take the beef out of the slow cooker and place it on a baking tray then roast it in the oven for 20 mins.
• While the beef is in the oven, carefully ladle the cooking liquid out of the slow cooker into a shallow pan. Boil rapidly on a high heat to reduce to a rich gravy.
• Serve the beef sliced with roast potatoes, the softened vegetables, gravy and wilted greens, if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat the slow cooker if necessary. Put the onion and carrot in the base of the stock pot to form a protective layer to sit the chicken on, and add 100ml boiling water. Gently ease the chicken skin away from the breast. Stir some salt and pepper into the butter and push the butter under the skin. Put the bay leaf in the cavity of the chicken and sit on top of the onion and carrot.
• Cook on low for 5 hrs, then check that the chicken is cooked by wiggling the wing – it should feel very loose. Tip the chicken up so any liquid inside flows out, then cook on high for 30 mins. If the chicken isn’t cooked through after the initial time, cook for another hour, then turn the heat up. If you want the skin to be browned, grill it for a couple of minutes (make sure your slow cooker insert is flameproof if you keep it in the pot, or transfer it to a roasting tin).
• There will be some gravy in the base of the dish with the veg, tip everything through a sieve and press the veg gently to make sure you get every last drop. Serve the veg on the side, if you like.