4 ms·

Besides, I'd rather "cook" in a crockpot than a rice cooker. More versatile, same style of "dump everything in" recipe. You can also make a mean bbq pulled po

Besides, I'd rather "cook" in a crockpot than a rice cooker. More versatile, same style of "dump everything in" recipe. You can also make a mean bbq pulled pork with just a crockpot and a hunk of meat. I think everyone should save chicken bones for stock. They keep in the freezer forever, so even if you don't roast chicken often there's really no excuse not to save it. Homemade stock is so much better than the stuff in cans.

oftenwrong 14y ago
rice cooker: versatile crockpot/slow cooker: more versatile combination rice cooker and slow cooker: most versatile http://us.sanyo.com/Microcomputerized-Rice-Cookers/10-Cup-Micom-Rice-Slow-Cooker http://us.sanyo.com/Microcomputerized-Rice-Cookers/10-Cup-Mi...
mattmaroon 14y ago
Cheaper too.
- jules 14y ago
  I'm not sure if that's true, the vegetables and meat do cost something. If you do plan on making stock regularly, I've recently found that a pressure cooker is a great investment. The result actually tastes better after far less time. But I would say if you're just cooking something quick and cheap for yourself, there's nothing wrong with bouillon cubes. In a sauce it's better than just salt which is probably going to be the alternative.
  - mattmaroon 14y ago
    It's true. I spend less on vegetables to make a gallon of stock than I do to buy one quart at a grocery store, and mine is better. Even when I'm doing a beef stock and have to buy the bones it's still a little cheaper, though in that case not much. But the difference in quality between homemade beef stock and store bought is far larger than the same difference in chicken stock.
ssharp 14y ago
> Homemade stock is so much better than the stuff in cans. I think it took about three books (Kitchen Confidential and two cookbooks) telling me how much stock from scratch can effect your recipes before it sunk in enough for me to actually do it. Even if I'm in a pinch and have to used canned or boxed stock, I still try to keep some frozen bones and fresh mirepoix veggies around to infuse some extra flavor.
- mattmaroon 14y ago
  Out of curiosity, which cookbooks? I used to make a soup every time my parents came over because they loved it that used a lot of chicken stock. Eventually I gave them the recipe and they'd make it at home with bouillon cubes and then call me and ask me why it wasn't as good. To this day they still haven't tried just making their own stock, but I did eventually get them to try the liquid stuff that comes from the store, which is a tad too salty usually but still much better than cubes.
  - cdcarter 14y ago
    It's also good practice to always buy unsalted or low salt stock (same with butter!) so you can control the salt intake yourself. And you'll look healthier at the check out!
    - Afton 14y ago
      The scientific consensus on salt seems to be changing. I think that current thinking is that salt is unlikely to be a major influence on health, all other factors being equal.
      - dingfeng_quek 14y ago
        It's not changing. There's a lot of evidence that ordinary healthy humans need a particular amount of salt each day (adjusted for activity, age, etc), with not much variation. There's some epidemiological studies that show that most humans do end up consuming that amount of salt - i.e. the physiological->psychological feedback loop that triggers the impulse to eat salty things is well-controlled. Eating both too little and too much salt can lead to very major health problems. Popular fads on salt in diet changes all the time though; luckily that can't stop our bodies (unlike problems with anorexics; junk food; sugars; etc)

oftenwrong 14y ago

rice cooker: versatile crockpot/slow cooker: more versatile combination rice cooker and slow cooker: most versatile http://us.sanyo.com/Microcomputerized-Rice-Cookers/10-Cup-Micom-Rice-Slow-Cooker http://us.sanyo.com/Microcomputerized-Rice-Cookers/10-Cup-Mi...

mattmaroon 14y ago

Cheaper too.

jules 14y ago
I'm not sure if that's true, the vegetables and meat do cost something. If you do plan on making stock regularly, I've recently found that a pressure cooker is a great investment. The result actually tastes better after far less time. But I would say if you're just cooking something quick and cheap for yourself, there's nothing wrong with bouillon cubes. In a sauce it's better than just salt which is probably going to be the alternative.
- mattmaroon 14y ago
  It's true. I spend less on vegetables to make a gallon of stock than I do to buy one quart at a grocery store, and mine is better. Even when I'm doing a beef stock and have to buy the bones it's still a little cheaper, though in that case not much. But the difference in quality between homemade beef stock and store bought is far larger than the same difference in chicken stock.

ssharp 14y ago

> Homemade stock is so much better than the stuff in cans. I think it took about three books (Kitchen Confidential and two cookbooks) telling me how much stock from scratch can effect your recipes before it sunk in enough for me to actually do it. Even if I'm in a pinch and have to used canned or boxed stock, I still try to keep some frozen bones and fresh mirepoix veggies around to infuse some extra flavor.

mattmaroon 14y ago
Out of curiosity, which cookbooks? I used to make a soup every time my parents came over because they loved it that used a lot of chicken stock. Eventually I gave them the recipe and they'd make it at home with bouillon cubes and then call me and ask me why it wasn't as good. To this day they still haven't tried just making their own stock, but I did eventually get them to try the liquid stuff that comes from the store, which is a tad too salty usually but still much better than cubes.
- cdcarter 14y ago
  It's also good practice to always buy unsalted or low salt stock (same with butter!) so you can control the salt intake yourself. And you'll look healthier at the check out!
  - Afton 14y ago
    The scientific consensus on salt seems to be changing. I think that current thinking is that salt is unlikely to be a major influence on health, all other factors being equal.
    - dingfeng_quek 14y ago
      It's not changing. There's a lot of evidence that ordinary healthy humans need a particular amount of salt each day (adjusted for activity, age, etc), with not much variation. There's some epidemiological studies that show that most humans do end up consuming that amount of salt - i.e. the physiological->psychological feedback loop that triggers the impulse to eat salty things is well-controlled. Eating both too little and too much salt can lead to very major health problems. Popular fads on salt in diet changes all the time though; luckily that can't stop our bodies (unlike problems with anorexics; junk food; sugars; etc)