Now as we start to face the worst cost of living crisis in a generation with prices for everyday items and services rising at their fastest rate for over 30 years - and with the rate of inflation expected to climb even further- saving Costs has never been more important

So, in these times of rapidly rising Energy Costs and the largest squeeze on Home Finances for generations - here is a simple way for cutting down your energy and food costs - without any compromise of enjoying your Premium Quality Meat and Poultry

We all know your enthusiasm for Thrifty Cuts when we introduced the idea almost nine years ago

Now here is a multiple saver of Energy Costs, Food Costs and Time - by simply combining the cost benefits of our Thrifty Cuts - with the cost benefits of a Slow Cooker

The Perfect Way

Slow Cookers are the perfect way to cook some of our Thrifty Cuts - so here are some facts that you may find surprising

Surprising Facts

Slow Cookers cost around 27p to run for eight hours at current prices

Whilst Electric Ovens cost around 32p to run for one hour

A fraction of the Electricity

Slow Cookers use a fraction of the Electricity consumed by a Conventional Oven and are perfect for Thrifty Cuts of Meat as they cook slowly over a long Period

Double and Multiply your savings

So you save expensive Energy Costs - but can enjoy Premium Quality Meats and Poultry - so that is a double savings for starters

Stretch the savings further

Stretch the savings even further by Batch cooking for the next day or for the Freezer - saving multiple times on Energy Costs, Meat Costs and additional preparation and cooking time Costs

Easier for you to make those savings

And now we have made it even easier for you to make those savings in time and cost by introducing our New Website feature Thrifty Cuts Slow Cooker Related Recipes and Thrifty Cuts - Love your Leftovers Recipes

Every Week

We will continue to add Slow Cooker Related Recipes to the Website - so you can build up a vast repertoire of different dishes - to enjoy - and start saving on those rapidly rising Costs

Cost saving Recipes

So now you have easy and immediate access to hundreds of Cost saving Recipes that are oh! so satisfying - and don’t cost the earth

Want to learn more about Slow Cookers?

Slow Cookers are inexpensive to buy, economical to use and they're great for making the most of budget ingredients.

Make everything from Stews, Curries and even Desserts in an easy-to-use Slow Cooker.

Just simply add your ingredients and let the Slow Cooker do the work - perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners.  

Cut down your prep time

One of the main attractions for many people is the ease of a Slow Cooker, so when you're looking for recipes, avoid those that suggest a lot of pre-preparation.

For many dishes, particularly Soups and Stews, you really can just throw all the ingredients in. It can be nice to cook the Onions beforehand, as the flavour is different to when you put them in raw, but experiment both ways as you may find you prefer one.

It can also be good to brown Meat to give it some colour, but again, this is not essential.

Prepare for slow cooking the night before

If you're short on time in the morning, prepare everything you need for your slow-cooked meal the night before, put it into the Slow Cooker dish, cover and store in the fridge overnight.

Ideally the dish should be as close to room temperature as possible, so get it out of the fridge when you wake up and leave it for 20 minutes before turning the Slow Cooker on.

If you need to heat your dish beforehand, then put the ingredients in a different container and transfer them in the morning.

Choose Thrifty Cuts

Slow Cookers are great for cooking Thrifty Cuts like Beef Short Ribs, Beef Brisket, Oxtail, Ox Cheeks, Lamb Shoulder, Lamb Middle Neck, Pork Shoulder, Pigs Cheeks and Chicken Thighs.

You can also use less Meat, as slow cooking really extracts a meaty flavour that permeates the whole dish. Bulk up with Vegetables instead.

Trim fat from Meat before slow cooking

You don't need to add Oil to a Slow Cooker - the contents won't catch as long as there's enough moisture in there. You don't need a lot of fat on your Meat either.

Normally when you fry Meat, a lot of the fat drains away, but this won't happen in a Slow Cooker so trim it off - otherwise you might find you have pools of Oil in your Stew.

Removing the fat will give you a healthier result, and it will still be very tasty.

Reduce liquid when using a Slow Cooker

Because your Slow Cooker will have a tightly sealed lid, the liquid won't evaporate so if you're adapting a standard recipe, it's best to reduce the liquid by roughly a third. It should just cover the Meat and Vegetables.

Don't overfill your Slow Cooker, or it may start leaking out the top, and the food won't cook so well. Half to two-thirds full is ideal - certainly no more than three-quarters.

Use Flour to thicken Sauces

Just as the liquid doesn't reduce, it also doesn't thicken. You can coat Meat in a small amount of seasoned Flour before adding it to the Slow Cooker or use a little Cornflour at the end.

If you want to do the latter, take a teaspoon or two of Cornflour and mix it to a paste with a little cold water. Stir into your simmering Slow Cooker contents, then replace the lid.

Use the Slow Cooker Low Setting

Use the 'Low' Setting as much as you can, finding that most dishes really benefit from a slow, gentle heat to really bring out the flavours.

This also means you won't need to worry if you're heading out for the day - it'll take care of itself.

Leave your Slow Cooker recipe alone

Slow Cookers are designed to do their own thing, so you don't need to keep checking the contents. Every time you take the lid off it will release some of the heat, so if you keep doing this, you'll have to increase the cooking time.

Add all ingredients at the start (most of the time)

Ideally you want to choose recipes where most, if not all, of the ingredients can be added at the beginning, leaving you free to do other things.

However, in most cases, Pasta, Rice and fresh Herbs will need to be added towards the end.

How long should I cook a Slow Cooker recipe?

If a dish usually takes:

• 15-30 mins, cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low
• 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2-3 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low
• 1-2 hours, cook it for 3-4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low
• 2-4 hours, cook it for 4-6 hours on High or 8-12 hours on Low

Root vegetables can take longer than Meat and other Vegetables so put these near the heat source, at the bottom of the pot.

So equipped with all that knowledge - do have a look at our list of Slow Cooker Recipes below - and start saving money and time - to help keep those rising cost down.

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew - by Lulu Grimes
Cook Beef Stew in a Slow Cooker for really tender Meat. Add Button Mushrooms or Smoked Paprika for extra flavour - it will be an instant family favourite
Preparation time 20 mins : Cooking time 4 hrs - or 8 hrs on Low. Click here for Braising Steak, Hand Diced Beef
(Click here for recipe)

• Slow Cooker Lamb Rogan Josh
Slow Cooker Lamb Rogan Josh is a rich and aromatic dish with tender pieces of Lamb cooked slowly in a warming Tomato and Chilli Sauce.
Preparation time 2 hrs 30 mins : Cooking time 6 hrs. Click here for Lamb Neck Fillets
(Click here for recipe)

• Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara
A classic Italian Tomato and Herb Sauce slow cooked with Chicken and Olives.
Preparation time 10 mins : Cooking time 8 hrs. Click here for Chicken Thighs Boneless Skinless
(Click here for recipe)

• Slow Cooker Devilled Sausages
Slow-cooked, devilishly, tasty Sausages that can be frozen and reheated for later. 
Preparation time 15 mins : Cooking time 3 hrs 15 mins. Click here for Directors Sausages
(Click here for recipe)

• Slow Cooker Pork Casserole - by Cassie Best
Cosy up on cold nights with our comforting Slow Cooker Pork casserole. Chopped Apples would make a great addition - add them in the final hour of cooking
Preparation time 15 mins : Cooking time 6  - 8 hrs. Click here for Pork Steaks, Pork Collar Steaks, Hand Diced Pork
(Click here for recipe)

 

A delicious range of delectable Slow Cooker Recipes

For a complete list of Slow Cooker Recipes just scroll down and click on the Slow Cooker Recipes Tabs and browse a delicious range of delectable Slow Cooker Recipes - covering every type of Meat and Poultry.

Bite Back!

Now is a great time to start to bite back on those rising Costs of Living by using Godfreys Thrifty Cuts in tandem with your Slow Cooker - and Godfreys myriad of New Slow Cooker recipes to show just how much more you can enjoy your favourite Premium Quality Meats - with no compromises - but lots of savings

Give it a Click

So why not give it a go - and experience a whole new way to enjoy Godfreys Free Range Premium Meats and Poultry - all week - or month long - by ordering from the comfort of your own home - or workplace - at a time that is convenient to you - and start enjoying those cost savings

We do the rest - be it if you would prefer delivery direct to your door Nationwide - or at our Click and Collect Points in Highbury or Finsbury Park.  

Bon Appétit!