I have started cooking baked potatoes in the slow cooker as I can just forget them whilst gardening or going out, and it costs less than using the oven. I didn’t realise until recently that you could do this. With my air fryer I have to wait for it to warm up and then leave to cook and they do turn out lovely if I have part cooked them in the microwave first, but it means coming inside half an hour before I need my meal. With the slow cooker I can have the potatoes timed to be ready instantly I come inside. I just need to fill them with tuna and cheese, or warm up some left over chilli or some thing in the microwave for a few minutes.
I cook about 6 potatoes at once in my large slow cooker as I can then use the insides as mash for another dish, or warm them up in the air fryer or microwave another day. This saves on energy and gives me further quick meals through out the week. Some times I will mix sweet potatoes with ordinary potatoes in the pot for a change.
Ingredients
4 or more potatoes
1 tablespoon of olive oil (or any oil you have)
Salt, onion powder. or garlic salt (optional).
Method
- Wash the potatoes and pat dry.
- Prick the potatoes multiple times with a fork
- Place the potatoes in the slow cooker
- Rub the potatoes individually with the oil for a more even finish, or just drizzle on top.
- Sprinkle with salt, onion powder or garlic salt if used
- Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low, or 4 to 6 hours on high, depending on the size of the potato.
- Test with a fork.
- If you want a really crispy skin you can just put them in the air fryer for a few minutes whilst you get the filling ready.
I see a lot of recipes that use aluminium foil when cooking potatoes in the slow cooker but I prefer to save resources and money and they turn out fine without. You can stack them on top of each other a bit. Some people add a little bit of water but I prefer my baked potatoes a bit more crispy and the bits that touch the sides of the pot do get more crispy and so if you want to move them around half way through that will make them more evenly crispy. I know people that also stand them on greaseproof paper in the bottom in case they stick. I don’t and haven’t had one stick yet.
I also do mine in the slow cooker, Im a huge slow cooker fan and have three of differing sizes, I often do jackets in one , and in my small one mixed carrot & parsnip, just add a small knob of butter and stir well once the butter has melted then forget about it on low , till your potatoes are cooked.
Sounds good. I didn’t use the slow cooker much for years as I was nervous about leaving it all day but I am using it a lot more since energy prices went up and finding it really handy to come home to a cooked meal, or to make things overnight. Thanks for sharing x