Two things got made in the Scottish Mum household today and they were complete opposite ends of the spectrum. I made apple muffins and a hodgepodge of rubbish and odds and sods that were lying around the fridge for supper.
The apple muffins are a pretty standard recipe so I won’t do them. I did the muffin type recipe that I just substitute different fruit for. I learned how to make nice muffins when I did the post for Prince’s fruit.
Onto the Slow Cooked Mince & Tatties
Now this is not the Scottish way, and it is probably not anybody’s way of making mince and potatoes, but if we don’t try different ways now and again, we never find out newer and quicker ways to feed our families without slaving over a hot stove.
I do a lot of cooking, but I really dislike it with an enormous passion. My dislike for cooking is probably the reason I love my slow cooker so much.
So rather than proper mince and tatties, this is more of a Hodgepodge
Here we go.
1kg of Mince, browned in a pan with 2 smallish onions.
With the kettle boiled for the slow cooker, I decided that I was going to be lazy today and throw it in the pot for later.
I rustled up about 1 kg of different vegetables and 2 kg of baby potatoes which I cut into halves and some into slices.
Along with a couple of stock cubes, about 25 ml of lemon juice and a pinch or two of salt, I threw it all in the pot and added water – and then proceeded to ignore it for the next 4 hours while it cooked.
When we were ready to eat, some cornflour to thicken and bobs your uncle.
Part of me was slightly worried about how this would turn out, but I have learned that the only thing that ingredients in food have to be precise for is actually everything to do with baking and pastry. With anything else, pretty much anything goes with trial and error.
Sundays big meal cost me less than £10 with masses of food for everyone and enough left over for tomorrow, so that will be two big meals for £5 each.
Ok, slow cooked mince and tatties doesn’t look fabulous on the plate, but it tasted amazing and no slaving over a hot stove. There is just something delicious about potatoes cooked hot pot style.
I had forgotten to make a loaf so we used apple muffins to soak up the gravy. What a combination..
Patricia says
January 20, 2018 at 8:37 amIam not sure how much water to use in a slow cooker. Do you just put enough water into cover?
mary bonefas says
December 22, 2016 at 7:39 pmI live in America. so, I don’t know what 1kg. of mince is? Is it ground meat ? the recipe looks so good that my mouth is watering. I just wish I understood what your words mean & how much the weight is that your using. thank you for your help.
Scottish Mum says
January 3, 2017 at 11:42 amHi Mary If ground meat is just beef minced, then it would be the same. Mince I guess is like thin noodle strips of meat, which look a little like spaghetti sometimes, with a little fat added in the process. It cooks like tiny pieces of meat. 1kg is 2.2lbs.
Kat says
January 24, 2017 at 1:10 amYes, mince is the same as ground beef. And 1 lb is equal to 0.454 kg. Bon appetit from Canada.
Paula says
March 21, 2016 at 9:18 amThanks for the recipe! The only question I had from everybody was: can I have a bit more?!! Next time I will use double the quantities. 🙂
Scottish Mum says
March 31, 2016 at 8:38 pmGlad they all enjoyed it. We love mince n tatties here.
Fiona Wheater says
February 13, 2012 at 7:37 pmThats is such a good idea, I love my slow cooker will try the recipe thanks x
Fiona Cambouropoulos says
January 30, 2012 at 11:48 pmMy Dad is Scottish so I was brought up on mince and tatties! It is still a family favorite in our house now. I love the day 2 slow cooker version!
Fiona Cambouropoulos says
January 30, 2012 at 11:48 pmMy Dad is Scottish so I was brought up on mince and tatties! It is still a family favourite in our house now. I love the day 2 slow cooker version!
@GinaAAlexander says
January 30, 2012 at 10:40 pm@Scottish_Mum That’s a good one – will be making that soon!
@Amanda_Fitness says
January 30, 2012 at 10:39 pm@Scottish_Mum yum! Reminds me off a hot pot my mother used to make me when I was a child. Great family meal and cheap.
@MumOfOneDog says
January 30, 2012 at 1:25 pm@Scottish_Mum yummy!
berni@scouseboysbabe says
January 30, 2012 at 12:29 pmI have a slow cooker, does it cost much to run them through the day, was just thinking as opposed to using the oven? I use my slow cooker overnight on low, as I have the cheaper electric then, then just warm it up for tea when I get in from work. look forward to more slow cooker receipes as I’m pretty much a novice
Scottish Mum says
January 30, 2012 at 3:55 pmI don’t know how much they cost to run, but I would guess they are cheaper than big ovens. You would have to check the rating and energy output for them to know for individual slow cookers. Mine is a large one, so I would imagine it would take more energy to run than a smaller one.
@RubellesMoon says
January 30, 2012 at 10:39 am@Scottish_Mum it’s too early to be making me this hungry!! That looks delicious and comforting 🙂 x
@MotherScuffer says
January 30, 2012 at 10:38 am@Scottish_Mum mmm, our favourite x
@mia_smith_uk says
January 30, 2012 at 10:37 am@Scottish_Mum my pleasure. Guess what’s in my slow cooker Today? Yes you guessed it so thank you 😉 x
@mechanicceramic says
January 30, 2012 at 10:31 am@Scottish_Mum takes me back to my childhood, open air at Glen Coe my uncle made his version of this on a camping stove, never forgotten