When cooking a whole bird in a slow cooker, do you need to completely cover it in water?
i was going to make a whole duck in my crock pot, i dont make stuff like this very often so if it turns out good, ill try a turkey or chicken; but anyway, does the bird need to be completely covered so it is boiled or does the slow cooker get hot enough to cook the uncovered meat? how high should the water level be?
Well u dont have to cover it completely, just half way, the steam will help cook the whole thing, if u add veggies like or celery, carrots, onions, or scallions (spring onions..same thing) it would add alot of flavor. but i would suggest adding veggie stock or chicken stock or if they have it duck stock to it cause that will add 20% more flavor instead of adding water, but if u dont have those stocks then add the veggies, but if u do add the veggies anyways, and make sure u dont forget a bayleaf and salt and pepper.
just a little in the bottom, maybe 1 inch
I would say that you want some moisture in the slow cooker. So to start with add like an 1/8-1/4 cup of water. As the bird cooks it release it’s own juices, just check on it from time to time to make sure it’s not completely dry.
NO WATER unless you want soup! Crockpots seem to make up water as they go along. I don’t know if you can get a crispy skin on duck in a crockpot, but good luck. I like duck roasted in the oven: Stuff with pieces of orange, onion and celery. Roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan at about 325°F. I’m not sure how long–the wrapper should say. Maybe 15-20 minutes per pound. Rub outside with salt & pepper. Baste with orange juice if you like.
no just feathers
NO NO NO coz if you will covered with water you will ruin the meat ( chicken/turkey) just put in slow medium/high cooking with some spices for 1 hour to 3 hour its depend how big the meat.
If you cover it it will be like soup if thats what your after. I never add water to roast or chicken so it will more or less roast & not boil. It make juice and the cooker does get hot enough. For instance a beef roast that is my familys favorite, I just flour, brown it, ad onions on the bottom & cream of mushroom soup (undiluted) and lipton onion sopu mix. It makes enough juice on it own to suppy a nice gravy but not watter y or soupy. So I would not add water. Let me see if I can find a proper recipe, I will be back shortly.
This one does not call for water but broth it will be very wet I’d put less unless you have a giant cooker! .
2 ducks with 1/2 apple or orange placed in the birds cavity
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter or margarine
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Directions
Combine ingredients in crock pot
Cook at low temperature for 8 hours
Strain ducks
Thicken gravy and serve over wild or plain rice
This one calls for 1/4 wine as the only liquid
http://www.crock-pot.com/recipescatland.aspx?catid=119&parentcatid=6#