Quick cooking question

Yes I know I'm a cooking idiot!

I wanted to make a beef and carrot casserole in the crockpot today. I bought one of those packets of Swartz beef casserole seasoning. The directions state to cook the beef and onions in advance then adding the rest. My question is can I just dump all the raw ingredients and the season pack in the crockpot and leave it?

I usually put the meat in raw.  I think if you want to to brown nicely it needs to be done on the stove first.

I guess it depends on how long you paln to cook it in the pot.

It's just that if the carrots overcook, they will get mushy. It's probably best to cook the beef and onions for awhile, then add the carrots and let them cook until done. Beef will take longer to cook than veggies. That's what I would do, anyway. Good luck!

I usually put the meat in raw.  I think if you want to to brown nicely it needs to be done on the stove first.

I guess it depends on how long you paln to cook it in the pot.

I have all day so I can put it in before I pick the kids up from school. I'm just really trying to avoid the stove. 

It's just that if the carrots overcook, they will get mushy. It's probably best to cook the beef and onions for awhile, then add the carrots and let them cook until done. Beef will take longer to cook than veggies. That's what I would do, anyway. Good luck!

So how long do carrots take to cook in a crockpot on 'high'? I' can put them in later.

last time i made beef stew- i put potaotes, carrots, parsnips, onions, beef, beef boulion, hot water, wine in together.  on high for 4 hours- done.  perfectly cooked.

last time i made beef stew- i put potaotes, carrots, parsnips, onions, beef, beef boulion, hot water, wine in together.  on high for 4 hours- done.  perfectly cooked.

Thanks. I'm going to give it a try!

Ditto- I am an idiot when it comes to carrots- I have the worst luck when I try and cook them seperatley and add them later- but when I add them into the crockpot/stewpot together with the meat they come out perfect (along with the potatoes, etc) 

Just an update. I ended up throwing the whole kit and kaboodle in raw and put it on high for a good four hours and it was really nice! I did cut the carrots a bit thicker than I usually would so they wouldn't turn to mush. SO easy! ***My Crockpot, My Friend!***

Yeah!!! Glad it came out so well.
That's the best thing about crockpot cooking, it tastes like you spent forever on it, it comes out really good,and it makes you a star in the kitchen. 

Yeah!!! Glad it came out so well.
That's the best thing about crockpot cooking, it tastes like you spent forever on it, it comes out really good,and it makes you a star in the kitchen. 

Yes, it's my little round magic wand! 

Just an update. I ended up throwing the whole kit and kaboodle in raw and put it on high for a good four hours and it was really nice! I did cut the carrots a bit thicker than I usually would so they wouldn't turn to mush. SO easy! ***My Crockpot, My Friend!***

Excellent news!  I'm planning on doing the same thing today.  How much liquid did you use?  The same as you'd use in an oven casserole or less?

Excellent news!  I'm planning on doing the same thing today.  How much liquid did you use?  The same as you'd use in an oven casserole or less?

Well the recipe called for half a pint of water to mix with the seasoning so that's all I used.

Ah, okay.  That was for the casserole mix, which was intended for the oven? 

I've just heard that the major thing to do with crockpots is to halve the amount of liquid you'd normally use.  As I'm making beef stew, though, it's not like it would really matter if I wound up with too much broth!

Ah, okay.  That was for the casserole mix, which was intended for the oven? 

I've just heard that the major thing to do with crockpots is to halve the amount of liquid you'd normally use.  As I'm making beef stew, though, it's not like it would really matter if I wound up with too much broth!

I thought about halving the water but I didn't. I 'stewed' it for a good hour after it finished cooking (4 hours total). It wasn't at all watery.

Mine's on right now but I fear it won't be done by the time DH leaves for work, which is totally my fault for not getting it on earlier.  We'll see how it goes.