I got a brand new CanCooker Companion for Christmas. I love to cook and especially love using a crockpot. Although this is not a crockpot in the sense that you can set it and forget it all day, it is however a way to throw everything in one pot with the added bonus of being able to use it on an open fire or grill. In the event of a power outage, it is definitely something you can use to feed your family. It is very similar to an Instapot except it is vented the entire time.
There are 3 different sizes of the Can Cooker: The Companion which holds 1.5 gallons and feeds 6, the CanCooker Jr is 2 gallons and feeds 8, and the CanCooker Original holds up to 4 gallons and feeds up to 20. They all have a non-stick coating and have a variety of accessories that can be purchased separately. The rack that can be placed on the bottom is the next thing I would like so that I can bake things in my CanCooker. It would make a great Valentine’s Day gift (hint, hint)!
For my first time using it I chose a fairly easy recipe from the CanCooker website.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lbs beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 oz portobello mushrooms caps, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium onions, cut into wedges
- 2 cups fresh baby carrots
- 1 (14-oz) can beef broth
- 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
- 1 cup Burgundy or Pinot Noir wine
- ½ tsp pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Spray non-stick cooking spray inside the CanCooker. Add the beef, then the remaining ingredients. Latch lid and cook on medium / low heat for 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid, and let stand for a minute. Stir in a mixture* of water and all-purpose flour to thicken the stew to desired consistency.
Remove from heat and serve!
*Mixture to thicken stew: 3 tbsp water and ¼ cup all-purpose flour.
Note: You can increase or decrease the amount of ingredients in this recipe but please make sure to use at least 12 oz. of liquid.
I did not add the mushrooms ( I am not a picky eater, but those things I cannot stand no matter how many times I try them) and instead of thickening with flour I chose to add 1 cup of rice the last 20 minutes of cooking and it turned out great!
This was so simple, throw everything in and then on to the grill!
I placed it on high heat at first then when it started to steam I turned it down so that I could no longer see the steam as per the instructions on the website. after about 25 -30 minutes I added the rice. This is how it looked when I lifted the cover.
The finished product….
Needless to say, we are both stuffed and have a lot of leftovers for tomorrow. Cooking at home is not only healthier and cheaper than eating out it’s great practice. Being able to use the tools you have in the event of a SHTF situation is crucial and should be an important part of your prepping!
Happy Prepping!
Maine Prepper Girl
For that thickener, I suggest using a clear glass bottle with a lid.
Add the two ingredients, lid, then shake the dickens out of it.
Clear glass allows checking the lump status without removing the lid.
While shaking, always always hold the lid with your fingers to avoid re-decorating the galley.
Good idea and YES always hold that lid! LOL. I choose the rice because Mr. Rourke is always hungry and I didn’t have any flour or cornstarch to make a roux. I was hoping the rice would keep him filled up for more than an hour!
So…What’s the application? Do you actually like this thing? Use it often?
I am unsure what this does that a tall pot with a heavy lid won’t. Since it’s not a pressure cooker, I don’t think the silicone gasket or hold down latches are needed if the lid is heavy, like a cast iron dutch oven. Or a stainless steel pot with lid weighted down with a few rocks or something…
I have a lot of camp cookware and unless this does something different, I don’t really see the point.