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If you’ve ever stood in the appliance aisle trying to decide between a slow cooker and a multicooker, food writer Anna Cameron, from Just A Mum, completely understands. She’s used both for years in her busy family kitchen and says the choice really comes down to how you like to cook, and how much you want one appliance to do.
Anna, who recently published her first cookbook, Just a Mum’s Kitchen, has long relied on her slow cooker as her “weeknight lifesaver”. It’s the classic set-and-forget appliance: an oval ceramic crockpot that quietly simmers soups, stews, casseroles and roasts while you get on with your day. She loves her 6-litre size, like the Russell Hobbs version, because she can cook big batches and freeze portions for later. “You put everything in first thing in the morning and come home to dinner ready,” she says, adding that it’s simple, unfussy and reliable.
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Anna Cameron currently uses the Crockpot Express Multi-cooker. This is the CrockPot Express Easy Release Pressure Multi-Cooker CPE210. Photo / Supplied
But after years of using both, Anna says the slow cooker is a specialist, and it really only does one thing: it slow cooks. If you want more flexibility, that’s where the multicooker comes in.
A multicooker is like a slow cooker that’s had a glow-up. It can sauté, steam, cook rice, slow cook, and pressure cook - all in the same pot. In Anna’s house, it’s become the appliance she reaches for most. The pressure-cook function, she says, is the real game changer. Think barbecue pulled chicken in 18 minutes, like the recipe in her new book, a soup in 15 minutes, or a beautifully tender beef stew in under an hour. And because you can brown your meat first using the sauté function, the flavour is richer and you’ve only used one pot.
She says it isn’t perfect; the metal bowl can create the odd hot spot during long, slow cooks, but give it a quick stir when needed, and there should be no issues. It’s also taller and rounder than a traditional slow cooker, so it may fit a Sunday roast, depending on the size. There’s also the heat-up and pressure-release time that new users sometimes forget to factor in. But for Anna, the convenience outweighs all of that. One of her favourite tricks is cooking baby potatoes on Christmas morning in just a few minutes, then switching to "keep warm" until everyone’s ready to eat.
What’s for Smoko food writer Philippa Cameron is a fan of the Instant Pot cookers. This one is the Instant Pot Duo Multi Cooker Duo 8L. Photo / Supplied
When it comes to choosing a brand, Anna says to stick with reputable ones and look for strong components. She currently uses the Crockpot Express Multicooker and loves it, though she plans to size up next time.
The Instant Pot is another favourite among home cooks. Food writer Philippa Cameron, from What’s for Smoko, swears by it. She particularly likes the stainless-steel inner bowl which means you can scrub it with a steelo. The other pots have Teflon which many people are now trying to steer away from, she says.
For most families, Philippa believes a 5.7-litre model is ideal, although the 8-litre version is great for larger households or if you’re cooking at the marae or church.
Anna’s final piece of advice is simple: think about the size you need, choose a model with the functions you’ll use, make sure it will fit your cupboard or bench space, and always wait for a sale, because these appliances go on special constantly.
And if you’re only choosing one? “A multicooker is probably the better investment for most families,” says Anna. Although she keeps her slow cooker tucked away for those days when only a classic, slow-simmered meal will do. She’s shared her Barbecued Pulled Chicken recipe from her new cookbook with options for slow cooker, pressure cooker or just the good old oven.
Anna Cameron's Recipe for Barbeque Pulled Chicken
The following is an extract from Cameron's book, Just a Mum's Kitchen:
This dish is so easy I feel like I’m cheating every time I make it! It can be served in so many ways and often stretches to two meals for our family. I have included three cooking methods to suit the time you have available on the day.
- Serves: 6+
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 15 minutes to 6 hours, depending on method
Ingredients:
- 800–900 g skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups (375 g) barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (if needed)
Serve the pulled chicken warm in mini soft tortillas or slider buns with coleslaw, grated cheese and Kewpie mayo, or on a bowl of rice with a creamy slaw and a drizzle of sour cream. It’s also great in enchiladas or mini puff-pastry pies or on loaded nachos, wedges or baked potatoes.
Anna Cameron's book Just a Mum's Kitchen contains lots of recipe involving slow cookers. Photo / Supplied
Trim excess fat from the chicken. Cut the breasts in half if they are large. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.
If cooking in a slow cooker, place the chicken in the slow cooker bowl with the onion, garlic and barbecue sauce mixture and stir to coat. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours or high heat for 4 hours until the chicken is tender and falling apart, stirring twice during cooking time.
If cooking in the oven, preheat the oven to 160°C, positioning an oven rack just below the centre. Place the chicken in a greased ovenproof dish or Dutch oven with the onion, garlic and barbecue sauce mixture and stir to coat. Cover with a lid or 2 layers of foil and bake for 1 hour. Stir then cook for a further hour, or until the chicken is tender and falling apart.
Cameron's barbeque pulled chicken. Photo / Supplied
If cooking in a pressure cooker, place the chicken in the pot with the onion, garlic and barbecue sauce mixture and stir to coat.
Cover with the lid and seal the steam release valve. Set the timer to 15 minutes pressure cook. It will take 15 minutes to come up to pressure. Once finished, allow a 10-minute natural steam release before carefully releasing the valve manually.
Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl, then use two forks to pull it into shreds, discarding any visible fat.
If the cooking liquid is thin, transfer it to a large saucepan and bring it to a simmer over a high heat. Add ½ cup of the liquid to a cup, add the cornflour, whisk until no lumps remain, then return it to the saucepan and stir for a few minutes until it thickens, then return the chicken to the sauce and stir well to coat.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for later use.
* Images and text from Just a Mum's Kitchen by Anna Cameron. Photography by Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios), published by Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand, RRP: $45.
