Slow cooker curry tips

Slow-cooking your curry gives the spices and meat time to release all their flavours and develop a richer-flavoured sauce. Add your favourite Curry Pack, liquid ingredients and your chosen meat/veg to the slow cooker then sit back and relax. 

Slow cookers are a time-efficient way of cooking your curry. You can switch it on in the morning then your curry will be waiting for you when you get home on the night. 

Try our Slow Cooked Lamb Kashmiri or Slow Cooked Beef Rendang recipe to see what all the fuss is about. 

Here are our top tips for getting the most from your slow cooker, with very little effort.

Slow cooker curry tips

• Add all of the ingredients needed for your sauce first (Rafi’s Curry Pack, water, coconut, tomatoes etc.).
• Use less water - 100ml water rather than 175ml for the 2-3 Curry Packs and 200ml water rather than 300ml for the 4-6 Curry Packs. The liquid in a slow cooker doesn’t reduce the same as on the hob, so using too much water can result in a thinner sauce.
• If using Creamed Coconut, cut this into small cubes or grate before adding to the pot. This can be prepared the night before (no need to refrigerate). Use boiling hot water when cooking with creamed coconut so that it fully dissolves.
• If adding root vegetables to your curry, prepare and add to the bottom of the pot first.
• If you are using meat, cheap cuts are best, as anything lean will dry out. Trim the fat off the meat, and make sure the meat pieces are small and equal-sized. 
• Although a lot of flavour comes from the fat, the long cooking process intensifies the meaty flavour so you won’t miss it! Add the meat into the now warm slow cooker until the liquid just covers the meat and veg.
• If you have a little time on your hands, cover the meat in flour and then brown it in a frying pan before adding it to the sauce, as this will add an extra depth of flavour. The flour will also help to thicken the sauce.
• Check the seasoning before dishing up, adding salt, sugar or vinegar as appropriate, and as always, garnish with fresh herbs (coriander or mint), to cut through the rich flavours.

Remember! 

• Don’t stir the pot! It will be just fine without stirring and lifting the lid can lengthen the cooking time by up to 40 minutes.
• Don’t overfill your slow cooker. Ideally it will be between a half and two thirds full to allow for even cooking.

We’d love to hear if these tips have helped you in the kitchen. Let us know your feedback on our Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. We love to see your curry creations, so please send us your foodie photos across.