Crumbled buckwheat in a slow cooker as a side dish
Today it’s no secret that buckwheat confidently occupies a leading position among cereals in terms of the content of nutrients. Therefore, caring housewives try to include it in the family’s daily diet as often as possible. Typically, cereals are used to make aromatic porridges or delicious soups. But most often grain appears on the table in the form of a light crumbly side dish. It is much easier to cook it in a slow cooker than on the stove, because you need to make sure that the contents of the pan do not accidentally “escape” or burn. The smart unit takes on the solution to these problems.
To work you will need:
- buckwheat – 165 g (1 cup);
- salt (preferably sea salt);
- drinking water – 0.4 l (2 glasses);
- butter - optional.
How to cook crumbly buckwheat in a slow cooker:
- Carefully sort the grains, removing all debris.
- Pour a measured amount of buckwheat into the multicooker bowl.
- Add water and immediately add salt. To properly cook crumbly buckwheat, you need to remember one important rule - you should take twice as much water as cereal.
- Close the unit and set the mode on the panel depending on its specific model. It could be “Porridge” or “Buckwheat”. The time is set automatically.
- After the beep, carefully open the device and mix the contents of the bowl.
To make the side dish buckwheat more flavorful, you can add a small piece of butter and leave the food for a few more minutes in the “Warming” mode.
Buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker
Buckwheat is certainly a healthy product, but not every housewife can prepare it correctly. The thing is that in our heads, at a genetic level, we probably have the idea of simmering buckwheat over low heat for as long as possible. This statement is true only if the buckwheat is cooked in a pot in a Russian oven. The algorithm for cooking buckwheat on the stove is completely different, and, unfortunately, in this case the cereal does not reveal its full potential.
It’s a completely different matter if you prepare buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker. Overseas engineers miraculously guessed the mode in which the cereal simmers at a low temperature, without losing its aroma and fully revealing its excellent taste.
Buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker is an excellent side dish for meat, fish or vegetable dishes, as well as an independent dish. And, of course, milk buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker will be a great start to the day for the little members of your family.
- The first thing you need to pay attention to when buying buckwheat is its color: the lighter the grains, the less the grain was exposed to temperature, which means that all the beneficial substances are more fully preserved in it;
- Before cooking, you need to sort out the buckwheat. Grains often contain grains of other crops (or even completely uncultivated plants), but it is much more unpleasant when small pebbles get on your teeth. You can even break a tooth!
- Rinse the grains on a sieve, so the buckwheat will be less saturated with water and better washed from dust and small debris;
- After washing, it would be a good idea to heat the buckwheat in a dry frying pan to dry it.
Buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. buckwheat, 2 tbsp. water, 50-70 g butter, 1 tsp. salt.
Preparation:
This ratio of buckwheat and water - 1:2 - is mandatory, since in this case the cereal does not boil. You can grease the multicooker bowl with butter, or you can put it like that. Pour the prepared cereal into the bowl, add water, salt, close the lid and set the “Buckwheat”, “Grain” or “Porridge” mode. All! For a richer taste, use meat, mushroom or vegetable broth.
Buckwheat porridge with vegetables
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. buckwheat, 2 tbsp. water or broth, 1 large carrot, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic (optional), 1 thick-walled sweet pepper, 1 tsp. salt, a pinch of ground black pepper, vegetable or butter - for frying.
Preparation:
Cut the carrots into cubes, the onion into cubes, and the sweet pepper into strips. Place the vegetables in the multicooker bowl along with the oil and fry until soft in the “Baking” or “Frying” mode. Then add the prepared cereal, water or broth, add salt and close the lid. Set the “Buckwheat” mode.
This buckwheat porridge can be served with a meat or fish dish with gravy. But a multicooker allows you to prepare buckwheat porridge with the addition of various products, so to speak, a “2-in-1” dish. And we offer you several simple recipes.
Buckwheat porridge with meat
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. buckwheat, 2 tbsp. water or broth, 350-400 g of any meat, 1-2 onions, 1-2 medium carrots, 1 tsp. salt, ground black pepper, spices - to taste, vegetable or ghee for frying.
Preparation:
Cut the meat into cubes, sticks or pieces, as you prefer. Set the “Baking” or “Frying” mode, add 2-3 tbsp. oil, heat and place the meat in a bowl. While the meat is fried, cut the onion into cubes and grate the carrots on a coarse grater. When the oil in which the meat is fried becomes transparent, add vegetables to it. Simmer until soft, stirring occasionally. Sort out the buckwheat, rinse well and pour into the multicooker bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, add spices, add water or broth and close the lid. “Buckwheat”, “Grains” or “Porridge” mode. Or you can set the “Quenching” mode for 1-1.5 hours. But in this case the porridge will not be crumbly.
Buckwheat porridge with chicken in a slow cooker
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. buckwheat, 600-700 g chicken meat, 2 large onions, 2 large carrots, 1 sweet pepper (optional), 2 tbsp. water, salt, pepper to taste.
Preparation:
To prepare this dish, you can use chicken meat cut from the bones or breast. Meat and vegetables can be fried as in the previous recipe, but if you skip this step, the dish will be lighter. So, put chopped chicken meat, vegetables, cut into cubes into the bowl, add buckwheat, add water, salt, add spices and set the “Buckwheat” mode (or similar programs). If you like lightly fried meat and vegetables, before adding the food, pour a little vegetable oil into the bottom of the bowl and set the “Pilaf” mode.
Buckwheat with minced meat and vegetables
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. buckwheat, 2 tbsp. water or broth, 300-400 g of minced meat (pork, beef or mixed), 1-2 onions, 1-2 carrots, a clove of garlic, sweet pepper - optional, salt, ground black pepper, spices for minced meat - to taste.
Preparation:
Chop the onions and carrots as you like, place them in a multicooker bowl, pour in a little oil and fry until soft in the “Baking” or “Frying” mode. Then add the minced meat, stir and cook in the same mode for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the prepared cereal, add the garlic (do not cut it), salt, pepper, close the lid and set the “Pilaf” mode. When the signal sounds about the end of the mode, add herbs and bay leaves to taste and keep in the heating mode for 10-15 minutes. If you like sweet peppers, add them at the same time as onions and carrots.
If it so happens that you don’t have any meat products at home, cook buckwheat porridge with stew. True, the multicooker in this case is only responsible for preparing porridge. While the buckwheat is simmering in the slow cooker, fry 2-3 large onions in a frying pan until golden brown, add the stew along with the liquid (excess fat can be skimmed off), stir and add to the finished porridge in the slow cooker. Stir, close the lid and keep in warm mode for 10-15 minutes so that the aromas of the cereal and stew with onions mix.
For vegetarians and those who fast, we have a recipe for buckwheat with mushrooms, the aroma of which will drive everyone crazy!
Buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker with champignons
Ingredients:
2 multi-cups of buckwheat, 4 multi-cups of water or broth (vegetable or mushroom), 200-400 g of champignons, 1-2 onions, salt, black pepper, vegetable or butter - for frying.
Preparation:
Cut the onion into cubes or half rings, and cut the mushrooms into pieces. Pour oil into the bowl (vegetable oil in fasting), set the “Baking” mode and place the onion in it. Fry for 10-15 minutes, then add the mushrooms and simmer until the end of the mode (default mode is 40 minutes). Pour in the buckwheat, sorted and washed, add salt, pepper, add water or broth and set the “Buckwheat” mode.
Buckwheat porridge with dried mushrooms in a slow cooker
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. buckwheat, 30-50 g dried mushrooms, 2-4 onions, 1 carrot (optional), 1 tbsp. water, 1-1.5 tbsp. mushroom infusion, vegetable oil, salt, ground black pepper - to taste.
Preparation:
Rinse dry mushrooms and add 1.5 cups of boiled water. Leave it overnight. Strain, do not pour out the water from the mushrooms. Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly. Next, everything follows the usual plan: first, in vegetable oil in a multicooker bowl, fry the vegetables, chopped as desired, until golden brown, then add the mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring. Then add the cereal, spices and fill with water and mushroom infusion. Close the lid and set the “Buckwheat” mode. Enjoy!
But not everyone likes milk porridge made from whole grains. To prepare truly tender milky buckwheat porridge, it is better to use prodel (cut). There is no need to sort it out.
Buckwheat milk porridge
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. done, 1 liter of milk, a pinch of salt, sugar, raisins - to taste.
Preparation:
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and set the mode to “Milk porridge”. If you add raisins, do not put the porridge in the delayed start mode, the milk will turn sour, cook immediately. This is such a simple, but tasty and healthy buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker.
Bon appetit and new culinary discoveries!
Larisa Shuftaykina
With added mushrooms
Alternatively, buckwheat can be cooked in a slow cooker with fresh (or dried) mushrooms. This dish should appeal to all lovers of forest products.
The following components will be required:
- buckwheat (kernel) – 210 g;
- water – 0.3 l;
- fresh mushrooms – 200 g;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- table salt;
- onions – 1 pc.;
- sunflower oil;
- any spices.
Cooking method.
- Sort through the grains. To simplify the task, you can simply fill it with water. The debris will immediately float to the surface.
- Chop the onion into cubes and cut the carrots into thin strips.
- Pour oil into the multicooker bowl. Set the “Frying” mode. After 60 seconds, add the chopped vegetables. Cook for 6-7 minutes.
- Wash the mushrooms, roughly chop them and add to the vegetables. Add salt and any spices.
- Pour in the cereal and add water. Turn on the “Porridge” mode and cook until the beep sounds.
Before serving, all you have to do is stir the buckwheat and mushrooms.
Recipe for delicious buckwheat porridge with stew
This option for preparing buckwheat will definitely appeal to all lovers of hiking. It is the memories of hikes and evenings around the fire that evoke the aroma and taste of this porridge. Would you like to try it? Then prepare buckwheat with stew according to the step-by-step recipe below:
- To begin with, the buckwheat is sorted, dried and calcined in a frying pan. The prepared cereal is poured into boiling water in a saucepan in a ratio of 1:2, and salt is added to taste.
- When the buckwheat is ready, you can start frying the ingredients for the dressing. The onion is cut into half rings and sautéed in vegetable oil. After a couple of minutes, the stew is added to it. The dressing continues to cook for another 8 minutes. Lastly, tomato paste (1.5 tablespoons) and finely chopped garlic (2 cloves) are added.
- The stewed stew dressing is combined with buckwheat porridge and mixed.
Cooking merchant style with chicken
In Russian cuisine, such cereals, prepared with the addition of various products (meat, minced meat, mushrooms, etc.), are called merchant porridge.
It was usually prepared on holidays. True, not everyone could afford such a dish, because in Ancient Rus', buckwheat was considered a delicacy for a long time. Perhaps that is why the peasants came up with such an unusual name for porridge with various additives.
Today, merchant-style buckwheat is a completely ordinary dish, for the preparation of which you can use the following set of products:
- buckwheat – 330 g;
- onion – 100 g;
- table salt – 10 g;
- chicken fillet – 0.5 kg;
- carrots – 100 g;
- sunflower oil – 65-70 g;
- spices;
- drinking water – 0.8 l.
How to cook buckwheat with chicken in a slow cooker:
- Wash the breast well and cut into medium pieces (as for goulash). Chop the onion into quarters of rings, and chop the carrots into cubes.
- Pour oil into a bowl and place the prepared meat. Set the “Frying” mode and time for 10 minutes. To ensure even processing, turn the chicken occasionally.
- Add chopped onion. Cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add carrots and stir. Continue the process for about 2 more minutes, and then turn off the mode.
- Pour in the cereal (you need to sort it out first), and then add water.
- Set the “Porridge” program and simmer the food under the lid for 20 minutes.
This dish is ideal for a family dinner, but the hostess will have a lot of free time to make another salad and relax a little.
Execution Sequence
You have already learned how to cook buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker. Now let's learn how to make dairy, which will be useful especially for young children. This porridge is ideal for a family breakfast.
Let's move on to the cooking process:
- Wash the buckwheat and fry it in a frying pan.
- Place the cereal in a slow cooker and add milk, adding salt and sugar to taste. Some housewives love buckwheat porridge with raisins or prunes.
- Dried fruits must also be thoroughly washed before cooking. After this, it is best to pour boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Next you need to drain the water. Rinse well again.
- Cut the prunes into small pieces, and the raisins can be left unchanged.
- Add the prepared ingredients to the slow cooker.
- We set the “Buckwheat” or “Porridge” mode. Then the smart technology will do everything on its own. You can rest a little or do other things.
- Milk buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker turns out tasty and aromatic. Serve it hot or slightly chilled.
- You can add apple pieces, nuts or honey to the porridge. A teaspoon of ground cinnamon will give the finished dish a more piquant and unusual taste, as well as a unique aroma.
Hearty dish with meat
Anyone who doesn’t like poultry can cook buckwheat with any other meat, for example, pork.
For this you will need:
- buckwheat – 200 g;
- drinking water – 0.3 l;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- pork – 200 g;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- table salt – 10 g;
- Sunflower oil – 35 g.
To make buckwheat with meat in a slow cooker, you will need:
- Cut the washed meat into medium-sized pieces.
- Throw them into the bowl and add oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes in the “Fry” mode.
- Add diced onion and grated carrots. Mix the products thoroughly and continue the process in the same mode for about 3 minutes.
- Pour in the cereal, add water and be sure to add salt.
- Close the device. Set the “Stew” mode and cook for 40 minutes.
After the signal, all that remains is to mix the porridge thoroughly, and you can call everyone to the table.
Some cooking tricks
To make the porridge especially tasty, use proven tips:
- After you have washed the buckwheat, we recommend pouring it into a frying pan and frying it a little. This way the excess liquid will evaporate and the prepared dish will be more tasty.
- Be sure to carefully sort out the buckwheat. Sometimes even small pebbles may be found in it.
- What is the best way to wash buckwheat? Take the required amount and place in a colander. Rinse with tap water.
- Cooked buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker can be served with mushrooms (pre-fried in a frying pan), as well as vegetables.
- After the dish is ready, you can add a little butter to it and leave to simmer for fifteen minutes. Then place on plates and serve.
- Porridge can be cooked with fried onions, meat, and many other ingredients.
With tomato sauce
It is also useful to cook buckwheat with meat separately in a slow cooker. First you need to cook the usual crumbly porridge according to the recipe described earlier. This will be a side dish. And then all that remains is to make the aromatic meat gravy.
You will need a few ingredients for the dish:
- beef – 0.4 kg;
- premium flour – 90 g;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- salt;
- purified water – 400 ml;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- tomato paste – 90 g;
- sunflower oil;
- garlic – 2 cloves;
- spices.
Technology for preparing tomato sauce with meat:
- Wash the meat well and cut into medium cubes. Transfer to a multi-cooker bowl, add oil and cook for 10 minutes in the “Fry” mode.
- Finely chop the onion and grate the carrots.
- Add the prepared vegetables along with the pasta to the meat, stir and cook for another 10 minutes without changing the mode.
- Add flour, pour water and mix thoroughly. Continue frying for about 5 more minutes.
- Set the “Stew/Pilaf” program on the panel, close the device and set the timer for 60 minutes.
All that remains is to pour the aromatic gravy over the prepared porridge. The dish will turn out more juicy and appetizing.
How to cook with minced meat
Buckwheat with minced meat cooked in a slow cooker is ideal for a simple and satisfying dinner.
It won't be difficult to make if you have the following ingredients on hand:
- buckwheat – 1.5 multi-cups;
- table salt;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- minced meat (any) – 350-400 g;
- olive oil – 15 g;
- water – 3 multi-glasses;
- spices.
How to properly make buckwheat with minced meat:
- Finely chop the onion and throw it into the bowl. Add oil and turn on the “Frying” program. Continue processing for 10 minutes.
- Add minced meat and mix. Cook the ingredients together for another 8-10 minutes.
- Pour in the cereal, salt, selected spices and fill it all with drinking water.
- Cover the unit, turn on the “Grain” mode and forget about work for 40 minutes.
The timer signal at the right time will remind you that the task is completed and dinner is ready.
Photo recipe second
Buckwheat porridge in a slow cooker with meat and mushrooms
If the first option implied the use of porridge in two forms - as a side dish and as breakfast, then this recipe certainly acts as a denser meal.
To prepare 3-4 servings, you will need the following products:
- Buckwheat - 150 grams.
- Pork pulp - 300 grams (the recipe does not require strict adherence to this point; if desired, you can cook without meat).
- Champignon mushrooms - 300 grams.
- Onion - 1 piece.
- Carrot - 1 piece.
- Vegetable oil for frying.
- Salt and other seasonings to taste.
Step 1
Before you start cooking buckwheat in a slow cooker, let's prepare the ingredients. Wash the pork and cut it into small portion cubes (you can use chicken instead of pork), as shown in the photo below.
We will sort out the buckwheat and rinse thoroughly under water until it is transparent.
Step 2
First you need to prepare a fry of mushrooms and onions. Champignons can be used either fresh or frozen. However, if you cook from frozen foods, do not defrost them, but immediately place them in the multicooker bowl.
So, cut the champignons into slices and place them in a multi-bowl. We activate the frying or baking mode and fry in vegetable or butter until all the liquid has evaporated from the multicooker, otherwise the taste of mushrooms in the original dish will practically not be felt, instead an unpleasant watery aftertaste will appear.
Therefore, at this stage of cooking it is better to be patient. During this time, peel the onion and carrots and rinse with water.
Cut the onions into small cubes and grate the carrots on a coarse grater. However, if you decide to cut the carrots into slices or cubes, the recipe will not suffer and will be no less tasty.