Unnecessary things.

I brown my mince so that it is almost crispy because I don't like the taste or smell of mince but that makes it palatable.

Just made 'stew,' using beef skirting haven't browned first have added veg and it smells lovely never brown first

Jack: I think you could maybe have triggered off a whole new thread on slow cookers. My DD is at the moment trying to persuade me to have one and I must admit I see recipes everywhere for slow cookers. I am seriously thinking about one.

It isn't exactly always necessary to brown mince, but you get a beter flavour if you do. What is unnecessary is using any oil or fat to brown it in, even if you buy 'lean' mince there is always enough fat in it to make adding any to the pan a waste of time and money.

Never thought of cooking mince in microwave,I have always browned then added onions ,carrots and peas an oxo cube and bisto.simmer in ordinary pot for about an hour then thicken with a little plain flour,my GGC call it a granny meal and just love it,

I've got a great beef stew recepie that doesn't need the meat to be browned, I just chuck everything in. I do brown mince though as it tastes better and makes it look nice and brown instead of a nasty grey colour.

I only brown mince to release any excess fat, if it's very lean I don't bother, and stopped bothering with other meats, just cut any excess fat off first, makes using a slow cooker much less faff too!

I gave up browning after seeing Jamie Oliver. I agree it makes no difference to the taste. However I have to cut off fat from stewing/braising steak to avoid DS 'picking' at it on his plate. He also dislikes onions so I grate them in so he doesn't know. I do believe they bring out the flavour of the meat. I sometimes grate carrots into a stew too. I use Oxo and Bisto which gives a good colour to the finished dish.

I always brown mince, but mainly to break it up, other meats I don't. Very rarely peel the spuds - my family now prefer mash with the peel in it, and I think with roasties you get a better finish with the peel intact.

Cooked a whole chicken with vegetables in the slow cooker yesterday and it was fabulous- I won't be roasting one in future!

I don't brown meat, but find mince sometimes comes out in big lumps if I dont. I like lumpy mince, but always think I haven't cooked it properly if I cook it without browning to seperate it