OMG - putting a hamburger on a rice cake?! That's the first time I've seen that! It sure seems like it would be a nice alternative when you just want an open faced burger.

Personally, I love the grill and it doesn't scare me, but it was cool to see another (different) way to use the CrockPot... and what creativity with the aluminum foil! You rock! (or should I say "You C-rock!")

You have just reached a whole new level of crockpot coolness in my book. Can't wait to try this!

bwahhahahaha, thanks, Nicole! That is awesome that you know how to use the grill. I don't even know how to turn it on!

Lizzie, thanks! I was really surprised at how nicely they cooked--they browned all over without flipping and were very juicy.

xox
steph

I LOVE the rice cake suggestion more than anything. I usually just eat mine without any bread like a meatloaf but I am so going to do the rice cake thing. I am going on vacation next week and I can't wait to come home to 7 new crockpot ideas. You and your crock pot rock! :-)

Brilliant! I thought I was the only one who cringes at the tought of using the grill, lol.
I'm so glad I found your site-esp now that summer is SO here! TFS!!

I stumbled upon your blog and I'm so glad I did! You are amazing (especially for actually sticking to your New Year's resolution!) and your posts are very witty! I can't wait to try some of your recipes!

This is great, I hate cooking hamburgers in the frying pan, what a mess everywhere, now I can try this. Add me to the list of people who have grillphobia! I use my old charcoal grill when I want to cook out, hate gas grills!
Lynn

Oh my goodness...did you seriously just put a burger on a rice cake? I have never seen such genius! (okay, I may be overdoing it a bit in that statement)

I cannot wait to try that. THANK YOU for the idea!!!

Oh my gosh, you are crazy. And a genius.

I am scared of my grill too but I hate the way cooking burgers stinks up the whole house. Why on earth do hamburgers make your house smell like fish?? Anyway, I will try this, this is way cool.

I saw this trick in cooks illustrated: line the bottom of the pan (or crockpot) with potato slices. They soak up the grease. Of course, you would have to have a death wish to then eat the potatoes.
I'd love to send you some of my favorite crockpot recipies. Can you send me your email?
I have really enjoyed the different recipies on your site. Thanks for such a fun idea!
Michelle

I just want to say THANK YOU for all of your fantastic recipes! I work full-time, take classes, and have 3 little ones and a hubs that's in the military and works crazy hours. Your recipes have given me so many easy and quick homemade meals! THANK YOU!!!!!

Deb and Katie, the rice cake is really nice--I like the crunch, too.

Thanks John, Lynn, and Beth!

Michelle, my email is crockpotlady AT gmail DOT com.

Anon, I am so happy that I can be of any help to your family. It's really hard trying to keep out of a food rut.

xoox
steph

Very interesting idea with the makeshift grill. I was wondering if there was some sort of contraption that would elevate meats above the grease that drips off of them. When I make pulled pork and brisket, the meat is usually swimming in liquid by the end. Not a bad thing per say, but I was wondering if there was something out there that would keep the meat out of the grease.

I agree, Jared. I saw on Crock-Pot's site that they do sell racks for meat, but I don't have one. They have an oval and a circle one. It's a really neat idea---I'd like to try a chicken that way.

xoxo
steph

Hi! Love your site. This post reminded me of onion soup hamburgers; have you tried that yet? You take the pre-formed burgers (or you can make your own) and cook them in a crockpot with onion soup made from a mix or from a can (or you can make your own). So they're like hamburgers in onion soup gravy. They are very good!

These burgers look so yummy and on a rice cake at that. Who'd have ever thought?

I think I might aim for these next week. I don't know why but they look better than most burgers - so you did something great!

HI STEPHANIE! I SAW MOST OF YOUR SPOT ON RR TODAY- WHAT A UNIQUE IDEA FOR A RESOLUTION! I AM SENDING YOUR LINK TO MY 23 YR OLD SON WHO RECENTLY MOVED OUT AND JUST BOUGHT A CROCKPOT. I KNOW I HAVE FOUND MANY THINGS ON YOUR BLOG THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TRY, SO I'M SURE HE WILL TOO! I LOVE THAT YOU COMMENT ON HOW THE RECIPES ACTUALLY TURN OUT. DID RACHAEL GIVE YOU ANY TIPS ON WRITING A COOKBOOK WHEN THIS YEAR OF CROCKING IS OVER? : )

AS FOR THE HAMBURGERS, HAVE YOU EVER TRIED COOKING THEM WITH THE RICE CAKES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CROCK TO ACT AS A RACK AND ALSO ABSORB ANY GREASE? WHEN I FIRST SAW THE PHOTO, I THOUGHT THAT MAY BE WHY THEY WERE IN THE RECIPE...

My rice cooker came with a little rack to steam vegetables. I bet I could use it to make burgers in my crock. It's the perfect size!

I made this today for lunch for myself and my 6 y/o - I happened to have a package of about 6 month old frozen patties (slight frezer burn!) that I was going to throw away (we don't grill in the winter - too cold here!). This was the perfect use! The patties were jucy and the meat even browned. I made a foil "rack" like you suggested and all the grease cooked away. Will make this again and again!

I just was introduced to your blog, and I am SO excited to have a resource for recipes with reviews of the outcome! By the way, I LOVE seeing sandwiches (or burgers) on rice cakes in your photos. My bro and sis were allergic to wheat when we were growing up, so we ate rice cakes a lot. Probably my favorite was pizza toppings on rice cakes and icing on rice cakes (in lieu of donuts, of course!). Anyway, I am really enjoying reading all your comments!

Don't like the aluminum foil bcuz of links to Alzheimer's and metals, but I used sliced onion rings with garlic cloves in the middle for support :) your site is great for single guys who don't want to spend hours cookin' ... Thanx Steph

Another wonderful recipe! Keep up the good work!

Just a FYI for all you hamburger lovers out there, I have found a fast simple almost mess free way of removing the grease from your browned hamburger, I use a bulb turkey baster, works GREAT!!!

My original (VERY OLD) Crock Pot came with a grill in it. Hope I can find it!

That old Crock Pot also had an insert for baking. I wonder why the new ones don't have all these accessories? I have at one time owned 5 Crock Pots (LOL) until my daughters encourages me to sell a few at rummage sales. BUT I'm back up to 4.

I'm just a dumb ol' truck driver so bear with me, I bet you could make a grill for a crockpot out of the wooden skewers you use for kabobs. You could probably tie them together with poultry string and slice a potato and pierce the potato in the center and it would look like a wheel and use four slices, one on each corner this would keep the patties out of the drippings. You should be able to eat the spuds because very little would be standing in the grease. I doubt if you could clean this makeshift grill but, for not anymore than what you have in it you could just toss it without having too much guilt. I doubt if this grill would catch fire but, on the safe side you could soak it in water for while before you start crockpoting. You could also set the grill on metal caps from wine or olive oil bottles too. Well, Hasta La Bye Bye you crockpoters!

gosh, way back in the 50s/60s my mom and the 'hood moms made something called "picnic burgers". It was hamburgers cooked in a big roaster in the oven, in a sort of gravey and hauled to picnics in the same roaster - I'll try to find a recipe 'cus I'm sure you could put them in a crockpot, too.

Im cooking hamburger steaks in my crockpot now. I made 6 patties with worcestershire sauce and crumbled ritz crackers mixed in. Browned them in frying pan. Put cut up onion rings in bottom of crockpot. Then put browned patties in. Topped with 2 pouches of dry lipton onion soup mix. Then added some mushroom slices. Then covered with 3 cans of cream of mushroom. Stir hourly on low. Mine have been in 2 and a half hours and are already basically done. I probably will let them simmer another hour. The gravy will initially appear greasy but thickens perfectly. I know this was for hamburgers but thought someone would enjoy this as well! M

I have already planned on making sliders, and do not have a grill. This recipe seems to be tailor-made for me! I love my crockk pot, and adore any recipe that allows its use! I'll be trying this out tonight!

Hi Steph - I tried burgers in the crock yesterday, accidentally overcooked them, but they still tasted good! Instead of a foil "grill" I poked several holes in the back of a foil pie plate (from frozen quiche crusts, because I am Lazy) and bent two sides to fit it in my big crock, upside down. All the grease went through the holes, and the burgers cooked on both sides.