Today I thought I would share some of my favorite slow cooker recipes and tips.
The HH and I have both been craving Mrs C’s Pot Roast for a couple of weeks and now that things have finally slowed down for us and there’s suddenly a chill in the air… It seems like the perfect time to break out the Crock pot and toss something in.
Did I mention the HH’s new recliner is being delivered tomorrow!? {!!!} Yes, yes it is. A slow cooked pot roast dinner and a new recliner. Does it get any better than that for a guy?
Hello fall!
Crock Pot Season is finally here and in my opinion there is nothing better than throwing a bunch of stuff into a big ol’ pot in the morning, when my motivation level is still high, and returning to a ready-to-eat meal later in the day.
Because seriously, by the time dinner rolls around, the only thing I’m only motivated to do is change into my pajamas. 😉
Slow Cookers are like magic in my book. They take the whole set it and forget it thing to an all new level. Plus, as an added bonus, I love the anticipation that builds throughout the day while the scent of dinner is cooking away. You just can’t beat it!
So, here’s a couple of my slow cooker recipes and tips to make crock potting {that’s a verb starting…now} even easier.
Technically, for safety reasons, you are supposed to always start with thawed meat.
And even though all the “professionals” say you are not supposed to put frozen meat in the crock pot… I do it anyway. I am a rebel, what can I say?
Resist, at all costs, lifting the lid to your crock pot.
I know the waft of cooking goodness is hard to resist, but it really messes with the temperature and can add quite a bit of additional cook time when done a few times throughout the day.
Only add dairy to a crock pot meal in the last 15 minutes.
Dairy tends to break down during a long cook time. It can make the texture a little less than desirable so it’s best to add it at the end.
Save even more time in the kitchen and double your recipes {if possible}.
Since you basically have to do nothing extra, consider doubling your crock pot recipes to get a meal for now, and one for the freezer for later. This works best with soups {not cream based} and chilis.
Crock Pot Cooking Settings
As a general rule of thumb, the low setting on a crock pot is 200 degrees and the high setting is about 300 degrees.
Browning meat before throwing it into the crock pot results in better overall flavor.
Honeslty though, sometimes it defeats the purpose of dump and go, so don’t feel obligated. I rarely do it, especially when it comes to cooking pot roast in the slow cooker.
Add herbs during the last hour of cooking.
I know it seems counter-intuitive not to let the flavors marinate all day, but the flavors can actually break down a bit over extended cooking times.
So those are my all time favorite slow cooker recipes and tips… What are some of yours? Do you have a recipe you make over and over again or have a cool tip you use for the slow cooker? Do share. We’d all love to hear about it.
Have a great weekend everyone,
~Mavis
Nancy Settel says
so many favorites to crock pot meals. The one I have been doing the longest is a meat loaf and yes I make several meat loaves in advance and freeze them on the day I am making one I just take it out of the freezer and pop in the cold crock pot and cook on high all day long (usually about a 2 pound one). Later in the day you can add potatoes and carrots if you want to and by dinner time the meat loaf slices like a roast beef. So good and I haven’t cooked one in the over for a good 40 years now.
Wendy C says
I love crockpot weather. I’m a teacher and leave very early in the morning. Coming home to a crockpot meal all done is a wonderful feeling. I think my favorite is Mississippi Pot Roast over rice or mashed potatoes. I save the leftover roast and juices and use them to make a vegetable beef soup. The juices give it a little extra punch.
Linda Sand says
I’m not a morning person so I like easy.
3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, jar of sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained can of artichoke hearts. Cook. Eat.
3 lbs beef roast topped with 1 pkg dried onion soup mix then 1 can cream of mushroom soup. Cook. Remove meat. Stir remaining ingredients to make gravy.
3 lbs pork roast, large can pineapple tidbits, ginger to taste. Cook. Shred pork and stir back into pot.
Jennifer says
I wonder if pinto beans and smoked sausage could be subbed for white beans and ham?
Carla says
I love a big roast and potatoes for Sunday dinner after church, but taking it out Saturday night, thawing it, then browning it and seasoning it and then roasting it in the oven is a bit much for my get-myself-and-three-kids-out-the-door-in-time-for-church Sunday mornings. So I do most of it Saturday night. If you throw the beef or pork roast into the crock pot still frozen, add onions and the seasonings, and just before bed turn it on low, it is perfectly done by noon on Sunday.
Myra says
We both hate the smell of food all day long in the house so we use it outdoors under the overhang , or better yet we use the instant pot.
Kathy says
I make a lot of things in my crock pot. Taco Soup is one but my favorite is Unstuffed cabbage soup that tastes just like my Hungarian grandmother’s stuffed cabbage. It’s basically a deconstructed cabbage roll with the cabbage chopped/shredded. Or forget the cabbage and just add sauerkraut. Unfortunately, you do have to brown the meat before, to get it crumbly. But in my house, I usually take a fresh package of ground beef or chicken, brown it off then freeze it in sizes according to what I’m using it for. Just meat, onions, uncooked long grain rice, cabbage/sauerkraut, cover with broth of your choice (I use either chicken or beef Better Than Bouillion) mix it all up, set and forget for 5-6 hours on low. Smells heavenly and I always have enough for a freezer meal!
Mavis Butterfield says
I don’t think I’ve ever made a cabbage soup before. Thanks for the idea!!
Heather says
I’m with you Kathy! Cabbage Rolls are too labor intensive for me…but Cabbage Soup is awesome, easy, and delicious! I also keep Better than Bouillion as a staple in my house. Three flavors (Chicken, Beef, and Vegetable) are always on hand for all my soup bases, flavoring rice, and oatmeal for my savory bowls. It’s absolutely a must have. Yum!