New Slow Cooker Recipes

December 14, 2010 11:52 AM

I need new slow cooker recipes, please!

I bought this slow cooker several years ago and I've been loving it. I've cooked mostly roasts and pulled meat for sandwiches and occasionally a stew.

I'm looking to get more creative since I have some free time around the holidays. I would especially be interested in making roasts (beef, pork) using the probe to cook it to the right temperature.

What are your favorite slow cooker recipes, sites, techniques, etc.. What are some recipes I can follow while using the probe?

posted by kookywon to food & drink (23 answers total)

A Year of Slow cooking

Credit goes to SuperSquirrel. She pointed it out to me in my question from last December.
posted by royalsong at 12:08 PM on December 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

I made these steak fajitas the other day and they were incredible.

Also, I used to make steel cut oats/wheatberries overnight for breakfast using the double boiler method and they were incredible.
posted by emilyd22222 at 12:09 PM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

This is the simplest slow cooker recipe I know, and also one of the delicious. I have heard it called "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves," which is cute and appropriate (but maybe a little culturally insensitive? I'm really not sure on that front, so the name makes me a little uncomfortable).

Here's the recipe:
Get a chicken.
Get forty garlic cloves.
Put chicken and garlic cloves in crock pot.
Cook until mmmm.

The chicken gets a delicious garlicky flavor, and the garlic gets all roasted and delicious. I usually mash the garlic up, then spread it over crusty bread.
posted by meese at 12:12 PM on December 14, 2010 [9 favorites]

We got that same crock pot for our wedding. Favorites: chicken and dumplings, burrito filling, stock...

I'll have the wife answer when she gets home.
posted by notsnot at 12:29 PM on December 14, 2010

This Crockpot Sticky Chicken Recipe is excellent.

And so is this stuffed turkey breast recipe.
posted by bq at 12:31 PM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

If a cookbook works for you as a recommendation, I would suggest getting a copy of Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker. The recipes I have tried from there have all turned out nicely, plus she has lots of tips and ideas on what else to do with slowcookers that can make them even more versatile.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 12:53 PM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

My so-far favorite crock pot meal is chicken cassoulet. Chicken and navy beans and a little sausage and spices and a few carrots. Yum!
posted by workerant at 12:57 PM on December 14, 2010

I've made this pork and this chicken recipe from Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday cookbook and they both rock the mic with the proverbial pantyhose. Feel free to embellish:

* Fire roasted tomatoes make a big difference in the pork one
* Add jalapenos and garlic to the chicken one
posted by Atom12 at 1:07 PM on December 14, 2010 [3 favorites]

When I've felt really lazy I have been known to take chicken/turkey strips, some frozen mixed veg and a jar or two of curry sauce, placed everything in slow cooker, stirred, turned it on and went to work...and had scrummy curry when I got home.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:23 PM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

These 2 recipes are among my favorites for the crock pot. For the chicken, I just use whole chicken pieces (I don't cut them up). Be sure to use the Ras El Hanout spice mixture -- really makes these dishes. World Market & William Sonoma sell Ras El Hanout, or, you can make your own. Nice blend of sweet and savory -- both dishes are great with couscous, but rice would also work:

Apricot Moroccan Chicken

Moroccan Beef, Date, Honey, Prune Tagine

Don't let the dates and prunes in the above beef stew turn you off -- my husband was skeptical when I told him what was in this dish, but after trying it the Moroccan stew is one of his favorite meals.
posted by I'm Brian and so's my wife! at 1:28 PM on December 14, 2010 [6 favorites]

as we speak:
I soaked some pintos (2 cups), rinsed twice after soaking overnight, bought to a boil on the stove, rinsed again (the rinsing helps with gas), put in 4 qt. crock with can of chicken broth, on high for a couple of hours. Meanwhile, put 3 cups (the cookers measure) of brown rice in rice cooker (Walmart, $25), when rice was done, added to beans, on low right now for supper and the freezer, YUM.....
posted by raildr at 1:46 PM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Seconding Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, and adding The Gourmet Slow Cooker volume One and Two.
posted by cooker girl at 1:56 PM on December 14, 2010

I recommend The Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook or any of its derivatives (there are many). I'm a fairly plain and simple cook, and this cookbook features recipes with things I actually have in the house.
posted by epj at 2:21 PM on December 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

SUPER EASY Salsa chicken:

Put boneless/skinless chicken breasts in crockpot. Add taco mix if desired, or just plain old cayenne pepper.

Cover with a couple jars of salsa.

Cook for several hours.

When done cooking, stir in some sour cream.

Great over rice, or as enchilada-filler.
posted by egeanin at 2:43 PM on December 14, 2010

I love chicken tortilla soup:

2 chicken breasts, halved
2 15 oz. cans black beans
3 10 oz. cans Rotel tomatos
1 cup salsa
4 oz. canned chopped green chiles
15 oz can tomato sauce

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove and shred the chicken breasts, put back in the slow cooker for 15 minutes. Serve over a handful of of tortilla chips, topped with cheese and sour cream.
posted by indyz at 3:05 PM on December 14, 2010

Roger Ebert just wrote a book about this. He was publishing some recipes on twitter and his blog as well.
posted by ajr at 3:11 PM on December 14, 2010

I like the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker books mentioned above and also suggest The Healthy Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson. Everything I've made from that book has been delicious. The Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook by Rachel Rappaport is also pretty good (if you're only going get one, though, I'd go with Finlayson). Yay!! I love a slow cooker.
posted by hansbrough at 3:16 PM on December 14, 2010

The December issue of Food and Wine magazine had six recipes for slow cookers. I've made the turkey soup and the pasta sauce; the soup was especially good.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:38 PM on December 14, 2010

Step 1A: Buy a pork roast or boneless pork shoulder.

1B. Place Pork Roast in Crockpot.
2. Add large Onion, sliced and 2 TBS. of Worcestershire sauce.
3. Add water to cover.
4. Cook on low all Day, at least 12 hours.
5. Remove roast, discarding cooking water, but save the onions.
6 Fork shred pork, discarding any fat and bones.
7 Return Shredded meat to crockpot.

Dump a bottle of your favorite Barbecue sauce over it. Cook on low for an hour or so until
heated throughly.

Serve on heated buns.
posted by BZArcher at 4:40 PM on December 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

I wouldn't say *all* the recipes in the Cooking Light Slow Cooker Cookbook are exactly what I'd call light, but the ones I've tried have ranged from meh to fantastic, with more good ones than meh ones--my favorite is the African-influenced red bean/yam/peanut stew. SO GOOD.
posted by smirkette at 9:45 PM on December 14, 2010

Most Indian dal dishes adapt well to the slow cooker.
posted by Jacqueline at 10:07 PM on December 14, 2010

1. Grab a Pork Roast (Beef will also work), place in crock pot.

2. Season if you like but not necessary.

3. Pour over a jar of banana peppers and the liquid.

4. Cook.

5. Enjoy on Crusty rolls with a good cheese like provolone or something stronger.

Many adjustments and additions work for personal tastes!
posted by Cainaan777 at 9:33 AM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'll hit this thread again later tonight when I have my actual recipes in front of me to make some specific recommendations, but my general thoughts for now center around the fact that what recommendations are useful is going to depend a bit on your cooking style and what you want your results to look like.

Are you, like me, happy to open a couple cans, dump the contents into the crockpot, and hit "Start"? Then the Fix-it-and-forget-it series is ace.

Does the idea of dumping two gelatinous cans of "cream of" something over meat in your crockpot and calling it dinner horrify you? Do you want to do actual prep work before you start your crockpot? Then stay away from the Fix-it-and-forget-it series and go for Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker.

Gluten-free? A Year of Slow Cooking has piles of g-free recipes. Her recipes also include descriptions of her kid's judgments of each meal.

Favor interactivity as you figure out what to make and how to tweak it? Check out The "Crock-pot Cooking" Livejournal group.

Love soups and stews? 1,001 Best Slow-Cooker Recipes has tons of both of those.
posted by badgermushroomSNAKE at 12:27 PM on December 21, 2010