Soft and juicy short ribs can be a crowd-pleaser; that said, you’ll need to braise them at an extremely low temperature; otherwise, you’ll end up with rubbery meat. Lucky for us, in an oven it’s even better – not to mention cheaper – in a slow cooker! All it takes to put this dish together is 1.5 tbsp salt, 4 tbsp paprika and 4 tbsp hot chilli powder, brown sugar and 3 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp cayenne pepper and 1 tbsp garlic powder. Rub it into six beef short ribs and leave them overnight to marinate in the fridge before slowly cooking at home for 6 to 7 hours (or high for 5 to 6 hours).
Never cook couscous in a slow cooker
Try cooking couscous in a slow cooker – you might end up with a ball of mushed-up stuff. Couscous does not require 'actual' cooking anyway; you simply add some boiling water or stock, cover it, and let it steam until it's ready to serve. It pairs particularly well with tagines and other Arab-leaning dishes.
Try making different breads
Don't you realize that you can easily bake delicious bread in your slow cooker? This super simple soda bread recipe allows you to say goodbye to kneading (and to using yeast, too!). First, take three teaspoons of cold butter and rub it into 9oz of both white and whole meal flour.
Then, stir in one teaspoon each of sea salt and sugar, plus 1.5 teaspoons of bicarb. Mix in 14fl oz of buttermilk and shape the mixture into a round loaf. Next, transfer it to a piece of baking parchment and then place it into the slow cooker.
Lightly score a cross on the top of the bread, add a tea towel to the slow cooker, and then cover it all before putting the lid on top. Finally, bake on high for two hours and 10 minutes before cooling it on a wire rack.
Use more mince
Minced pork, beef, or lamb becomes rather tough and bland when cooks do not prepare it for a substantial amount of time. Given this, what about whipping up your favourite mince recipes in a slow cooker? Why not try our delicious Vietnamese-style pork lettuce cups?
You can mix one tablespoon each of ginger paste, sesame oil, lemongrass paste, fish sauce, and soft brown sugar together with two tablespoons of dark soy sauce, two chopped garlic cloves, two red chilies, and about 18 ounces (500 grams) of pork mince.
Then, cook all of these ingredients in a slow cooker on high for two to three hours. Finally, serve the rich mince mixed with the flavorful liquid in lettuce cups topped with chopped toasted peanuts, fresh coriander, spring onions and lime wedges.
Bring it out when you’re hosting
If you’re mad about having guests around but prefer not to be attached to a stove all afternoon, your slow cooker will save the day. Prepare your ingredients and throw them in then sit back and let your helpful appliance do the rest. You'll save time and energy at host level then always be able to have your cooking waiting-keeping it warm.
Experiment with desserts
It’s not all savoury though. Testing out your slow cooker as a dessert is also great fun. If you’ve got your heart set on some tasty chocolate brownies, you can easily throw them together with just a few simple steps. First, line the slow cooker with foil and then grease it with oil. In a bowl, mix flour (5oz), baking powder (1tsp), and cocoa powder (4tsps).
Melt butter (4oz) and dark chocolate (8oz), then stir in sugar (7oz) along with three beaten eggs. Mix everything together and add the chocolate chips (6oz). Place the mixture in the slow cooker and cook it on low for 4 hours. Finally, uncover it for the last half an hour of cooking time to avoid ending up with a soggy brownie.
Give caramelized onions a go
This incredibly sweet, golden delicacy definitely requires a bit of labour to prepare! Cooking it in a saucepan demands constant attention and lots of stirring to prevent the onions from burning, but you can use the slow cooker to skip the fuss altogether and enjoy them piping hot this weekend – pile them high on your burgers or serve them alongside a delicious barbecue dinner.
Lard the slow cooker pot with a few knobs of butter, and then add 8 finely sliced onions, a few squares of butter, and some salt. Leave the mixture on low for about 10 hours until the onions become soft and golden. Finally, top your burgers with the tasty onion mixture and enjoy them with a refreshing side salad of greens or use the topping in summer vegetable recipes as part of a delightful meal.
FAQ's
What are the best cuts of meat for a slow cooker?
Tougher, heavily worked cuts with plenty of connective tissue and fat—such as chuck roast, pork shoulder, lamb shank, and beef short ribs—thrive in a slow cooker. As they cook slowly over hours, the collagen breaks down into gelatin, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Lean cuts like chicken breast or pork loin dry out quickly and are best avoided or added only in the final hour of cooking.
Should I brown meat before putting it in the slow cooker?
While you can skip this step and still end up with a cooked meal, searing your meat in a hot pan first builds deep, complex flavor through the Maillard reaction. Browning also helps render excess fat and locks in savory notes, elevating the final dish from a simple stew to something with restaurant-quality depth.
Why is liquid management so important in slow cooking?
Slow cookers trap steam and moisture, meaning liquids do not reduce the way they do in conventional pots or oven pans. If you fill a slow cooker with too much broth or water, your food will end up watery and diluted rather than rich and flavorful. Vegetables like onions and celery also release a significant amount of liquid as they soften, so you generally only need about half the liquid a traditional recipe calls for.
How can I prevent vegetables from turning to mush?
Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and parsnips take a long time to cook and should go at the very bottom of the slow cooker near the heat source. However, delicate vegetables like peas, corn, zucchini, or fresh spinach will disintegrate or lose their vibrant color if cooked for eight hours; add these during the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking.
When should I add dairy and thickeners?
Dairy products like milk, sour cream, and heavy cream tend to curdle and separate when subjected to hours of prolonged heat. Stir them in during the final 15 to 30 minutes of cooking, or substitute them with heavy cream, which holds up better. Similarly, starches like cornstarch or flour lose their thickening power over long cooking times and are best whisked in near the end to achieve the desired gravy consistency.
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