10 Cozy Slow Cooker Recipes to Make Fall Better (2024)

FAQs

How do I get the best results from a slow cooker? ›

Avoid overcrowding: For the best results, fill a slow cooker between one-half and two-thirds full. Go ahead and cook big roasts and whole chickens; just make sure you use a large crock and that the lid fits snugly on top. Trim fat: For silky sauces and gravies, take a minute or two and cut the excess fat from the meat.

If you take an extra 10 minutes to sauté the aromatics before scraping them into the slow-cooker, the finished dish will have deeper flavor and better texture. (And some new slow-cookers allow you to sauté right in the insert, so you don't have to wash a separate skillet.)

Besides the time you save in the morning, there are some major benefits to assembling and freezing slow cooker meals ahead of time: They don't require any cooking ahead of time, so they're very easy and quick to prep. They cook for the first time out of the freezer and don't taste like leftovers at all.

Some would argue it's even more essential during the hot months. You have better things to do than spend your summer in the kitchen. The convenience of slow cooker meals allows you to spend more time enjoying summer activities. Get out and play knowing a home-cooked meal will be waiting for you!

Why is my pot roast still tough? It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.

It can be nice to cook the onions beforehand, as the flavour is different to when you put them in raw, but experiment both ways as you may find you prefer one. It can also be good to brown meat to give it some colour, but again, this is not essential.

But the liquid itself should not be thick in the same way that gravy is thick. So skip the roux, and don't bother dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning, either, as some recipes will suggest. That will just interfere with getting a good sear on the meat, and gum up the stew with unneeded starch.

The Gourmia 11-in-1 Cool-Cooker isn't your average multicooker. It doesn't just heat or sear food -- the Cool-Cooker can also keep items chilled (as you might have guessed from its name) until you're ready for them to cook.

Vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and parsnips, freeze well and keep their texture. Providing they are frozen correctly (more on that below), they are great to use as a side dish or in salads.

How long to let crockpot meal cool before refrigerating? ›

You can leave it out for 1 hour, as long as it's covered. A nice option, in winter, is to put it on a balcony or enclosed, unheated porch, to cool off quickly. Not advisable where there are bears, though. Don't worry about it - you have a pot of stew that has basically been pasteurized in its cooking vessel.

Don't leave it on 'warm' all day

Most appliances will automatically shut off after 20 or so hours on this setting, but you shouldn't leave food in a slow cooker for an extended length of time. The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm.

AS long as it's not empty, absolutely you can. It's no different than cooking food all day while you're away. That's the beauty of a slow cooker - it takes a long time at low heat and it doesn't care if it's daytime or nightime!

Yes, it's safe to leave a slow cooker on when you leave the house. The purpose of a slow cooker is to allow you to cook while you aren't home.

Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on overnight? The short answer: Yes. slow cookers are made to cook food for extensive periods of time (some can be left up to 24 hours). But, of course, follow safe practices outlined in your instruction manual, and keep the appliance on low or warm, as opposed to high, overnight.

The meat was not cut into the correct size: If the meat is cut into large chunks, it may take longer to cook and could become tough. It's usually best to cut the meat into smaller, uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.

Fill the crock pot at least half full and no more than two-thirds full. Thaw frozen meats and vegetables before placing in the crock pot. Place dense vegetables in crock pot first, such as carrots and potatoes, since they take longer than meats to cook.

On all CrockPot units you have usually three temperature settings. I for Low, II for High and the last symbol (it may be in the form of "squiggly lines" that look like elongated SS) is the Warm setting. On the Warm setting, your slow cooker will achieve 165-175°F.