Anything cooked in a slow cooker turns out surprisingly tasty. It should have been called the flavor maximizer originally. However, there is a side effect you should know. Besides being the most tasteful food, consuming slow-cooked feasts can also enable you to keep the most nutrients available in your food. Meaning, you will get to be healthier. Though, I bet you can live with that feature:).
It is practically the best of both worlds; cook lazy, eat healthy. Put the ingredients, close the lid, and take a nap. You don’t even have to stir usually unless you need to brown the meat for stew initially. Especially, be prepared to be blown away if you fancy chipotle chili. It basically melts in your mouth. Remember, you can also prepare delicious sweets like cheesecake, bread pudding, and more. Check out the tested recipes below, but first, here is a short list summarizing why you need a slow cooker.
Why do I love my slow cooker?
- It cooks savory and healthy food
- Saves me time and energy
- Easy to store anywhere
- I can be really creative with it
- Come from work and the dinner is waiting for me (with delay timer function)
Strawberry & Vanilla Bread Pudding Recipe for Slow Cooker
Making pudding from old bread not only saves them from trash but also makes for a delightful companion to your fresh coffee. We cook this regularly at our place. It takes about two hours to prepare.
Ingredients:
- 1-pound old bread
- 3 tablespoons of cubed butter (smaller cubes are better)
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup white sugar
- 6 tablespoons of strawberry marmalade
- 3 tablespoons of shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Directions:
- Spray the pot with nonstick spray.
- Slice the bread into cubes.
- Place the cubed bread, pecans, shredded coconut, and butter cubes into the pot.
- Distribute the strawberry marmalade evenly over the bread.
- In another bowl, hand whisk the cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon.
- Pour the mixture over the bread cubes.
- Cook on HI setting for about two hours.
Hot Chipotle Chili Recipe for Slow Cooker
Try making chili with your slow cooker, and you will never do it any other way. This recipe is a bit spicy, but you can cut down on the chipotle, jalapeno, chili powder, and cayenne pepper as you wish. I am a big fan of the smoky flavor that chipotle peppers add to any recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2-pounds ground beef (lean 80 to 85%)
- 1/2 cup of red wine
- 1 can – 14 Oz red kidney beans
- 1 can – 14 Oz dark red kidney beans
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (28 Oz)
- 2 medium size onions diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon of ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon of dried cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons of dried chipotle peppers
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the slow cooker on LOW setting.
- Add the olive oil, tomato paste, and the ground beef into a skillet over the stovetop.
- Add all the spices.
- Stir until the ground beef is fully cooked.
- Transfer the meat into the preheated slow cooker.
- Add the kidney beans.
- Add the diced tomatoes.
- Pour about 12 ounces of water.
- Close the lid and cook for 5 hours.
Serve with sliced fresh jalapeno peppers.
Traditional Chicken Stew Recipe for Slow Cooker
Chicken stew is an indispensable dish at our house, especially during winter. My grandma used to prepare the best stews I have ever tasted to this day. The following is an easy recipe that can serve up to 6 people. If you are looking for a tasty beef stew recipe, then check out this one made with chuck steak.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds cubed chicken breast
- 1/4 cup of red wine
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 medium size potatoes cubed (large cubes)
- 2 white onions diced
- 3 garlic cloves cut into halves
- 2 celery sticks sliced
- 3 carrots sliced
- 1 tablespoon of ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon of curry
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the slow cooker on LOW setting.
- Add the olive oil and the cubed chicken into a pan over stovetop.
- Stir until the meat is browned.
- Transfer the chicken into the preheated slow cooker.
- Pour in the red wine.
- Pour in the chicken broth.
- Add in all the diced vegetables, curry, and the tomato paste.
- Stir a bit until all is mixed.
- Close the lid and cook for about 4 hours.
- Add the dried thyme and salt after 3 ½ hours and close the lid again.
Do slow cookers destroy nutrients?
It is quite the opposite; slow cookers enhance your food’s nutrient level by preserving them through cooking for long periods at low heat. In the end, you get to consume most of the fibers and vitamins present. This is not the case with other cookers as high heat destroys some percentage of the nutrients.
Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on all day?
If your slow cooker is programmable (delay timer function), it should be safe to leave it on all day. But you still need to check your user manual as each product has its own specifications. In general, you can keep the cooked food warm for up to 8 hours. Most new model slow cookers can be controlled via wi-fi today, meaning you can control them with your mobile phone.
Benefits of Slow Cookers
- Use cheaper cut of meats
- Food don’t get stuck at the bottom due to low heat usage
- Improved taste through better distribution of flavors
- Less energy, thus lower energy bills
- Slow cookers are highly portable and easy to store
Is slow cooking vegetables healthy?
Slow cooking vegetables is probably one of the healthiest methods to prepare them with full nourishment. The key is to keep the steam inside and slowly cook them over very low heat. It is a great way to improve your immune system if you add broccoli, garlic, ginger, and spinach into your stews and soups.
Can you put raw meat in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can put raw meat into a slow cooker. Place the raw meat first inside the pot, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Lastly, pour in the specific liquid (water, wine, beer, etc.) that your recipe calls for the food you are making.
Tip Alert
Slow cooking enables you to use the cheapest cut of meats. Even the toughest meats turn out more tender and juicier.
What meat is best for slow cooking?
Unlike grilling, you need very tough meat when slow cooking. Otherwise, it would get too mushy throughout the long cooking period. The best meat types for slow cooking are the chuck, skirt, and brisket.
Tricks
- It would help if you increased the cooking times when cooking at high altitudes.
- You can thicken the sauces with wheat flour, but it is best to initially cut down on the liquids. Also, you can open the lid for the steam to escape. This method would also thicken the sauce, but you should keep in mind that you would lose a significant amount of tasty aroma with the steam.
- Trim fat from the meat before you brown them. You do not need much fat on the beef when slow cooking.
Warnings
- Do not buy expensive cuts of meat for preparing meat stew in a slow cooker. What you need is cheap and tough meat that can withstand the long cooking time.
- Do not use your slow cooker as a reheater. Try your microwave for that task.
In Conclusion
A slow cooker is the ultimate kitchen tool to prepare the most appetizing meals out there. And the best part is that the variety of food you can cook in them is plenty. You can program these handy appliances easily and have the dinner waiting for you when you come from work. It is ¨convenient cooking¨ all the way. Additional benefits include preserving most of the nutritious elements in your food due to slow cooking at low heat. Keep in mind that you can also use your electric roaster oven as a slow cooker. Check out this article to learn more about how to convert slow cooker recipes to baking in a roaster.