19 Crock Pot Recipes So You Can Enjoy The Big Football Game (2024)

FAQs

What kinds of dishes would be best cooked in a Crockpot? ›

The slow cooker is surprisingly versatile. We rely on it for comfort food season (think soups and stews, hearty chilis and fork-tender roasts) as well as Sunday dinners—like meatballs and red sauce with that simmered-all-day flavor. But, this handy countertop appliance can do so much more.

Instead of using a warming oven, turn your slow cooker into a chafing dish. Fill it a third of the way with hot water, keep on a low setting and place a heatproof dish or bowl that sits steadily on your slow cooker, then pop your food in until you're ready to serve and cover loosely with foil.

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can slow cook right on stovetop using a cooking pot that has a heavy build (like a Dutch oven) so it can disperse heat evenly to the food cooking inside. You should cover it well with a lid, keep the heat low and keep checking food in between so it does not run out of liquid.

You'll get the best results by filling your slow cooker between one-half and two-thirds full. It's fine to cook whole chickens or large cuts of meat in your Crockpot slow cooker, as long as it is roomy enough to allow food to fit comfortably inside, with the lid fitting snugly on top.

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

If you cannot replace a lost or broken crockpot cover, and don't have the funds to buy a new [or used] crockpot, you can use aluminum foil to cover the top. Make sure that you pierce the foil to allow for expansion of the liquid in the ingredients and broth.

There's no need for cooking spray, oil, or butter. However, you can use them if you prefer, or if your recipe recommends. Once the liner is in place, add the ingredients according to your recipe, then place the lid on top. Cook at the recommended setting as stated in your slow cooker recipe.

A representative said they don't recommend using the bag in a slow cooker, because the bag might come in contact with the heating element, melt and damage the cooker. Also, the bag should not be used on an oven rack (only in a pan), in a roaster oven, in a convection oven or on the stovetop.

What would you use a slow cooker for? ›

A variety of foods can be cooked in a slow cooker, including soups, stews, side dishes, main dishes, meats, poultry, and desserts.

A crock pot is invaluable when you have the TIME to use it or need to cook a quantity of food that does not require continuing attention. Usually the recipe needs to be for liquids such as soups, stews and chilis.

Information. Most people use a slow cooker for meat, poultry and vegetables, although fruits, desserts, stuffing and oatmeal can also be prepared. All ingredients placed in a slow cooker should be thawed. Choose to make foods with high moisture content such as chili, soup, stew or spaghetti sauce.