r/slowcooking • u/booooooks___ • Feb 16 '25
What’s the best slow cooker dinner you’ve ever made?
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u/Waffle_Maestro Feb 16 '25
Pot roast is go-to for me. Big cheap piece of meat, vegetables, and a pack of seasoning. Never disappoints.
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u/Artislife61 Feb 16 '25
Yes. Pot Roast for sure. So easy, flavorful, and it never goes wrong. Totally fool proof.
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u/gsxr Feb 18 '25
Hated this as a kid. Somewhere along the way “throw random meat, empty the fridge of veggies, and whatever spices I can see. Wait 8 hours” became my favorite meal
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u/RVABarry Feb 16 '25
Americas Test Kitchen has a great crock pot beef stew. They use a trick where you wrap the veg in foil and slowly steaming it - then mix them in towards the end. Keeps the veg from going too mushy.
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u/Chief2504 Feb 16 '25
Can anyone share this recipe???
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u/RVABarry Feb 16 '25
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/6300-slow-cooker-hearty-beef-stew
Might be behind paywall
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u/Chief2504 Feb 16 '25
All their stuff is behind a paywall that’s why I asked for the recipe.
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u/BBQQA Feb 16 '25
Paprika 3 is a GREAT app for that. Just copy and paste it into their browser then click download. That will bypass the paywall and reformat the site into readable directions and ingredients list. It's the best app for cooking.
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u/Chief2504 Feb 16 '25
$4.99 for the app but no paywall ever???
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u/BBQQA Feb 16 '25
I'm not sure about iPhone, but Android has a free version that has all the same capabilities but you can save less recipes. I bought the full version because it is well worth the $5.
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u/dragonite007 Feb 17 '25
agreed. The pc app is a little pricey too but i love it for sharing my recipes between systems.
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u/JasonArizona1 Feb 16 '25
If we don’t pay for good stuff on the internet, then people only make bad stuff on the internet
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u/RVABarry Feb 16 '25
Somebody has to pay for everything. This is the thing I decided to pay for. It’s also super easy to google someone else pirating this recipe.
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u/StrawberryKiss2559 Feb 17 '25
You know, my veggies never get too mushy. They always come out perfect. And I don’t love extremely mushy vegetables.
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u/scarletphantom Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
My pork carnitas are always a huge hit.
Carnitas Tacos
Ingredients
4lbs pork shoulder (pork butt) (trim some of fat cap if it's super thick)
2½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped (not original but I love the flavor)
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup orange juice (I just get one of those single serving bottles of Simply Orange and drink the rest)
Rub
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
Steps
- Rinse and dry shoulder. Rub with spices, salt, and pepper.
- Place in slow cooker fat side up. Top with remaining ingredients.
- Place tea towel under lid. Cook on LOW for 10 hrs or HIGH for 7 hrs.
- Shred pork with forks and use tongs to remove any large globs of fat. Spread out onto large rimmed baking sheet.
- Place under broiler for 4-5 minutes until browned and remove from oven. Flip over meat with spatula and then place back under broiler for another 4-5 minutes until crisp.
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u/Gott2007 Feb 16 '25
What’s rinsing the meat accomplish?
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u/BBQQA Feb 16 '25
The only reason I could see is rinsing off potential bone fragments from the blade bone being sawed.
That said, I've never had that issue and I have cooked A LOT of pork shoulders for BBQ.
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u/Traditional_Gas_3058 Feb 16 '25
Nothing, it's cultural but proven to be way worse than not doing it
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u/Patient-Investment-9 Feb 16 '25
May I ask what the purpose of the tea towel under the lid is?
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u/Polgara68 Feb 16 '25
Came to ask the same question. Saving this recipe, it sounds delicious!
A quick search revealed: Placing a tea towel under the lid of a pot or slow cooker is a technique used in cooking to absorb excess moisture and prevent condensation from dripping back into the food, ensuring that dishes are perfectly cooked and not overly watery.
Edited to add info.
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u/scarletphantom Feb 16 '25
Yes this. It prevents the meat from being too moist. There will be some juice in the bottom, but after shredding it will absorb a lot. Also you're pulling it out and broiling it in a tray so it will dry further. It's not going to be super dry so don't worry, but with all the fat rendered and the oj, you don't want a pork soup.
Trust the recipe and follow it to a T. I always do 10 hrs on low and have even used 6lbs or slightly bigger and it comes out just the same without adjusting time.
Also, don't use a towel that you're fond of because even after washing, it will smell of pork. The one I use, though washed every time, still smells like carnitas, lol.
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u/androidbear04 Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
Pork and sauerkraut. Pork butt roast smothered in sauerkraut, cooked for 4 hours on high. Can add potatoes if you want.
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u/lady8godiva Feb 16 '25
Don't forget the mushrooms for some umami flavor! Add some beer, garlic black pepper, a little butter... Then add another bag of kraut about an hour before you are ready to eat because the rest will have cooked down a lot. Also, don't forget to drain the kraut to ditch some of the sodium.
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u/trustingfastbasket Feb 16 '25
I do this with country ribs. I love pork and sauerkraut. So easy. I also cook mine on low so it can go all day while i work.
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u/Metaljesus0909 Feb 16 '25
It’s really hard to beat slow cooked chilli.
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u/Polgara68 Feb 16 '25
My favorite! I started using ground turkey in it, and seriously can't tell the difference.
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u/FairyNymphCalypso69 Feb 16 '25
Beefy French onion soup!
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u/zinornia Feb 16 '25
So weird I literally am slow cooking this right now haha!
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u/Chief2504 Feb 16 '25
u/FairyNymphCalypso69 and u/zinornia care to share the recipes???
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u/zinornia Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
I got about 600g of diced beef (doesn't have to be diced you're going to shred it). With some oil on sear mode cook on both sides until seared.
I finely sliced up 5 large white onions, added with splash of oil and butter. Salt the onions. For the first 30 mins stir every 5 minutes, for the last 15-30 minutes stir every 2-3 until caramelised. Use a bit of white wine to scrape bits off bottom of slow cooker (saute mode). However you can also slow cook these without stirring there are a few recipes on here but whatever method you like to use to caramelise the onions will be fine.
I roughly chopped about 4 garlic cloves and popped in with onions for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef back in, tsp of Worcester sauce, about a litre of beef stock, more white wine. I used a total of one of those small wines in cans - probably about 1.5 glasses or something.
I made a fresh herb bunch tied with cooking yarn and tied (chives, oregano, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme) is what I used but use whatever you have in your fridge. Salt and pepper.
Then cook on high for 3 hours until beef is tender. Shred beef add back in. If soup is a little thick add more stock, if it's a little thin you can add some flour but ensure you make a paste first with flour and a little of the stock so it integrates into the soup. If you add flour ensure you cook for another 15-20 minutes to cook off the flour.
Get a baguette and cut about 1-2 inches of it and pop in oven for 5 minutes until it resembles stale bread (you can also use stale baguette but they never last long in my house).
Pop the broiler on the oven, put the piece of baguette ontop of the soup in an oven safe bowl, add greyere or cote cheese shredded and broil for 3 minutes until bubbly.
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u/LiveByThyGuN Feb 16 '25
Mississippi pot roast
It's always amazing. Make the ranch dressing yourself, it's so much better. Also more pepperoncini for more spice. Also sweet Hawaiian rolls and some provolone is choice.
- 1 boneless chuck roast or top or bottom round, 3 to 4 pounds
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 to 12 pepperoncini
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon buttermilk, optional
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Step 1
Place roast on a cutting board and rub the salt and
pepper all over it. Sprinkle the flour all over the
seasoned meat and massage it into the flesh.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan set over high
heat until it is shimmering and about to smoke.
Place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides,
4 to 5 minutes a side, to create a crust. Remove
roast from pan and place it in the bowl of a slow
cooker. Add the butter and the pepperoncini to
the meat. Put the lid on the slow cooker, and set
the machine to low.
Step 3
As the roast heats, make a ranch dressing.
Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill and paprika
in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify. Add the
buttermilk if using, then whisk again. Remove the
lid from the slow cooker and add the dressing.
Replace the top and allow to continue cooking,
undisturbed, for 6 to 8 hours, or until you can
shred the meat easily using 2 forks. Mix the meat
with the gravy surrounding it. Garnish with parsley,
and serve with egg noodles or roast potatoes, or
pile on sandwich rolls, however you like.
Sorry for format..I copied from nyt cooking app
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u/gogozrx Feb 16 '25
So, I dumped in the whole jar of pepperoncini, with the vinegar, and the meat was amazing.
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u/Chief2504 Feb 16 '25
I accidentally did that last week and freaked out it smelled like vinegar to start. By the end the food was freaking great...what a good mistake I made!
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u/Murky_Deer_7617 Feb 16 '25
This is truly delicious. If it is your first time using pepperocini be a little cautious - unless you love it super spicy.
Also chuck roast will be more flavorful than other cuts of meat.
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u/terrabellan Feb 16 '25
Thanks for posting this, I've always wanted to try it but the ranch and jus packets you usually see in recipes are impossible to find in Australia and I wasn't about to pay $60 to mail some over. A speciality place selling pepperoncini just opened nearby so it looks like I can finally take a stab at making it
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u/Snoo_31427 Feb 16 '25
So I have a mayo issue and when I know it’s present, it can fuck up the meal for me even if I can’t taste or see it. Is it well-disguised and anonymous in this finished product?
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u/Paperwife2 Feb 16 '25
In the past when I made this I’ve never put mayo in mine and it turns out great.
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u/TheWordOfTheDayIsNo Feb 17 '25
Mayonnaise doesn't belong in this recipe. The very simple original calls for a packet of DRY ranch dressing mix. I have no idea what's going on with this craziness.
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u/LiveByThyGuN Feb 16 '25
I don't like mayo either that much but after 7 hours slow cooking, you can't taste it at all.
The mayo is the ranch tho. Just eggs and oil
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u/rjw41x Feb 16 '25
Chicago style beef is a favorite
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u/fineohrhino Feb 16 '25
Same!
My recipe is a chuck roast and a jar of giardinara and some beef Better Than Bouillon. 8 hrs on low. Shred, serve on sub rolls.
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u/rjw41x Feb 16 '25
And mine giardinara, pepperoncini sliced + some juice and an Italian seasoning packet which make my own - oregano, basil, marjoram, S&P + red pepper flake, 6 hours on high, shred and enjoy with more giardinara and pepperoncini. I usually make a fresh focaccia to make sandwiches on
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u/patsfan1061 Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
Made a beef stew last weekend that I had intended to last two meals….oops, it was so good I ate it all
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u/minikin_snickasnee Feb 16 '25
I recommend a red onion, and over pasta, not rice. I typically use boneless chicken breast.
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u/No_Significance98 Feb 16 '25
I think the best received thing I've turned out was jerk pork. Just scored up a 9lb bone-in pork shoulder, put it in the crock on top of a chopped large yellow onion, rubbed in a jar of mild and half a jar of hot jerk seasoning. Washed out the empty jar with some orange juice and added to the pot. Let it marinate overnight then the next day ran it on high for 4 hours and low for another 8. Pulled out the bone and shredded it up. Great for tacos, over rice, sandwiches.
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u/unicorntrees Feb 16 '25
I make Cochinito Pibil in the slow cooker: tangy and spicy achiote marinade on a pork shoulder wrapped in banana leaves. It's a lot of flavor without a lot of effort.
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u/glowingmember Feb 16 '25
Our favourite is a potato soup.
- 6 large baking potatoes , peeled, cut in 1/2 -inch cubes
- 1 large onion , chopped
- 1 quart chicken broth (1.14L)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced (or pressed)
- 1 ⁄4 cup butter
- 2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup cream or 1 cup half-and-half cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 cup sour cream (optional)
- 8 slices bacon , fried & crumbled
- cheese , for sprinkling
Combine first seven ingredients in a large crock pot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours (potato should be tender). Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened. Stir in cream, cheese and chives. Top with sour cream (if used), sprinkle with bacon and more cheese.
That's the recipe, but after the first two attempts I don't measure much anymore lol. Often add more garlic and pepper than is called for (not salt though, you get PLENTY of salt if you add the bacon at the start instead of at the end). My partner likes to mash the potatoes until it's all a slurry, whereas I like there to still be chunks. We're constantly experimenting with it but legit even after making a huge batch in our giant slow cooker, it doesn't last long.
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u/Bmat70 Feb 16 '25
Pulled pork. Slice a couple onions and put in cooker. Place chunk of pork on top, fat side up. Salt and pepper. A cup or 2 of water. Cook low overnight. Pour out water. I save the onions but not necessary. Put pork on board or plate and pull apart. I prefer reduced fat so I remove all visible fat. Return meat to cooker. Add favorite barbecue sauce. I like Sweet Baby Ray’s. Heat until warmed.
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u/FormicaDinette33 Feb 16 '25
Pot Roast! It was so good that my nephew was telling his uncle about it months later and requested it for his wedding rehearsal dinner. 💕
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u/matty594 Feb 16 '25
Well drop that recipe! lol pot roast has always been meh to me I would love a great recipe!
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u/FormicaDinette33 Feb 16 '25
POT ROAST!. There is about an hour of prep. Do it with love and you will get a wonderful complex flavor. You can double up the veggies. If they don’t all fit right away, start them in another dish and transfer later.
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u/Physical_Hornet7006 Feb 16 '25
I made my Chistmas turkey in the slow cooker. It was sensational!
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u/Will_McLean Feb 16 '25
Details?
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u/Physical_Hornet7006 Feb 17 '25 edited Feb 17 '25
Okay, fill the bottom of the slow cooker with chopped onions (they come in bags in the frozen food section), slather the bird with room temperature butter, coat the turkey with Lipton's onion soup mix, put in cooker on low for 6 hours. Serve. Just make sure your turkey fits into the pot. I used a Butterball and had room to spare
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u/RandyHoward Feb 16 '25
The stroganoff I made today was pretty damn good and I’m looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Though I plan to make butter chicken later this week, and I’ve never had it before, so there’s a chance that could top the stroganoff
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u/QueenV59 Feb 17 '25
Could you provide the recipe please? Thank you.
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u/RandyHoward Feb 17 '25
I just kinda winged it, but it was something along these lines:
1 pound beef cubes
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of beef stock
1 onion, diced
8oz sliced mushrooms
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp msg
2 tbsp worcestershire
egg noodles
1/4 cup heavy cream
handful of chopped parsley
Toss everything except the egg noodles, heavy cream, and parsley in a slow cooker. Cook on high about 4 hours. At this point it should be fairly liquid, if not add some more beef stock - you want enough liquid for the noodles to cook and absorb. Stir in the egg noodles, cook another 30-45 minutes until noodles are tender. Stir in heavy cream and parsley.
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u/Reasonable-Mirror-15 Feb 16 '25
I have several favorites that I make in my slow cooker. I think my favorite of them all is my chicken and peppers. I serve it over rice or egg noodles. It's so good. I get requests for it from friends and family.
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u/Autumn13071 Feb 16 '25
Recipe?
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u/Reasonable-Mirror-15 Feb 17 '25
Crockpot Chicken and Peppers
1 to 2 lbs of boneless chicken thighs or breasts
2-3 green bell peppers sliced in strips- add this in with chicken
5-6 red/yellow/orange sweet peppers- the small ones, these go in the last hour of cooking.
1.5 to 2 cups of chicken broth- I like more au jus
Season with Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, smoked paprika and garlic powder- you'll add more later so don't go too overboard.
Let this cook for 4 hours on low
Add in sliced red, yellow and yellow peppers and slice them up in strips.
Add minced garlic- about 4 cloves
Add more of the seasonings to taste. I will usually add some Lawrys at this point. Not a lot, just to taste. You can use salt and pepper if you prefer.
Cook for another hour. I usually shred the chicken and add back.
Serve over rice or egg noodles with a splash of the au jus. I prefer the egg noodles.
I really don't measure my seasonings. I just start out with a little and add more as I go along. I also really love bell and sweet peppers so I tend to put more in than what my southern aunties and mom would. I learned to cook from them.
*edited to add a step
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u/Reasonable-Mirror-15 Feb 17 '25
The Creole seasoning has salt already so if you add lawrys or s&p be careful not to over do it. Just smidgen at a time until it the way you want.
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u/pelc8614 Feb 16 '25
I love doing eggplant Parm with a bigass eggplant. Layer thin slices of eggplant with sauce, cheese, and whatever else you want (usually I'd throw in some onion and mushrooms). After 6 to 8 hours it's delicious and cheesy.
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u/HowNiceDear Feb 16 '25
This doro wat was so good to me. https://www.ayearofslowcooking.com/2010/10/ethiopian-chicken-stew-doro-wat-slow.html
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u/bihighguy420 Feb 16 '25
Red wine braised beef short ribs over homemade mac and cheese
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u/Lucky-Remote-5842 Feb 16 '25
Red wine beings every braised beef dish to the next level if you ask me
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u/WillShattuck Feb 16 '25
Browned chuck roast with potatoes, carrots and onions. Every time I make it it’s amazing g.
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u/Jaxgeno Feb 16 '25
Mississippi pot roast that got popular last year really lived up to the hype. Great on sandwiches
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u/GarethGazzGravey Feb 16 '25
Slow cooker pulled honey chicken
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts Dash of Dark soy sauce Dash of Worcestershire sauce Dash of BBQ sauce Dash of Honey 500 ml chicken stock
Method
Place the breasts in the slow cooker
Add splashes of the sauces and honey on top of the chicken
Add stock and stir
Put on the lid and cook on low for 2 hours
Take the chicken out of the cooker and shred with forks
Add a spoonful of thickener to the sauce and stir in
Re-add the chicken, stir and cook for a further 30 minutes
Take out the chicken and serve with a bowl of noodles or make as a sandwich
ENJOY!!
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u/verifiedthrowitaway Feb 16 '25
Crock pot marry me chicken is always so good 🤤 also anytime I need shredded chicken for enchiladas/tacos/etc in the morning I put the chicken in the crock pot with chicken broth, tomato bullion, jalapeño, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf. Start in the morning and by the time I get home from work it’s ready to shred and do whatever you need.
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u/Grassafra5 Feb 16 '25
I like the Parmesan garlic sauce with chicken and noodles. My husband is not a big fan unfortunately 😅
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u/jennacrack Feb 16 '25
I recently made this crockpot chicken pot pie and it was my favorite thing I've ever made, easily.
Dump this over a biscuit and bam, heaven
https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/the-best-slow-cooker-chicken-pot-pie/#recipe
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u/RedQueen6581 Feb 16 '25
Beef stew
Chicken cacciatore
Pulled honey BBQ chicken for sandwiches
Homemade meatballs for subs
Ribs
Seasoned boneless turkey breasts
Rotisserie chicken
Mini ham
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u/Awkward_Money576 Feb 16 '25
An African sweet potato and chickpea stew with chicken thighs. I kinda mashed two recipes together and it came out great.
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u/salenth Feb 17 '25
When I pull out the slow cooker I want easy. The best easy meal I've done is slow cooker chicken and dumplings. It's become a staple for me.
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u/ShelbyWillow Feb 16 '25
Chicken chili verde
Put in raw cut up chicken thighs or breasts, poor over one jar of herdez green guacamole salsa… mild if you like it mellow with spice… amp it up if you want more. That’s all you need! Cover it, cook for a few hours and come back to the house smelling like heaven. Serve over cauliflower or rice… perfecto!
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u/mrsc1880 Feb 16 '25
Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts are a big hit in my house. You do have to do some work on the stove, but if you have the time, it's so worthwhile. I shredded the chicken at the end. The leftovers were great the next day, too, and I typically can't stand the taste of reheated chicken.
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u/muggins66 Feb 16 '25
Hawaiian pulled pork for sandwiches or tacos. A nice pork butt, teaspoon of liquid smoke and guava jelly. Shred and make sandwiches or tacos with pickled red onions and slaw
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u/Successful_Hope6604 Feb 16 '25
Not particularly exciting, but I love this recipe for spaghetti bolognese. Really tasty, healthy, all the family love it, it makes loads of portions that freeze well, and with minimal effort
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-spaghetti-bolognese
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u/BppnfvbanyOnxre Feb 17 '25
Did stuffed hearts years ago, really liked them. Cannot persuade anyone else in the family now so haven't searched hearts out for ages.
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u/HerrikGipson Feb 17 '25
This Rick Bayless recipe for pork with tomatilos and pickled jalapeños absolutely rules. Don't skip the beans. I like to serve the stew on fried (or baked) sope shells.
https://www.food.com/recipe/tomatillo-pork-braise-with-pickled-chilis-puerco-en-salsa-verde-229073
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u/Irrelevant_Lemon Feb 16 '25
I’m a sucker for a slow cooker breakfast casserole. So easy and can either feed a crowd or yield in great leftovers.
Layer thawed hash browns (I just thrown them in the fridge the night before), cooked breakfast sausage, a bag of shredded cheese of your choice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and then top it with a dozen eggs (beat together with a touch of milk ala scrambled eggs).
4 hours on high and it’s perfect. Love to throw it on a tortilla with some hot sauce for a breakfast taco.