Crockpot Meals

[JoshuaNY]

I make these carribean pork chops. The recipe came with my crock pot. It is delicious and anything but boring. Pretty spicy but doesnt kill you. But if you dont like habanero a nice Serrano will do. The first time I made them they came out a little dry. I find the time on the recipes in the book are a little too long. I would cook it for an hour less on the low end.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
4 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup scallions, finely chopped
6 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons fresh ginger
2 habanero chili peppers, seeded and minced
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
8 lean pork chops, 1-inch thick
Directions

In a food processor, combine all of the herbs and spices with the scallions, soy sauce, fresh ginger, chili pepper, garlic, sugar and salt, and process to a coarse paste.
Coat the pork chops with this paste and place in the Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker.
Cover; cook on Low for 7-9 hours or on High for 4-5 hours.

[OldAF]

Make some Pulled Pork or Italian Beef. Either make super sandwiches. Must be dozens of online recipies.

[David in Boston]

I agree that much of what comes out of a slow cooker can be a bit on the boring side. Boring meaning kind of one dimensional in terms of texture and taste... I'm just not a fan of throwing a bunch of stuff in, cooking it until it's soft, and eating it as a unified meal.

I thought it was me all along.

Crockpots are great in that you fix it and forget it.

You come home and dinner is ready.

Still most of the chicken meals I've cooked have been somewhat boring as in texture and taste.

[Walter Sobchak]

New England Boiled Dinner FTW!

My grandparents and great grandparents thought it was the finest meal a person could lay on the table. I'm a food-lovin' guy, but to this day I make a sad face at the thought of a big boiled dinner.

[Mr5x5]

SWMBO has three and uses the "Fix it and Forget it" cookbooks.

[Walter Sobchak]

A couple of others I might have forgotten.

Found a recipe for a VERY delicious bread pudding that I've only made once, but if I can ever find it again I will make it again.

I find the crockpot very helpful in making extra dressing for Thanksgiving. You have to watch the moisture and make sure it doesn't dry out, but done right it's excellent. Frees up valuable stove space and makes a nice big pile of stuffing!

[dpm802]

When I'm in the mood for Crockpot cooking, I usually just go to the grocery store and pick up one of the seasoning packets that are made for that purpose, then follow the directions on the packet to select the other ingredients ... that way, I can get everything I need in one trip to the store, and don't have to guess whether or not I already have some at home.

One very useful thing to have is liner bags. You can find these in most grocery stores on the shelf where they have Ziploc baggies and tin-foil and Saran Wrap ... the liner-bags make cleanup a snap, well worth the 75cents or so that each one costs.

Incidently, the Crockpot was invented by Rival Corp. and they are the only ones authorized to use that word. Other companies must call their products "slow cookers."

[_JP_]

"One dimensional"?!

Take a quarter cup of melted butter, a couple 12 ounce cans of those cocktail peanuts, and a package of chili seasoning mix. Toss it all together in the crock pot and then let go on low for about 2 1/2 hours. And you have Chili Nuts. Who doesn't like hot nuts? You can easily adjust that recipe to your liking.

How about a refried bean dip? Chili con Queso dip? Mulled cider? Various soups? Bean dishes? Plum pudding? Boston brown bread? Chocolate pudding cake?

Still bored? Check out http://www.crock-pot.com Be a Crock Star.

[JaDo]

There was a crock pot brisket on Cook's Country Kitchen this weekend. Looked pretty good.

They did something I had never seen before: cooked some onions and put those in the bottom of the crock pot, then covered them with a small foil pan and put the brisket on top of the foil pan, while it cooked in the slow cooker.

I MUCH prefer slow smoked brisket over any other method of cooking it - I actually make a pilgrimage to the BBQ capital of Texas a few hours south of me a couple of times a year - but this looked interesting. As I said, it was a unique approach.

[StripeyType]

I am a big fan of overnight oatmeal for the crock pot.

[YetiDave]

Not a meal as such, but it'd be great for making chicken stock

[bassopotamus]

I like beef stew in mine. Also works well for chili and bean soup. Also, on the low setting, it is perfect for poaching salmon

[redrako]

Slow Cookers are simply a different tool for cooking. If the food is bland, it's not the fault of the appliance, but due to lack of seasoning. If your meal develops some it's flavor from browning meat or poultry, you'll need to do that beforehand in a dutch oven and then add that to the slow cooker for it's long, slow cook.

For example, Beef Stew is always better if the beef is lightly floured and browned in a skillet to develop the flavor of the beef. A whole chicken or a couple of chicken breast is delicious in a crockpot, but the skin will be completely white unless you brown it beforehand.

__________________________________________________ ____________

Crockpot Boston Baked Beans

1 lb small dry white beans
1 medium onion, chopped
8 slices bacon, chopped (or 1/4 pound large dice Salt Pork)
1/4 cup light (mild) molasses
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Rinse beans with cold running water In a large bowl, place beans and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

In 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 quart slow cooker, stir 3 1/2 cups water with beans and remaining ingredients except salt until blended.

Cover CP with lid and cook beans on low setting about 14 hours or until beans are tender and sauce is syrupy. Stir salt into bean mixture before serving.

Just Bean Recipes is located at www.justbeanrecipes.com

__________________________________________________ ____________

This is a tremendous recipe for Boston Baked Beans (Traditionally made with salt pork which is uncured bacon and never tomatoes) . They are delicious, healthy and very inexpensive. What makes the slow cooker particularly the perfect tool for making these beans, is that it comes very close to replicating the old daylong beanpot baking in a slow oven.

Like all bean recipes when you add an acid such as tomato or molasses, it will require a much longer cooking time which develops the flavor even more.

Try Maine Baked Beans going with Soldier Beans, Yellow Eyed Peas or the colorful Jacobs Cattle Beans, which all make for creamier baked beans. Vermont Baked Beans substitute Maple Syrup (the real stuff, not pancake syrup) for the Molasses.

The longer you let these cook on the low setting, the better they are - I've bone 20 hours on low for incredibly rich, flavred beans.

[blary54]

Thanks for all the great ideas guys!

[garyg]

Slow Cookers are simply a different tool for cooking. If the food is bland, it's not the fault of the appliance, but due to lack of seasoning. If your meal develops some it's flavor from browning meat or poultry, you'll need to do that beforehand in a dutch oven and then add that to the slow cooker for it's long, slow cook.

For example, Beef Stew is always better if the beef is lightly floured and browned in a skillet to develop the flavor of the beef. A whole chicken or a couple of chicken breast is delicious in a crockpot, but the skin will be completely white unless you brown it beforehand.

__________________________________________________ ____________

Crockpot Boston Baked Beans

1 lb small dry white beans
1 medium onion, chopped
8 slices bacon, chopped (or 1/4 pound large dice Salt Pork)
1/4 cup light (mild) molasses
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Rinse beans with cold running water In a large bowl, place beans and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

In 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 quart slow cooker, stir 3 1/2 cups water with beans and remaining ingredients except salt until blended.

Cover CP with lid and cook beans on low setting about 14 hours or until beans are tender and sauce is syrupy. Stir salt into bean mixture before serving.

Just Bean Recipes is located at www.justbeanrecipes.com

__________________________________________________ ____________

This is a tremendous recipe for Boston Baked Beans (Traditionally made with salt pork which is uncured bacon and never tomatoes) . They are delicious, healthy and very inexpensive. What makes the slow cooker particularly the perfect tool for making these beans, is that it comes very close to replicating the old daylong beanpot baking in a slow oven.

Like all bean recipes when you add an acid such as tomato or molasses, it will require a much longer cooking time which develops the flavor even more.

Try Maine Baked Beans going with Soldier Beans, Yellow Eyed Peas or the colorful Jacobs Cattle Beans, which all make for creamier baked beans. Vermont Baked Beans substitute Maple Syrup (the real stuff, not pancake syrup) for the Molasses.

The longer you let these cook on the low setting, the better they are - I've bone 20 hours on low for incredibly rich, flavred beans.

Great point, I'd also second the stuffing in the crockpot as being good & saving space.

My favorite crockpot recipe though is Country Ribs. Get some, brown them like above, cover with the BBQ sauce of your liking, slow cook for 6 8 10 hours. Simple enough, the browning helps

[TankCommander1554]

4-5lbs Beef Round/Shoulder, allow to thaw, cut up a few onions, salt/pepper to taste, add to crock pot with 1 bottle of your favorite beer. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Very tasty!

4-5lbs Pork Shoulder - thaw, dry rub if you wish. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Viola - pulled pork. Add a little water (less then a 1/4 cup at the bottom before you start cooking).

Both of these are at least 2 dinners worth of food.

[Slash McCoy]

Www.thevoicestoldme.com. Some of my recipes are crockpot enabled.

One thing I like to do is hit the grocery right at closing time and if they have those rotisserie roasted chickens left, they are usually marked down cause they can't sell them the next day. So I get a tasty roasted chicken for three bucks or less, a couple of jalapeños some onions and celery and stuff, and do my crockpot thing overnight. I got a hot tasty soup all ready whe. I get up in the morning. Have it for lunch too. It's usually gone before supper tho.

[jwhite]

I do shredded Chicken/beef/pork for Mexican all the time. For beef take a chuck roast coat liberally with salt and pepper and brown in a large skillet ad about two cups of beef broth/bouillon and let go for the day. When you get back from work use your favorite spice blend for tacos and shred meat with a couple forks. serve with warm corn tortillas I like to add chillies in adobo sauce with the broth at the beginning but they are still good without it. I like to add tender cactus and green chillies at the end for pork, and Mole or Mole Verde at the end for chicken.

[dannymayo]

No one mentioned Corned Beef. Get the one that comes with the spices with it. Add water, spices, meat, and your choice of vegatables. I'll put some whole potatos, carrots, onion, and a cabbage cut into quarters, et viola! Grab a 6 pack of Guiness, a loaf of rye bread, butter and you have an Irish feast.

[dpm802]

No one mentioned Corned Beef. Get the one that comes with the spices with it. Add water, spices, meat, and your choice of vegatables. I'll put some whole potatos, carrots, onion, and a cabbage cut into quarters, et viola! Grab a 6 pack of Guiness, a loaf of rye bread, butter and you have an Irish feast.

I usually substitute Coca-Cola Classic for the Guiness, but otherwise, my recipe is much the same as yours. And substitute sourdough for rye. I wait until a day or two AFTER St. Patrick's day, and then I'll stock up Corned Beef enough to last for a while.