If you’re looking for easy Crockpot recipes and ideas, as well as plenty of helpful suggestions for using your slow cooker, you’ll want to read this article the whole way through.

Introduction to Slow Cooking Easy Crockpot Recipes

What is a Slow Cooker or Crockpot?

A slow cooker is a kitchen appliance used for cooking food at a low heat for a long period of time. It is sometimes called a crockpot, even though Crockpot is actually a brand of slow cookers. This is probably due to the popularity of the brand, which has been around for over 50 years.

A slow cooker typically consists of a ceramic or metal cooking pot that is heated by electricity, and a lid that fits snugly on top to trap heat and moisture. The slow cooking process allows ingredients to cook and develop flavours gradually, resulting in tender and delicious meals.

Whether you’re looking to make a hearty stew, a pot roast, curry or a chilli, a slow cooker is a versatile and convenient tool for creating meals with minimal effort. After you add your ingredients your Crockpot or slow cooker will do all the work for you.

The Process of Slow Cooking

The low and slow cooking process of a slow cooker is what sets it apart from other kitchen appliances.

This method involves cooking food at a low temperature (usually between 200-300°F or 93-149C) for an extended period of time, typically 4-8 hours or sometimes longer.

This slow and gentle heat helps to break down tough cuts of meat and concentrate flavours together, resulting in tender and tasty dishes.

The slow cooker’s tight-fitting lid also helps to trap heat and moisture, which further contributes to the slow cooking process by preventing the food from drying out or cooling down too quickly. The slow cooker’s tight-fitting lid also helps to trap heat and moisture, which further contributes to the slow cooking process by preventing the food from drying out or cooling down too quickly.

By cooking food slowly and steadily, a slow cooker allows you to create delicious, quality meals with minimal effort, making it a popular choice for busy home cooks.

Benefits of Using a Slow Cooker

• Time-saving: Slow cookers allow you to prepare meals in advance and have them ready when you need them, freeing up your time for other activities.
• Energy-efficient: Slow cookers use less energy compared to ovens and stovetops, making them an eco-friendly option for cooking.
• Convenient: Slow cookers are easy to use and require minimal supervision, making them a great choice for busy individuals and families.
• Versatile: Slow cookers can be used to cook a wide variety of dishes, from stews and soups to casseroles and desserts.
• Tender and Tasty Meals: The low and slow cooking process of a slow cooker helps to break down tough cuts of meat and develop flavour, resulting in tender and delicious meals.
• Stress-free: Slow cookers take the stress out of meal prep, allowing you to cook meals without worrying about checking the pan or oven.
• One-pot meals: Slow cookers allow you to cook all the components of a meal in one pot, reducing the number of dishes you need to clean and making it easier to serve.

Best Foods to Cook in a Slow Cooker

• Stews
• Ragus
• Soups
• Pot roasts and pulled meats e.g. pulled pork shoulder
• Chillis
• Tagines
• Curries
• Casseroles
• Some desserts e.g. brownies and cakes
• Terry’s Orange Hot Chocolate! See video below.

Any kind of meals that benefit from a long cooking time are perfect for your Crockpot or slow cooker.

Foods to Avoid Cooking in a Slow Cooker

• Foods that require browning first
• Delicate vegetables and herbs that will go mushy (add these in at the end)
• Raw rice or pasta – these need boiled first
• Some dairy products e.g. milk or cream which will separate
• Lean meats e.g. small cuts of steak that fall apart easily
• Alcohol as it won’t burn off at low heat with a lid on

Can You Cook Raw Meat in the Slow Cooker?

While you can definitely cook raw meat in the slow cooker, many people prefer to brown the meat first for extra flavour. The gentle heat of the slow cooker won’t sear or brown the meat, but it will slowly cook it.

Always check the internal temperature of the meat with a meat thermometer to be sure your meat is cooked properly. For example chicken needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F to be safe to eat.

Easy Family Slow Cooker Meal Ideas

• Beef Bourguignon

• Paella

• Spaghetti Bolognese

• Slow Cooker Pork Ribs in the Crockpot

• Beef Chilli Nachos

Top 10 Easy Crockpot Recipes

For more ideas on easy Crockpot recipes, including a Moroccan tagine, beef short ribs and more, try this article below.

Slow Cooker Curry Recipes

Indian Restaurant Style Curry Base Gravy

Once you’ve made this base gravy in your slow cooker, you can batch it up and use it over and over again as the basis for restaurant quality curries at home.