Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (2024)

It’s likely that you have some stereotypical associations with slow cookers, none of them particularly manly: Midwestern grandmothers making cheesy potatoes for a church pot luck, your mom serving up slow-cooked stew after you came home from football practice, or your wife and her girlfriends trading recipes on Pinterest.

In reality, however, the slow cooker is in many ways the perfect kitchen appliance for the modern man. Besides its affordability and convenience, it can turn even the most cooking-averse fella into a confident amateur chef.

If you’ve never used a crockpot much or at all, below we highlight the benefits of doing so, and then provide some dishes to get you started. At the end, we’ll even show you how to take your slow-cooking skills up a notch with recipes from a professional chef.

The Benefits of Using a Crockpot

They’re convenient and can have dinner ready to go when you walk in the door. The last thing you often want to do after walking in the door from a full day of work is prep and cook a nice dinner made with real food(let alone clean it up too!). It’s just so hard to get motivated. So you resort to take-out, frozen dinners, and the like. In using a crockpot, and front-loading your meal prep effort at the more bushy-tailed part of the day, though, you can have a meal started when you leave the house in the morning, and have it ready when you walk in the door at night. Instant dinner, whether it’s just for you or the whole family. Bonus: clean up is often as simple as throwing the crockpot container in the dishwasher.

They make meal prep easy for beginners (even healthy foods!).There are plenty of slow cooker recipes that involve as much prep as any other stovetop or oven-cooked meal. But surely one of the primary benefits of slow-cooking is that it’s quite often as easy as doing some chopping and then plopping all the ingredients in the pot for 8 hours or so. For someone who’s new to cooking, it’s truly the way to go. The Weekly Chicken recipe below is something you can do even if you’ve lived your life under a rock and have never been in a kitchen before.

And while your crockpot memories may primarily be comprised of loaded quesos (which have their place — see below!), creamy mashed potatoes, and other yummy, fatty, processed-food filled dishes, the appliance actually makes cooking on the healthier side a breeze. Soups, lean meats, seafoods, veggies — you name it, the slow cooker can cook it. Preparing paleo meals, for instance, doesn’t have to be so hard if you just use the right tools (there are in fact numerous paleo slow cooking cookbooks out there).

It’s affordable! Just like with anything, you can find fancy models of slow cookers. There are indeed $100+ crockpots out there in gigantic sizes and/or with whiz-bang features that will literally let you control the device from your smartphone. If that’s your thing, go for it. But one of the real benefits of slow cooking is that it’s a dang affordable appliance. You can get well-rated models for between $20-$30. And since it’s such a simple machine — just a controllable heating element and a big ceramic/metal dish — even those cheap versions should last many years.

It’s not just the appliance itself that is cheap; the food you make with it can be too. Whole meats and vegetables are cheaper than premade frozen meals, and, especially if you’re a bachelor or have a small family, a crockpot recipe can not only make a meal for that day, but plenty of leftovers for the days to come.

It tenderizes meat and melds flavors.Using a crockpot is pretty much braising made easy. It especially works wonders with meat; cooking at a low heat for extended periods of time breaks down the fat and tenderizes the fibers, making for moist, truly delectable dishes. You’ll be amazed at what happens to a roast or a chicken breast after slow cooking it for a number of hours — it will literally fall apart at the touch of a knife or fork.

Beyond just tenderizing your meat, the crockpot really melds flavors together — allowing juices and spices to be fully incorporated into whatever you’re cooking.

Holds food at the proper temperature for a long time.When it comes to entertaining, one thing that can trip up even seasoned hosts is not only preparing large portions of food, but timing everything to be done at the same time. And then keeping those dishes warm through everyone being served (not to mention seconds!). One solution? Break out the slow cooker! Just about anything — from meat-heavy main dishes to veggie sides to warm appetizers — can be cooked in advance and held at just the right temperature until ready to serve.

Now that we know the benefits of using a slow cooker, it’s time to get to work – slowly.

A Few Beginner Recipes

These recipes are super simple, and super delicious.

Weekly Chicken

Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (2)

Weekly chicken, in chile relleno form.

I call this recipe such, because it’s usually a Sunday ritual in my home to cook this chicken for use throughout the week. The chicken shreds beautifully, and it always turns out flavorful and juicy. I like to use this chicken in sandwiches, quesadillas, or as the base for chile rellenos.

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
  • 1 jar salsa, whatever brand you prefer

Directions

Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and season with taco seasoning. Pour salsa over chicken. Cook on high 4 hours, or low 8 hours. Shred chicken in juices and serve immediately, or pack tightly and refrigerate for use throughout the week.

To make chile rellenos:Char the skins of 2 poblano peppers, then remove. Cut peppers in half. Pour enchilada sauce into the bottom of a baking dish, add peppers, and stuff with chicken. Top with grated cheese, and more sauce if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through and cheese has melted.

Ham + White Bean Soup

Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (3)

This is one of my holiday favorites — a great, comforting soup to make use of all that leftover ham. But it makes for a hearty, tasty dish any other time too. I prefer using dry beans over canned, but you can always use that shortcut and cut your cooking time in half.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups dry white navy beans (soak overnight, per directions on bag)
  • 1 lb. shredded ham
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. hot sauce
  • 2 quarts chicken stock

Directions

Combine all ingredients into slow cooker and cook on high 4 hours, or low 8 hours until beans are tender. Taste occasionally, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary.

Loaded Queso

Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (4)

A queso of Velveeta, Rotel, and ground beef is one of the most popular of all slow cooker recipes. I make my own twist on this classic, subbing the ground beef for country sausage and the Velveeta for cream cheese. The result is a richer, sturdier queso.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. country sausage
  • 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes
  • Tortilla chips, to serve

Directions

  1. Brown the sausage until cooked through; drain fat.
  2. Add cooked sausage, cream cheese, and tomatoes to slow cooker, cook on high until cheese is melted through and creamy, about 75 minutes. Reduce heat to low and serve with tortilla chips.

Taking Things Up a Notch

Believe it or not, it’s not just home cooks who like the commonplace crockpot — top chefs even use them. In fact, renowned chef Hugh Acheson devoted an entire cookbook to the device. I got in touch with him and was passed along the following recipes that will raise and diversify your slow cooker game once you’ve got the basics down.

Basic Chicken Stock

Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (5)

Chefs like Acheson will always tell you that a homemade stock will beat the pants off of anything you can buy in the store. You can use the stock immediately in your favorite recipes, or freeze for later use.

Ingredients

Makes 4 quarts

  • 1 chicken, head removed but feet are good if they are attached
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 branch of fresh thyme (or several sprigs)
  • 2 branches of fresh parsley (or several sprigs)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 medium white onions, quartered
  • 3 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 3 branches of celery with leaves, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 6 black peppercorns

Directions

  1. Butcher the chicken into 8 pieces. Keep the gizzards, heart, neck, and backbone for the stock, but set the liver aside for another day. (Livers are great to accumulate in the freezer for a pâté or to finish sauces.) Season the chicken pieces with ½ teaspoon of salt.
  2. Place the chicken pieces into a large slow cooker. Add the garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, onions, carrots, celery, coriander, and peppercorns. Add 4 quarts of cold water. Turn the cooker on low and walk away for 8 hours. After 8 hours strain the stock, discard the solids, and freeze what you won’t use within 5 days.

Boiled Peanuts

Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (6)

“Green” peanuts are the raw peanut, before curing and roasting. They have a season that runs from August to November, but it can be challenging to find them north of Virginia or so. Still, you should make the effort to find them, because they are an amazing snack when boiled until soft in water that’s spiked with vinegar and red pepper. They end up like beans that have a rich, nutty flavor.

When we cook them, we end up giving them to friends and neighbors — it’s a natural way of demonstrating that innate Southern hospitality. And if you like a little kick to your nuts, add some cayenne to the mix before cooking them.

If you can’t find them at a local grocery store, try looking in the produce section of Asian markets, or buy them online.

Ingredients

Makes 4 quarts

  • 2 pounds green peanuts
  • ½ cup kosher salt
  • ½ cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Using the lid of the slow cooker as a stencil, trace its outline onto a piece of parchment paper with a pencil. Cut out the shape with scissors and set it aside.
  2. Place the peanuts, salt, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a slow cooker and add 4 quarts of water. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 1 hour. Then place the piece of parchment directly on the peanuts, reduce the setting to low, and cook for 11 hours, or until the peanuts are tender, like well-cooked beans. Serve them warm, or cool the peanuts in their cooking liquid and store them in it too. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Catfish Stew

Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (7)

A recipe that blends Hugh’s Southern style of cooking with the philosophy that great meals can be cooked, and held, in the slow cooker. If you want a change of pace from Grandma’s pot roast stew, this is your new go-to.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

  • 1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
  • ½ pound slab bacon, diced
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 branch of celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 cups clam juice
  • 2 cups fish stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut into 1-inch long rounds
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1½ pounds catfish filets, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup minced parsley
  • ½ cup pickled banana peppers, thinly sliced
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat a slow cooker on high for at least 15 minutes. Empty the can of tomatoes and their liquid into a food processor and pulse to break them down a bit.
  2. Set a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and cook for 10 minutes or until most of the fat has rendered. Add the onions, peppers, and celery and cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and add the mixture to the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, cloves, mace, allspice, clam juice, stock, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on low heat. The potatoes should be fork-tender at this point.
  3. Add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Season the catfish pieces with ½ teaspoon of salt, then add them to the slow cooker and cook for 20 minutes.
  4. Add the butter to the pot, stir gently, then ladle the stew into individual bowls. Garnish with the parsley, banana peppers, and finish with a grind of black pepper and additional salt to taste.

_____________________________

Matt Moore is a regular contributor to the Art of Manliness and the author ofThe South’s Best Butts.

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Not Your Grandma's Crockpot: 6 Slow-Cooking Recipes for the Modern Man (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a slow cooker and a crockpot? ›

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

What cannot be cooked in a slow cooker? ›

What not to put in a slow cooker
  1. Lean, tender cuts of meat. Lean, tender (and usually more expensive cuts) will actually become dry and tough if you cook them in a slow cooker! ...
  2. Meat with skin left on. ...
  3. Too much liquid. ...
  4. Delicate vegetables. ...
  5. Fresh herbs and spices. ...
  6. Milk and cream. ...
  7. Alcohol. ...
  8. Seafood.

What is best cooked in a slow cooker? ›

The Best Foods to Cook in Your Slow Cooker
  1. Long-Cooking Cuts of Meat. Tough cuts of meat that turn out meltingly tender when cooked low and slow are made for this appliance. ...
  2. Whole Chicken & Chicken Thighs. ...
  3. Soups, Stews & Chilis. ...
  4. Dips.
Jan 6, 2020

What are the disadvantages of a slow cooker? ›

What are the disadvantages of a slow cooker? Slow cookers only apply heat to the bottom of the crock, which cuts down on their ability to reduce liquids and brown foods, and develop flavor the same way a Dutch oven or pressure cooker can.

Can you put raw meat into a slow cooker? ›

Raw Meat. Technically you can cook raw meat in a slow cooker, but it's tricky and requires a bit of preparation in order for it to be really worth it. If you simply pop some raw meat in your slow cooker, it won't have a chance to brown, which adds some much-needed flavor and cuts down on plenty of unappealing grease.

Can I put frozen meat in a slow cooker? ›

It is best to thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Frozen pieces will take longer to reach a safe internal temperature and could possibly result in foodborne illness. Frozen or partially frozen foods can also cool everything else in the slow cooker.

What happens if you don't brown meat before a slow cooker? ›

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

Why put paper towel under Crockpot lid? ›

To prevent water from dripping back onto food in a slow cooker, some people place a clean, folded kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towels between the lid and the pot to absorb moisture. If you use the technique, make sure you still have a tight seal between the lid and the pot.

Why put foil under the lid of a slow cooker? ›

Crock pot tip - add aluminum foil to cover the lid. The heat bounces off from the lid and allows your food to cook faster. Also, you will not lose any of the steam that usually evaporates.

Why putting a tea towel over a slow cooker? ›

Try putting a tea towel over the top of the slow cooker before replacing the lid. This absorbs the excess moisture, thickening the dish and deepening its flavours. The cloth can be replaced with a fresh one when needed, but usually one tea towel during the final couple of hours will do the trick.

What is the difference between a slow cook and a Crockpot? ›

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.

What is the best meat to slow cook? ›

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.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›

The difference is the time it takes to reach that temperature. Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point.

Do you have to brown stew meat before putting it in the Crockpot? ›

Ground meat should always be browned in a skillet and drained before adding it to the slow cooker with the other ingredients. This process prevents it from clumping together as it cooks and cuts down on the amount of grease in the final dish.

Can you put raw burger in Crockpot? ›

AND - it is yummy. However, using raw ground beef in a slow cooker recipe will make for a final dish with lots of excess grease. Greasy soup, chili, and meat sauce are yucky! So, using previously cooked meat is recommended.

Why is a slow cooker called a Crockpot? ›

A slow cooker, also known as a crock-pot (after a trademark owned by Sunbeam Products but sometimes used generically in the English-speaking world), is a countertop electrical cooking appliance used to simmer at a lower temperature than other cooking methods, such as baking, boiling, and frying.

Is Crockpot better on low or high? ›

Foods take different times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting.

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