So, anyone got good crock pot meals/recipes?



<This is now the official crock pot/slow cooker recipe thread - Z>

For pot roast in a slow cooker what's the cut of meat I'm looking for at the store, I always get lost and have the glazed over look at the meat counter looking the different cuts.  

I get whatever is usually called "beef chuck roast".

With beef prices what they are these days........which ever one you can afford.

Chuck roast usually works best for me.. The more fat the more flavor the roast will have..

This



 

I'm tying to think of what cuts of beef I have not put in a crock pot yet. I think I'm down to offal, brains, tongue (May have to try that one), heart.......that's all that is left for me to try. Not doing liver.

Sounds pretty good! I'd have to spice it up quite a bit more, but it sounds like a good base. Let us know how it turns out.



 

Yeah... Momma doesn't like her chili too spicy, so I usually have to doctor mine up in the bowl.

Ditto the chuck roast.  The recipe is simplicity itself.  Before you put it in the cooker, throw it on a really hot skillet for long enough to brown it all over.  Then into the crock pot. with it.  Blacken some onion halves on the skillet as well.  Char the flat sides and then toss em in the pot.  Throw in a few cups of carrot chunks and a few new potatos, cut in half.  Peel a fist of garlic and toss in all of it.  Trust me.  It's gonna cook down

One can of beef stock,

3 sprigs of rosemary

Lots of black pepper and enough salt to make you feel guilty.

Put the lid on it, turn it on and come back in 10 hours.

If you want dumplings, take  a half pack of Grands buttermilk  biscuits, make little balls and drop em in on top. in one layer.  You'll have a moist  fluffy bread top with gooey gravy soaking into the bottom.

Yeah, my wife was like that in the beginning, but she's developing a tolerance for spicy foods after being with me for so long.  



My chili recipe is pretty similar to yours, but I use the Hot Rotel for the small diced tomatoes and mexican style pinto beans instead of the kidney beans, along with whatever peppers I feel like throwing in at the time.



 

We did a turkey recipe yesterday. I didn't see it in this thread, so here it is:

1/4c softened butter
1/2c fresh sage
1/2c fresh tarragon
4tsp minced garlic
2tsp black pepper
1tsp salt
6lb turkey breast

Cook in a crockpot on low 6-8hr.

My wife doesn't eat turkey other than fried wild turkey. She got seconds when we had this last night. I stuck the leftovers in the freezer. I plan to make soup or a white chili with it.

Anyone ever try beef cheeks? Simply cook as a pot roast in the slow cooker...heaven.

I like to do Ox tail or shanks in the slow cooker aka Osso Buco.

For all you guys who like or want demi-glace the slow cooker is a fantastic way to make it.
Mirepoix for rack-carrots onion, celery
veal or beef bones
Red wine
tomato paste
whole black pepper
Bay leaves,
Thyme, Oregano, Parsley stems
garlic
water

In oven in deep roaster lay out mirepoix, add bones and roast until bones are brown, remove from oven, drain grease, add to crock pot. Pour red wine in roaster to deglaze, scrup pan with wooden spoon to lossen bits, add to slow cooker. Add tomato paste, garlic and herbs. cover with cold water turn on low. Take a set of chop sticks and crack the lid to vent, allow to come to a simmer for and 1.5 hours.

Now classically one would call this first run a wash, this would be drained and used on another batch as it will contain a large amount of fat. But for our sake we will use it. We will just have to be diligent in our depouillage or skimming of the fats. Purests would have one coat the veal bones with the tomato paste after browning and allow it to cook longer. This is a great way to make Espaniol sauce. IMHO Espainol has too much tomato and limits the usefullness of the demi-glace, so I add it after the browning as we begin to make the stock and I use less paste. We need the acid the tomato provides to pull the browned natural carmalization from the bones and mirepoix into suspension. In a restaurant setting this would be done in a large steam jacketed kettle, and during the day the cooks would be adding vegtable scraps into the stock all day long. Also a large amount of fresh tomato scraps would be going in this too to compensate for the lower amount of paste. We would also use a first wash from a previous batch as well as a vegtable stock from veggie scraps saved the day before.

Resist the temptation to salt this. We are going to super concentrate this and any salt addition may be problematic later. Save the salt for the final seasoning of the dish.

We will let this go overnight topping with water again and let it go until the next day adding water as it is delpleted. During this time we will be skimming as much fat and scum from the top as it accumilates Again in a professional setting this would have been drained and rewet but we are just going to top off because we are not using 100 lbs of bones and we want to get everything we can out of the bones we can so we must keep adding water to the stock to do this. Conversely one may strain the stock, reserve then re-wet the bones totally up to you. Next day we can strain, if you feel like there are still protiens to extract from the bones top off the water and let it go for longer if desired. But we are looking for a mild but flavorful stock. Strain and discard bones and mirepoix. Bones should be hollow.

Wipe out crock pot and add stock back and turn on with vented lid. Or place in a stockpot on stove top and bring to low simmer reduce by 1/2 continuing to skim impurities as the accumilate on the surface. Cool and pour into container and refridgerate. When cool take a spoon and scrape any remaining fat from the surface and discard. This will keep in the back of the refridgerator for a long time. Some people will pour into Ice trays and freeze then once frozen pop them into a zip-lock bag. You can strain through a fine chinois and reduce by half again for glace de viande and have heaven in a spoon. Chill it and play jacks it you want!

Now you will have a super flavorful base you can use to enrich any sauce you wish. One can take lamb bones say the trimmings from a rack and make a quick brown stock then add the demi-glace to give body and richness while keeping the flavor profile of the lamb strong. Whisk in some mint jelly maybe whole butter on the end and viola mint lamb sauce. Do the same with Duck, Roast the carcass with mirepoix quick brown stock, strain, reduce, add stock to the pan, finish with port, a spoon of demi-glace-yum!

The recipe turned out really well! I'd classify it as a mild-to-medium heat... Momma loved it and I didn't have to doctor it up too much.

I made this Sunday and it was great.  I didn't have any Dizzy Pig, but I did use some kind of 7 pepper seasoning.  The only thing I would change is doubling the batch for more left overs.  Thanks for sharing.

No problem! I've picked up a few new recipes in this thread, so I figured I'd share one. I'm glad you liked it!

Cambells makes slow cooker sauces in a bag.  I highly suggest the Moroccan Chicken.  I have done it with both boneless skinless thighs and breasts.  Delicious and way to easy.

All right guys, I need help with venison roasts. I have probably 3 or 4, 3lb deer roasts from last year that I need to cook. The last one I did in the crockpot didn't turn out too good, it was dry and tough (I know, its venison) so im looking for ideas

I do those with 1/2 to 1 jar of the pepperoncini's, shred the meat, and make sandwiches.

Cut up some fresh mushrooms and an whole onion.  Sear off roast in a skillet , then put it in a crock pot and cover with your favorite jarred gravy.  Shred and serve over rice or egg noodles.

Maybe add a few beef bouillon cubes or a little beef broth if need be.

Had this one in the pot yesterday and it turned out really well.

I agree with doubling it, I am a bit sad I won;t have more leftovers.

Thanks for posting!

+1 good stuff

You know I've been reading rave reviews on this recipe for a long time and finally broke down and made it. It is good but did not live up to the hype for me. I make something similar and in both cases the first thing that hits me is there is no eye appeal. It is un-icolored and drab, no pop for the eye.

I do something similar. Instead of cream cheese I use sour cream that I think gives a bit more pop to flavor. I add pimentos to this do add a tiny bit of color -- diced scallions might be a nice garnish -- and I don't use Italian dressing but I do wrap each piece of chicken with a slice of bacon -- mmmmm bacon --  and serve it over noodles or rice. I did the Italian chicken over baked potato because I had some laying around.

My wife and I tried this a couple months back and had that exact same impression.

 

It's definitely not a recipe that you'd find in a restaurant or winning any contests.

Just a easy, cheap, and simple meal for the family on a week night.

Might be good to add veggies like frozen broccoli, carrots etc?

Zed - made this last night for the wife and I and also took a plate to my 84 yoa mother. Don't get the leftovers - there weren't any. Put 2 bowls of it down for my dogs and ate it like they were starving. Good stuff man. Thanks !!!!!!!

Im digging this thread

I did the pulled pork a few nights ago. man alive about 0400 the whole place smelled like Christmas..
best part is roomy is a vegan so its all mine!!!

keep em coming

Happy everyone enjoyed it :)

Slow Cooker Hot Wings

http://www.chow.com/recipes/30963-slow-cooker-hot-wings

I threw this one in the pot this morning for dinner tonight.



http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/04/slow-cooker-tamale-pie.html



First time making it, so I'll update after I see how it turns out tonight.

Huh.  I make it quite often, my kids love it and I think it's pretty good.  I've found it's better (at least to me) if I cube the chicken first.  I usually add some Colby cheese to the top of it too.

I have some mixed beans and ham hocks in the crock pot right now with some chicken broth.  Never tried it before, we'll see how it turns out.

Every so often I pick up a ham, slice it and toss it in the crock pot with a 50/50 mix of Mt Dew and orange juice.  I use the ham for sandwiches, serve it plain or whatever.  Lasts a few days at my house and the kids love it.  It rivals Grandma's Easter ham (but please don't tell her that).    

My mom tried it also and added pineapple which was good too.  I don't like to do that because when there are only a few slices left I cut them up and add them to scrambled eggs.  

Hmm, that sounds quick and tasty.  I'll have to give that a try!



 

These look amazing.

I cooked these last weekend and thought they were great. We had some friends over and several people said they were the best wings they have ever had. Literally fell off the bone.

I followed the recipe in the oven and my oven must run hot.  It got them pretty dark. Darker than I wanted.  

I also put the sugar in the sauce when they were in the slow cooker and not after so I wasn't 100% happy with them.  

Trial run.  Will do some differently next time.  

Not giving up.

OST

they were darker because you added the sugar before they went into the oven and it(the sugar) "burned" while they were in there

There was a recipe posted here for a dip with cream cheese, sour cream and cooked sausage.  It is my younger son's favorite now, and I think it's great.

Tag

Made this today, to the letter. All I can say is damn! Probably the best stew I've ever had.

What's the word on this one?

Wife and I made this a couple weeks ago and it was quite good. It'll be added to our meal rotation.



 

It can, but is better with pork butt/shoulder. The meat in a loin tends to be dryer.