Nothing greets you after a long day like the smell of dinner wafting through the air as you walk through your front door. As summer gives way to autumn and cooler days become the norm, dinners tend to go from crisp summer salads to comforting soups and roasts. Slow cooking a meal is one of the easiest ways to welcome your family home. However, busy schedules can make a homemade dinner seem impossible. That is why slow cooker meals may be the perfect answer for the modern family.
The history of the slow cooker goes back to the mid-1930s. Irving Naxon applied for the patent for a portable food-heating device that consisted of an insert, held up by an outer case that would evenly heat the food inside. The patent was granted by 1940, and he called it the Naxon Beanery. Naxon’s invention was inspired by the stories that his mother would share with him as he grew. She told him of a bean-based stew that she would make in her village bakery at her home in Lithuania.
The stew is known as cholent, a traditional Jewish dish that is to be cooked slowly, all day. The hearty soup traces its roots to the Sabbath, the day of rest is observed and those of the faith were not to do any work. The stew was to be placed on the heat source before the sun went down on Friday night when Sabbath begins, and would cook all the way through the end of Saturday services. The ovens were turned off for the Sabbath, but the heat that remained over the 24 hours was enough to allow the cholent to be fully cooked.
Naxon sold his design to Rival Manufacturing in the early 1970s, and the device became more popularly known as the Crock Pot. It was marketed to the busy mom who did not have time to create a home-cooked meal for her family.
Today there are several versions of slow cookers available, and they are as popular as ever. Over the decades, the slow cooker has evolved in functionality and aesthetics, and has easily become a must-have in your kitchen. Consumer Reports notes that over 83 percent of American families own a slow cooker.
While the actual slow cooking device is rather modern, the idea of slow cooking has been around for ages. The term “slow cooking” refers to any food preparation which relies on low-heat used over a long period of time to fully cook a dish. Barbeques, luau pits, smokers, and even using your oven on low heat could all qualify as slow cooking methods. In early American history, it was common practice to use a Dutch oven that would be buried in a pile of hot ashes.
The benefit of slow cooking is that the low and slow heat breaks down the connective tissue in tough cuts of meat and fibrous vegetables and creates an incredibly tender dish. It also allows for flavors to infuse over time, creating deeper flavors than most other methods. It is also used to break down potatoes, beans and pastas to better combine in soups and stews.
Today we have the convenience of the countertop-style slow cooker that can safely prepare a meal for us as we go about our day. Many cookbooks have been dedicated to the art of slow cooker recipes. Using a slow cooker allows for an infinite number of possibilities. You are only limited by your imagination.
The benefits of slow cooking go beyond the amazing blends of textures and flavors. It is an economical method of cooking, as it generally uses less energy to cook the same amount of food as traditional methods.
You can also create healthier options for meals, as most slow cooker recipes do not require oil and can be created with a large amount of fresh vegetables and lean meats. Because the lid on a slow cooker is not generally removed during the cooking process, the delicious juices remain in the dish and the nutritional benefits are not lost through draining or evaporation.
While slow cooker recipes are quite easy, there are a few rules of thumb that should be followed for truly successful meals. These tips can help make the difference between a good slow-cooked meal and a fantastic slow-cooked meal.
Root vegetables are slower to cook than meat, so they should be placed on the bottom of the slow cooker bowl or liner. Ingredients that tend to cook quickly, such as seafood, frozen vegetables, and dairy-based ingredients, should be put in last or on top and should be added during the last hour of the process.
Meat will often do better in slow cooker recipes if you quickly brown the edges in a very hot frying pan before placing it into the device. Pan searing also gives the meat a beautiful appearance when presenting your meal. If you have the time, try to start your slow cooker on high for a period of time, but turn it lower for the bulk of the cooking time.
Choose the correct slow cooker for the selected recipe. Slow cookers come in a variety of sizes that range from 1 to 8.5 quarts (while most recipes work well in 5-6-quart slow cookers). If your device is too small it could overflow, but if your device is too big it could lead to the dish being under filled.
A truly successful recipe will save you time and money. Prepare your ingredients the night before and toss everything into the slow cooker in the morning before you walk out the door to begin your day. To give you a start on your slow-cooking adventures, here are some pretty incredible recipes for you to try.
STUFFED PEPPERS
Ingredients:
• 4 medium multicolored bell peppers
• 1 pound ground beef, lean
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large jar spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce (about 32 ounces)
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the ground beef, finely chopped onion, cooked rice, and seasonings until well blended. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and fibers. Stuff the peppers with equal portions of the ground beef and rice mixture. Place the stuffed peppers in your slow cooker, place the tops back onto the peppers, and cover with the spaghetti sauce.
Cover and cook on low for six to seven hours or on high for three to four hours, or until the ground beef is thoroughly cooked and the peppers are tender. To check for doneness, insert an instant-read food thermometer into the center of the filling. It should read at least 160 degrees.
PERFECT SLOW COOKER POT ROAST
Ingredients:
• 4 -5 pound beef roast (cut of your choice)
• 1 envelope (1 1/4 ounce) onion soup mix
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
• 10-15 baby round golden potatoes
• 1 bunch chopped green onions
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine onion soup mix with the garlic powder. Rinse the roast with water and pat dry. Rub all surfaces of the meat with the dry spice mixture. Stab the spice mixture into the beef using a penetrating meat tenderizer tool or the tines of a fork, puncturing many times over all surfaces of the meat. This step is important. Use any remaining dry spice mixture to rub over the meat again.
Slice the green onions into thin slivers. Put 1/3 of the onion slivers into the bottom of a slow cooker and place the seasoned beef on top of the onions, in the center of the slow cooker. Wash the potatoes and put into slow cooker and add the remainder of the onion. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to suit your taste.
Dissolve a beef bouillon cube in 1 1/2 to 2 cups hot water and pour over the vegetables, surrounding the meat. You want about 2 or 3 inches of water in the bottom of the slow cooker. This will make a great tasting au jus.
Cook on medium-high heat in slow cooker for two hours, then reduce heat to low-medium for an additional three hours. **Key: If the meat is not falling apart easily with a fork, it is not ready yet. The servings are literally pulled apart with a fork and go straight to the plate.
CHICKEN TAGINE WITH LEMON AND OLIVES
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium)
• 1 teaspoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup pitted green olives, halved (about 12)
• 1 lemon, sliced thinly
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Combine lemon juice and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in your refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from bag and discard the marinade.
Pat your chicken dry with paper towels and then dredge each piece in flour, then sprinkle with salt, black pepper, turmeric, and red pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and brown for three minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and repeat this procedure with the remaining pieces of chicken. Place the pieces of chicken into a 5-6-quart slow cooker.
Add the onion, ginger, and garlic to your skillet and sauté for five minutes or until tender. Pour the mixture over your chicken in the slow cooker. Add the broth, olives, lemon slices, and a cinnamon stick. Cover the cooker and cook for two to three hours on high, or four to six hours on low, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of one of the uppermost pieces of chicken registers 170°F. Remove and discard cinnamon stick. Stir in fresh cilantro. Serve hot.
SHREDDED BARBEQUE CHICKEN
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup of your favorite barbeque sauce
• 1/4 cup Zesty Italian dressing
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt to taste
Directions:
Season chicken breast lightly (a small pinch per breast) with salt and pepper, and place them in your slow cooker. In a mixing bowl combine barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined.
Pour the mixture over chicken, cover and cook on HIGH for three to four hours. Once time is up, shred chicken breasts with two forks. Then, re-cover and allow to cook in sauce for about 15 more minutes to allow the chicken to fully soak in the barbecue marinade.
Serve on buns, over rice, in wraps, on a salad or eat a plateful as is!