25 Flavorful Fall Slow Cooker Recipes Perfect for Chilly Nights (2024)

FAQs

What cannot be cooked in a slow cooker? ›

Use the slow cooker low setting

Ginny has been working with slow-cookers for over a decade, and her advice is to use the 'Low' slow cooker settings as much as you can, finding that most dishes really benefit from a slow, gentle heat to really bring out the flavours.

Make-ahead when possible: If your slow cooker has a removable insert, assemble the ingredients the night before and refrigerate the entire insert overnight. It's important to note that starting with cool ingredients may lengthen cooking time (but be sure to keep them out of the temperature danger zone).

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.

Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are designed to cook raw meats. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time and steam created from the tightly covered container destroys bacteria, making slow cooking safe. You can put frozen chicken in a slow cooker, too!

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Insufficient seasoning, such as chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt, can lead to bland chili. Chili relies on a combination of spices and seasonings for its distinctive flavor. Be sure to taste your chili during the cooking process and adjust the seasonings as needed.

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.

It seems a lot of recipes basically say to just throw in the raw onions. This is convenient, and the big advantage with the slow cooker is its convenience, but I find that it makes for a very pungent flavor.

Don't leave it on 'warm' all day

Most appliances will automatically shut off after 20 or so hours on this setting, but you shouldn't leave food in a slow cooker for an extended length of time. The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm.

Can you put raw meat in a slow cooker? ›

Can you put meat straight into a slow cooker? Meat can be added directly unseared and not browned.

However, the slow cooker will never be hot enough to brown the meat, so if you decide to skip this step be aware that the finished dish may look paler than expected. Browning the meat doesn't take long and has some advantages, including a good looking, caramelised surface and richer coloured dish.

Never ever put liquid into the base of a slow cooker. It was not designed for that and clearly states not to immerse the base in water. The heating element and components are not in a waterproof environment. You will quickly ruin the heating element and risk injury from electrical leakage into the metal base.

Information. 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.

Add your ingredients at the right time

Some ingredients cook quicker than others so although it might be tempting, you can't just throw everything in your slow cooker and expect it all to cook perfectly.

Research conducted by USDA FSIS indicates it's safe to cook large cuts of meat and poultry in a slow cooker.

You certainly can add raw ground beef to the crockpot. As a matter of fact, many (if not most) slow-cooker chili recipes ask for the meat to be added raw.

Can you put meat straight into a slow cooker? Meat can be added directly unseared and not browned. However, browning meat and caramelising the beef is a great way to add depth of flavour and improve the visual appearance of the final dish.