10+ meals to cook in your slow cooker

what to cook when you wanna use your crock pot

I’ve never shared a recipe here that *requires* a slow cooker because 1) slow cooking goes against the “ready in under an hour” bylaw that I try to (almost always) follow here on What to Cook, and 2) not everyone has one! My goal is to write recipes that anyone can cook using only the most basic kitchen tools, and a bulky slow cooker does not fit that bill.

That said… if you do have a slow cooker, you know it can be a real game changer, especially when work or kids’ extracurriculars have you out of the house until 6 p.m. or later and you need to immediately feed a house full of hangry people.

Though I’ve never required one for a recipe, many WTC meals can absolutely be cooked in your slow cooker! And we’ve gotten a few requests for a list of slow cooker-friendly WTC recipes. So ask and you shall receive! Find the list down below, but first…

1. Here’s the slow cooker I have — it’s bare bones but gets the job done. I honestly don’t cook with it a ton because I work from home and because, well, my job is to cook! In my opinion, you really don’t need a fancy slow cooker — that said, if you slow cook often, I did some looking around and, wow, slow cookers have really upped their game since I bought mine more than a decade ago.

2. Crock-Pot, which was the OG brand of slow cooker and ubiquitous enough that people use the terms interchangeably now, has a cuter new model than the one I own. The lid latches down, which helps keep an even cook temp. It also has a built-in timer, which is nice.

3. Here’s a no-frills $29 slow cooker that’s aesthetically pleasing and has good reviews. And another from the same brand that’s a step up with a built-in timer.

4. This one has a built-in meat thermometer and the ability to set a “hold temp” — aka it’ll automatically switch to “keep warm” once it reaches your desired internal temperature so it doesn’t overcook your meat.

5. Also worth mentioning: using a slow-cooker liner can eliminate any clean up! If you’re really concerned about chemicals getting into your food you may not want to use them, but here are good tips on how to use them safely if you do.

6. Here are two more that come highly recommended by WTCers (thank you to Amy and Liz for your recs!) — they both allow you to brown/sauté food right in the slow cooker basin, so you don’t have to dirty a skillet: All-Clad’s gourmet plus slow cooker and Cuisinart’s 4-in-1 cooker.

As the name implies, slow cookers rely on low, slow, steady heat. There are typically 3 settings: “low,” “high,” and “keep warm.” If you’re cooking on low, the cook time will typically (though it varies!) be around 6 to 8 hours — on high, it’ll be closer to 4. Soups, stews, and other slouchy meals do great in the slow cooker, as do big tough cuts of meat that need low and slow heat to render them tender, succulent, and delicious.

Here are cuts of meat that thrive in a slow cooker:

• Pork shoulder

• Pork butt

• Chuck roast

• Beef shank or lamb shank

• Brisket

• Short ribs

• Oxtail

• Chicken thighs

And others that can do well too:

• Chicken breasts — just be careful not to overcook them, they’re less forgiving than chicken thighs

• Pork tenderloin

• Ground meats (but you need to brown them first!)

Also… dried beans!

Jillian from What to Cook uses her slow cooker most often to cook dried beans. She boils the beans to get the cooking process started (no need to soak them first!), then transfers them to the slow cooker along with water (8 cups for a pound of beans) and aromatics like garlic, jalapeño, onion, spices, etc. and cooks them on low for 6 to 8 hours until soft.

When to add what

There’s a general order of operations when you’re cooking a meal with various components in a slow cooker. Here it is, from the bottom of the slow cooker to the top. But also… let Google be your friend! If you’re converting a soup or one-pot recipe to the slow cooker, you can search “how long does XYZ ingredient take to cook on low (or high) in a slow cooker?” and make a plan accordingly.

• Hard veggies like potatoes, carrots, onions, etc. should typically be on the bottom.

• Meat should be in the middle (in some cases, like with ground meat, you’ll need to cook it before adding).

• Sauces, broth, and dried spices should go next.

  • If your meat has a dry rub on it, be sure to add the liquid around the meat — don’t pour it over top because it’ll wash the dry rub off!

  • Many slow cooker recipes include liquid, which acts like a conduit for the heat, but if you’re cooking a big hunk of meat that will release liquid as it cooks, it’s not always necessary.

• If you’re cooking more tender veggies like zucchini or bell pepper and want them to keep their shape, add them for the last hour or so of cooking. If you don’t care if they get mushy, you can add them on top from the start.

• Greens like spinach and fresh herbs should be added for only the last 15-30 minutes or so of cooking.

• Same goes for dairy — add creamy elements for the last 15-30 minutes.

• If you’re cooking a meal that includes a grain, you need to consider the grain you’ve got. Rice, for example, is a grain that I wouldn’t want to overcook in a slow cooker because it’d get mushy. Farro, on the other hand, is a sturdier grain that could cook for many hours without losing its shape. Again, use Google to help you determine the right time to add the ingredient you have on hand!

Here are 10+ WTC recipes to choose from next time you want to whip out your Crock-Pot. See the notes section beneath each recipe for a specific how-to for cooking it in a slow cooker.

Also, a quick caveat: These recipes weren’t *written* for a slow cooker, but we think they would all adapt nicely to it! They may turn out a little differently than what’s pictured — your veggies might be more tender than they would be if you cooked them as written, your meat won’t get crispy, etc. — but they’ll be fully cooked and flavorful and delicious with very little hands-on effort. Don’t let great be the enemy of good!

these are the first 6 recipes listed below, listed in clockwise order from top left!

• peanut vegetable curry

• rotisserie-ish chicken with schmaltzy frizzled cabbage

• chicken, mushroom, and farro soup

• beef and three bean chili

• pork butt (from which you can make Lexington-style chop sandwiches, pork vermicelli noodle bowls, and/or carnitas tacos! recipes for all three meals are within that one post)

• cider-braised roast

• butternut squash farro-tto

• the California Christmas roast *and* the Boursin risotto from 2023’s easy-but-fancy holiday menu

• green chicken tortilla soup

• winter stew

• early dismissal pot roast by Dan Pelosi

This list is not exhaustive! Almost any soup or stew from the archives can be turned into a slow cooker recipe! If you have had success cooking another WTC recipe in a slow cooker, or if you have a certain slow cooker you love and recommend, please let us know!