Slow cooker smash hits (with recipes!)

[rhubarbfool]

There was a great thread the other day asking what everyone had made recently in their slow cookers - so much of it sounded amazing. I only just bought my slow cooker and I'm a novice - so I still need instructions and would love it if you would share your absolute favourite recipes - criteria being taste/popularity and ease of prep.

I have made this sweet balsamic glazed pork a couple of times and it's gone down a storm. Basically just cooking a pork shoulder until it falls apart/ shreds pulled-pork style and then at the end making a quick sauce to pour over it. Couldn't have been easier. I served it with sticky rice and broccoli, everyone loved it.

I will just keep on talking to myself until someone joins in 😉. Like some batty old aunt. Just ordered a slow cooker cookbook so if I have any triumphs, I'll post them here.

I made the BBC good food slow cooker Thai green curry last night

here.

I am not a fan of slow cooker food but need to get over it a bit as I am working long hours atm. I am going into work today but am going to try
Pork shoulder with tarragon and borlotti beans.

I have got three slow cooker cookbooks, the best one is Whole food slow cooked’, but I generally don’t like the texture of meat from the slow cooker.

When I remember what my other cookbooks are called I will post them, one of them has got a fabulous Greek lamb recipe - the only thing I really like out of the slow cooker tbh.

Thanks box... my feeling is that there is probably a limited number of really great recipes for the slow cooker, so I'm just trying to build up a small repertoire. I really liked the pork shoulder, it was so tender at the end.

I don't do anything in the slow cooker that's better cooked normally or I feel cheated! But I do have a few things that I think are lovely in the slow cooker. Hang on, I'll go and get my notebook...

This cake

bakingqueen74.co.uk/slow-cooker-chocolate-and-mint-aero-bubble-cake/

Have got braised lamb shanks currently working their magic in the slow cooker. Recipe from bbcgoodfood (sorry don't know how to link). It's not a slow cooker recipe per se - there's loads on there you can adapt

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-aubergines

I like this!

I think that anything saucy in the slow cooker comes out awful. Fine for cooking joints of meat during the day when at work. Otherwise redundant.

OK I'm back! Here goes:

1. Mexican chicken - put 4 chicken breasts in the slow cooker with a chopped onion, garlic, bit of passata, small amount of chicken stock, chopped pickled chillies from a jar, cumin, paprika, chilli powder, coriander and seasoning. Low for ages or high for 4 hours. Shred at end and pile into wraps with guacamole, sour cream, cheese, lettuce... mmm it's so nice.

1. Lamb shank curry - stick a chopped onion in, put 4 lamb shanks in and cover them with as much curry paste as you want, mix up some yogurt, tomato purée and water (it will not look nice at this point) and pour in (down the side so as not to disturb the curry paste). Cook on low. When I get home I stick in some chickpeas and spinach for the last bit but you don't have to.

Those are our top 2. Also do beef stew, pulled pork, sausage casserole, sausages in onion gravy, chorizo and butterbean stew, brisket pot roast...

I don't do anything with mince but I know lots of people do. I've got lots in my notebook I haven't tried yet so may report back! We have a slow cooker meal once a week.

Enjoy!

Hey IHeartKingThistle please can i have quantities for the Mexican chicken please . Ta in advance!

Hey heyJude

I do just chuck it all in a bit now but originally I got the recipe from a blog called a daily dose of pepper and I'm sure it's still there if you have a look.

My all time fave

@heyjude12
theskinnyishdish.com/slow-cooker-mexican-shredded-chicken/

Hope that helps!

Roast chicken - no need to add any stock or anything! Also salmon . Hasselback stuffed potatoes. Slow cooker Central website and cookbooks are my favourite to look up receipes.

Yeah that's the same one, well done today!

Thank you so much heart and day xx

BBC Good Food Spanish Chicken with chicken thighs, chorizo, pimiento stuffed olives etc etc. Dead easy & tastes gorgeous! Think we just had crusty bread with it

Coconut chicken curry:
4 chicken breast
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of coconut milk
3 chopped peppers
3 chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
1-2 tbs of curry spice
Salt, pepper

Serving with rice.

That olive recipe for pork above was delicious. I got the method wrong by putting the beans in at the beginning not 20 mins before the end but it was fine (although I would do it differently next time).

I had to concentrate the liquid in a frying pan at the end and probably added half the amount of cream but it was lovely and everyone else loved it.

I made the potatoes suggested as well and they were lovely.

oh and my other books are:

gourmet slow cooker, things I have tried not bad but I wasn't feeling much love for my SC at the time I bought it in 2008!

Ultimate SC, as above really, I think this is the one with the greek lamb in it.

Whole food slow cooked - by far the best book I have - nice curries - saw it in The Works for £3 after I had bought it.

Thanks everyone, lots to try. Have ordered the 'whole food slow cooked book' too.

I love this www.theendlessmeal.com/crock-pot-coconut-lentil-curry/

It's vegan too, i'm not vegan so sometimes I add lamb at the beginning of cooking or a frozen bag of prawns near the end of cooking. I also add some extra veggies like spinach and peppers. It's so yum.

Whole food slow cooked- the tarragon chicken, and the master duck stock are beautiful. I've made many more form that book but I'm not at home and these two I can remember from the top of my head because I make them often.
I also rate the Sara Lewis slow cooker book

Lamb tagine shown on BBC Eat Well for Less

www.bbc.com/food/recipes/slow-cooker_lamb_and_79282