Decent slow cooker recipes

[Tinks15]

Has anyone got any nice slow cooker recipes? Every single time I cook something in the slow cooker I’m disappointed. Maybe I’m doing something wrong but I’m sure I’m not 😂
DP always says he’s not a massive fan of the slow cooker never likes the way the meat tastes but to me it’s so quick & easy in the winter especially on work days you can just throw it all in & it’s all pretty much done by the time you get home.

I have two young DD’s, one who is more fussy than the other so no fancy recipes please.

Thanks

• gammon cooked in water and then finished off in the oven with honey on top
• chicken or pork and tin of baked beans, onions, mixed herbs, couple tablespoons tom sauce, dash of white wine, stock pot cube, and then some cornflour in cold water if it needs thickening

- browned sausages, tin of tomatoes or some passata, onions or onion powder, bit of chilli and whatever veg needs using up - mushrooms or peppers work well. And some dried beans rehydrated that have been boiled for 20 mins.

• if any of the above taste bland add some mustard, chilli, or lee on perrins.
• beef stew - glass of red wine or a can of cheap beer. stock cube, whatever veg needs getting rid of, or mushrooms, herbs, and chutney/mustard or chilli to give it some oomph

the beef stew also makes pie the next day if you have ready bought puff pastry

sorry on a bit of a roll here, but also want some new ideas myself.

You can also use conventional recipes and then just not add all the liquid. So i make lasagne by putting all the meat elements into the slow cooker and bashing the mince up - just add a quarter of the water/stock you normally would. I know some people make the whole lasagne in it but i do the rest in the oven and make the white sauce on the hop.

BBC Good Food chicken Korma is lovely with flatbreads

also Hairy Bikers Mince and Herby Dumplings (I brown the dumplings in the oven for 20 mins at the end but do the mince all day)

Paella www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/one-pots/slow-cooker-prawn-and-chorizo-paella/
Meatballs in tomato sauce www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow_cooker_meatballs_28623
Chicken fajitas www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/recipes/a576816/slow-cooker-chicken-fajitas/

You need to brown your meat and only use the slow cooker for things that work well for long slow cooking.
I never like slow cooked chicken as it loses texture and becomes stringy, for example.
The slow cooker is great for tagine, lamb curry, beef shin, a (half) lamb leg with Moroccan spices, figs and apricots is a monthly favourite in our house, Goat curry. Just anything that needs to cook for ages, but brown your meat and add less liquid.

I like this one (I don't bother chilling it the night before) www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-lamb-curry

Easiest ever slow cooker recipe is cut up chicken breasts with a jar of salsa. Cook on high for four hours or low all day. We have it with cous cous, avocado, lime zest and Greek yoghurt, but you can also just have wraps or tortilla chips.
It's the only thing I use my slow cooker for really but it's a big hit in our house and I make all our food from scratch usually.

Just to add - literally just raw chicken with salsa. That's it.

the tougher cuts of meat are best and personally the only thing i brown are sausages as they look like willies otherwise

I always use really cheap cuts of meat with the slow cooker, but cook for 12 hours most of the time. Chilli (but do not put the kidney beans in until near the end or they turn to mush) always works great, as do stews, I've done slow curry etc. as well.

As other posters have said they key with some meat (red, especially beef) is to brown off first, but also to add the juices into the slow cooker and then skim off the fat at the end of cooking. I also think that cooking for longer than the recipes say seem to work better, the flavour develops much slower at lower temperatures, as well as cooking slower.

Don't add too much water unless it's a huge gammon you're going to roast. I use loads of fresh herbs in a casserole and lots of bisto and it makes a lovely rich sauce.

We also do pulled pork with lots of spices to make tacos. This is delicious

There is definitely a slow cooker taste I’m not fond of. However beef stew is quite nice

Thanks everyone. The only thing I’ve ever enjoyed out of the slow cooker is a beef stew. I use to cook a really nice one but I’ve lost the recipe

I find things that rely on spices don't work particularly well because the spices need cooking first really, but things that get their flavour from herbs, chorizo, soy sauce etc work well. Our favourites include chorizo stew and beef in black pepper sauce.