18 Crock Pot Recipes To Make Christmas Morning Easier (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between a slow cooker and a crock pot? ›

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.

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.

Fattier meats and dark meat chicken are better options, as leaner cuts may dry out during the cooking process. Fattier meats are good, but trim the fat away before placing in the Crockpot slow cooker.

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.

Do you cook a lot of things that normally braise in the oven or cook on the stovetop for a long time? They cook much, much faster in a pressure cooker. That's really it's biggest advantage over a crock pot, it's much much faster.

Let's say you want to slow cook a pork roast recipe that calls for 8 hours on Low, but you need it done in much less than 8 hours. Switching to High for the sake of time savings can leave you with a roast that's dried out or even burned on the exterior, but undercooked and not at a food-safe temperature in the center.

Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours? Yes, you can use your slow cooker for longer than eight hours, as long as you keep an eye on it. Many slow cookers do have an automatic shutoff after 24 hours.

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.

Slow cooker recipes have (obviously) long cook times, and it's the meat—not the carrots—that benefit from it. By placing the protein at the bottom (closest to the heating element), and vegetables at the top, you can keep your plant parts a little more toothsome, while ensuring your meat is fall-apart tender.

What is the #1 crock pot? ›

Best Overall: All-Clad Gourmet Slow Cooker with All-in-One Browning, 7-Quart. This is so much more than a slow cooker. The All-Clad Gourmet Slow Cooker can saute, brown meat, simmer stews and cook rice!

Make the best pot roast with minimum effort and this easy slow cooker recipe! The roast cooks on top of potatoes, carrots, and celery, resulting in incredibly tender meat and veggies that are perfect for dinner any day of the week.

Lansing, Michigan is home for the Crack Chicken. A great seasoning for all your favorite foods. Started in 2003, customers tried our famous chicken and came back for more. Their addiction to this delicious taste made them call it Crack Chicken, and that's how the name started, and cracked the food industry world.

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!

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with plenty of salt and pepper. Cover your crock pot and cook chicken breasts on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Use chicken in your favorite recipes.

Crock-pot and slow cooker are often used interchangeably and there is not a lot of difference between the two.

A slow cooker, also known as a crock-pot (after a trademark owned by Sunbeam Products but sometimes used generically in the English-speaking world), is a countertop electrical cooking appliance used to simmer at a lower temperature than other cooking methods, such as baking, boiling, and frying.

"Slow cookers are excellent for making hearty, sustaining dishes in winter but you can also use them to cook a pot roast or one-pot meal in summer, or corned beef for sandwiches, without heating up the kitchen like an oven does."

Perfect For Entertaining

Slow cookers are great for parties and gatherings because they free up oven and stovetop space and keep food warm for hours. You can spend more time actually enjoying the company of your mates and less time getting stressed in the kitchen.