Life has become rather hectic around the Siberia household and as a result I finally purchased a slow cooker. As I am kind of a foodie-snob I have been reluctant to invest in one. A lot of the recipes in the booklet that came with the cooker just, um, sound horrible! Cans of cream soup and such, ick! Not that I haven’t been known to partake of the occasional can of Campbell’s Cream of Potato soup, it’s just that I don’t like to cook with the like.
So…anyone have a recipe to share?
I love mine, I have a concoction brewing in it right now. Here’s a simple roast recipe I’ve used that is pretty darn tasty.
Coke Roast
• 1 medium roast, any kind
• 1 can coca-cola
• 1 16 oz. bottle of ketchup (generic, or whatever is on sale)
Put all ingredients in crockpot and cook it for several hours until the meat falls apart.
Some also suggest a soup packet like onion soup, haven’t tried that yet.
Another thing I enjoyed was BBQ pork chops in my slow cooker. Take pork chops. Chuck them in the slow cooker. Add a bunch of barbeque sauce, herbs, spices, what have you. Cook. Here’s a recipe:
BBQ Pork Chops
8 pork chops
1 cup+ bbq sauce
I use the Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, which is so darn tasty…
Hot dogs?
Hot Dogs
12 hot dogs
Teriyaki Chicken?
Easy Teriyaki Chicken
2-3 lbs skinless chicken pieces
20 oz can pineapple chunks
dash ground ginger
1 cup teriyaki sauce
Right now I’ve chopped up a bunch of potatos, browned some ground beef, put it all together with cheese, and put it on to cook. Hope it comes out good.
I’ve scrounged up most of my recipes from the various slow cooker cookbooks, a few websites, and even my mom.
Here’s an easy one that tastes great.
One whole chicken (skin if you prefer – it’s the most time consuming part)
One can Swanson’s Roasted Garlic broth. (They quit carrying this at Safeway, but still carry it at Albertsons – if your usual store doesn’t have it try another.)
About 4 or 5 peeled carrots cut into chunks.
Put chunked carrots into bottom of pot and put chicken on top. Pour in half the can of broth (shake it up so you get some garlic chunks in.) Save remaining half for dinnertime.
Just before dinnertime pour the rest of the broth into a measuring cup and add water to make a cup of liquid. Use this to make Minute Rice.
The chicken and carrots come out so awesome tasting this way, you won’t believe it, even if you’re a carrot hater like my husband.
Beans, water, salt
Yum!
5 Bratwurst links, cut into 1 inch pieces
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can (27 oz) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 medium tart apple, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
I like to boil the brats in beer and then cook them on the grill, but if you are pressed for time you can brown the bratwurst in a skillet. Combine the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir in bratwurst and pan drippings. Cover and cook on high 4-6 hours or until potatoes and apple are tender.
This is a cassoulet recipe I found on the New York Times site:
Slow-Cooker Cassoulet
1/2 pound small white beans, like pea or navy (I cook 'em 1st)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed, plus 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium-large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups cored and chopped tomatoes, with their juice (canned are fine)
3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 pound slab bacon or salt pork, in 1 piece
4 sweet Italian sausages, about 3/8 pound
1 pound boneless pork shoulder
2 duck legs
Chicken, beef or vegetable stock, or water, or a mixture, as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup plain bread crumbs, optional
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish.
I use the Campbell’s French Onion soup to cook with in the crockpot a lot. That and a can of water with chicken or a beef pot roast or a pork roast… much better than a cream soup.
Add some carrots or cut-up potatoes and a sliced onion and some mushrooms.
What is it with using Campbell’s soup to cook with? Is it an American thing? And Coke? COKE? That’s just plain wrong… Respect your meat, dammit…
Ooh, I’ll be back to this thread when Papa Tiger gets home later – he has a couple of Guamanian slow cooker recipes that are to DIE for.
I only have a few slow cooker recipes, so I guess they’re all “my best”.
Ham Hocks and Blackeye Peas
1 pound dry blackeye peas
2 ham hocks
Water
Soak the beans overnight. In the morning, drain them and rinse them. Put them in the slow cooker. Add the two ham hocks. Cover with water. Cover, and heat on “high” for about six hours or until the meat is falling off of the bone. Remove the ham hocks and discard the bones, fat, and skin. Add the meat back into the pot. Stir and serve.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
1 kilo of corned beef
1 head of cabbage
2 large potatoes
2 carrots
1 onion (optional)
Cut the beef across the grain into good-sized slices and put everything into the pot, except for the cabbage. If the beef came with a seasoning packet, empty it into the pot as well. Cover, covered, with water and cook on “high” for about six hours or until the meat falls apart when pulled with a fork. Wash and quarter the head of cabbage and add to the top of the pot. Re-cover and cook for another half-hour.
Barbeque Beef
1 kilo beef roast
1 bottle of your favourite BBQ sauce (I like Tony Roma’s for this recipe)
Rolls or buns
Salt (optional)
Water (optional)
Slice the beef across the grain into good-sized slices. Put in the pot and add salt to taste… I don’t use water, since there is plenty of it in the meat; but other people do. IMO it “waters down” the flavour. Add water or not, depending on your tastes. Cook on “high” for about six hours or until the meat can be shredded with a fork. Remove the meat and discard the fat. Shred the meat with a fork and put it back in the pot. (I use a Teflon-coated cooker, so I take the meat out. If you use a crockery cooker, you can shred it in the pot.) Add as much of your favourite BBQ sauce as you desire. Mix well and heat for another half hour or so. Serve on buns, rolls, or whatever.
DoD Cheese Dip
2 pounds Velveeta brand cheese
1 jar Pace Picante Sauce (medium heat)
Tortilla chips
I call this “DoD” cheese dip because it seemed to be a staple of pot lucks that happened when I was working for Defense contractors. Nowadays it would be called “nacho sauce”. Cut the cheese ( 
) into cubes and melt on “high” in the pot. When the cheese is good and melted, stir in the Picante Sauce. Reduce the temperature to “low”. It is important that the dip be kept hot! Seriously, it tastes a lot better when it’s nice and hot. Dip with large tortilla chips. Some people like to add ground beef, beans, jalapenos, etc.; but I like the good old fashioned cheese-and-sauce way.
(BTW: I used kilos just because I like to. Go Metric! 
)
You’d be surprised. According to the book I pulled the Coke Roast from, the acids in the Coke break down the tough fibers in the meat, leaving it tender and delicious. I know it came out pretty tender and delicious and it had just a HINT of sweetness to it.
Most of the liquid in these slow cooker recipes are to keep things from drying out.
I can also make non-slow cooker meals. I make a really good roast turkey. And roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. And salmon. And cappellini (or however you spell it – 84,000 hits on google, including an Italian site) al fredo con pollo (or con funghi). Now if only I could find a grrl to cook for, I’d really be cooking!
In this recipe, all you need to do is take the meat and garlic mixture, pour it into your crock pot, add the water (or stock) and let it simmer until done.
Beef Taco Meat
Carne de Res
Preparation time: 1 1/2 Hours
Serves: 6 People
Ingredients:
2-3 Lb Beef chuck roast
3-5 Cloves Garlic
3-4 Tbs Oil or fat
1 Qt Water or stock
1-2 Tbs Salt
Preparation:
Preheat a medium size cook pot over low heat. Add oil to the pan. Place the piece of meat in the pan or dress it into large pieces that will fit. Increase the heat to medium. Brown the meat thoroughly on all sides. Peel and crush the garlic into the hot fat. Do not brown the garlic. After three minutes or less pour in the water or stock. Add the salt and continue to cook uncovered until the meat falls apart and is tender. There should be very little stock left when finished.
Note: This meat should be served in deep fried yellow corn taco shells. Freshly made ones are best. White corn tortillas for soft tacos will also work but are not as good. Use Herdez brand Salsa Casera and top each taco with some finely grated Parmesan cheese (trust me it works). Recommended toppings are as follows:
Chopped tomato
Chopped white onion and cilantro mix
Shredded lettuce
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (not Cheddar)
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salsa Casera
Wow! Y’all came up with some great recipes. It’s going to be hard to choose which one to try first.
GMRyujin, the coca-cola roast sounds interesting. I’ve never heard of using soda as a tenderizer, but it makes sense.
voguevixen, the chicken sounds great. We’re big skin eaters (that sounds so gross) around here. I wonder if the skin is rubbery or crispy when done.
NoClueBoy, um, I think I’ll skip the beans as a main course around here (4 boys, husband and large “airy” dog in the house).
dbygawdcapn, I need to find a good source for yummy brats. The ones I have tried from the grocery store were not so great.
Annie, This sounds really good and what a combination of meats! This looks like a great hearty winter meal.
BiblioCat, from the slow-cooker recipe sites I’ve seen, it appears that canned French Onion soup is a popular ingredient. I worry about the salty/tinny taste that so many canned soups seem to have.
Keek, I believe that Campbell’s soup recipes are definitely an American thing. The cola is a new one on me but I remember as I was growing up that dinner preparation in my house usually involved a lot of tins. ick!
Mama Tiger, tapping fingers while patiently waiting I’m really interested in seeing some of Papa Tiger’s recipes.
Johhny L.A., Great recipes! at DoD dip. whine but Metric is sooo hard!!! I’d love to see your recipe for Salmon. I haven’t found one that I like yet.
Ahh, last but certainly not least Zenster. I was hoping you would chime in on this thread. I’ve always appreciated as well as related to your style of cooking. We love Mexican found around here. The Parmesan cheese sounds really interesting. Is the Herdez Salsa Casera widely available (I don’t recall seeing it)?
Thanks again everyone!
Slow-Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Trust me. It’s for the best.
If you don’t use any extra salt, it’s not overly salty. I never thought it tasty too salty or tinny.
You can also use diluted pineapple juice for a pork roast.
Use about half pineapple juice and half water. Very tasty.
I’ve also used beer for the liquid to cook with when making a roast. Dark beers are especially good.
My favorite…Italian Beef…
Take 1 small to medium CHEAP roast and place it in the cooker with 1-2 jars of Giardinara (Italian pickled peppers and assorted vegetables) Let it cook on low all day. Break meat apart and serve on hard rolls.
Easy and YUMMY
For snobs, this ain’t:
Slow-cooked Steaks and Potatoes
Put two diced potatoes on the bottom of crock. Pour 2/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup water over them. Drop a spoonful of maragarine on top.
Pepper and sear a couple of steaks in a hot pan. Stack the steaks on top of the potatoes. Pour a half can of diced tomatoes over the whole thing.
Let it cook for 3-5 hours on high.
Well, you may not like beans, siberia, but others do, so I’ll tell all of ya how I make beans.
Basically, cooking up dried beans can be a pain in the butt. Long soaking, quick soaking, simmering…well, it was a lot of steps and the beans didn’t generally come out very well. I tended to use canned beans. But then I started making them in the crock pot. I just rinse the beans and put enough water in so that they’re covered by about an inch of water. No pre-soaking necessary. I don’t put salt in. I’ve always read that cooking beans with salty or acidic ingredients toughens the seed coat. I cook black beans for about 4 hours on high or about 6 hours on low. Kidney beans take a bit longer. (I’ve never chick peas, so I can’t tell you how a hard-to-cook bean like that would work.) The beans come out absolutely perfect and ready to use in any recipes.