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Recipe Box Slow Cooking
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JuliKellner
Juli Kellner
It’s like a dream. You walk in the door after a long day, greeted by the aroma of dinner just waiting for you to dig in. It’s as if your fairy godmother has finally shown up and graced you with an evening of leisure … or the cobbler’s elves took an evening off from the shoe shop and made dinner for you instead.
This side of the fairy tale, the good meal waiting just means you had the foresight to plug in the Crock-Pot before leaving for work this morning.
Usually our aim is to cook fast. Being able to put a meal on the table in half an hour after someone asks “What’s for dinner?” is the ideal, but that’s daunting for the exhausted. And when you forgot to take the ribs out of the freezer to defrost in the first place, then it’s downright impossible. Take those same ribs and throw them frozen into the slow cooker in the morning along with a wonderful barbecue sauce and you’re a hero by 5.
There are a few basics to know when slow-cooker cooking: The “low” setting is about 200° Fahrenheit, and the “high” setting is about 300° F.
So one hour on “high” is equal to two hours on “low.” Most meats require eight hours on “low” to cook.
Here’s another slow-cooker perk: You can use cheaper cuts of meat. I discovered that cheaper cuts actually are preferable because long, moist cooking results in very tender meats.
Do not stuff a slow cooker. Only put in food to one-half to two-thirds full; foods will not cook properly if the appliance is filled to the brim.
Leave it alone. Foods cooked on the bottom of the slow cooker cook faster and will be moister because they are immersed in the simmering liquid. But avoid the impulse to lift the lid and stir, especially if you are cooking on “low.” Each time you lift the lid, cooking time should be extended by 20 minutes to half an hour.
I’ve included here some of my favorite, tried-and-true slow-cooker recipes from my WDSE cooking program, “S is for Slow Cooker.” I’ve tried them and love them.
There’s a wonderful, easy shredded beef that makes a great homey beef dinner and outstanding hot French dip sandwiches. Or perhaps you’re more in the mood for tangy Bourbon Street BBQ ribs or a crowd-pleasing taco hot dish.
Slow cookers aren’t just for main dishes. I have included a delicious dessert and a great recipe for turning excess apples into amazing apple butter without a ton of work.
All it takes is a little morning preparation time to make for that fairy tale ending to the day.
Now if my fairy godmother would just show up with Prince Charming … and the elves would clean the house …
Juli Kellner directs programming and production at WDSE/WRPT TV and hosts “WDSE Cooks.”
Recipe Box
Italian Shredded Beef
1 chuck roast (2-3 lbs.)
1 pkg. (1 oz.) au jus mix
1 pkg. (1 oz.) Italian dressing seasoning mix
Place roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle with au jus mix and Italian dressing seasoning mix. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove fat and shred with two forks. Place beef back into pan juices. Serve with potatoes for a beef dinner or on rolls for sandwiches. Add pan-fried peppers and onions with cheese for Philly beef sandwiches.
This recipe comes from Cheryl Leeper of Two Harbors, Minnesota.
Juli’s note: I made the mistake of cooking this overnight. Could not sleep it smelled so good … kept the whole house awake!
Ginny’s Crock-Pot Apple Butter
12 apples, peeled, cored & sliced
(Ginny suggests Cortland or Granny Smith or whatever is in your yard)
1/2 c. apple juice or apple cider
4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cider vinegar
2 tsp. cinnamon
Cook apples on high with apple juice for 30 minutes or until mushy, then mash with a potato masher. Add sugar, cider vinegar and cinnamon. Cook for 10-14 hours on low, stirring often during last couple of hours. Pour into sterilized 8-ounce jelly jars. Place in a hot water bath for 15 minutes to seal.
If the mixture is not thick enough, take the cover off the slow cooker after 10 hours and turn on high. Stir every 20-30 minutes until thickened.
This recipe is from Ginny Dudeck of Solon Springs, Wisconsin.
Slow-Cooker Taco Hot Dish
2-1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) taco seasoning
1 jar (8 oz.) extra hot taco sauce (or milder to taste)
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can water (use the tomato sauce can to measure)
1-1/2 c. uncooked instant rice (like Minute Rice)
1 bag (12.5 oz.) regular or nacho cheese-flavored Doritos, crushed
Shredded taco-flavored cheese to sprinkle
Place everything in the slow cooker except the cheese. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Top with cheese about 45 minutes before serving so cheese can melt. Serve with taco sauce and sour cream. (Note: Can be mixed the night before and kept refrigerated, but don’t add Doritos or rice until you are ready to cook it.)
This recipe also comes from Cheryl Leeper of Two Harbors.
Triple Chocolate Mess
1 box (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. (1.4 oz.) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 pint sour cream
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. oil
4 eggs
1 c. water
Mix together all the ingredients. Spray the Crock-Pot with cooking spray. Pour batter into the Crock-Pot. Put paper toweling under the lid to catch moisture from steam. Change when it is wet. Cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours then cool for 2-3 hours in the slow cooker. Tip onto a plate (it will be formed to the pot). Slice thinly and serve with ice cream and whipped cream.
This recipe is from Jan Hagen, New London, Minnesota.
Bourbon Street BBQ Ribs
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves minced garlic
1/3 c. molasses
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 c. bourbon
Pinch of salt
2 lbs. boneless ribs
Combine all the ingredients except ribs and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to mix. Makes about 1 pint of sauce. Place boneless ribs in slow cooker and add sauce. Cook for 8 to 10 hours on low. Serve with white rice.
This recipe is from Brad Greenwood of Duluth.