Crockpot Recipes Challenge: Quick and Easy Slow Cooker Recipes (2016)

Chapter 1. The benefits of slow-cooking

The Crock-Pot is, without any doubt, one of the most famous slow cookers out there. In the past few years, more and more people have attempted to use it, falling in love after the first experience. The slow cooker, as the name clearly points out, allows one to cook for a prolonged period of time, at reduced temperatures. This method of cooking comes with a number of unique benefits, as you will have the opportunity to discover below.

One of the major benefits of the slow cooker is that one can prepare meals that are delicious and nutritious at the same time. The main advantage is that the food is cooked at a low reduced temperature, for a long time, which allows for the nutrients to be retained by the food. Another benefit is the fact that both the vegetables and the meats cook in their own natural juices, requiring for little or no oil or butter. The fact that the food cooks in its own juice guarantees a low-fat content for the respective food.

When you decide to let the food simmer in the crockpot, you ensure the maintenance of all healthy minerals and vitamins. Nothing is lost through this method of cooking, an affirmation which cannot be maintained when it comes to frying or boiling. Once again, this is because the crockpot operates at a low temperature, ensuring the cooking of the food over a prolonged period of time. In fact, all the food prepared with the help of the slow cooker is full of flavor – many people consider that its taste is incredible, in comparison to the food cooked in the oven or on the stovetop (which is often perceived as excessively cooked).

The slow cooker appears as a life saver, in the situation that you do not have sufficient time to cook using other methods. The only time spent will be dicing or chopping your ingredients, otherwise the crockpot will handle everything on your behalf. In general, you can rely on the crockpot for all-day cooking, leaving the food to simmer unattended. The only exception would be if your recipe would require milk or cream, which would have to be added on the last hour of cooking. However, in the situation that you decide to lift the lid, you have to add at least 20 minutes to the overall cooking process.

Most people think the crockpot to be suitable for the wintertime, when the reduced outside temperatures require meals that are warm. However, if you take some time and think about it, the slow cooker can be used for cooking all year round. Think about yourself cooking in the summer, sweating profusely as the food cooks in the oven. The slow cooker allows you to prepare delicious meals in the summer, without resorting to the oven, adding even more heat to your already hot home.

Cooking is often a concern, in relation to how much energy is used in the process. Nevertheless, with the crockpot, you no longer have to worry about such matters, as this method of cooking guarantees a reduced energy usage. It is a known fact that the slow cooker actually consumes less energy, especially in comparison to the electric oven. If you compared the wattage consumption for these two and the period of time necessary to cook, you will see that the slow cooker definitely is the more economical alternative.

When cooking, it is practically impossible not get a lot of dishes dirty and suffer afterwards, as we also have to clean them. Well, with the crockpot, you have a more-than-easy cleanup. Apart from the actual pot, which is quite simple to clean, you will probably only have to wash the cutting board and knives used in the process. For some recipes, you may have an additional pan to wash, as this can be used for browning. As for the crockpot, it is recommended that you purchase one that has a removable ceramic crock, as it is infinitely easier to clean.

You might not have thought of this fact but the crockpot can be easily transported from one place to the other. So, if you are traveling and you want to cook your own meals, you can use the slow cooker. The same goes in the situation that you want to take your crock pot to your neighbor’s party or in any other place for that matter. It is lightweight, easy to transport and it can help you prepare delicious meals. Plus, the food that you cook with the crockpot can be easily transported as well, as long as you let it cool down and keep it covered.

Often times, it can happen that a recipe fails, due to the meat being tough and hard to cook. With the slow cooker, you can cook cuts of meat that are less tender, without worrying that they will not cook. On the contrary, you will have a pleasant surprise, as you will discover them to be both tender and juicy. Many people enjoy the slow-cooking process, as they realize that there is virtually no chance for the food to get burned (always cooked at a low temperature).

From a practical point of view, the crockpot can help you use the oven or the stovetop for additional cooking or baking. This is particularly valid around Christmas or other holidays, when a lot of cooking has to be done in a short period of time and for a large number of people.

The crockpot can help you prepare healthy meals for your family. And this is not only in reference to the food cooking in its own juice. We are also talking about the fact that the environment created in the crockpot ensures the destruction of bacterial microorganisms, in a larger percentage than other cooking methods.

Last, but not least, there is one more major advantage to consider and that is diversity. The slow-cooker can be used for an incredible number of recipes, with pot roasts, stews and various soups standing at the top of the list. In the chapters that follow, you will discover some of the most delicious, yet easy-to-prepare crockpot recipes. Are you ready for this cooking challenge?