# Crock Pot recipes



## inchrisin (Sep 16, 2012)

I didn't see a better section to add this thread, so here goes:

I'm working 9 hour days and I don't get home until around midnight.  It's nice to cook when I can, but by this time of day I just want to get home and eat and relax.  My biggest setback with using a crock pot is that I haven't found anything that can stand up to cooking for 8 or 9 hours without it tasting overdone in some ways.

Do you have any recipes you'd like to share that you can cook for half a day and still come home to it and eat well?

The only things I can think of that can cook all day are spaghetti sauce and chili.


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## Dawgluver (Sep 16, 2012)

A beef roast can handle an 8 to 12 hour day in the CP on low, as can a pork roast or stuff for pulled pork.  No need to brown.  I wouldn't do chicken, or pork tenderloin, they cook a lot faster.  You probably want a big slab of meat.  Use whatever herbs, sauce, cola, beer, etc. that you usually use or have on hand, maybe along with some onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, bay leaf, etc.


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## bakechef (Sep 17, 2012)

I don't have a programmable crock pot, I use a lamp timer on the outlet so I can set it to come on after I leave and turn off before I come home.  It will stay hot for a while after it shuts off.  You can turn it back on when you get home if it needs to be hotter.  I do this with chicken or things that can't take 8 hours of cooking.


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## inchrisin (Sep 17, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> A beef roast can handle an 8 to 12 hour day in the CP on low, as can a pork roast or stuff for pulled pork.  No need to brown.  I wouldn't do chicken, or pork tenderloin, they cook a lot faster.  You probably want a big slab of meat.  Use whatever herbs, sauce, cola, beer, etc. that you usually use or have on hand, maybe along with some onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, bay leaf, etc.



See, I think that potatoes, carrots, celery and other veggies have a good flavor after 10 hours, but they are COMPLETE mush!  If I had it my way, they'd have a little bite to them, and I think this is just enough to push me over the edge to try to find some better suited recipes.


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## Dawgluver (Sep 17, 2012)

inchrisin said:
			
		

> See, I think that potatoes, carrots, celery and other veggies have a good flavor after 10 hours, but they are COMPLETE mush!  If I had it my way, they'd have a little bite to them, and I think this is just enough to push me over the edge to try to find some better suited recipes.



Ah.  Then I would cook the vegs separately, (bake, roast, nuke or boil) stash them in the fridge or freezer, then add them when you get home.  

Bakechef's idea with the timer is a good one.


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## Mad Cook (Aug 20, 2013)

inchrisin said:


> I didn't see a better section to add this thread, so here goes:
> 
> I'm working 9 hour days and I don't get home until around midnight. It's nice to cook when I can, but by this time of day I just want to get home and eat and relax. My biggest setback with using a crock pot is that I haven't found anything that can stand up to cooking for 8 or 9 hours without it tasting overdone in some ways.
> 
> ...


I make mainly casseroles in my slow cooker. I have learned from experience to use a whole piece of meat rather than cubed meat. From time to time I can get enormous turkey drumsticks from my butcher and they do very well braised or stewed in the slow cooker (and I say enormous I mean it - those turkeys could take over the world!). I sometimes do bolognaise-type pasta sauce in the slow cooker and freeze it in small portions. 

Sorry, no recipes. My slow cook dishes are mostly chuck in a bit of this and a bit of that and no two are the same.


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## lyndalou (Aug 21, 2013)

Are you cooking on low? That's how I use my crock pot if it's going to be 8 or 9 hours.


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## JMediger (Aug 21, 2013)

During the school year, we live out of our crock pot.  I don't have a programmable crock pot either (it has high, low and off) but have found that cooking on low works really well, even if it shuts off before we are home and like backechef said, it stays pretty warm.  

Here are a couple of recipes I've found on Pinterest that we've actually tried and enjoyed.  

Crockpot Unstuffed Cabbage | Around The Kitchen in the 'burgh

October Morning: Freezer Meal Exchange
This one refroze really well into smaller portions that I could take to work with me with a couple of tortillas.

CROCK POT BROWN SUGAR GARLIC CHICKEN – 4-5 chicken breasts, cut – 1 cup packed brown sugar – 2/3 cup vinegar – 1/4 cup Sprite or 7-Up soda – 2 -3 tbls minced garlic – 2 tbls soy sauce – 1 tsp (regular black o
We did this with the chicken, my sister subbed out cubed beef with good results.

Crockpot Honey Apple Pork Loin | CrossFit + Paleo = A Winning Combination
The apples on the bottom become like applesauce which we like with our chops so it worked for us.

Freezer Cooking
I've done the teriyaki chicken and sausage recipe but have several others in my freezer ready to try.

Hope these help!


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## Kylie1969 (Aug 21, 2013)

Some delicious looking recipes there...thank you so much for sharing


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## Zhizara (Aug 22, 2013)

inchrisin said:


> See, I think that potatoes, carrots, celery and other veggies have a good flavor after 10 hours, but they are COMPLETE mush!  If I had it my way, they'd have a little bite to them, and I think this is just enough to push me over the edge to try to find some better suited recipes.



Whenever I have celery on hand, I cut the tougher outside ribs into 6" - 8" pieces and put them in a baggie in the freezer.  

I add them to soups and stews that take long cooking, then at the end they are easy to fish out and throw away.  All the flavor, no mush.


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