Best Slow Cooker Recipes

When I was growing up, my father sometimes relied on a slow cooker to make dinner. He'd throw ingredients into the machine, then leave them to simmer all day unattended. What emerged was invariably moist, tender and (I say this with all due respect) bland. Those lackluster meals would never pass muster here at Food & Wine. So when our Test Kitchen cooks began playing around with the new generation of slow cookers, they took a few extra steps to boost flavor—searing the meat before tossing it into the machine, for instance, or turning to ingredients with bold tastes, as in Provençal chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. It's not exactly push-button cooking, but it's not all that hard, either.

Best Slow Cooker Recipes: 5 Smart Tips

1. Brown the Meat

For a richer flavor, sear meat in a skillet, then deglaze the pan and add it all to the slow cooker.

2. Use Less Liquid

When translating a conventional recipe for a slow cooker, reduce the liquid by 25 percent.

3. Presoak Beans

Beans will cook faster and more evenly if soaked overnight before slow-cooking.

4. Fill to the Line

To ensure food cooks evenly, don't underfill or overfill the slow cooker.

5. Use Tough Cuts

Tougher cuts of meat, which require longer cooking times to become tender, are ideal for a slow cooker.

More Slow Cooker Recipes:

Slow Cooker Coconut Pork Curry

Slow Cooker Korean Beef Stew with Napa Cabbage and Pickles

 Plus: Many More Fantastic Slow-Cooker Recipes