1. Avoid lean, expensive cuts of meat.
The simplest rule of thumb when it comes to choosing meat for your slow cooked dishes it that cheaper tends to be better. Not only are you going to save money, your slow cooked dishes will taste better.
So avoid things like fillet, most BBQ steaks, rib eye, eye fillet, chicken breasts, lamb cutlets, lamb backstrap, pork loin.
2. Embrace the succulent less expensive cuts of meat.
Cheaper cuts of meat tend to be tougher and have more connective tissue and collagen. This is bad news when it comes to hot, dry methods of cooking like pan frying or BBQing. But for slow cooking it’s a whole different story.
With low heat moist cooking, the collagen and connective tissues break down to give succulent melt-in-the-mouth wonderful meat. The funny thing is the expensive cuts when cooked this way, either fall apart to mush OR dry out because they are lacking the collagen and fat that make the cheaper cuts so well suited to slow cooking.
Cuts to seek out:
§ anything from the legs: beef shank, lamb shanks, osso buco, ham hocks, drumsticks, chicken marylands.
§ things with lots of bone: ribs, oxtail, chicken wings, lamb neck chops.
§ more fatty cuts: lamb shoulder, chuck steak, gravy beef, beef cheeks, pork belly, pork shoulder.
3. Avoid veg that are best when briefly cooked.
Most green veg aren’t going to go well in the slow cooker. Things like peas, beans, broccoli and spinach tend to lose their colour and become mushy. Keep them for vibrant sides.
4. Embrace the soup vegetables.
A good rule of thumb is if a vegetable goes well in soup or has a soup named after it, it will be delicious included in the slow cooker.
Veg that love the slow cooker:
§ aromatic vegetables: onion, carrots, celery, garlic
§ root vegetables: parsnips, swedes (rutabagas), turnips, potatoes, beets, carrots, celeriac (celery root), sweet potato.
§ other veg: mushrooms, zucchini, pumpkin (winter squash), summer squash, eggplant (aubergine).
5. Woody herb go in early, leafy herbs are used to finish.
Things like rosemary, thyme, bay leaves & sage are best when added at the beginning of the cooking process so they can flavour the sauce over time.
Leafy herbs such as parsley, basil, coriander (cilantro), chives, mint can be OK at the beginning but I find their flavours tend to get lost in with the earthiness. Best to save them to sprinkle over at the end when their freshness can add fragrance and lift to the slow cooked dish.
6. There needs to be some sauce.
Slow cooking is best when there’s a little moisture to turn into a lovely sauce. While the slow cooker tends to retain a surprising amount of natural moisture compared to the oven or stove top, you still need to remember to add in some liquid. Good choices include wine, balasmic vinegar, beer, stocks, coconut milk and canned tomatoes. Butter can help bring things together as well.
7. Browning first isn’t critical
A lot of slow cooker recipes insist on softening vegetables and browning meat before you cook. To me this defeats the purpose of set and forget cooking.
While it can be more challenging to get browning to happen in the slow cooker, it isn’t impossible. Just remove the lid or put the lid ajar so the steam can escape and cook your dish on high for the last 1/2 hour or so to reduce the sauce and encourage browning. Alternatively, transfer the ceramic pot from the slow cooker to the oven and cook uncovered at about 180C (350F) for the last 1/2 hour.
8. Season a little early and a lot later on.
It’s important to get some salt in early so it can start working its magic into the meat and sauce. But you need to be careful not to over season so best to add a little at the beginning and then fine tune the seasoning at the end when you can taste and evaluate in the finished dish, rather than guessing up front.
9. Patience will be rewarded.
Slow cooked dishes need time to be at their best. I find when I try and hurry them, it never turns out well. Best to choose a stir fry or something quick if you don’t have time.
10. Leftovers improve with (a little) age.
It never ceases to amaze me how a slow cooked dish can taste good when its first made but then turn out absolutely mind-blowingly good the next day. If you can, it pays to plan ahead and allow time for the flavours to come together overnight or longer.
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