I have the 4qt round, 7 qt oval, and the tiny round one.

I use the slow cook setting on my multicooker (Breville version of InstantPot). I don't have specific recipes for it. I use it most for meat for enchiladas type of thing. For specifically enchiladas, I'll get a slab of chuck from the farm, which is sustainably and ethically produced, but with eating down the list, I remove carrot tops as they come in the house and wash them right away, They air dry, but take weeks to go from green to brown if not used, at which point there's the compost bin. I use them to line the bottom of the "crock", which is coated metal. On that goes the meat, then onions and carrots cut fairly large, plus whatever else needs using, with enough moisture in them that I don't need liquid.. I might put a few whole spices in, but if it's going into enchiladas, it's fine to season after. That goes on the lo meat setting, basically over night.

If I'm making beans as their own thing--baked beans or cowboy beans--rather than to go in another recipe, I'll do them in the slow cook. No salt or acid. I'm not sold either way on onions, but overall, I think it's better to brown the onions separately, and add them in when the beans are pretty well cooked. I've tried cholent (Jewish bean stew) but I don't have a good recipe and kind of gave up after several flavor fails.

I have to admit to snobbery, though. I much don't care for classic crock pot recipes. If it was something meant to be cooked low and slow, like stew or some soups (or chuck), the set and forget feature, as well as the tuck out of the way in another room aspect are great. Unless you have a tough old bird to startwith, however, I doubt I'm going to like crock pot chicken no matter the recipe.

I’m likely in the minority having not owned a crockpot since the early 80’s. Although I have lots of tasty low/slow dishes for the oven, the best I can offer here is this.

Ten Crockpot Recipes

Easy easy - season a small chuck roast with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides, Place in crock with one thinly sliced onion, add 1 cup inexpensive red wine. Makes great meat for French dip sandwiches.

^sushipup’s post made me think of this. I used a low/slow oven for it. It was tasty and made me think of my mom since she’d often use Lipton Soup mix for pot roast.

Crockpot Pot Roast

I don't know about best. My slow cookers see a heck of a lot of use year round. Recently we picked up Rhodes rolls on sale at the local store. Right now I'm using the "Texas" ones, they are 2 ounce rolls. They are the kind where you need to let them rise from frozen before baking off, not the heat and serve kind. I've been using my oval crockpot to do it. Not sure if it's a 4 quart, it fits a small chicken.

But I line the pot with parchment paper. Melt a quarter cup of butter. Dip the frozen rolls in butter and place in with space to allow for rising. Pour rest of butter in/over the rolls. A paper towel or tea towel on top under the lid to absorb moisture. Then I set on low and let it go for about 2.5 hours. Takes an hour or more to fully proof- then I add in garlic, cheese, herbs, ect if I'm going to.

4 rolls is plenty for dinner for two, sometimes we have a leftover. Rhodes also has another roll that is a bit smaller, I haven't weighed them yet to see by how much. I think they might be 1.5 ounce. First time I tried this, I used the smaller size, more of them, and in the 6 quart round crockpot. On high. It was a bit overbaked on the bottom, lol. And too many rolls for just dinner for two.

It's been nice to have the premade ones to get the learning curve of my slow cookers for this. But in the future I'll make up batches of parker house dough and use that. It is a nice alternative to running the oven to bake off a couple-few rolls fresh for dinner.

Homemade stock!

I save chicken carcases in my freezer until I have 3 or 4 then pop them (still frozen) into the slowcooker with a couple of halved carrots, a couple of sticks of celery or a bunch of celery leaves I’ve also saved in the freezer, some fresh parsley if I have it, a quartered onion or a good handful of spring onions and about a teaspoon of peppercorns. Cover with water and simmer on low overnight.

Wake up to a delicious smelling kitchen, drain off the liquid and reduce in a pot until it tastes right.

If I have ham bones left over from a Christmas ham I do the same, and occasionally I will cube and brown a chunk of beef chuck before tossing it into the slowcooker to make a beef stock.

This simple recipe, originally from Better Homes & Gardens, is a keeper for me - I've also made it with chicken legs, and added carrots cut into chunks as well.

Maple-Mustard-Sauced Turkey Thighs

Maple and mustard are an amazing combination for these maple-mustard-sauced turkey thighs. Use red-skinned potatoes for added color.

Prep: 20 mins Servings: 4 Cook: 6 hrs Low or High 3 hours

Ingredients

1 pound new potatoes, quartered

2 – 2.5 pounds turkey thighs (about 4 thighs), skinned

1/3 cup coarse-grain brown mustard (I've used Dijon)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca

Directions

Place potatoes in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Place turkey thighs on potatoes.

In a small bowl stir together mustard, syrup, and tapioca. Pour over turkey.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for to 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Makes 4 servings.

Beef Bourguignon is wonderful slow cooked. And it smells so good.

Sometimes I buy a cheap lamb shoulder roast, slather it in Moroccan spices and brown it, then toss it into the crockpot and slow cook it in a little water until it falls apart. Then I either serve it with saffron rice and vegetables or shred it and have it on sandwiches. The leftovers make a delicious soup with carrots, celery, onions and barley.

We don't have so many sheep, here, and I don't know where I could even buy a shoulder roast, but that sounds really good!

I miss lamb - it shows up rarely in the meat cases here, and it's incredibly price-y.

Carol, do you have a Costco or Sam’s Club membership? They both almost always have some boneless lamb leg, loin chops and ground lamb. It’s been a while since I’ve seen lamb shoulder anywhere. Boneless lamb leg was $7/lb. last time I bought some.

I also see various cuts of lamb at Aldi. It's not seasonal, it's there all the time. Elery is having lamb chops for supper. Our local Meijer also has it regularly, although that's more hit or miss. Sam's and Costco also have it whenever I've been there.

Annie

Our Publix has lamb, but it is very small cuts and very expensive, since it is imported from Australia.

I put two bone-in chicken thighs in my small crock pot and let them cook until fall apart. I then removed the skin and added bq sauce. They were great.

Yes, we have available rib chops and whole rib sides, leg of lamb and shanks (front leggs), and sometimes loin chops. No roasts, riblets, stew meat, etc... My mother bought whole lambs, butchered and portioned, so I grew up eating all the different parts, and I miss it. But it was also local, and there's almost no California lamb. Just the specialty growers. The lamb from Australia and New Zealand is good, but they only send premium cuts for obvious reasons.

Ive purchased lamb from a butcher shop that claims all of their meats are grown no more than 14 miles away. Its excellent.

The butterflied lamb leg (from Costco) our SIL grilled for Easter was outstanding. I used to buy a two-pack of ground lamb at Sam's for $12…two one-pound pkgs. I think I paid closer to $20 for it more recently.

No Costco or Sam's Club membership, but both Aldi and Publix are just a few minutes away. Aldi does have butterflied legs, breast plate, and chops, but not regularly, and they do keep ground lamb in stock, but it's awfully fatty. Sadly, I'm the only one who likes roast lamb, and a butterflied leg is just a bit much for one person. I like shoulder chops but have only seen those at Publix. I rarely buy meat at Publix tho - they price gouge, IMO.

Not really a recipe, but....caramelized onions. On the back porch, lol.

A can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can water,(Or substitute white sauce for the soup), 4 skinless-boneless chicken breasts and 8 oz white rice. In 6 hours I have a complete meal. (MY cooker stays on high for 2 hours then turns itself down to low for 4 hours). I haven't made this since I used to go-to-a-job type work. :0) Note: I still "work", just not with deadlines, more hobby type 'fun'.

Coq-au-vin is good in the crock pot too. Link to recipe:

I see lamb marked down a lot. :0)

Rice pudding!!! Yum!

Islay, would you share your rice pudding recipe? I love rice pudding, but haven't had it in years!