Take the Stress Out of Thanksgiving with These Slow Cooker Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do I get the most out of my slow cooker? ›

Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker

It should just cover the meat and vegetables. Don't overfill your slow cooker, or it may start leaking out the top, and the food won't cook so well. Half to two-thirds full is ideal – certainly no more than three-quarters.

One of the most versatile tools for slow cooking without a slow cooker is a Dutch oven. This heavy, oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid can be used to braise, simmer, and slow cook a wide range of dishes.

Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. Cooked food should be reheated on the stove, in a microwave, or in a conventional oven until it reaches 165 °F. Then the hot food can be placed in a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving—at least 140 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Many Americans would regard Thanksgiving dinner as "incomplete" without stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cranberry sauce. A recipe for cranberry sauce to be served with turkey appeared in the first American cookbook, American Cookery (1796) by Amelia Simmons.

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

An Instant Pot can cook food much faster than a Crockpot—and even quicker than conventional cooking methods too (according to the Instant Pot manufacturers, it can cook a meal up to six times faster than a regular, stove-top cooking time).

Can you cook the turkey the day before and reheat it on Thanksgiving? ›

Reheat Your Turkey the Next Day

You can bake it along with the stuffing (drizzle a little turkey broth over the stuffing before you bake it to add some turkey flavor) and side dishes, but watch the bird carefully, as you don't want to overcook it or dry out the meat by leaving it in the oven too long.

It's easy: Simply cook it a day or two in advance, let it cool completely, then carve the bird into large pieces—breasts, wings, thighs and drumsticks. Store in a container in the refrigerator until the big day. This method actually result in juicier meat—and an infinitely more relaxed host.

Many slow cookers cannot accommodate large turkeys, so USDA recommended cutting-up a whole turkey into smaller pieces, or using store bought turkey parts. The parts should always be thawed before placing them into a slow cooker. DON'T start cooking foods from the frozen state.

Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting. It's safe to cook foods on low the entire time -- if you're leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.

The Slow Cooker has 3 different heat settings; high, low and keep warm. This allows you to tailor the temperature to what you are cooking resulting in succulent, tasty meals.

“If you're cooking meat, you'll know it's done when it is fork-tender, meaning you can cut into it easily with just a fork,” she says. When meat is overcooked, it will be “tough and dry,” while overcooked vegetables will be mushy.

Yes, you can add raw steak to a slow cooker to cook it to your desired doneness level.