15 Must-Try Recipes Perfect for the Slow Cooker

Have a favorite dish you typically make on the stovetop or in the oven? If it includes moisture from ingredients like water, broth, wine, sauce, or canned soup, you're in luck. Most recipes that involve braising, stewing, baking, or roasting can be easily adapted to the slow cooker with a few adjustments. Just follow some helpful guidelines when making the switch to your crockpot.

Key Tips for Slow Cooker Conversions

• Cut liquid amounts from a conventional recipe in half.
• For maximum flavor and a more appetizing color, trim visible fat from meats and remove the skin from chicken, then coat the meat lightly in flour and brown in a hot skillet before adding to the slow cooker.
• For every hour you'd bake, roast, or braise something, allow about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high in the slow cooker. (When in doubt, turn it on low and leave it all day or overnight.) The low heat setting is about 200F; high heat is about 300F.
• To thicken or enrich sauces, stir in cream, sour cream, shredded cheese, or cornstarch slurries at the end.
• Brighten flavors at the end with salt and pepper, lemon juice, or vinegar. A handful of fresh chopped parsley, basil, or cilantro doesn't hurt anything either.

Make Your Favorite Dishes Slow Cooker-Friendly

These top-rated recipes transition smoothly from stovetop or oven to the slow cooker with ease.

1) Delicious Red Wine Pot Roast

Lightly dredge the roast in flour and sear it thoroughly on all sides. Then, simply add everything to the crockpot! Just be sure to reduce the amount of liquid by half.

2) Chef John's Classic Coq au Vin

This recipe uses bone-in chicken thighs, a fantastic option for slow cooker meals. However, you may want to remove the skin for this particular dish.

3) Chinese-style Braised Spare Ribs

Even after halving the liquid, you might find there's still too much. If that's the case, simply remove the lid, set the cooker to high, and let some of it evaporate.

4) Easy Beef Pot Roast

As the vegetables cook, they soften and blend with the meat's natural juices, forming a delicious sauce that's perfect with

creamy horseradish mashed potatoes.

5) Ellen's Chicken Cacciatore

This recipe calls for skinless chicken thighs. Simply brown them along with some chopped onions and mushrooms, then let the slow cooker work its magic.

6) Ground Beef Spaghetti Sauce

This is one of those recipes that only gets better as it simmers. The slow cooker is the ideal tool for making it even more flavorful.

7) Italian-Style Pork Chops

Drain some of the liquid from the diced Italian tomatoes, or reduce the sauce towards the end of cooking.

8) Chicken Thighs and Dumpling Stew

Remember the basics: Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and add the buttermilk biscuits at the very end.

9) Mom's Stovetop Pork Ribs

With the slow cooker, you can skip the boiling step. Just brown the ribs well and place them straight into the crockpot.

10) San Francisco-Style Pork Chops

The recipe suggests boneless chops, but bone-in chops would also work wonderfully in this dish.

11) Sherry-Braised Beef Short Ribs

"The beef needs to be browned really well," Chef John advises. "I'm talking a deep, dark, crusty, caramelized exterior. Once you've properly browned it, the only mistake you can make is undercooking them, so avoid that at all costs."

12) Slow-Braised Pork Ragu

You can either brown the pork shoulder in cubes as the recipe suggests, or leave the meat whole and shred it after it becomes super tender.

13) Carnitas Filling

This one only gets better the longer it cooks. Shred the meat and serve it in tacos, burritos, or tamales for a delicious meal.

14) Beef Bourguignon II

Brown the beef, vegetables, and mushrooms in a skillet, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add the fresh herbs towards the end of cooking.

15) Deliciously Rich Beef Stroganoff

Stir in the sour cream and the secret ingredient – cream cheese – at the very end of cooking for extra richness.