If you've purchased a slow cooker, whether that be a standalone electric cooker or a tagine pot, you might be wondering how exactly to cook meat in it. Slow cookers are one of the best tools you could want when cooking meat, as it cooks it through efficiently without drying it out.
However, there are some essential things to know when cooking different types of meat in slow cookers. Here is our advice on how to cook different types of meats in slow cookers!
Chuck Steak, Pork Shoulder, and Lamb Shank
These meats are very similar in that they are the parts of the animal that are often thought of as chewy and tough and are often discarded if they are not bought. This means that they are much cheaper.
They work well in slow cookers due to their high collagen content. In ovens, the collagen causes them to become chewy and tough, whereas, in slow cookers, the collagen helps them become moist and succulent.
These types of meat are easy to cook in slow cookers. Simply place them in there for the desired time, and check it every so often to confirm that it is cooking how it should. The cooking time varies depending on the meat's size, but generally, expect to have it in the slow cooker for 5-7 hours.
To crisp your meat up after it has been in the slow cooker, you can transfer it to the oven for 20 minutes afterward.
These types of meat are delicious served on their own with potatoes and vegetables, or they can be torn from the bone into pieces and served in a sandwich, or used in dishes like curries.
Beef skirt or alternatives
Beef skirt can be chopped up into chunks and added to ingredients to make a delicious stew. This also works with other meats, as long as they are cooked thoroughly before transferring to the slow cooker.
To make a beef stew, fry beef chunks with onion, garlic, herbs, other vegetables and chopped tomatoes (you can also add other ingredients depending on your specific tastes). Then transfer the mixture to a slow cooker and add stock before cooking for 4-8 hours.
The result will be a flavorsome stew with tender meat and soft (but not mushy) vegetables. Although it takes hours to cook, the preparation is quick and straightforward, making it an easy, cheap, and healthy dinner.
Short ribs
Short ribs are known for their tenderness and the way that the meat falls off the bone. The only way that this is achieved is by baking in a slow cooker for hours.
The meat should be seared initially and then placed in a slow cooker with the ingredients to make the traditional BBQ glaze. The ribs should cook in the sauce to give them the chance to properly absorb all of the flavors, resulting in a tantalizing end product!
Short ribs take around 8 hours in the slow cooker. It's a while - but trust us, they will be worth it. Serve your ribs with creamy mashed potatoes and green vegetables for a nourishing, comforting dinner.
Whole chicken
Provided your slow cooker is big enough, you can cook an entire whole chicken in it! This takes around 5 hours, or slightly longer if you have a larger chicken.
Before putting your chicken in the slow cooker, place a protective layer of carrots and other vegetables underneath. You'll be able to enjoy these with the dinner, and it also stops the bottom of the chicken from burning. Also, pour in around 100 ml of water before placing the chicken on top.
Season your chicken with salt, pepper, and oil, and add some butter if you want an especially delectable chicken. After five hours, see how loose the wing is. If it nearly falls off, the meat is probably done. Drain the juices into the carrot bed below, and then turn the slow cooker up to high for another 30 minutes. This will help the chicken skin to crisp up.
If the chicken isn't cooked after five hours, leave it for up to an hour longer before assessing again. The first time you cook a roast chicken in your slow cooker, make sure you have plenty of time to do so!
Slow cookers are an ingenious way to cook meat, ensuring that the cuts are tender, supple, and full of flavor. Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas on how to cook your meat and reap the very best results!
