Make It Fast, Cook It Slow (29 page)

JAVA ROAST

serves
6

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the onion, pepper, mushrooms, and garlic into the stoneware and lay the meat on top. Add the coffee, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Carefully remove the meat from the pot, and scoop out some of the broth. Mix this broth with the cream cheese until smooth. Stir the mixture into the remaining broth. Return the meat to the pot and serve with gravy.

The Verdict

Yummy! If I didn’t know coffee was in there, I wouldn’t have guessed what that hint of flavor was. I liked how the gravy was dark brown and rich. Adding the cream cheese thickened it up nicely and gave a pleasant creamy texture. The coffee really tenderizes the meat, and it becomes fork-tender more quickly than other roast recipes.

LAMB CHOPS

serves
4

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of the stoneware and spread it around. Cover all sides of each lamb chop with your favorite spice blend. The one I used contained salt, garlic, cracked black peppercorns, rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Put the chops on top of the olive oil, and add water. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

The Verdict

My lamb chops were frozen solid when I plugged in the slow cooker, yet by the end of the day they were juicy and fork-tender. We had these on a terribly stormy night in front of a real fire made with a real Duraflame.

LAYERED DINNER: STEAK, POTATOES, AND CORN ON THE COB

serves
4

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Rub the seasoning blend on all sides of the meat, and add to the stoneware. Top with the onion rings. Add the tequila and Worcestershire sauce. Wash the potatoes and wrap individually with foil. Add to the pot, on top of the meat. Shuck the corn, and wrap each ear in foil. Add to the pot. It doesn’t seem to matter if the potatoes are closer to the meat or the corn. The new slow cookers heat from the sides as well as from the bottom, so everything will cook through regardless of its location. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 7 hours, or on low for about 8 hours.

The Verdict

It was so neat to make a complete meal in one appliance that wasn’t a soup, stew, or casserole. I was able to fit 2 large potatoes and 4 ears of corn along with the meat. Although I used the above ingredients, you can play around with the meat and vegetables you have on hand to create your own family-pleasing meals.

LEG OF LAMB

serves
8

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Rub the seasonings all over the lamb, or use a preseasoned piece of meat. We really like the frozen leg of lamb from Trader Joe’s, and use that quite often. If you don’t have access to a Trader Joe’s, this seasoning blend will work fantastically. Place the meat in the stoneware and add the water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 6 hours. The meat is done when it is cooked through and has reached the desired tenderness. I like my lamb to fall apart, so I opt for cooking it on low for a full 8 hours.

The Verdict

Lamb has the tendency to dry out, which is just not a possibility when slow cooked. Each time I slow cook lamb, I marvel at just how good it is. I will not attempt to prepare lamb any other way.

LEG OF LAMB WITH PRUNES

serves
6

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the meat inside the cooker, and rub it on all sides with the seasonings. Add the garlic and prunes. Pour in the wine, and toss in a cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. I’d go with the longer cooking time and lower heat, though.

When the lamb is done, if you’d like, remove the meat from the stoneware, and make a gravy out of the accumulated juices by whisking in some cornstarch. The prunes will be awfully squishy, and can blend right in. Serve with mashed potatoes or polenta with the gravy drizzled over the top.

LEMON PEPPER RIBS

serves
4

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Cut the ribs to fit your stoneware. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the rack of ribs with the dry mixture, covering all sides. Put the ribs into the slow cooker. If you have extra seasoning, sprinkle it on top. Juice lemons (use one of those handheld juicer things, to make sure all the juice gets out) onto the ribs. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 10 hours, or on high for about 5 hours. The meat will be more tender if you cook it on low.

The Verdict

I saw Senator John McCain barbecue these ribs on TV during the 2008 presidential campaign, and was interested in seeing how they held up in the slow cooker. I was nervous that they’d get awfully tough and burn without liquid, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. The meat was flavorful, tender, and juicy. The lemon gave a neat tartness I’ve never had with ribs before. The kids ate a ton, and there were happy noises at the table. These ribs are fantastic.

MAPLE HAM

serves
10

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham, and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the stoneware, flat-side down. Rub the brown sugar on all sides. Pour on the maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Remove the ham carefully and let rest on a cutting board for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

The Verdict

Ham smells crazy-good when it’s slow cooking. I had to pack up the kids and head to the library for the day so we could concentrate and not drool all over ourselves. I packed most of the meat up for my brother and sister-in-law and some for my dad. They all loved it, and my dad said it tasted better than “normal ham.” Adam ate the meat for dinner, and then the next day in a sandwich. The kids and I had frozen
taquitos
. It’s tough being allergic to pork.

MARINATED MEAT

serves
4

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Put the meat into the crock, and add the water. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 8 hours. The cooking time will vary depending on the variety and cut of meat, and whether it is fresh or frozen.

The Verdict

This is a fail-proof meal. I like to buy already-marinated meat when it’s on sale, but you can also make your own by freezing meat in plastic ziplock bags after you’ve liberally applied your own spice blend, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, or other prepackaged marinade mixture. Always check ingredients thoroughly to search for hidden allergens.

MEATLOAF

serves 6

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the ketchup. Mix with your hands until everything is well incorporated and there aren’t any seasoning clumps. If using an oval 6-quart cooker, put the meat mixture into a glass or metal 9×5×3-inch loaf pan, and put it into the slow cooker. Otherwise, put the meat directly into your crock, and form a roundish lump with your hands. Spread the ketchup all over the top of your meatloaf. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. The meat is done when it is browned and fully cooked when you cut into it. Use paper towels to soak up any collected grease. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

The Verdict

Moist and delicious. My parents came over for dinner and we all really enjoyed our meal. The kids dipped their meat into barbecue sauce. Every time I make meatloaf the mix is slightly different—feel free to use your own secret family recipe. Slow-cooked meatloaf is much juicier than oven-baked, which allows you to use a leaner meat without sacrificing moisture or flavor.

MOLE

serves
8

The Ingredients

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Don’t freak out about the number of ingredients, it’ll be worth it. In a small pan, brown the raw seeds and almonds on the stovetop. Set aside to cool. Put the meat into the stoneware. Cover with the seasonings. Put the dry chili pod into the pot with meat, onion, raisins, and water. Add the toasted nuts, seeds, cinnamon stick, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tequila, and chocolate. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. Shred the meat with forks, and serve over rice and with corn tortillas. Salt to taste.

The Verdict

Mole is pronounced mol-AY. This will not stop the “holy moly” jokes. This is such a satisfying meal. The kids mostly ate corn tortillas and butter, but I will make it again, and soon. This is great company food—the flavor is so rich and full-bodied—you get a bit of a crunch from a nut here, and a sweet burst from a raisin there. It’s incredible.