Holiday Slow Cooker Recipes
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Free up your stove and your time this and every holiday season with these sublime slow-cooker recipes. These classic crockpot meals are great for everything from Easter to St. Patrick’s Day and everything in between. And of course they’re just amazing for Thanksgiving and Christmas when oven space is at an absolute minimum. Get out of the kitchen and enjoy yourself this holiday with these classic recipes crock-pot style.
Let’s face it, holidays are a busy time in the kitchen, and oven space is always at a minimum. That’s why I love these slow cooker holiday recipes. Whether it’s Easter, Thanksgiving, or even St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve covered everything from a classic ham or turkey, corned beef, and simple sides like mashed potatoes or even green bean casserole. All done in your crockpot! Free up your stove and your time this holiday with these crockpot holiday recipes.
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Tips For Cooking Food In The Crockpot
To get the best results from your recipes, you’ll want to consider a few tips and tricks. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it will help get you started. The first and most important tip I can offer is to know your crockpot. Familiarize yourself with the technicals of your slow-cooker. If you still happen to have the owner’s manual somewhere, actually give it a read.
- Use a little nonstick spray or a slow-cooker-safe roasting bag for easy cleanup.
- The slow cooker requires a little liquid to maintain a moist environment. You can add stock, broth, wine, or just water.
- Don’t add too much liquid. You just need liquid to help keep everything moist. Oh, and a little wine in the crockpot goes a long way with flavor. So again, not too much.
- You can sear your roast before adding it to a crockpot. This will help seal in the flavor and requires only a couple minutes of stovetop time. Then add the roast to the crockpot, set the timer, and go about your business.
- Cook meats low and slow. This will yield a much more tender result in the final product.
- Sifting in a little flour will help thicken your sauces if needed.
- Cooking juices left after removing roasts, etc can be turned into gravy straight from the crockpot. Use flour or a cornstarch slurry for thickening.
- If your ham or turkey is too large, you can use tin foil to seal the lid to your crockpot and keep the moisture in.
- Add any dairy products near the end of the cooking time to avoid the dairy product separating or breaking. I find it best to add them in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
- Stop taking the lid off to check the contents. The crockpot requires moisture to do its job correctly and allows it to escape every time you “check it”.
Crockpot Sizes
Crock Pots come in all sizes, from less than 1 quart, which is mostly good for things like dips or small appetizers, to upwards of 10 quarts. And size does matter. Large foods like ham, turkey, or roasts should be done in nothing less than a full-size, 8-quart or 10-quart slow cooker.
You want to make sure the entire thing is able to fit and still be able to easily put the lid on. And the slow cooker should not be filled to the very top with food. You always want to have a little space for the heat to circulate fully for even cooking and to avoid spillovers..
If you’re looking to see what size slow cooker is best for your needs, check out my post-> “What Size Crock Pot Should I Buy?”.
Easy Holiday Slow Cooker Recipes
Crockpot Ham Recipes
Other Crockpot Holiday Recipes
EASY ST PATRICK’S DAY CROCKPOT MEALS
Almost no holiday lends itself to crockpot meals better than St. Patrick’s Day. Whether it’s a pot roast, stew, or classic corned beef, these slow cooker meals always yield the most tender results. For a full line-up of more great St. Patrick’s Day meals, check out this post on Amazing St. Patrick’s Day recipes.
Crockpot Recipes To Check Out
Crockpots are versatile and perfect for making meals without much work or effort. I use mine constantly! Below are some of my favorite collections of recipes I’ve made in my kitchen. Slow Cooker recipes are an easy way to get dinner on the table.
