Winter Cooking Simplified with Breville’s the Smart Temp™ Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• • 1.2 kilogram whole broiler hen
  • 1 medium brown onion (150g) chopped coarsely
  • 2 clove garlic, crushed
  • 300 gram swiss brown mushrooms, halved
  • 300 gram button mushrooms, halved
  • 10 gram dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 stalk celery (150g), trimmed, chopped coarsely
  • 2 medium potatoes (400g), chopped coarsely
  • 1 litre (4 cups) water
  • 2 cup (500ml) chicken stock
  • 300 millilitre pouring cream
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh chervil leaves

Method

1. Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry, inside and out, with paper towel. Trim excess fat from chicken; place chicken in a 5-litre (20-cup) slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, celery, potato, the water and stock. Cook, covered, on low, about 10 hours.
2. Remove chicken from cooker; when cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones. Shred chicken coarsely.
3. Using a stick blender, blend soup in cooker until smooth; stir in cream and shredded chicken. Cook, covered, on high, for 10 minutes or until hot. Season to taste. Serve soup sprinkled with chervil and drizzle with a little extra cream, if you like.

Recipe from www.womensweeklyfood.com.au

Ingredients

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 600g carrots, washed and coarsely grated (no need to peel)
• 140g split red lentils
• 1l hot vegetable stock, (from a cube is fine)
• 125ml milk, (to make it dairy-free, see 'try' below)
• plain yogurt and naan bread, to serve

Method

1. Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry 2 tsp cumin seeds and a pinch of chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas.
2. Scoop out about half with a spoon and set aside. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, 600g coarsely grated carrots, 140g split red lentils, 1l hot vegetable stock and 125ml milk to the pan and bring to the boil.
3. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened.
4. Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer).
5. Season to taste and finish with a dollop of plain yogurt and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices. Serve with warmed naan breads.

Recipe from www.bbcgoodfood.com

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb dried split peas (Note 1)
• 1.2-1.5kg / 2.4-3lb ham hock (aka ham bone), bacon hock or MEATY leftover ham bone (Note 2)
• 1/4 tsp salt (start with less, adjust later)
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 2 bay leaves , dried or fresh
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 carrot , peeled and finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks , finely chopped
• 8 cups (2 litres/qts) water
• Garnishes / serving:
• Parsley , finely chopped
• Crusty bread for dunking!

Instructions

1. Place peas in slow cooker, push ham in. Scatter all ingredients around the ham bone, then pour over water.
2. Slow cook 8 to 10 hours on LOW or 6 hours on HIGH. (Or 2.5 hours on low on stove, 1 h – 1 hr 20 min pressure cooker/Instant Pot on HIGH)
3. Remove ham bone, shred ham meat. Discard bone and fatty skin.
4. Remove bay leaves. Use a stick blender to blitz 2 or 3 times – thickens soup but doesn’t make it completely smooth (my preference, you can blend completely if you want).
5. Return ham into slow cooker, stir. Taste and add more salt if needed (soup gets lots of salt from ham).
6. Serve garnished with parsley. Serve with crusty bread for dunking – make a quick Irish Soda Bread, Garlic Bread or upgrade to Cheesy Garlic Bread!

Recipe from www.recipetineats.com

Ingredients

• 2-3 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large celery stalk diced
• 1 medium onion roughly chopped
• 5-6 large tomatoes quartered and chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4-6 cups Vegetable Broth or water or some combination of water and stock
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• ¼ cup table cream 18%
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese rough chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Method

1. In the slow cooker, stir together onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and vegetable stock ( or water). Use enough stock to cover the vegetables. Set to cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
2. Turn off the slow cooker and let the soup cool slightly before transferring to the pitcher of a blender. Puree the soup in batches until smooth. Please be careful to not overfill the blender with hot soup. Also be sure the vent the top of the blender to release steam. Alternatively, use an immersion blender.
3. Return the soup to the slow cooker, and set to high heat. Stir in crush garlic cloves, cream and Parmesan. Cook on high for 20-25 minutes. (*If you were going to add pasta to your soup, this is a good point to do that).
4. Just before serving, test for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Stir in the fresh chopped basil.

Recipe from www.infinebalance.com

Ingredients

• 2 (14 oz) cans lite coconut milk
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup peanut butter the all-natural, runny kind no sugar or salt added
• 1 (4 oz) jar red curry paste start with 1/4 cup and add more to taste, I used the whole jar, but we like spice
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, start without and add after cook time for more spice
• 1 pound raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 cup diagonally sliced carrots
• 1 red bell pepper sliced
• 1 (8 oz) package sliced mushrooms
• 1 head broccoli cut into florets
• salt to taste if necessary, I needed quite a bit of salt, but it will depend on your soy sauce and chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• Chopped cilantro garnish
• Chopped peanuts garnish
• Brown rice or noodles for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk together coconut milk, broth, peanut butter, curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in greased crockpot.
2. Add in chicken breasts, onion, carrots, pepper, mushrooms, and broccoli.
3. Stir to combine.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8 hours.
5. Remove chicken and cut into chunks.
6. Stir back into soup.
7. Stir in lime juice.
8. Taste and re-season with salt, more curry paste, red pepper flakes, if necessary.
9. Serve over brown rice or noodles and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.
10. Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!

Recipe from showmetheyummy.com

Ingredients

• 2 pounds frozen fish fillets, such as catfish, or haddock, thawed
• 1/4 pound bacon, or streaky salt pork, diced
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups water
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Cut the thawed fish fillets into bite-sized pieces.
3. Place in the slow cooker.
4. Dice the bacon or salt pork into small pieces.
5. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon or salt pork with the chopped onion until the meat is cooked and onion is golden.
6. Drain and discard excess fat.
7. Transfer the bacon and onion mixture to the slow cooker with the fish pieces.
8. Add the cubed potatoes, water, salt, and pepper.
9. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
10. Add the can of evaporated milk and cook for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until hot.
11. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe from www.thespruceeats.com

Ingredients For the marinade

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

For the slow cooker

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved
• 2 stalks celery, halved
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 2-inch knob of ginger, peeled
• 1 jalapeno, halved and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 3 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
• 11 cups water
• 16 ounces ramen noodles

For the eggs

• 4 large eggs

For the sauteed toppings

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 1 leek, washed and chopped
• 5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
• pinch of salt

To prepare the crispy pork

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed, divided
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

Additional toppings and garnishes

• 4 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• black and/or white sesame seeds
• crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions 1. Start with the marinade. I like to marinate the pork overnight, but even a 30 minute marinade is better than nothing. Use a sharp knife to chop your pork shoulder into 2 or 3 pieces. Place in a large Ziplock bag and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Rub the salt around to coat the pork. Add 2 teaspoons each: brown sugar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Zip the bag and shake it up a bit to distribute all the sugar and liquids. Let marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. 2. Slow cook the pork to create broth. Add the pork and all the marinade to a 6 quart capacity crock pot. 3. Chop 1 onion into a few pieces. Peel 2 carrots and chop them in half. Chop 2 celery stalks in half. Smash 6 cloves of garlic with the side of a chef's knife and peel. Use a normal spoon (trust me) to peel the ginger, you need about a 2-inch knob. Add a jalapeno: slice it in half and remove all seeds and membranes. (This lends great flavor but doesn't make it too spicy.) Add all these vegetables to the crock pot. 4. Add 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Add 1 tablespoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon sriracha, or more to taste (you can always add more later too). Add 3 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base. 5. Add about 11 cups of water, or enough to fill your crock pot without getting too close to the top. You need at least an inch of space between the water and your lid. 6. Stir everything together and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender and falls apart when you stick a fork in it. 7. Remove the pork to a cutting board and set aside. 8. Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the broth. (Eat the carrots if you know what's good for you. You deserve a halftime snack. Discard the rest.) 9. Remove any bits of pork or solids from the broth that you don't want to eat in your ramen. Turn the heat on your crock pot up to high and cover with the lid. 10. When you are about 20 minutes out from serving your meal, add 16 ounces ramen noodles to the hot broth in the crock pot. Cover with a lid and let cook on high for about 15-20 minutes. Don't do this too soon or your noodles will get soggy. 11. Toward the end of the slow cooker time, prepare your eggs. See notes for steaming instructions.* Add 4 eggs (old eggs are best) to a medium pot. Add water to the pot until the eggs are covered with one inch of water. Place on the stove with the burner set to high heat, and cover with a tilted lid. Bring to a rolling boil (make sure you stick around so you know when it starts boiling.) Once boiling, remove from heat, cover the pot completely with the lid, and set a timer for 3-5 minutes. 3 minutes will get you fairly runny/jammy eggs. 5 minutes will get you soft eggs that are solid-ish. Once the timer goes off, immediately remove the eggs to an ice bath (a bowl filled with ice water) to stop the cooking process. Leave in the ice bath for about 5 minutes, then remove, peel, and slice in half. Set aside. 12. Toward the end of the slow cooker time, prepare your garnishes so they are ready to go. Slice 4 green onions (I only did the green parts. Slice them almost vertically to get the long slices you see in the photos.) Place in a small bowl. If you like it spicy, slice one jalapeno and place in a bowl. Add 1 cup (or more) of frozen corn to a bowl to start thawing. 13. Prepare the sautéed toppings. Peel and chop 2 carrots into matchsticks. See photos. Chop off the ends of the leek, slice in half, and clean well under running water. Discard the tough outer layers. Chop the leek into half moons. Roughly chop 5 ounces of spinach. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat.** When hot, add a couple teaspoons of olive oil. First add the carrots. Sauté the carrots for about 2 minutes, until crisp tender. Remove and add more oil if necessary. Sauté the leeks for 1-3 minutes, until just softened. Remove and add more oil if necessary. Sauté the spinach until just barely wilted, sprinkling with a pinch of salt. Remove all the vegetables to a bowl and set aside to keep warm. Don't wash the skillet. 14. Make the crispy pork. (At this point you should be just about ready to eat and the ramen noodles should be in the crock pot. All your garnishes should be prepped, the veggies should be sauteed and warm, and your eggs should be halved and ready to go.) Shred the pork with 2 forks. In the same skillet that you prepared the vegetables in, add 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Set over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add HALF the shredded pork in one layer across the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon brown sugar and let the pork cook for about 30 seconds. Do not stir. Drizzle 1 tablespoon each rice vinegar and soy sauce over the pork. Use a spatula to flip the pork over in sections. If should be getting caramelized and crispy. Add more sugar if necessary. Remove the pork from the heat and repeat the process with the second half of the pork. Add all the pork back into the pan and stir to warm it up, then set aside and keep warm until ready to serve. 15. Serve the ramen. Add plenty of broth and ramen noodles to a large bowl. Top with warm crispy pork. Add warm carrots, leeks, and spinach. Top with 1 or 2 egg halves. 16. Garnish with corn, sliced jalapenos, sliced green onions, a sprinkle of black sesame seeds and/or white sesame seeds, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Add more sriracha if you like it hot. Slurp away!

Recipe from thefoodcharlatan.com

Recipe from www.simplyrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound (450g) lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups (180g) diced yellow or red onions
• 2 to 3 cups (475ml to 710ml) chicken or beef stock (use more if you want a thinner soup)
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1 1/4 cups (135g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt

To serve:

• Tortilla chips, lightly crushed, optional
• Sour cream, optional
• Chopped cilantro, optional
• Finely diced or chopped red onion, optional
• Lime juice

Method 1. Brown the beef with the onions: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the ground beef is browned but not completely cooked and the onions are starting to look soft around the edges. Use your spatula to break up the ground beef into smaller pieces as it cooks. Remove from heat and use immediately, or refrigerate for a day or two until needed. 2. Combine and cook: Combine the browned beef, onions and the remaining soup ingredients in a slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. It's fine if the soup cooks a little longer or the slow cooker switches to the "warm" setting. 3. Serve the soup: Serve soup in bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, cilantro, red onion and lime juice. This soup will keep refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe from dinnerthendessert.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 pounds chuck roast
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , divided
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper , divided
• 4 russet potatoes , peeled and diced
• 3 carrots , peeled and diced
• 1 cup green beans , diced
• 1 cup corn
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 yellow onion , diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons beef base (see note)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 5 cups water , (or enough to cover the ingredients by about ½ inch)
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet on medium high heat with the canola oil.
2. Season the beef with half the salt and pepper.
3. Sear the beef for 5-6 minutes on each side until you see a deep golden crust formed on each side.
4. Trim any large sections of fat and cut the rest of the beef into 2 inch chunks.
5. To slow cooker the add the beef, rest of the salt and pepper, potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, garlic, yellow onion, bay leaves, beef base and tomato paste.
6. Add water to your cast iron skillet on medium high heat and scrape up the browned bits in the skillet.
7. Add the water to your slow cooker.
8. Stir well and cook for 8 hours on low.
9. Just before serving add in the frozen peas and stir.

Recipe from www.halfbakedharvest.com

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1-2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 4 carrots chopped
• 4 celery stalks chopped
• 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• chili flakes add to taste
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1-2 cans (14 ounces) white beans, drained
• 4-6 cups roughly chopped kale
• 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2-3 cups egg noodles

Instructions Slow Cooker

1. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the rosemary. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon.
2. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, basil, oregano, fennel, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of your crockpot. Stir in the tomato paste, butternut squash, carrots, and celery.
3. Add the wine, broth, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
4. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the cream, kale, beans, parmesan, and noodles.
5. Serve the soup topped with the reserved rosemary bacon, additional parmesan and fresh oregano, if desired.

Stove-Top

1. Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, 5 minutes. Add the rosemary, cook another minute then, remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon.
2. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, until golden. Add the butternut squash, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, oregano, fennel, chili flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste.
3. Pour in the wine and broth. Simmer over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, until the squash is tender.
4. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the cream, kale, beans, parmesan, and noodles.
5. Serve the soup topped with the reserved rosemary bacon, additional parmesan and fresh oregano, if desired./li>

Instant Pot

1. Set Instant Pot to sauté. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 5 minutes. Stir in the rosemary, cook another minute, then remove from the pot.
2. Add the onion, butternut squash, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, oregano, fennel, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste. Turn the Instant Pot off.
3. To the instant pot, add the wine, broth, and chili flakes. Cover and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
4. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick-release function. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Stir in the cream, kale, beans, parmesan, and noodles. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 10 minutes. Turn the Instant Pot off.
5. Serve the soup topped with the reserved rosemary bacon, additional parmesan and fresh oregano, if desired./li>

Both slow cookers and pressure cookers are excellent kitchen appliances designed to make meal preparation easier, but they differ in how they cook food and the time they take to do it. A slow cooker works by cooking food at a low, steady heat over an extended period, often several hours. A pressure cooker, on the other hand, uses high heat and pressure to cook food significantly faster. If you prioritise “set it and forget it” convenience or enjoy slow-simmered textures and flavors, a slow cooker fits the bill. For those looking to save time while achieving tender and flavorful results, a pressure cooker is the ideal choice.  Whichever you prefer, both appliances can transform the way you cook at home!

Absolutely! A slow cooker is perfect for making healthy comfort food. You can prepare dishes like hearty vegetable soups, lean protein stews, or whole-grain casseroles, all while preserving nutrients and achieving rich, satisfying flavours.

Tougher cuts of meat are ideal for slow cooking as the low and steady heat helps break down connective tissues, resulting in tender, flavourful dishes. Popular options include beef chuck, brisket, pork shoulder, and lamb shanks. These cuts are not only budget-friendly but also perfect for absorbing seasonings and creating rich, hearty meals.

Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and sweet potatoes hold up exceptionally well in slow cooker recipes due to their firm texture and ability to retain their shape during long cooking times. Other hearty options include butternut squash, celery, and onions, which add flavor and depth to dishes while maintaining their structure.