Category: slow cooker recipes

Slow cooker Chinese pulled pork

Because i love pulled pork i decided to try something new and create a “chinese” infused type pulled pork and to be honest it turned out a treat! I always cook my pork with the fat on then remove it once cooked i just find it easier that way as a lot of the internal hidden fat is cooked out during the process.  I know a lot of people like to cook their pork in sauces but for me when your doing a huge joint of pork i would rather do it this way then let everyone add their own dipping sauce, then if you have lots of leftovers you can be inventive of how you reuse them

This is basically the idea with this recipe infuse the pork with chinese flavours and add your own sauce, once cooked this will also freeze well should you have any leftovers

Slimming world syns = zero

by julessmithie

Slow cooker chicken & cabbage noodle soup

Ok i know this sounds like a bit of an odd combination but trust me it really worked made a lovely spicy soup packed full of lovely flavours

You can spice it up or down the choice is yours – add more or less chilli & ginger also if you want to make it vegetarian use quorn and it will still work

On slimming world this soup is syn free and will also freeze well for batch cooking

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

This works a treat and a lovely way of getting ahead of the game as you can do this in the morning pop it on low and walk away without worrying is it too hot or has it gone cold

My top tip here is only add 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar because it is going to depend on the wine you use as to how much sugar you really need and how sweet you like it….. you can always add but not take away so let the wine cook taste and gradually add more sugar if needed.

You will see in the video (a very old one lol) i will remake this at some point, i used all fresh fruits and spices but if you really do not want to bother with this you can always just use a Mulled Wine Kit from the supermarket i have done this many times and they are equally as good.

There is no right or wrong recipe for Mulled Wine its basically a case of adding whatever you like to get the taste you like, the recipe here is just a guide.

Sit back relax and enjoy your Christmas and your wine

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Pease Pudding

If your from “up North” then you probably know what this is but if not then its worth giving it a go Pease pudding is basically split yellow peas cooked and then blended, then once cooled served with cold meats or in my case a huge ham and pease pudding bap ……..hmmmm nom nom! (its a childhood thing lol)

I have added a carrot and shallot you really cant pick these out once cooked and blended they just add a little something to the flavour

This is syn free if following slimming world

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Another easy one my only trouble with this and slimming world is that im not sure of cooking a pork joint in their recommended syn free sauce i mean how much fat comes out of a pork joint??? loads! and thats even after you have removed as much as you can see.  However as always the choice is yours, i decided to do the pulled pork without the sauce and add it once cooked i did this mainly because Graeme doesn’t like BBQ sauce but done this way you can feed any army and let them add whatever they like

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Bacon Broth

This is a take on a childhood meal that my mum used to make but ive updated it slightly and of course in true Jules style simplified it – this makes about 4 big bowls and its really filling and again add whatever veggies you like! You will see i added turnip i know this seems weird but the sweetness from the turnip/swede really works well against the salty bacon.

On slimming world this is syn free when you remove all fat from lardons or bacon whichever you use the consistency can be quite thick and if your not keen on this add more water towards the end of cooking lentils do soak up lots of water.  This dish will also freeze well

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

This has got to be one of the easiest soups I have ever made, I made this when I was struggling to manage my pain flare ups basically just to get food on the table.

It’s another recipe that you can add any vegetables you like and especially those that need using up.

This makes 4 big bowls but will freeze well if you want to batch cook it, this is part of my “Fuller For Longer” soup recipes as it contains proteins and carbohydrates which will help with that midday snack attack.

by julessmithie

Slow cooker beef goulash

This is a perfect winter warmer and for me had the right amount of heat and spice if your not good with spicy foods then only add a small chilli and take the seeds out this dish makes 4 big portions but will freeze well

On slimming world this is completely syn free and if you dont sweat down the onions it really is a chop and chuck it in jobby. Once cooked stir through some fat free yogurt to get a really creamy sauce.

I softened off the onion but this is optional if you dont have time chop it and chuck it in the slow cooker, then add all the above ingredients, do not add any further liquid you can always add a splash at the end if it gets too thick. On low for approx 7 hours once cooked stir through some fat free yogurt which will give the sauce a lovely creamy taste.

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Pea and Ham Soup

Another soup from me yep i do love my soups especially in the winter and especially when they are easy to make as this one! This i guess is an old fashion way of making pea and ham soup using Chana Dal which is split yellow peas as you will see i added carrots and onions which add some veggies to the soup but they really do work well and no one will ever guess they are in there trust me this soup has past my Dads test

Top Tips – If you have not made pea and ham soup this way i would suggest you make it whilst you are at home the Chana Dal will absorb the water and you may need to add more depending on how hot your slow cooker works. You also need to ensure the Dal is cooked you want it soft and to be able to squash between your fingers.

As your taste buds are all different what i would suggest with this recipe is you watch the saltiness of the soup i added a ham stock cube to give the added “ham flavour” because in theory this soup should be made from bacon bones this is how my mum made it when we were little. Now i don’t add salt to my food once its served – it drives Graeme mad lol and i do not like over salty foods, so i would suggest if you are going to use a smoked gammon you use a vegetable stock pot as the last thing i would want is you making this and it too salty.

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Yep another curry from me as you can guess i do love a good curry and this was a good curry and so simple to do which makes it even more appealing for me! If you dont want to soften down the onions the choice is yours this literally then becomes a chop and chuck it in and walk away and let the slow cooker do its job.

My slow cooker can go on the hob and in the oven it has an aluminium non stick inner pot and they are the best slow cookers ever and so easy to clean so no need for plastic slow cooker bags. You can find the slow cooker i use on my Amazon Shop press the link it will take you there then look under kitchen gadgets https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

As you will see in more recent video’s and recipe cards i have switched over to using passata instead of tinned tomatoes i find passata does not give you a watery sauce, a tin of cheap tomatoes is more liquid than pulp so this will always give you more liquid than you need.

This recipe appears in my Cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS which is available on Amazon in paperback and kindle press here  https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Meatballs

Got to admit these were absolutely fab! i made my own meatballs to keep the dish syn free if your following slimming world but use whatever meatballs you want or make your own in batches and freeze until you need them again which is what i did – i basically made a huge batch of cooked meatballs and froze the leftovers. See the old Youtube video to see how i make my own homeade meatballs.

Since making this recipe way way back a lot has changed in the world of meatballs lol and lots of manufacturers have really upped their game and created lower fat lower calorie versions. In this updated recipe i used ready made meatballs from Asda and to be honest they were really good they weren’t fatty and held together well. So i guess the question is do you really need to make your own, to be honest i think i will save myself sometime and use ready made.

Italian herbs i use in the video are from Spicentice Use my discount code (affiliate) Jules 20 for 20% off any order https://www.spicentice.com/

In this version i used the meatballs to create a pasta bake but you can serve it with anything you like

I use the same recipe to make meatball subs from and these are amazing so easy to make.

You will see from the video i haven’t used an egg to bind the meatballs together this is because i use a cooked onion and find the moisture from the onion is enough to hold them together but if you want to used an egg please do – flavour the meatballs in anyway you like i used Spicentice Italian rub but any herbs will do even a bit of garlic would be nice, the choice as always is yours
by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Shepherds Pie

Who doesn’t love Shepherds Pie??? we do in our house! lovely warm winter food that never fails to hit the spot! I added split red lentils to make a thick gravy these disappear during the cooking so you wont see or taste them they just dissolve but its a fab way to thicken a sauce or gravy and if your following slimming world its syn free!

I added a mixed mash to the top of my shepherds pie but add any mash you want – one point to note is make sure your slow cooker inner can go in the oven or under the grill, mine is aluminum so is oven proof

In the video I have made 4 portions but foze 2 portions of the meat part and used 2 portions topped with mash. The reason I did freeze with the mashis because sometimes I like carrot as nd turnip mash to top the Shepherds Pie with.

This recipe appears in my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS Press here for my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS

https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn

My Slow cooker and the chopper I use is on my Amazon Shop (AFFILIATE) press here https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

by julessmithie

Mayflower curry in the slow cooker

This was perfect really worked well and personally i think it tasted better out of the slow cooker than when done in the pan! I use chicken thigh but you can use breast just leave it whole until the meal is cooked then you can dice it or shred it.

The Key is to mix the powder with boiling hot water to a dripping consistency not too watery but not too thick it needs to drip off the spoon – you can always add more water if needed.

I would also suggest you cook your first one when your around the house if possible because all slow cookers work differently and its hard for me to give you exact times measurements etc but if you follow the video you can always “tweak” it to suit your slow cooker

In the recipe i have said use 200ml of hot water but lately i have noticed buying new boxes sometimes i need to add more hot water, so start with 200ml then if you need more add small amounts slowly.

The slow cooker i use is on my Amazon Shop which if you look under the video section you can now watch a short video reviewing the slow cooker. Press the link it will take you there then look under KITCHEN GADGETS https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

This recipe appears in my cookbook MY SLOW COOKER MEALS which is available on Amazon in Paperback and kindle. Press here
https://amzn.eu/d/bxDzxmn

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes

This has got to be the easiest shortcut ever and i know they can be done in the microwave but when your at work all day or out at the weekend for me i just want to walk through the door and have no messing! you can literally pick these out of the slow cooker and get your meal done and you may need the microwave to heat other things – anyway the choice is yours!

Some tips – cooking time will depend on how big your potatoes are and what size slow cooker your using and how quickly it cooks but as a rule of thumb i would say 6-7 hours on low, i did a test batch when i was in the house as my slow cooker is a bit of a hottie.  You will see i also scrunched up some foil and sat it on the bottom of the slow cooker when i used my old cooker i had a couple of occasions when the bottom of the potatoes were burned so i decided to lift them off the bottom and sit them on some foil

If the potatoes come out and are brown in the middle dont worry they have just been over cooked they are still perfectly fine and will probably have a “nutty” taste to them – just adjust your cooking time next time around

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Gammon/Ham

Im sure you will all be aware by now that im always looking for ways to save money and this is one of my top money saving tips! This 1kg joint of gammon was about £3.50 ish  which is a good size – i always cook mine in the slow cooker you can take it out at the end and glaze it pop it in the oven and finish it off, but this joint was to use in soups, pastas, rice and sandwiches and is much cheaper than buying packet ham.  Here is how i do mine ginger beer works well with ham as it adds a sweet spicy kick to the meat not over powering but just a different taste

once cooked this will also freeze well for another day

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Lasagne

This is such an easy way to cook lasagne – i cooked the ragu (bolognese) part in the slow cooker for me this is just easier but you can do it whichever way you like – cooking it on the hob works equally as well. Plus my recipe for this part is basically my spag bol recipe it just works so well, so i cook up a huge batch of bolognese then decide which meal to turn it into.

For the white sauce i have tried everything and to be honest most of it works but my preferred method at the moment is to use primula cheese, (because it does not taste like cheese) to which i add hot water and create a creamy sauce. I promise no one is going to pick this up i use this a lot throughout my recipes and many people have eating my food and never once guessed what the sauce was made of.

Lets talk lasagne sheets i will not put everything into the slow cooker and cook for 4-7 hours the pasta sheets taste awful cooked this way they are overcooked and become soggy. In my recipe you will see i pre soak the sheets in hot water then build the lasagne after the ragu is cooked this way the pasta sheets are only cooking for approx 30mins meaning they are not overcooked or soggy.

Whatever you do please dont worry about the lasagne sheets breaking or looking untidy once its cooked you wont notice it at all.

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Maggi So Juicy Bag ANY FLAVOUR

I love these Maggi bags they really can help get a quick tasty meal on the table with very little effort. The bags are designed to be cooked in the oven but they work equally as well cooked in the slow cooker I have used this method for years now and they always produce a fab meal.

Use any bag you like the method is the same regardless of flavour, just a couple of tips once the bag is filled with the ingredients give it a good massage to ensure the spice kit is distributed evenly.

Also the packet comes with a red tie if cooking in the slow cooker you don’t need that just roll the top of the bag over loosely try and squash as much air out of the bag as possible.

Add water to the slow cooker just enough to cover the base as this stops the slow cooker cooking above the set temperature.

NOTE:- if your using a slow cooker that has a ceramic pot once the meal is cooked leave the pot to cool completely before you wash it up DONT put it into any water until its cool or you could crack it

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket / Beef Joint

Nom Nom i love beef but sometimes it can be a bit “chewy” and tough but not when done this way plus its another of my Lazy Sunday Dinners which makes the beef melt in your mouth beautifully tasty. For 2 people i tend to use a joint approx 750g – 1kg.

I have cooked all cuts of beef in the method below and it always turns out delicious for me the key is to give yourself plenty of time and cook the joint on low and for a long period i find if you rush it you can run the risk of not cooking it for long enough and ending up with a tough piece of meat on your plate.

You can add any flavours you like i have even used a small bottle of lager to cook the meat in and that works really well, but a dash of water works equally as well.

If you would like to make the gravy from the meat juices i would really recommend getting a fat separator jug this will remove the fat from the juices with great ease, i have used every method know to man to do this and they are all a pain and time consuming.

The jug i use in the video is on my Amazon Shop press the link and look under kitchen gadgets https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/julesthelazycook

by julessmithie

Slow Cooker Chilli

Another super easy and super quick recipe you will see i softened down the onions but thats personal preference if you dont want to or dont have time then chop and chuck them in. I would suggest you fry off the mince as it helps hold it together.  Add anything you want or anything that needs using up also add as much or as little chilli as you want – i like it hot hot hot! I have made this chilli today as part of my batch cooking and filling the freezer again this recipe makes 4 good sized portions and is a fantastic fall back when time is tight as it reheats perfectly

If you want to make this dish vegetarian and are using quorn add it towards the end of cooking say the last 40mins

Below are some of the meals i have made out of the slow cooker chilli, im a firm believer in always trying to find new ways to serve up old family favourites and to try and keep meals interesting.

Chilli Enchiladas Use slow cooker chilli to fill Enchiladas
Find recipe here https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2020/04/24/chilli-enchiladas-using-leftover-chilli/
Chilli Cheesy Fries Use slow cooker chilli, cook wedges. Add chilli to bowl arrange wedges top with cheese Place under a grill to melt cheese.
Taco Bowls i love these as you can fill them with anything you like. How i make the taco bowl press here https://julesthelazycook.co.uk/2020/04/04/taco-bowl/
Chilli pasta bake, warm the chill, cook pasta add it to the chilli top with cheese then under the grill to melt the cheese.
by julessmithie

Slow Cooker (thicken the sauce)

This happens lots and as you can see it even happens to me it depends on many factors the veggies you use and how much liquid they add back into the dish also the amount of condensation your slow cooker produces which forms on the glass lid and then drips back into the cooker but here is a very simple way of dealing with it – basically this is exactly the same as bubbling a pan on the hob to reduce a sauce down

by julessmithie