How to get the most out of your slow cooker: 4 family favorites

If your biggest challenge is to be inspired on what to cook in your slow-cooker you are not on your own, I have you covered with a selection of delicious slow-cooker meals.

The slow cooker is such a diverse piece of kitchen equipment and a popular focus in our Family Cooking Club where members can experiment with and share recipes to make those after-school meals tasty and stress-free.

Beef goulash

(you can watch the Instagram reel ( here )

• Sprinkle 550g of lean beef pieces with seasoned flour and brown well in a pan before putting them into your slow cooker.
• Chop one medium white onion, mince one garlic clove, dice three large beef tomatoes and a red pepper and add into the slow cooker with the beef.
• Squeeze in 1 tbsp of tomato puree and sprinkle in 1 tbsp of sweet paprika and ½ tbsp of smoked paprika.
• Finally, pour in 300ml of beef stock.
• Place the lid on and cook on high for four to five hours or low for eight to nine hours until the beef is tender.
• Finish with a dollop of crème fraiche before serving some top notch food that is well worth the wait.

Manhattan cod stew

• Chop one medium onion, half a head of broccoli and slice 300g of baby potatoes in half.
• Add the onion, one bay leaf, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and chopped parsley to the slow cooker.
• Squeeze in 1 tbsp of tomato puree and mix well.
• Sprinkle in 2 tbsp of curry powder and 1 tsp of paprika.
• Pour in 300ml of chicken stock, add in a tin of chopped tomatoes, then place the four cod fillets on top – make sure all the bones have been removed.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Put on the lid and cook on high for three hours or low for seven hours.

Packed with veg marinara sauce

• Prepare your veggies: peel and dice two red onions, one carrot, and half a butternut squash; peel and crush two garlic cloves; slice two celery stalks and half a leek; dice one red pepper and four beef tomatoes.
• Add these to your slow cooker with a little knob of butter, season with salt and pepper then mix well.
• Pour in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, a good sprinkle of oregano and season again with a little salt and pepper.
• Give a good mix before pouring in 200g of passata and 400ml of vegetable stock.
• Cover with the lid and cook on high for five hours or low for eight hours.
• Check the squash with a knife to ensure that it’s soft and completely cooked through.
• Add in a teaspoon of brown sugar and blitz with a stick blender until the sauce is lovely and smooth.

Honey, Apple and Pecan Ham

• In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp of honey and 1 tsp of Dijon mustard.
• Score the fat of a 700g unsmoked bacon joint and pierce with five cloves.
• Brush the ham joint with the honey and mustard mix, reserving some for serving later.
• Place into the slow cooker along with 100g of pecan nuts and two sliced and cored apples.
• Cook on high for four hours or low for seven hours.
• Slice and serve with boiled cabbage and mash.