The versatile slow cooker really comes into its own in winter. After all, cold weather calls for hearty, warming and flavoursome meals—savoury or sweet! These super-easy, melt-in-the-mouth meals and delicious desserts are something that the whole family can look forward to after a long, chilly day. From soups and shanks to stews and steamed puddings, hit the supermarket, grab your ingredients and try one of the Test Kitchen’s best slow cooker recipes this winter.
Best cuts of meat for the slow cooker
Long, slow cooking will tenderise even the toughest cuts of meat. Stewing or braising cuts are the best choices. Tough cuts are usually inexpensive, but cutting the meat off the bone yourself can save you more money, as you’re not paying for the convenience of pre-cut meat. Cutting up the meat yourself also gives you the opportunity to trim off visible fat and make the pieces a more uniform size.
The best cuts of meat to use are:
- Beef: topside, oyster, blade, skirt, round, chuck, gravy beef
- Veal: osso buco, shanks, shoulder
- Lamb: neck chops, boneless shoulder, shanks, boneless forequarter
- Pork: forequarter chops, neck, belly shoulder
- Chicken: any pieces on the bone, such as drumsticks, thighs and marylands
- Seafood: is generally not suitable for slow cooking as it toughens quickly. However there are some recipe for sauces that can be cooked in the slow cooker, then add the seafood just before serving. The exception is large octopus, which will cook and become tender in a slow cooker.
Can you use dried beans in a slow cooker?
Some dried beans need to be cooked before adding to a slow cooker because of a certain chemical they contain. Kidney-shaped beans of all colours and sizes are related to each other and MUST be washed, drained and boiled in fresh water until tender. Add these cooked beans to the slow-cooked dish just like you would with canned beans.
Dried, unsoaked chickpeas and soy beans are fine to use in the slow cooker; just rinse them well first – there is no need for overnight soaking before cooking.
Tips for freezing
Many slow cooked meals can be frozen for up to three months. There is usually a large quantity of liquid so transfer the meat and vegetables to appropriate-sized freezer-friendly containers, then pour in enough of the liquid to cover the meat and/or vegetables. Leave a 2.5cm space between the food and the lid to allow for expansion, then seal the container. Label and date the container before placing in the freezer.
If the recipe has a large quantity of mushrooms or potato, or a large piece of meat as an ingredient, we usually advise against freezing. However, if you don’t mind the food looking a bit sad after it’s thawed, almost anything will tolerate being frozen.

Slow cooker vegetable minestrone

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Slow cooker beef ramen with shiitake mushrooms

Slow-cooker coconut pumpkin soup

Slow cooker curried lentil and tomato soup

Slow cooker chicken pot pie soup

Slow cooker chicken and vegetable soup

Slow cooker tomato soup with basil dumplings

Slow-cooker chicken hot and sour soup

Slow-cooker apricot chicken

Slow-cooker lamb with kale and pomegranate

Slow-cooker spicy upside down pineapple chicken

Slow-cooker silverbeet dhal

Shepherd’s pie in the slow cooker

Slow cooker potato bake

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Slow-cooker lamb kleftiko with potatoes

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How to make classic chocolate brownies in your slow cooker

Slow cooker five ingredient cottage pie

Slow cooker five ingredient pecan pie

How to make passata in your slow cooker

Slow cooker pineapple coconut cake

Slow cooker chilli con carne

Slow cooker whole chicken with a peri peri marinade

Slow cooker meatballs

Slow cooker Hainanese-style chicken

Slow-cooker lamb cassoulet

Slow-cooker lamb chops with ratatouille

Slow-cooker lamb chops

Slow cooker spinach & ricotta lasagne

Slow-cooker beer and thyme beef cheeks


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Slow-cooker chicken tikka masala

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Slow cooker caramel pork with crispy crackling

Slow cooker pulled pork

Slow cooker honey soy lamb chops

Slow-cooker lamb shanks

Slow-cooker lamb madras

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Slow-cooker red pork curry

Slow-cooker lamb & eggplant curry

Slow-cooker pork and lemongrass curry

Slow-cooker fish curry

Slow-cooker cashew and cauliflower curry

Slow cooker chickpea and sweet potato curry

Slow cooker butter chicken

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Slow cooker Greek lamb stifado

Slow cooker lamb stew

Slow-cooker massaman beef curry

Slow cooker sweet and sour pork

Slow cooker peppered pork curry

Slow cooker pork and fennel meatball pasta

Slow-cooker beef stroganoff

Slow-cooker beef cheeks in pedro ximénez

Slow cooker beef soup with chickpea & chorizo

Slow cooker lamb shanks with tomato, chilli and fetta

Slow-cooker loaded veg ‘bolognese’ baked potatoes

Easy slow-cooker bolognese sauce

Slow cooker satay pork stew

Slow-cooker coq au vin

Creamy rice pudding with cinnamon sugar

Slow-cooker five-ingredient berry cobbler
