A while back, I ran the Rainier to Ruston relay race as part of a team of 6. In a nutshell, it’s a 50 mile race from Mt. Rainier to Ruston, WA (Tacoma), and each runner runs 2 legs of usually between 3 to 6 miles. Being a part of any race is always a lot of fun; however, being a part of a team brings a whole other level of camaraderie to the race. The start is about 4 hours from my hometown, so we drove up on Friday evening, and my brother (also on the team) found a unique Italian restaurant open only on the weekends, called Mama’s. Carb load was complete.
My first leg was 5.6 miles, mostly along a forest trail. The second half of the race gets out of the mountains and trees and into more populated areas, and the crisp morning turned into a warm afternoon. I was worn out and beat down, but I had a great time.
Fall cooking is a lot like that relay in my book. You do your part early, hand things off to the slow cooker, and everyone meets up at the end. Here are 26 slow cooker ideas for cooler weather, from beef bourguignon and turkey chili to poached pears and spice cake.
Beef Bourguignon
Chuck roast in big cubes, browned first, then into the cooker with a cup or so of red wine, beef broth, a spoonful of tomato paste, carrots, pearl onions and a little thyme. Low for 8 hours.
Sear the mushrooms in a skillet while it finishes and stir them in at the end so they don’t go soft and gray. Egg noodles underneath, like the plate here, or mashed potatoes if you’d rather.
Butternut Squash Soup
Peeled squash, an onion, a couple of carrots, a cored apple and enough broth to almost cover it, with a pinch of nutmeg. About 6 hours on low, then blend it smooth right in the pot with a stick blender and add a splash of cream. I like a sprig of something green on top, mostly so it doesn’t look like a bowl of orange.
Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs
Whisk together maple syrup, Dijon, a little cider vinegar and garlic, pour it over boneless thighs and give it 4 hours on low. That’s it.
Thighs hold up better than breasts over the long cook. Spoon the sauce over rice or roasted potatoes.
Turkey Chili
Ground turkey browned with onion first (it gets a little mushy if you skip that), then kidney and black beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and a can of green chiles. Low for 6 to 7 hours.
Ground poultry has to reach 165°F, which it will after that long. A dollop of sour cream on top, like the bowl here, and some cheese.
Halloween is a big time of year for fun races that promise to scare you into running faster. Some have costume divisions, some have zombie chases where you choose to be a zombie or a fleeing citizen, and some are nighttime 5ks with hayrides, a bonfire and face painting afterward. If you sign up for one, leave a pot of chili on low at home and make a night of it.
Tuscan White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup
Brown a pound of Italian sausage, then add cannellini beans, carrots, onion, garlic, broth and a can of diced tomatoes. Low for 6 hours. The kale goes in for the last 20 to 30 minutes so it stays green.
Crusty bread on the side. Soups and stews keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 2 to 3 months in the freezer, so I’d freeze half in flat bags if it’s more than you’ll eat.
Pot Roast With Red Onions
A thick layer of sliced red onions and a few garlic cloves on the bottom, a seasoned chuck roast on top, and about a cup of beef broth. Low for 8 to 9 hours, until it pulls apart with a fork.
Use a roast that’s fully thawed. FSIS advises thawing meat before it goes in a slow cooker and putting the vegetables in first, since they cook slower than the meat. The onions melt down into a sort of gravy by the end.
Pork Chops With Apples and Onions
Thick, bone-in chops work better here than thin ones, which dry out. Lay sliced apples and onions underneath with a little apple cider, brown sugar and cinnamon, set the chops on top and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Braised Short Ribs Over Mashed Potatoes
Bone-in short ribs, browned hard on every side, then braised in red wine and beef broth with carrots, onion, garlic and a bay leaf. Low for 8 hours.
Chill the liquid if you have time, so the fat rises and you can lift it off before you reduce it into a sauce. Serve them over mashed potatoes, like this plate.
Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew
Diced sweet potatoes, a cup of rinsed brown or green lentils, onion, garlic, a can of diced tomatoes, cumin, smoked paprika and about 4 cups of vegetable broth. Lentils don’t need soaking. Low for 7 hours, and stir in a few handfuls of spinach at the end.
Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
Rub a 4 to 5 pound pork shoulder with brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, set it in the cooker fat side up with half a cup of broth or cider, and leave it alone for 9 to 10 hours on low. The bone should slide right out.
Shred it, mix in some of the juices, and you’ve got sandwiches, tacos and rice bowls for a few days.
Ham and Vegetable Soup
This is where leftover ham goes. Diced ham (or a ham bone if you have one), potatoes, carrots, celery, green beans and corn in chicken broth, low for 6 to 7 hours. Ham is salty, so taste it before you add any salt at all. A mug of it with toast and a few roasted sweet potato rounds, like this, makes a lunch.
Butternut Squash and Broccoli Curry
Cubed squash, onion, red bell pepper, garlic and ginger with a can of coconut milk and a couple of spoonfuls of curry paste. Low for 5 hours.
The broccoli goes in for the last 30 minutes so it doesn’t turn to mush, and a big handful of chopped cilantro goes on top. Rice or naan, either one.
Cranberry Turkey Breast
A bone-in turkey breast, a can of whole berry cranberry sauce, a packet’s worth of onion soup seasoning (or just onion powder and salt) and a splash of orange juice. Low for 6 to 7 hours.
Check it with a thermometer in the thickest part. Poultry is done at 165°F, and a breast can go from right to dry fast once it passes that. It’s a lot less fuss than a whole bird for a small group.
Red Beans and Rice
Dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and then boiled hard for 10 minutes before they go in (raw kidney beans need that boil). Add sliced andouille, the onion, celery and bell pepper trio, garlic, thyme, a bay leaf and enough broth to cover. Low for 8 hours, then mash some of the beans against the side of the pot so it gets creamy. Over white rice, with hot sauce on the table.
Chili Mac
Ground beef and onion, browned, with kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and chili seasoning. Low for 5 hours, then stir in dry elbow macaroni and an extra cup of broth for the last 30 minutes, and cheddar right at the end.
If you’re reheating leftovers, FSIS says to do it on the stove or in the microwave to 165°F, not in the slow cooker.
Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
Wild rice, sliced cremini mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion and thyme in about 8 cups of broth. Low for 7 hours. Wild rice can take a long cook, which is why it suits a slow cooker better than most rice.
Stir in a little cream or half and half at the end if you want it richer.
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
This one frees up a burner on a big dinner day. Peeled Yukon Golds, a few garlic cloves and a cup of broth, on high for about 4 hours. Mash them right in the crock with butter, warm milk and some black pepper, then turn it to warm and leave it there with a bowl of rolls nearby, like the table here.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Diced sweet potato, 2 cans of black beans, onion, a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and a chipotle in adobo if you like some heat. Low for 6 hours. No meat in this one. Avocado and lime on top.
Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
Stew beef dredged in a little flour and browned, then into the cooker with chunks of butternut squash, onion, garlic, beef broth, a splash of red wine and some rosemary. Low for 8 hours.
I’d cut the squash bigger than the beef. It softens a lot over that long a cook, and small pieces sort of disappear into the broth.
Creamed Corn
Frozen corn, cream cheese, butter, a splash of milk, a little sugar and salt. Low for 3 to 4 hours, stirring once or twice. It’s a side that sits on warm for a long time without suffering, which is why I’d put it on the list for any barbecue or potluck plate like this one, next to the ribs and beans.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Carrots cut into coins (about 2 pounds, or baby carrots and skip the cutting), butter, brown sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and salt. High for 3 hours. A bit of fresh parsley at the end.
Mulled Apple Cider
Fill the cooker with apple cider, add a few cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, a couple of star anise and an orange cut into slices. Low for 3 to 4 hours, then switch to warm and ladle it out as people want it. Put the cloves in a tea ball if you don’t want to fish them out.
When I was training for the Leavenworth Marathon in early October, a lot of my long runs were in the August heat, and during several of them I kept thinking, boy, I hate running. I kept telling myself it was going to be so much cooler in Leavenworth. If you haven’t run this marathon before, the race conditions are ideal, and temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s do feel good. It’s the kind of weather a mug of hot cider was made for.
Baked Cinnamon Apples
Core 4 to 6 apples (a firm baking apple like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), stuff them with oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter, and stand them in the cooker with half an inch of water or cider. Low for about 3 hours.
A spoonful of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon on the plate, like this.
Poached Pears
Peel firm Bosc pears, leave the stems on, and stand them in red wine with a cinnamon stick, a strip of orange peel and a little sugar. Low for 3 hours, turning them once so the color comes out even. They turn deep red, like these.
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin puree (2 cans), apple cider, brown sugar, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Cook it on low with the lid cracked for 4 to 5 hours so it thickens, stirring now and then. Spread it on toast or stir it into oatmeal.
I’d freeze some of it in small containers rather than try to can it.
Spice Cake With Cream
A spice cake batter (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar) goes into a greased, parchment-lined cooker, with a clean kitchen towel under the lid to catch the condensation. High for 2 to 2.5 hours, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Serve it warm with whipped cream, or plated like this with a spoonful of cream and some caramel sauce.