Take the Stress Out of Thanksgiving with These Slow Cooker Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Thanksgiving dinner less stressful? ›

If you're overwhelmed, consider throwing a potluck. Not only does this spread the work around but it also allows other people to share in the culinary glory. Best of all, other cooks can introduce you to their specialties, which might then become new traditions in your home. Plan and work ahead.

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Yes, it's safe to leave a slow cooker on when you leave the house. The purpose of a slow cooker is to allow you to cook while you aren't home. Slow cookers simmer food slowly, killing bacteria and raising meat to the perfect internal temperature.

Creating an ideal environment can bring about stressful demands that come with the holidays – entertaining, shopping, cooking – can lead to mental anxiety or depression. People may feel overwhelmed by the amount of money they will need to spend.

Get the gang involved in a Thanksgiving game, or test everyone's holiday knowledge with a round of Thanksgiving trivia. If there are preschoolers or tots in the group, keep little hands busy by making a craft together. Or, bundle everyone up and head outside to draw a masterpiece using sidewalk chalk.

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

When it comes to cooking, you can use either. While Crock-Pot is just a brand name, Crock-Pots, Crock-Pot-style slow cookers, and other types of slow cookers will all get the job done.

While searing meat before slow cooking can enhance flavors by developing a caramelized crust, it's not strictly necessary. If you skip searing, the meat may lack some depth of flavor, but it will still cook and become tender in the slow cooker.

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

Preheat the cooker and add hot liquids, if possible. Preheating the crock before adding ingredients or cooking on the highest setting for the first hour will ensure a rapid heat start and will shorten the time foods are in the temperature danger zone.

Should you stir slow cooker? ›

Due to the nature of a slow cooker, there is no need to stir the food unless it specifically says to in your recipe. In fact, taking the lid off to stir food causes the slow cooker to lose a significant amount of heat, extending the cooking time required. Therefore, it is best not to remove the lid for stirring.

Cover your crock pot and cook chicken breasts on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Use chicken in your favorite recipes. Perfect for shredding!

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a slow cooker is one of the most energy efficient kitchen appliances. On average, a slow cooker draws about the same amount of energy as a standard electric light bulb. This means that despite being on for a longer period of time, a slow cooker actually uses very little energy.

Do not put the hot slow-cooker insert directly into the fridge. When it comes to reheating, do not reheat food in the slow cooker. Again, it can take too long for the food to come up to a safe temperature. Safety experts recommend reheating cooked food on the stove or by another quicker method, until steaming.

Especially if you are the host, Thanksgiving can feel like one giant checklist. From the shopping and prepping all the way through cooking and cleanup, it's easy to get overwhelmed.

The drowsiness after a Thanksgiving meal is more likely be due to eating a lot of high-fat and high-sugar foods. Monitor how much you eat and drink to avoid post-meal drowsiness. MedlinePlus. Tryptophan.

Many people blame the main character of the traditional Thanksgiving meal — turkey — as the culprit behind the post-meal sleepiness. Turkey contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid linked to the production of neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin, which can induce feelings of relaxation and sleepiness.