At first glance crock pots might seem like a strange way to cook your food. They have a weird shape and they take up a lot of space, and you were never really sure how to use it. If you’re thinking about getting rid of it to make room for a few new pans or maybe a new grill, hold on a minute. At least read this list of tasty things you can make with a crock pot before you decide to throw it out.
Cooking Chili
Never have I tasted chili as delicious as that which comes out of a crock pot. Buy a pound or two of ground beef and fry it up in the bottom of the crock pot instead of using a pan, then you can be sure all the juices will be a part of your chili. This really adds flavor since the rest of your favorite chili ingredients soak it all up.
Shredded Pork
It can be tough to shred pork that isn’t very tender, but when you cook pork using a crock pot it will be so succulent and juicy that it will fall apart at the slightest touch. You can easily make tamales, tacos, burritos, sloppy joes or sandwiches from pork this tender.
The easiest way to make pork so tender you can shred it with a fork without even cutting it is to use a crock pot. Get some pork and place it in the crock pot. Then let it soak in your seasonings for the rest of the day, and by the time you’re ready to use it for dinner, you can easily shred it with your fingers or even a spoon.
Spaghetti and Pasta
You probably shouldn’t try boiling your pasta in the crock pot, but you can do that in a separate pot on a stove while you use the crock pot to prepare your sauce. Set that pasta and the pot of water aside for now and worry about it later.
Cook the ground beef in the crock pot and then add the tomato sauce or pasta sauce that you have already made. You might also want to add some other ingredients into the mix like olives, stewed tomatoes, and spices. All make great additions to pasta sauce. Make sure you drain the pasta before you add it to the sauce and stir it around until it’s nice and warm.
Chorizo
Another easy meal to prepare with the crock pot! Just get some chorizo and mix it in the pot with some eggs, and cook it like you would cook a pack of ground beef, stirring slowly until everything is cooked through. Once it’s done sprinkle some shredded cheddar on the top and let it melt by replacing the lid. When it’s finished, you can scoop some out and eat it with flour tortillas. It’s delicious!
So stop ignoring your crock pot! Do you like chili? Do you like shredded pork? Do you like to combine your pasta with your custom pasta sauce so that by the time they’re done, the meal has blended to perfection? Do you like chorizo with flour tortillas sprinkled with melted cheddar? Do you want all of these things with limited preparation time? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to wipe the dust off that thing and get to work. It’s time to eat!
Many people buy a programmable crock pot from Kitchen Aid since it’s a well known brand, but there are several other options. The best crock pots are the ones that can handle your specific needs, so be sure to buy what you need and not just what’s popular.