7 Slow Cooker Hacks To Change How You Cook

If you want to know how to use a slow cooker to its fullest potential, then you NEED to know these hacks!

In case you can’t tell, I love my slow cooker- I even have the Instant Pot, so I can double up my slow cooking or as a rice cooker or pasta cooker for my slow cooker meals.

I love slow cooker hacks and tips that can help you use it to its fullest potential! And I REALLY love my slow cooker in the summertime.

That’s kinda how it is with my Slow Cooker Meal Plans – where you can create 20 slow cooker dinners in less than 3 hours (trust me – I’ve done it many times).

So last year, I shared 15 Things I Learned by using my Slow Cooker for 100 Days, and you guys LOVED it. Since then, I’ve learned a few more tricks and tips and want to keep learning more!

Key Takeaways

Here’s a quick rundown of my top 7 new slow cooker hacks:

• Use Bouillon Cubes: Use bouillon cubes to slow cooker recipes to effortlessly enhance flavor.
• Opt for Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs stay tender and flavorful, making them ideal for slow cooking.
• Freeze Ingredients Separately: Freeze all ingredients except dairy, which should be added fresh on the day of cooking.
• Monitor Milk Freshness: Use fresh milk with low acidity and add it at the end of cooking to prevent curdling.
• Voltage Matters: If your slow cooker runs too hot, a variable transformer can help manage the voltage.
• Thicken Wisely: Use a roux or cornstarch slurry to thicken sauces without altering flavor.
• Choose Dried Spices: Dried spices hold up better and retain more flavor than fresh spices do during a longer cooking time.
• Utilize Cheap Meats: Cuts like pork shoulder, beef brisket, and chuck roast become tender and flavorful when slow-cooked.

7 Slow Cooker Hacks To Change How You Cook

As a busy mom who juggles work, kids and a household, my slow cooker is an absolute lifesaver that streamlined my cooking process.

I use it at least four times a week to ensure my family enjoys nutritious, home-cooked meals without spending hours in the kitchen.

Over the years, I’ve discovered some incredible slow cooker hacks that have transformed how I get dinner on the table.

These tricks not only save me cooking time over a hot stove but also enhance the flavors and textures of our favorite dishes.

Here are my top slow cooker hacks that every busy mom should know:

1. Bouillon cubes (or chicken/beef base) are a necessity.

One of the more common questions about slow cooker recipes I get is: “Can I use chicken broth instead of a chicken bouillon cube?”

My answer is always the same—you can if you want, but I don’t usually. Here’s why: When chicken broth is used in regular cooking over the stove, much of the liquid is cooked off to intensify the flavor.

When you cook using the slow cooker, you’re generally stuck with the liquid you have. In fact, you will end up with even more liquid as the meat cooks.

This is why bouillon cubes are great. Generally, 1 cube (or 1 tsp base) mixed with 1 cup of water yields 1 cup of broth. But in the slow cooker, I usually reduce the water.

And sometimes, if something needs a little more seasoning after slow cooking, I’ll mix in another bouillon cube instead of more salt.

2. Chicken thighs are the BEST.

Using the right chicken is very high on my list of slow cooker hacks- I hate overcooked, dry chicken!

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, to be exact. Yes, many of my recipes call for chicken breasts in the slow cooker, and they do work fine in most instances. It’s just that chicken thighs are better.

Look – slow cookers overcook soft vegetables and some meats, it just happens. but juicier cuts of meat like chicken thighs do the best with slow cooking because the extra fat keeps it from getting tough.

But slow cookers go beyond this. The liquid and chamber cooking keeps the chicken moist as the meat fibers break down even more, which is best with dark meat like chicken thighs.

3. Dairy works in slow cookers… but you gotta do it right.

I’ve tried lots of recipes using milk and cheese (and I have several on this site and in meal plans) with varying success. Dairy is funny and can curdle when exposed to extreme cold or heat for a long time.

Here are the best slow cooker hacks for using dairy:

1. Don’t freeze it. Freeze all the other ingredients, and then use the dairy on the day you cook the meal.
2. If you’re cooking it in the slow cooker, make sure of the following:
   • make sure the milk is fresh (lower acidity)
   • only cook it on low.
3. For best results, add the dairy only at the end.
4. Use some cornstarch when following #3. It will give it a bit of richness and will all but guarantee it will not curdle at all.

A slow cooker dish like Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken or Pork Loin with Basil Cream Sauce utilizes tips 3 and 4 perfectly.

And then there are some dairy-heavy recipes that turn out fine even if I completely ignore all of the tips above – like this Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Chicken (which is AMAZING btw).

4. The voltage in your house matters.

One common complaint about slow cookers is, “Even on low, it boils!” or “My crockpot burned the bottom of my sauce!”

Almost all lower-priced slow cookers will eventually reach boiling during the cooking process, even on the low setting. Mine does this sometimes, and my roasts still turn out great.

But then other slow cookers that get REALLY hot and scorch the bottom of the food. If that’s happening to your food, there is a good chance you are getting too much voltage going to your slow cooker.

Here’s a hack for this problem that this guy did – get a variable transformer. It’s not cheap, but it will allow you to limit the volts going to your slow cooker.

While camping once, my pork roast was on medium for about 10 hours and never really cooked all the way. It was disappointing, but it turned out the campground we were at had low voltage.

Cooks Illustrated did a very thorough review and determined that the Crock-Pot with Programmable Touchscreen had the best temperature performance. 

5. Thickening liquids is great- follow one of my 2 methods.

We all love a nice gravy or thickened sauce with a slice of meat and veggie-based dinner. But the slow cooker can be not-so-good at this.

One common method many have used to make thickened sauces in the slow cooker is the easy way – canned ‘cream of whatever’ soups.

Sure, you could do this, but it can add a different flavor to your recipe or no thicken how you want it. It’s a simple fix, though!

Here are the 2 methods I use to thicken sauces in the slow cooker:

1. Make a roux – equal parts butter (unsalted is best) and flour. Whisk to blend completely, and cook longer if you want it darker. You could also add a bit of milk for a béchamel sauce, which I’ll often do for  creamy sauce in the slow cooker.
2. Make a cornstarch slurry—this method is easier. Whisk anywhere from 1 to 4 tbsp of cornstarch (depending on how thick you want it) with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Heat over medium in a small pan and add some of the liquid from the slow cooker to the pan. Continue to heat and whisk, and you will see it become very thick.

In either method, it works best if you add the thickening agent to the slow cooker and mix it well with the other liquid, then cook for another 20 minutes or so.

6. Dried spices are better.

Don’t bother spending extra money on fresh basil, oregano, parsley, or anything else. Just use the dried stuff. You heard that right… and as someone who likes to cook, it really pains me to say that.

But with the slow cooker, it’s true.

Do you know what happens to fresh herbs in the slow cooker? They get cooked to DEATH.

All the awesome benefits of using fresh herbs—the aroma, the texture, the beautiful color on the plate—completely disappear when you cook them in liquid for 6+ hours.

Just use the dried stuff. It has a more concentrated flavor anyway – which works well with this type of cooking. But using fresh spices as a garnish on top of your meal is plates – that still works great!

7. The best meats are generally the cheapest meats.

Meats that are tough, maybe a little fatty, and have inter-muscular tissue tend to be inexpensive and not great for some recipes.

But for the slow cooker, you can do a lot better and spend less doing it. Pork shoulder, beef brisket, pork shank, chuck roast, chicken thighs – these are all AMAZING in the slow cooker and have TONS of flavor. 

Cuts of beef suitable for the slow cooker have a lot of collagen. Collagen is rubbery and can make the meat tough. If you cook it too hot and fast, it will only tighten up even more.

But if you cook it “low and slow,” it will liquify and also lubricate the cooked meat fibers. Lubricated meat fibers—okay, that just sounds wrong, but you know what I mean.

FAQs

What are some common mistakes when using the slow cooker?

Some common mistakes when using a slow cooker include not adding enough liquid, overcooking the food, forgetting to trim excess fat from meats, and not adding enough seasoning.

It’s important to follow recipes or look up tips for meats and other ingredients to make sure you don’t add them in too soon (like broccoli and corn) or not cook them long enough (potatoes and carrots).

Also, make sure to monitor the temperature and voltage of your slow cooker to ensure optimal cooking results.

Another mistake is using fresh spices instead of dried ones, as they can get overcooked and lose their flavor in the slow cooker.

Do I need to add extra liquid when using a slow cooker?

Most slow cooker recipes call for the liquids needed, but you should be careful not to add too much liquid.

Some recipes call for covering the food entirely in liquid—that’s why I recommend following a recipe and trying it that way before deciding whether to tinker with it or add more or less liquid.

During cooking time, you can also check in frequently if you’re home and see if the meat seems too dry- you can add a little broth or water as it goes.

How do I know when my meat is done in a slow cooker?

Slow cookers are made to cook evenly while low and slow, but it’s important to check your meat is thoroughly cooked.

Different types of meats have different recommended internal temperatures for safe consumption:

• Beef: 145°F for medium-rare, 160°F for medium, and 170°F for well-done
• Pork: 145°F for medium-rare, 160°F for medium, and 170°F for well-done
• Chicken: 165°F

Follow recipes for recommended cooking time per meat to give yourself a starting point, and when time is up, get the meat thermometer out!

What size slow cooker should I buy?

The size of slow cooker you need depends on how many people you are cooking for and the types of meals you plan on making. Here are some general guidelines:

• 1-2 people: 1.5 to 2 quarts
• 3-4 people: 3 to 4 quarts
• 5+ people: at least a 6-quart size

It’s always better to have a slightly larger slow cooker than what you think you need, as it can be used for smaller or larger meals depending on the occasion.

How do I clean my slow cooker?

Cleaning your slow cooker with baking soda is a natural and effective method to keep it in pristine condition.

In a bowl, mix 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda with a small amount of water until you form a thick paste.

Using a sponge, cloth, or thick paper towel, apply the baking soda paste to the inside of the ceramic insert.

Allow the baking soda paste to sit for 15-20 minutes so it can break down any residue, making it easier to clean.

After the paste has had time to work, use a damp sponge or cloth to scrub the insert thoroughly. Rinse the ceramic insert with warm water to remove all the baking soda residue.

Final Thoughts

As a busy mom, my slow cooker has become an indispensable ally in the kitchen. It allows me to put hearty and healthy meals on the table with minimal effort and less cooking time.

Over the years, I’ve picked up some invaluable slow cooker hacks, tips, and tricks that have transformed my weeknight dinners from stressful to seamless.

From simplifying thickened sauces without compromising flavor to discovering the potential of inexpensive cuts of meat, these slow cooker hacks have made meal preparation a breeze.

Embracing dried spices has also ensured that my dishes remain aromatic and delicious, even after hours of cooking.

Whether you’re a seasoned cook or new to the world of slow cooking, I hope these tips help make your culinary journey a little easier and a lot more enjoyable.

So what hack or tips do you have?! Let me know if you have more to add for all of us to check out!

Have you grabbed my Chaos to Control Starter Guide, yet? I might be biased but I think it’s pretty amazing! Check it out!

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