One pot wonderful

DUMP-AND-DOS; DUMP-AND-DON’TS

Do chop your ingredients the night before and keep them in a resealable container. If you’re adding potatoes, keep them separately and cover with water so they don’t brown.

Do brown your meat if you have some time the night before. Browning means caramelisation, which means flavour. It’s not a total disaster if you don’t, though. Cheaper cuts like beef brisket, pork shoulder and chicken thighs are perfect for the slow-cooker.

Don't overfill your slow-cooker. Two-thirds full is a good rule of thumb. Also, since liquid doesn’t evaporate from a slow-cooker, remember to reduce it by about a third if you’re using a standard recipe.

Cabbage rolls

Combine 500 g chicken or pork mince, 1 T roughly chopped fresh coriander, 1 t ground ginger and salt and pepper and mix well. Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions. Blanch 5 red cabbage and 5 Spitzkoppe cabbage leaves in boiling water. Place a portion of filling on each cabbage leaf, tightly fold in the sides and roll up. Place the cabbage rolls in a slow-cooker. Cover with 2 cups chicken stock and cook for 2 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Serves 6–8

Coq au vin

In a deep pan, sauté 300 g roughly chopped pork rashers in 2 T olive oil until the fat is rendered. Remove from the pan and place in a slow-cooker. In the same pan, brown 1.2 kg free-range chicken pieces. Remove from the pan and mix with the pork rashers in the slow-cooker. Add 500 g peeled and halved pickling onions, 200 g baby rainbow carrots, 3 roughly chopped celery sticks and 2 torn steak mushrooms to the pan and fry until golden. Stir in 2 cups red wine and bring to a boil. Add 2 cups chicken stock, 1 x 400 g can whole peeled tomatoes and 5 bay leaves and stir until the liquid starts to boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chicken and pork rashers. Close the slow-cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Serves 6–8

Discover more slow-cooked recipes here.