Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (30 page)

My daughter lived in London for a while, and I was delighted to spend a week with her exploring the new “gastro pubs” that emphasize interesting food. These short ribs remind me of that delicious week of sampling new British cuisine. Because pub mustard and Guinness are strong flavors, I’ve added sweet carrots and parsnips to the braise to balance the flavors.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup Colman’s English mustard or Stonewall Kitchen Pub Style mustard (see savvy)

4½ pounds boneless short ribs, fat trimmed

1½ tablespoons canola oil

4 cups coarsely chopped sweet onions, such as Vidalia

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 cups baby carrots

2 cups peeled parsnips, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 cup Guinness stout

1 cup double-strength beef broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (optional)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional)

mix 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the mustard together in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over the short ribs and allow the ribs to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the ribs a few at a time and brown on all sides. Transfer to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

add the onions and thyme to the same skillet over mediumhigh heat and sauté until the onions are softened and fragrant. Transfer the onions to the slow cooker and stir in the carrots, parsnips, horseradish, stout, and broth.

cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3½ to 4 hours. Remove the meat and vegetables from the pan, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. If you would like a smooth sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Skim off any fat from the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

serve the ribs and vegetables with the sauce. If you would like to thicken the sauce, transfer it to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir the butter and flour together and add it in pieces to the boiling sauce, whisking constantly. Bring the sauce back to a boil after each addition. Serve immediately.

serves 4–6

mustard savvy

Colman’s and the other pub-style mustards are not powdered—they have a saucy consistency and can be found in the mustard section of your grocery store or gourmet retailer.

Simple, homey, and reminiscent of summer barbecues, this dinner cries out for slaw or potato salad on the side! You can use a bottled barbecue sauce, instead of the homemade version here, but try this one first. It’s sweet, with a touch of heat.

2 cups ketchup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil

4½ pounds boneless short ribs, fat trimmed

1 cup coarsely chopped red onion

combine the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and cayenne in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, cover, and set on low while you brown the meat.

heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.

add the short ribs a few at a time and brown on all sides. Transfer them to the slow-cooker insert when they are browned. Add the onion to the same skillet and sauté until it begins to soften.

transfer the onion to the insert, stir the sauce to combine, cover, and cook on high for 3½ to 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. Remove the meat from the slow-cooker insert and cover with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off any fat from the sauce.

serve the beef with the sauce.

serves 4–6

A taste of the Mediterranean flavors these short ribs. The bright scent of lemon zest makes them sparkle with a pleasing aroma. The rub can be done the night before, then just layer your ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning. Great sides with this dish are orzo or couscous, and sautéed spinach.

Grated zest of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed in the palm of your hand

6 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

4 ½ pounds beef short ribs, fat trimmed

½ cup dry red wine

1 cup beef broth

mix the lemon zest, oil, oregano, rosemary, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over the meat until it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.

remove the meat from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before sautéing. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef a few pieces at a time and sauté until browned on all sides. Remove the meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

add the wine and beef broth to the skillet and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the liquid to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3½ to 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and cover with aluminum foil. Let meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off any fat from the sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

serve the beef with the sauce spooned over the top.

serves 4-6

Zinfandel is a great wine for braising beef, with its bold flavor and hint of sweet berries. Since it is a reasonably priced wine, you can use it in the braise and also serve it with dinner or sip it while the slow cooker is doing its thing. Serve this dinner with pasta or steamed new potatoes and braised escarole or spinach on the side. A crisp green salad dressed with red wine vinaigrette would also make a great accompaniment.

4½ pounds boneless short ribs, fat trimmed

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups red onions, cut into half rounds

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 cups Zinfandel wine

4 dried porcini mushrooms, crumbled

sprinkle the beef ribs evenly with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef a few pieces at a time and brown on all sides. Remove the meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

add the onions, garlic, and thyme to the skillet and sauté until the onions are softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the wine and mushrooms, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, and then transfer to the slowcooker insert.

cover and cook on high for 3½ to 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

remove the beef from the slow cooker and cover with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off any fat from the sauce.

serve the meat with the sauce.

serves 4

This recipe will give new meaning to the words “playing with fire.” The ribs are braised with hot pickled Italian peppers, and the result is addictive! My grandmother used to make a dish similar to this, which she served at room temperature with crusty bread. Although it was hot, it was the type of dish where you’d take one bite, think to yourself that’s a little hot, and immediately want to eat some more. This is not for the faint of heart, so make sure you know who’s coming to dinner. It’s about a seven on a ten- point heat meter.

4½ pounds boneless short ribs, fat trimmed

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups coarsely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

4 hot pickled Italian peppers, drained, stems removed, and excess seeds removed

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef broth

sprinkle the short ribs evenly with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef a few pieces at a time and brown on all sides.

transfer the browned meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers to the skillet and sauté until the onion and bell peppers become soft, about 4 minutes.

add the pickled peppers, wine, and broth to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert.

cover and cook on high for 3½ to 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. Remove the meat from the insert and cover with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off any fat from the sauce.

serve the meat with some of the vegetables and sauce poured over top and the remaining sauce on the side.

serves 4–6

Veal is the meat from a four-month-old calf and is not as popular in the United States as it is in Europe. I grew up on veal that my Italian grandmother prepared in so many delicious ways. I love its flavor and tenderness. The slow cooker does a great job with veal chops, braising them to melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Osso bucco is a well-known dish from Lombardy and is traditionally served with risotto. Gremolata, a spicy mixture of garlic, lemon and orange zests, and Italian parsley, is typically sprinkled over the top of the finished dish, but adding it to the pot in the last hour of cooking brings a sparkle and intensity of flavor to the veal shanks. This stew is the perfect dish to serve to your family and friends when it’s cold and gray outside. Don’t forget the risotto!

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 meaty slices veal shank, cut 1½ to 2 inches thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, finely chopped

¼ cup tomato paste

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cup dry white wine or vermouth

1 cup chicken broth

½ cup beef broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

Grated zest of 2 lemons

Grated zest of 1 orange

½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley

mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a large zipper-top plastic bag. Coat the veal shanks in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shanks a few at a time and brown on all sides.

transfer the shanks to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onion and carrots to the same skillet and sauté until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the wine and bring to a boil.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert Add the broths and stir. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Combine the garlic, citrus zests, and parsley in a small bowl. Add the garlic mixture to the stew and stir to combine. Cook the stew for another hour, until the veal is tender.

taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.

serves 6

osso bucco savvy

Osso bucco
literally means “bone with a hole.” Traditionally the shank is served with a tiny spoon to scoop out the marrow from the bone, which is considered a delicacy. I generally will scoop out the marrow and add it to the sauce for additional flavor.

Veal chops are a luxury, and while expensive, they can be some of the best eating, especially when they are braised and served falling off the bone. Tomato, garlic, wine, balsamic vinegar, and sage make these veal chops a delicious meal. Serve on a bed of polenta or with a side of asparagus or butternut squash risotto. Pork chops, which are less expensive, may be substituted for the veal. Use the same preparation and cooking times.

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped dried sage leaves (see savvy)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 veal chops, 1 to 1½ inches thick

1 cup dry white wine or vermouth

One 15-ounce can crushed plum tomatoes, with their juice

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup golden raisins

make a paste with the salt, pepper, garlic, sage, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small bowl. Rub the chops evenly with the mixture. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chops a few at a time and brown on both sides.

transfer the chops to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. You may have to stack the chops in two layers, depending on the size of your pot.

add the wine to the same skillet and allow some of it to evaporate. Add the tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert.

add the vinegar and raisins and stir to combine.

cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the chops are tender. Carefully remove the chops from the sauce to a platter and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan, bring it to a boil, and continue to boil until the sauce is reduced and concentrated.

taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the chops napped with some of the sauce and serve additional sauce on the side.

serves 6

sage savvy

Sage is a pungent herb and is available both fresh and dried. For this dish, whole fresh leaves are best.