The slow cooker gets a bad rap among many, conjuring images of Midwest potlucks, overdone meats, and mushy root vegetables. When used correctly, however, it can transform tough cuts into meltingly tender and juicy perfection. Harnessing the power of braising, the crock pot can successfully cook meat beautifully, and what's more, it does its best work when left to its own devices.
Easy to operate, the simple settings of a slow cooker allow even the novice chef to feel confident when confronted with the single 'low' 'high' knob. The real art lies in knowing which cuts of meat to choose. While a tenderloin is squandered in a slow cooker, a tough shank is transformed through the low and slow magic of braising. In this article, we’ll help you navigate the butcher’s counter and find the best portions to put in your crock pot.
Chuck Roast
A hard-working muscle, Chuck comes from the front of the cow, near the shoulder. One of the more heavily used regions, this portion is typically chewy. However, accompanying that toughened texture is a lot of full-bodied beefy flavor and a good amount of marbling. One of the fattiest budget cuts, it’s not surprising that Chuck is a favorite among discerning cooks for its excellent roasting potential.
From Chuck roll or tail to Chuck tender, a slow roast made from this section of the cow practically guarantees excellent results. To maximize its potential, try a dry brine in the refrigerator for a couple of days prior to cooking. A quick sear and some caramelized root vegetables promise a well-rounded meal ready in a mere hour or two.
Shank
Cheap and flavorful, you can’t go wrong with the shank…as long as it’s prepared correctly. Also known as the shin, this bone-in portion promises a good amount of meat, along with collagen-rich connective tissue and marrow. A few hours of braising in the crockpot render this tough cut juicy and tender. Swimming in a nourishing and flavorful bone-marrow broth that’s just begging to be reduced and poured over polenta, it’s a complete meal in itself.
Sourced from the fore or hind legs of cows, elk, venison, and lamb, the shin has a large marrow-filled bone running through its middle. At Gourmet Food Store, you’ll find whole shanks available alongside the thinner cross cuts, commonly referred to as Osso Bucco. In fact, "osso buco" means "bone with a hole" and refers to the shank itself. Great for creating its classic Italian namesake, it works well in everything from thick stews like Gumbo to broth-based Pho.
Short Ribs
The darling of seemingly every cuisine, you’ll see short ribs featured in classic dishes from across Asia to Europe, and beyond. Sourced from the chuck, their flavor is second to none. With excellent marbling, this bone-in portion offers a bold, beefy taste. While some short rib dishes don’t require slow cooking, others benefit from extra time in the pot.
Slow cookers transform the ribs, turning them from tough to tender. Coming in two different cuts, you’ll see short ribs available in the English and Flanken styles. English has a single bone per portion, while the Flanken (or LA style) is cut across three. Coming from the primal closest to the belly, short ribs offer deep beefy flavor with a velvety, even grain throughout.
Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder, or butt, as it’s also rather confusingly referred to, makes an excellent portion for the slow cooker. In fact, venison, lamb, or any other ruminant’s shoulder makes a great choice for braising. Naturally tough, low, and slow cooking methods are the ideal way to maximize their stand-out flavor and render its generous amounts of fat, connective tissue, and collagen tender, buttery, and flavorful.
Cooking tip: Adding 1-inch deep incisions in a crosshatch pattern prior to seasoning can help your spices penetrate the meat, promising a more flavorful dish.
Brisket
Often relegated to the world of barbecue, you’ll most often see brisket smoked or cured and cold smoked to create pastrami. Braising whole, though less popular, is, without a doubt one of the best ways to prepare this cut. Sourced from the breast of the cow, brisket is divided into two parts: the flat, or first cut, and the point, also known as the second cut or deckle. The flat is lean, making it less suited to stewing, while the point is much fattier, promising a juicier finished dish and making it our favorite for the slow cooker.
If you’re after that BBQ taste but don’t have a smoker, or simply don’t want to worry about the precise temperatures and timing intrinsic to the barbecue, the crock makes an excellent alternative! A little brown sugar, liquid smoke, and tomato give you the deep flavors of the grill, while a five-minute sear provides a beautiful bark. Six hours in the slow cooker finishes the job, rendering what was tough into a fork-tender, delicious brisket.
Whole Chicken
The unsung hero of the slow cooker, forget the beef and try placing an entire chicken in your crock pot. When it comes to the best cuts of meat for the slow cooker, one of the best isn’t a ‘cut’ at all, but the whole bird!
Incredibly easy, cooking a chicken whole allows you to use every part of the
bird. Braising chicken results in meat so tender and juicy it actually falls off the bone, allowing you to get every last bit of meat. These leftover bones shouldn’t be thrown away, instead, place them into a pot of water with a few aromatics to create bone broth or stock.
If you prefer portions to the entire bird, they work well too! However, be sure to choose chicken thighs over breasts. Their higher fat content and connective tissue help them to stay moist longer, making them a better match for slow cooking techniques.