CROWD PLEASERS

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Photography by James River Media

Slow cooking at the lake

There is a tendency to equate slow cookers with cold-weather cooking. Many of the recipes out there for crock pots are hearty soups and stews, but they can be used year-round for a variety of dishes that benefit from their slow and low method of cooking that doesn’t heat up a kitchen. This hands-free feature makes them a perfect addition to your lake house kitchen, freeing you up to spend the day outside on the lake, while dinner is taken care of with minimal effort.

Macaroni and Cheese
Who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese? Serve as a meatless entrée with a large side salad and veggies or make it as a side dish. This version is perfect for summer, as it’s all done in the slow cooker. You may be tempted to use pre-shredded cheese here, but be warned, it can get grainy in the slow cooker. Take the extra step to shred it yourself. I do it straight over the slow cooker so there’s less clean up involved. 

  • 1 16-oz box dried macaroni 
  • 2 cups water or broth 
  • 2 ½ cups milk 
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into chunks 
  • 2 Tablespoons cream cheese, cut into chunks 
  • 8 ounces shredded cheese (Cheddar, Colby jack or any similar combo works here) 
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder 
  • Pinch of garlic powder 
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt 

Lightly grease the interior of the crock pot. Combine all ingredients, stirring well. Set crock pot to high, and stir after cooking for an hour or so. Let cook for another hour, adding more liquid as needed. When pasta is fully cooked and cheese has melted, lower temperature to warm until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the more liquid it may need to keep from drying out.

Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is always a crowd pleaser. While there are various methods for preparing it, none are as simple or as easy as using the slow cooker. 

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 
  • 1 4-8 pound pork shoulder roast or Boston butt 
  • 2-3 Tablespoons dry rub seasoning* to taste 
  • Salt, pepper 

Season the pork with dry rub seasoning or just salt and pepper. Coat slow cooker interior with vegetable oil. Place seasoned meat in slow cooker, set on low, and cook for 8-10 hours. Or alternatively, set temperature on high, and cook for 4-5 hours or until internal temperature reads 200 on a meat thermometer. 

When pork is done cooking, remove to a board, and let rest for at least 20 minutes or longer. Reserve the liquid in the crock pot. Strain it to remove solids. If you want to remove excess fat, chill the liquid in the refrigerator until the fat solidifies, then strain. 

Shred pork with a fork, adding reserved liquid to keep it moist. Serve with BBQ sauce on buns.

*Dry Rub Seasoning
Dry rubs are a mix of dried spices and herbs that are applied to foods prior to cooking. Usually a mix of sweet, spicy and savory, rubs add flavor that gets locked in during the cooking process. You can rub them into meats hours before cooking, let them sit in the refrigerator overnight or apply them just prior to cooking. You can use premade versions, readily available in the spice aisle of your favorite grocery store or make your own. A well-stocked spice cabinet should have everything you need to come up with your own signature blend. Use this as a starting point for your own! 

  • ¼ cup brown sugar 
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper 
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder 
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder 
  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds 
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon (or more) cayenne pepper 

Combine and store in an air-tight container in a dry place.

Slow Cooked Ribs
Ribs in the slow cooker? Why not? They need long, slow cooking to tenderize them. Doing so in the crock pot keeps the kitchen cooler on a hot day. Finish them in the oven or on the grill to caramelize the sauce and you’ll never know the difference. 

  • 2 racks baby back ribs (about 4 pounds total) 
  • Vegetable oil
  • 2-3 Tablespoons dry rub seasoning (above) 
  • BBQ sauce 

Remove silver membrane from the back of the ribs. Rub front and back of the ribs with the spice mixture. Rub interior of crock pot with vegetable oil. Place ribs in crock pot. You can either stack them lying flat in the pot OR coil them around the pot, standing upright in a circle. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. You’ll want them to be fork tender. 

When the ribs are finished in the slow cooker, remove and brush them with BBQ sauce. Finish them either under the broiler or on the grill, cooking 3-5 minutes or until they are charred and the sauce sticks to the meat. Serve with extra BBQ sauce. ✦