Hi Reader,

By September, I've stopped trying to impress myself.
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Summer meant standing over a hot grill, flipping, turning, basting, and generally auditioning for Top Chef. September suggests a different path.
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​Sit down. Read a book. Let the pot do the work.​
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I'm an impatient cook by nature. I peek under lids. I stir things that don't need stirring. I open the oven every twelve minutes just to confirm dinner is still in there.
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Braises cured me of that. They taught me the rarest skill in cooking: leaving well enough alone.
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Brown a few pieces of meat, toss in onions, wine, stock, or tomatoes, then walk away for four hours. Later, you'll come back to a house that smells as though someone far more talented has been cooking all day.
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Slow cooking gives you dinner, yes. But it also gives you your afternoon back. An afternoon counts for about as much as the meal right now.

Low Effort. Big Reward.

• Brown first if you have the time. Ten extra minutes spent searing meat builds layers of flavor that no slow cooker can create on its own.
• Choose tougher cuts with confidence. Chuck roast, pork shoulder, short ribs, and chicken thighs become meltingly tender after a long, gentle cook, and they're often kinder to your grocery budget.
• Resist the urge to lift the lid. Every peek lets precious heat escape and adds cooking time. Trust the process. More is happening in there than it looks like.
• Taste it before it leaves the pot. Salt gets duller the longer a pot sits on the heat. Correct it there, not at the table.
• Finish with something fresh. A handful of parsley or a grating of lemon zest brightens a rich, slow-cooked dish and keeps it from tasting heavy. Then go do absolutely anything else with your Saturday.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew​
• ​Slow Cooker Cassoulet​
• ​Braised Pork Shoulder With Chorizo & White Beans​
• ​Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine​
• ​Jamie Oliver’s Beef Bourguignon​
• ​Pork Casserole With Apples & Cider​
• ​Trinchado | Spicy South African Beef​
• ​Short Rib Chili​
• ​Sherry-Braised Chicken With Artichoke Hearts​

​Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew​

This hearty Irish-inspired beef stew is loaded with tender beef, vegetables, stout beer and is conveniently made in the slow cooker. Make it for St. Patrick's day or to warm up with a bowl of cold weather comfort food.

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​Slow Cooker Cassoulet​

This easy slow cooker cassoulet calls for beans, garlic, store-bought duck confit, and sausage, just like the traditional cassoulet from France.

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​Braised Pork Shoulder With Chorizo & White Beans​

Braised pork shoulder’s flavor is pretty rich and straightforward, so I like serving it with ingredients that add a little dimension. The chorizo is about heat, while the cider adds sweetness and acidity.

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​Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine​

This chicken tagine brings an incredible international flair to your dinner table. Dates, cinnamon, cumin, and tomatoes make this slow-cooker stew irresistible.

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​Jamie Oliver’s Beef Bourguignon​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.63 from 40 votes

My sumptuous beef bourguignon is cozy and indulgent. If you can find beef cheeks, they are ideal for this tender beef stew that braises all afternoon.

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​Pork Casserole With Apples & Cider​

This pork casserole with apples and cider, made with slow-cooked pork shoulder that's gently braised in a cider gravy with apples and mustard, is autumn comfort food at its finest.

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​Trinchado | Spicy South African Beef​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 from 12 votes

Trinchado, a spicy South African braised beef dish, is brimming with flavor from onions, red chile peppers, garlic, beef stock, red wine, and olives. Serve with lots of bread and French fries.

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​Short Rib Chili​

This short rib chili is made with luxuriously rich braised beef and is easy to make on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. It's the best.

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​Sherry-Braised Chicken With Artichoke Hearts​

I updated this super easy process from a 1960s newspaper clipping that my mother had saved. I changed it by substituting a douse of good sherry and dry vermouth for red wine or cooking wine. The chicken, mushrooms, and paprika combination harkens back to the comfort foods of my childhood—albeit in a more sophisticated version.

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