Turning cheaper cuts of meat into dinnertime gold makes slow cookers a must-have appliance for many cooks.

The popular devices are in about 80 percent of American kitchens and regularly used in about 10 percent of them. To encourage you to pull the cooker out of the cabinet, we've pulled together recipes that show its versatility.

(ENLARGE)

Tiny French Beans with Smoked Sausage from page 70 of the 'Slow Cooker' from Cooking Light

More on crockpot cooking Ah, the ease of crockpot cooking  Crockpot recipes

Cooking for a crowd or for two? Vegetarian or meat lover? You'll find options to let you get plugged in and enjoy dinner without the last-minute bustle.

Slow-cooked Chipotle Pork

10 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 hours

This slightly spicy pork works great for tacos or burritos. It's great on a bun, too, topped with your favorite barbecue sauce.

2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1 (3 1/2-pound) pork shoulder roast (also known as Boston butt)

In a small bowl, mix kosher salt and chipotle powder. Rub it into the pork, being sure to cover the entire surface of the meat with the mixture.

Use a large round or oval slow cooker. If using a round cooker, cut the pork roast in half. Spray the slow cooker insert with pan spray. If using a nonstick liner, there's no need to spray. Place pork in insert, cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Pork should be tender enough to fall apart.

— Adapted from "The 150 Best American Recipes"

by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens (Houghton Mifflin, $30)

Per serving: 247 calories (percent of calories from fat, 48), 31 grams protein, trace carbohydrates, no fiber, 13 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 108 milligrams cholesterol, 1,240 milligrams sodium.

Pasta With Lamb Shanks in Beer and Tomato Sauce

4 servings
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 8 hours

Hours in the slow cooker tenderize tough lamb shanks into meltingly rich hunks of flavor, in a beer sauce just right for spreading over chunky pasta. Use a medium or large round or oval cooker. If the shanks are especially meaty, the recipe can serve six.

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 lamb shanks (about 5 pounds total), trimmed of fat
3 ribs celery, sliced 1/3 inch thick
2 large carrots, sliced 1/3 inch thick
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup dark beer or ale
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with their liquid
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried, crushed)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1 pound thick pasta in a chunky shape

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and cook the shanks until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes in all. Brown in batches, if necessary, and move to a plate when finished. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the celery, carrots and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes. In the slow cooker, make a bed of the vegetables and arrange the lamb on top.

Add the beer to the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes with their liquid, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the lamb. Cover and cook on low until the lamb is fork-tender, 7 to 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. With a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the shanks to a shallow baking dish and keep warm in the oven while you cook the pasta and finish the sauce.

Strain the sauce, reserving the solids. Remove as much fat as possible from the sauce and pour sauce into a small saucepan. Stir in the carrots and celery and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, about 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta, and drain. Serve pasta topped with sauce and lamb.

— Adapted from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" by Beth

Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann (Harvard Common Press, $16.95 paperback)

Per serving: 994 calories (percent of calories from fat, 23), 83 grams protein, 104 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 25 grams fat (8 grams saturated), 207 milligrams cholesterol, 912 milligrams sodium.

Tiny French Beans With Smoked Sausage

8 servings
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 8 hours, 10 minutes

Any type of white beans will work in this recipe, despite the "tiny French beans" called for in its name.

Flageolet beans are prized for their creaminess and their ability to retain their shape during cooking, but white kidney beans or Great Northern beans are more commonly available substitutes.

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 pounds smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup minced shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound dried white beans
2 cups water
1/4 cup minced fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add sausage and sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan and place in a medium or large slow cooker.

Wipe out the skillet. Add remaining tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté 1 minute.

Sort and wash beans. Add to slow cooker the beans, shallot mixture, water, thyme, celery seed, pepper and chicken broth. Cover and cook on high 8 hours or until beans are tender. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

— Adapted from "Cooking Light Slow Cooker"

by Terri Laschober (Oxmoor House, $17.95)

Per serving: 377 calories (percent of calories from fat, 23), 36 grams protein, 39 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fiber, 10 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 111 milligrams cholesterol, 930 milligrams sodium.

Pesto Lasagna With Spinach and Mushrooms

8 servings
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 5 hours, 20 minutes

Slow cookers are ideal for some vegetarian dishes, such as beans and this garlicky lasagna.

4 cups baby spinach or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup prepared pesto
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1 (26-ounce) jar tomato-basil pasta sauce
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (8-ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles

If using fresh spinach, steam, covered, 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain, squeeze dry and coarsely chop. If using frozen spinach, after it has thawed, drain and squeeze dry. Combine spinach, mushrooms and pesto in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine mozzarella, provolone, ricotta and egg in a medium bowl, stirring well. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and set aside. Combine pasta sauce and tomato sauce in a medium bowl.

Coat the insert of a large oval slow cooker with pan spray. Spread 1 cup sauce mixture in the bottom of the cooker. Arrange 3 noodles over the sauce mixture and top with 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers once, ending with remaining spinach mixture.

Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture, then top with remaining cheese mixture and 1 cup sauce mixture. Place 3 noodles over sauce mixture and spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover and cook on low 5 hours, until done.

— Adapted from "Cooking Light Slow Cooker"

by Terri Laschober (Oxmoor House, $17.95)

Per serving: 403 calories (percent of calories from fat, 40), 27 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 18 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 58 milligrams cholesterol, 34 grams carbohydrates, 954 milligrams sodium.

Mango Chutney Chicken Curry

4-6 servings
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 6 hours, 20 minutes

Aromatic and flavorful curry chicken has never been this easy. Serve with basmati rice.

4 bone-in chicken breast halves (about 1 3/4 pounds), fat trimmed and skin removed
2 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (9-ounce) jar mango chutney
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, layer chicken, chickpeas, onion and bell pepper. In a bowl, combine chutney, water. cornstarch, curry powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Pour into cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or until the meat is tender. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, check the consistency. If the juices are too thin, increase the heat to high and leave the cover off, letting some moisture evaporate.

— Adapted from "Pillsbury Slow Cooker Recipes" (Potter, $19.95)

Per serving: 621 calories (percent of calories from fat), 48 grams protein, 95 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 92 milligrams cholesterol, 890 milligrams sodium.

Merlot Beef Ragout

4-6 servings
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 7 hours, 20 minutes

This is what slow cookers do best — transform a tough cut of beef into tender chunks infused with flavor. While this feeds 4 to 6, because there aren't vegetables besides the tomatoes, it easily fits into a 1 1/2-quart cooker. It can also be made in larger 3- or 4-quart cookers. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the juices.

1 3/4 pounds lean, boneless beef stew meat, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dry red wine, such as merlot

Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. When hot, add the beef and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might need to do this in 2 or more batches to prevent crowding the meat.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the onions and cook until softened and golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to slow cooker.

Pour the tomatoes and wine into the skillet and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly while scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the meat is tender. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, check the consistency. If the juices are too thin, increase the heat to high and leave the cover off, letting some moisture evaporate.

— Adapted from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" by Beth

Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann (Harvard Common Press, $16.95 paperback)

Per serving (based on 6): 329 calories (percent of calories from fat, 42), 35 grams protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 83 milligrams cholesterol, 578 milligrams sodium.