RECIPES: Use a slow cooker to keep the kitchen cool this summer
My grandparents’ home did not have central air conditioning when I was a young girl. During the summer, oscillating fans, box fans, window units and a terrifyingly large attic fan constantly hummed and thumped, running at all hours of the day and night. To avoid preparing food in the stifling midday Georgia heat, my grandmother would wake early and cook in the coolness of the dawn hours.
Modern life with nearly universal air conditioning means most people no longer need to rise early to keep the heat out of the kitchen. But Southern summers are still mighty hot, and my grandmother’s type of common sense still prevails. This means summer is a great time to break out the slow cooker.
Slow cookers are most often associated with rib-sticking fall and winter dishes that need long, slow cooking such as braised meats; thick, rich chili; hearty soups and stews; and tender pot roasts bathed in savory gravy. But in the summer, slow cooking becomes synonymous with barbecue sandwiches on the deck; taco Tuesdays al fresco; and light and easy lettuce wraps after an afternoon at the lake.
Pressure cookers have become all the rage in the past few years, but there’s a lot to be said for popping the ingredients in the slow cooker before work and coming home to the sights and smells of an already-made dinner. If you don’t have a slow cooker, many automated pressure cookers, such as the brand name Instant Pot, also have a slow cooker setting.
These recipes, Korean-Style Beef Lettuce Wraps, Pulled Sweet Heat Barbecue Chicken, and Carnitas-Style Slow Cooker Pork Tacos, all cook while you are going about your day. They are great for a weeknight family supper or a casual weekend dinner party. Instead of actively cooking, look to your slow cooker to help you keep your cool through the summer months.
RECIPES
There are two ways to pull slow cooker meats. Both methods work best with meat that is still warm. You can use two forks to shred the meat while it is still in the insert of the slow cooker, or you can transfer the meat to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Do not add too much of the cooking liquid to the mixing bowl or you will have a mess!) Simply lock the mixer into place and process the cooked meat for 30 to 60 seconds. Return the pulled meat to the reserved cooking liquids and stir to combine and remoisten. Using a slotted spoon, proceed with filling the lettuce leaves, buns and tortillas.
Korean-Style Beef Lettuce Wraps
This recipe is inspired by the sweet and salty flavor of Korean bulgogi. The word bulgogi means “fire meat” but, instead of flames, slow can be the way to go. Lettuce leaves are often used to wrap beef, pork and fish in Korean cuisine. This serving suggestion creates the perfect mashup of savory beef and vegetables, making for a fun-to-eat and filling supper.
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1-inch peeled fresh ginger, very finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 pounds top sirloin, flank steak, or tri-tip
- 1/4 head small cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 cup carrot matchsticks
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 12-16 romaine lettuce leaves, ends trimmed, for serving
- Combine the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in the insert of a medium (6-quart) slow cooker. Add the beef and turn to coat.
- Cover and cook, until the beef is tender and falling apart, 4 to 6 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Shred the meat, and stir the pulled beef in the cooking liquid.
- When ready to serve, combine the cabbage, carrots, scallions, seasoned rice vinegar, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
- To assemble the wraps, using a slotted spoon, place 1/4 cup of the beef into a lettuce leaf. Top with some of the cabbage salad. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Serves 4. Per serving: 340 calories (percent of calories from fat, 28), 55 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total sugars, 2 grams fiber, 11 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), 157 milligrams cholesterol, 672 milligrams sodium.
Pulled Sweet Heat Barbecue Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts make for a lighter alternative to pulled pork.
- 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 6 whole-wheat buns, for serving
- Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce (see recipe)
- Combine the tomato sauce, vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and red pepper flakes in the insert of a medium (6-quart) slow cooker. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook, until the chicken is tender and falling apart, 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low. Shred the meat, and stir the pulled chicken in the cooking liquid. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- To serve, divide the chicken between the whole-wheat buns and top with Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, with whole-wheat bun, without Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce: 363 calories (percent of calories from fat, 17), 42 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams total sugars, 4 grams fiber, 7 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 110 milligrams cholesterol, 502 milligrams sodium.
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 sweet onion, grated
- 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and simmer until soft and melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to simmer, and cook until flavors have smoothed and mellowed, about 10 minutes. Let cool before storing and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per tablespoon: 18 calories (percent of calories from fat, 8), trace protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total sugars, trace fiber, trace total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 21 milligrams sodium.
Carnitas-Style Slow Cooker Pork Tacos
Carnitas, a Mexican pork dish, means “little meats” in Spanish. A heavily marbled pork shoulder, also called a Boston butt or picnic shoulder, is braised or simmered for several hours with aromatic spices and lard until it falls apart. Then, the meat is refried in its own fat. In this slow cooker version, I skip the additional fat and the second cooking. While not traditional, it’s so simple and tasty I guarantee it will become a family favorite.
Don’t skip the step of searing the meat, it enhances both the color and savory flavor of the final dish. No oil is needed for searing as the meat is so fatty.
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup orange juice
- 12 corn tortillas, warmed, for serving
- Sliced avocado, for serving
- Sliced radishes, for serving
- Thinly sliced cabbage, for serving
- Sliced jalapeno, for serving
- Cilantro leaves, for serving
- Cut limes, for serving
- Season the pork with salt and pepper. Sear the pork. If using a traditional slow cooker without saute capabilities, heat a large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork, fatty side down, and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and sear in the rendered fat on all sides, about 8 minutes total. If using a pressure cooker with saute capabilities, sear the pork in the pressure cooker using the same technique before changing the program setting to slow cook.
- Combine the coriander, cayenne and orange juice in the insert of a medium (6-quart) slow cooker. Add the seared pork and turn to coat.
- Cover and cook, until the pork is tender and falling apart, 5 to 6 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low. Shred the meat and stir the pulled pork in the cooking liquid. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- To serve, divide the pulled pork mixture between the warm corn tortillas. Top with avocado, radishes, cabbage, jalapeno and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with fresh cut limes on the side.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, not including garnishes: 566 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 53 grams protein, 39 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams total sugars, 5 grams fiber, 21 grams total fat (7 grams saturated), 145 milligrams cholesterol, 429 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
