16 All Day Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Short Ribs — The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Long-cooking slow cooker recipes that cook for at least nine to 10 hours are a necessity for today's busy cook. Full work days plus commuting time usually add up to at least nine to 10 hours. Recipes that cook in five to six hours, even on low, just won't work for many families. See cooking tips and recipes for these needs.

Preparation for Long Recipes in the Slow Cooker

These days, many slow cookers and multi-cookers are programmable. Many offer settings that allow you to delay the start time for up to 2 hours, and they automatically switch to a "keep warm" setting. Because food might be in the danger zone—between 40 F and 140 F—for up to 2 hours, many people consider a delay start unsafe. Even if the cooker offers to delay start, you might want to think twice about using it, especially if one of your family members is in a high-risk group for food poisoning. That high-risk group includes young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic health problems and compromised immune systems. The keep-warm temperature should keep the food at a safe temperature. To ensure the food is safe, test it with a reliable food thermometer. Look for a temperature of 165 F in most slow cooker dishes. For roasts—other than poultry—the temperature of the meat can be as low as 145 F.

Tips

Always start with fully chilled meats and vegetables.
Don't use frozen ingredients. Safely defrost frozen ingredients in the refrigerator before you begin.
Prep ingredients the night before and refrigerate them in containers until you're ready to cook. Don't refrigerate the ingredients in the slow cooker insert. If the slow cooker insert is cold, it will take longer to bring the food to a safe temperature.
Get to know your crock pot, check the crock pot cooking temperature, and be sure you understand its timing and heat before you use these recipes.
Read recipes carefully; some might use more fragile ingredients that shouldn't be added until the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time.
If you're at home, many of these recipes can be cooked on the high setting in far less time. If the recipe doesn't give a specific time for the high setting, subtract about 3 to 4 hours.

01 of 16

Crock Pot Black Bean Chili

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

This vegetarian crock pot black bean chili is an excellent all-day recipe. Some of the vegetables and spices require about 10 minutes of stovetop cooking time, but that can be done the night before and refrigerated until it's time to fill the slow cooker.
02 of 16

Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

The Spruce Eats / Victoria Heydt

This crock pot corned beef and cabbage recipe is delicious and super easy. It's an all-day recipe you throw together in the slow cooker. Just set it and forget it!
03 of 16

Long Cooking Pot Roast

The Spruce

The long cooking pot roast is the ideal meat for low and slow cooking. Make sure you use a tougher cut of meat, such as chuck, bottom round, or rump. These cuts have connective tissue that dissolves and makes the meat tender and juicy after the long period of moist cooking.
04 of 16

Healthy Crock Pot Beef Stew

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Make this healthy crock pot beef stew with pasta or with the more traditional potatoes. It cooks all day long, so the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender when you're ready to serve. Enjoy it with some crusty rolls and a salad.

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05 of 16

Slow Cooker Italian Beef and Beer

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Dry Italian dressing mix and pickled peppers are the unusual ingredients in this popular slow cooker Italian beef and beer dish. The shredded beef makes a tender sandwich filling to serve with split bulkie rolls or kaiser rolls.
06 of 16

Apple-Glazed Crock Pot Pork Roast

Robert Linton / Getty Images

Apple juice, brown sugar, and ginger make up the tasty glaze for this slow cooker apple-glazed crock pot pork roast. You'll enjoy this juicy and tender entree.
07 of 16

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tinga

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Chicken tinga is a flavorful Mexican stew of chicken thighs, chipotle peppers, charred Roma tomatoes, and onions. It's a great recipe for meal planning and can act as a filling for tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, too.
08 of 16

Crock Pot Beef and Chicken Stew

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Beef chuck and chicken thighs team up to make this a scrumptious crock pot beef and chicken stew. The chicken thighs hold up well in the slow cooker, and they add texture and flavor to the dish. All you have to do when you get home is add the thickening mixture.

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09 of 16

Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

This slow cooker Mexican pulled pork is made next-level with the addition of barbecue sauce, salsa, and Mexican seasonings. Serve the shredded pork in warm tortillas with strips of bell pepper and slaw. Drizzle with chipotle mayo or your favorite spicy aioli.
10 of 16

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket With Vegetables

Pinghung Chen / Getty Images

This slow cooker barbecue brisket is a complete meal in one. The meat cooks unattended all day on a bed of vegetables, and once ready, the potatoes, carrots, and onions are mashed with some butter while the cooking juices are turned into a delicious, thick gravy. Serve the sliced brisket over the vegetable mash with the gravy drizzled over all.
11 of 16

Crock Pot Lamb Stew

The Spruce

A rich and hearty lamb stew has never been easier! This crock pot lamb stew is brimming with flavor and healthy vegetables. Serve this stew with crusty rolls or Irish soda bread for a fabulous dinner.
12 of 16

Slow Cooker Pulled Ham

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Long, slow cooking renders a picnic ham or smoked pork shoulder tender and easy to shred. The shredded slow cooker pulled ham makes delicious sandwiches with the easy mustard sauce and coleslaw. Use leftovers in scalloped potatoes, mac and cheese casseroles, or on pizza.

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13 of 16

Crock Pot Vegetarian Baked Beans

The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

These crock pot vegetarian baked beans make a delicious side dish for a picnic or cookout or enjoy them as a main dish with freshly baked cornbread and a green salad. The recipe calls for pinto beans or kidney beans. The beans require overnight soaking, so plan accordingly.
14 of 16

Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks With Rosemary

The Spruce

These slow cooker lamb shanks with rosemary are another excellent choice for a family dinner. Browning the lamb shanks first adds to the flavor, color, and texture of the dish, but feel free to skip that step if you're short on time. The dish will still be delicious!
15 of 16

Slow Cooker Meatball Stew

Annabelle Breakey / Getty Images

This all-day creamy slow cooker meatball stew includes frozen meatballs, potatoes, and carrots. Cook the stew for up to 11 hours. It's perfect for a busy day!
16 of 16

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Ribs

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Whether you're cooking a family meal or a big dinner for friends and extended family, you can't go wrong with tender, melt-in-your-mouth slow cooker barbecue beef ribs. Barbecue sauce and red wine add flavor to these delicious beef ribs.