15 Slow Cooker Dinners You Can Set and Forget

There’s a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from walking through the front door after a long day and being greeted by a kitchen that smells like dinner has been cooking for hours — because it has. The slow cooker is one of those rare kitchen tools that genuinely delivers on its promise: real, deeply flavored food with almost none of the active effort.

What makes slow cooker cooking so reliable isn’t magic. It’s physics. The low, consistent heat breaks down tough connective tissue in meat, coaxes sugars out of onions and root vegetables, and gives spices time to bloom and meld together in ways that stovetop cooking at high heat simply can’t replicate. A chuck roast that would be chewy and dry at 375°F for an hour becomes fork-tender and richly sauced after eight hours at 200°F. That’s the slow cooker working exactly as designed.

The “set and forget” concept sounds almost too good to be true, but these 15 dinners prove it isn’t. All of them require minimal prep — most under 20 minutes — and all of them produce results that taste like you spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen. Whether you’re feeding a family of five on a weeknight or prepping meals ahead for a busy stretch, the slow cooker handles the heavy lifting while you get on with your life.

A few quick notes before you start cooking: always thaw frozen meat before adding it to the slow cooker, resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking (each peek adds 20–30 minutes to your cook time), and make sure your slow cooker is at least half full but no more than three-quarters full for the best heat circulation. With that, let’s get into the good stuff.

1. Classic Beef and Vegetable Pot Roast

Few slow cooker dishes are as universally beloved as a proper pot roast. A 3-to-4-pound chuck roast placed on a bed of chunked carrots, halved baby potatoes, and sliced onions — with a splash of beef broth, a smear of tomato paste, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme — produces a dinner that feels genuinely special with almost no effort.

Why Chuck Roast Is the Right Cut

Chuck roast contains a high concentration of collagen-rich connective tissue that breaks down into silky gelatin over a long, slow cook. That gelatin is what gives the braising liquid its body and what keeps the meat from drying out even after eight hours of cooking. A leaner cut like sirloin or round roast will turn stringy and tough under the same conditions — it doesn’t have enough fat and collagen to survive the long cook.

How to Build Maximum Flavor Without Searing

Most recipes tell you to sear the roast first, and while searing does add flavor through the Maillard reaction, it’s not mandatory for a great result. What is mandatory: seasoning the meat aggressively with salt and pepper on all sides, and using a flavorful liquid base rather than plain water. A mix of beef broth, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and a tablespoon of tomato paste delivers a deeply savory braising liquid that practically makes its own gravy by the time the roast is done.

Getting It Right

• Cook on low for 8–10 hours or high for 5–6 hours — low is always better for chuck roast
• Add root vegetables at the bottom of the pot; they act as a rack and absorb all the flavor from the drippings
• Rest the roast for 10 minutes after removing it before shredding or slicing
• Strain the cooking liquid and reduce it in a saucepan for 5 minutes to make a quick, concentrated gravy

Worth knowing: If you want a slightly more complex flavor profile, swap half the beef broth for a dry red wine like Cabernet or Merlot. The alcohol cooks off completely; what remains is fruit and acidity that cuts through the richness of the beef beautifully.

2. Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are the slow cooker’s best friend. Unlike chicken breasts, which can turn dry and chalky if they cook even 30 minutes too long, thighs have enough fat and dark meat to stay juicy and tender no matter how patient your schedule requires you to be. Pair them with a honey garlic sauce and you have one of the most reliably crowd-pleasing dinners in the slow cooker playbook.

The Sauce Ratio That Works Every Time

The base sauce for honey garlic chicken is beautifully simple: ⅓ cup honey, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. The honey provides sweetness and helps the sauce cling to the chicken; the soy sauce adds salt and umami; the garlic mellows and becomes almost jammy over the long cook; and the vinegar keeps the whole thing from tasting one-dimensionally sweet.

What to Do With the Cooking Liquid

After 5–6 hours on low, you’ll have perfectly cooked chicken thighs swimming in a savory-sweet liquid. Don’t pour it down the drain. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then pour the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons of cold water, bring it to a simmer over medium heat, and stir for 2–3 minutes until it thickens into a glossy sauce that coats the back of a spoon.

Serving Ideas

• Spoon over steamed jasmine rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and sliced green onions
• Serve alongside roasted broccoli or steamed bok choy to cut through the sweetness
• Use leftovers in rice bowls or lettuce wraps the next day — the flavor only gets better overnight

3. Slow Cooker Beef Stew

A proper beef stew is one of those dishes that benefits enormously from slow cooking in a way that no other method can replicate. The beef becomes spoonable-tender, the vegetables absorb the surrounding broth, and the whole pot develops a richness that tastes like it simmered on a French grandmother’s stovetop for an entire Sunday afternoon.

Choosing the Right Beef for Stew

Beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes, is the go-to choice for a reason. It has the right fat-to-lean ratio to hold its shape through the long cook without falling apart into strings, and it gives up enough fat to enrich the broth significantly. Avoid pre-packaged “stew meat,” which often contains multiple cuts of varying quality that cook unevenly. Buy a single chuck roast and cut it yourself for consistent results.

The Vegetables: When to Add What

Root vegetables like carrots and potatoes handle the long cook well and should go in at the beginning. Peas, corn, and fresh herbs, on the other hand, should be stirred in during the last 30 minutes — they’ll lose their color, texture, and much of their flavor if they cook for the full duration.

Building a Thick, Hearty Broth

A thin, watery stew broth is one of the most common slow cooker complaints — and it’s an easy fix. Toss your beef cubes in 2 tablespoons of flour before adding them to the pot. The flour coats the meat and dissolves into the broth as it cooks, creating a naturally thickened, velvety sauce without any additional effort.

• Use 2 cups beef broth and 1 tablespoon tomato paste for depth
• Add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce for an umami backbone
• A bay leaf and two sprigs of fresh thyme add complexity that dried herbs can’t match at this slow-cook temperature

4. Pulled Pork with Homemade BBQ Sauce

Pulled pork might be the single greatest argument for owning a slow cooker. A 5-to-7-pound bone-in pork shoulder — also sold as pork butt — transforms over 10 hours on low from a dense, tough hunk of meat into something that shreds apart with two forks and practically falls into itself under its own weight.

The Dry Rub Makes the Difference

Before the pork goes anywhere near the slow cooker, it needs a dry rub. A mix of 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1.5 teaspoons salt pressed firmly into every surface of the pork creates a spiced crust that slowly dissolves into the cooking liquid, flavoring the entire batch of meat from the inside out.

Making the Sauce From the Drippings

After the pork is done, skim the fat from the cooking liquid and pour ½ cup of it into a saucepan. Add ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, and a pinch of cayenne. Simmer for 5 minutes. This drippings-based sauce has a complexity that bottled BBQ sauce simply can’t match, because it’s built on the actual fond and juices from your specific piece of pork.

What to Do With Pulled Pork

• Classic: loaded onto soft brioche buns with coleslaw
• Add to baked sweet potatoes with pickled jalapeños
• Stuff into tacos with quick-pickled red onion and avocado
• Top a pizza with a smear of BBQ sauce as the base

5. Chicken Taco Chili

Chicken taco chili sits at the intersection of two weeknight favorites — chili and taco night — and it’s one of the easiest slow cooker recipes in existence. Everything goes in raw, nothing needs pre-cooking, and the result is a thick, spiced, protein-packed chili that works equally well over rice, in tortillas, or eaten straight from a bowl with all the toppings.

The Dump-and-Go Formula

Add 1.5 pounds boneless chicken thighs (not breasts — thighs shred more easily) directly to the slow cooker. Pour in 1 can black beans (drained), 1 can corn (drained), 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1 packet taco seasoning. That’s genuinely it. Cook on low for 6–7 hours, then use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the pot, letting it soak up all the sauce.

Why This Chili Is Better the Next Day

Like most chili, this one improves significantly after 24 hours in the refrigerator. The spices continue to bloom, the chicken absorbs more of the surrounding sauce, and the flavors meld together in a way that freshly cooked chili hasn’t had time to achieve. Make a big batch on the weekend and it works as meal prep for four to five weekday lunches.

Toppings That Take It Up a Notch

• Shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack
• A dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Diced fresh avocado or a spoonful of guacamole
• Crushed tortilla chips for crunch
• Fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime right before serving

6. Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Indian butter chicken — murgh makhani — is one of those restaurant dishes that seems intimidating to make at home but is shockingly well-suited to slow cooking. The long, gentle heat gives the tomato-based sauce time to cook down and concentrate, and the chicken becomes so tender it barely needs shredding.

Building the Sauce From Scratch

The sauce starts with 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 1 small yellow onion (grated), 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 1.5 pounds of cubed chicken thighs directly to this sauce and cook on low for 6–7 hours. During the last 30 minutes, stir in ½ cup heavy cream and 2 more tablespoons of butter. The cream is non-negotiable — it rounds off the acidity of the tomatoes and transforms the sauce from a basic curry into something genuinely luxurious.

The Garam Masala Question

Not all garam masala blends are created equal. The spice blend varies by brand and region, with some leaning toward cinnamon and clove and others emphasizing cardamom and coriander. If your butter chicken tastes flat, add an extra ½ teaspoon of garam masala and a pinch of fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) — that last ingredient is the secret behind the distinct flavor of restaurant-style butter chicken.

Pro tip: Serve with warm naan or basmati rice cooked with a pinch of saffron and two cardamom pods. The fragrant rice turns this weeknight dinner into something genuinely worthy of a special occasion.

7. Creamy Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup

This soup might be the most satisfying thing you can make in a slow cooker without touching a piece of meat other than sausage. Italian sausage, white cannellini beans, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a cream finish come together into a thick, hearty, restaurant-quality bowl that eats more like a stew than a soup.

Why Italian Sausage Works So Well Here

Pork sausage — whether you use sweet Italian, hot Italian, or a smoked andouille — releases fat and seasoning as it cooks, essentially seasoning the entire pot without any additional effort. The fennel and herbs already present in most Italian sausage blends give the soup an inherent depth that takes real work to replicate with plain ground pork and separate spices. Slice the sausage into ½-inch coins before adding it — they hold their shape and give every bowl a satisfying, substantial texture.

The Finishing Touches That Matter

White bean and sausage soup needs two things added at the very end: fresh baby spinach and a splash of heavy cream. The spinach wilts in under 5 minutes and adds color, nutrition, and a slight bitterness that balances the richness of the sausage and cream. The cream (about ¼ cup) softens the tomato’s acidity and pulls the whole soup together into something cohesive rather than a collection of individual components.

Make It a Meal

• Serve with crusty ciabatta or a toasted baguette for mopping up the broth
• Finish each bowl with a drizzle of quality olive oil and a grating of Parmesan
• Stores well in the fridge for 4 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months (freeze before adding the cream)

8. Mississippi Pot Roast

If you’ve never made Mississippi pot roast, prepare for a revelation. This recipe — chuck roast, a stick of butter, a packet of dry ranch seasoning, a packet of au jus mix, and a handful of pepperoncini peppers — sounds too simple to be worth making. The result is one of the most deeply flavored, tangy-savory, impossibly tender roasts you will ever pull out of a slow cooker.

Understanding Why It Works

The science here is genuinely interesting. The pepperoncini peppers contribute mild heat, acidity, and vinegar as they break down over eight hours, essentially brining the beef from the inside. The au jus packet provides salt and umami. The ranch seasoning adds an aromatic herb layer. And the entire stick of butter — yes, the whole stick — melts into the cooking liquid and bastes the roast continuously from below. The result is beef that’s deeply savory, slightly tangy, and almost impossibly rich.

Serving Variations

Most people serve Mississippi pot roast shredded over mashed potatoes, which is an excellent choice. But the cooking liquid is so deeply flavored that it functions as a sauce, a sandwich jus for dipping, and even a base for a simple pasta sauce if you reduce it by half on the stovetop.

• Shred over creamy mashed potatoes with the cooking liquid spooned over the top
• Pile into hoagie rolls for French dip-style sandwiches
• Serve over egg noodles for a stroganoff-adjacent dinner
• Use leftovers as a filling for beef tacos with pickled jalapeños and queso fresco

9. Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade chicken noodle soup is the platonic ideal of comfort food, and the slow cooker makes it more achievable on a weeknight than any stovetop version. The broth develops a richer, more complex flavor from the long, gentle simmer, and the chicken becomes tender enough to shred with virtually no effort.

The Broth-Building Strategy

The difference between a forgettable chicken noodle soup and an exceptional one often comes down to the broth. Start with 4 cups of quality chicken broth (not stock — broth has more seasoning) and add 2 bone-in chicken breasts or 4 bone-in thighs. The bones leach collagen and flavor into the liquid over the long cook, naturally enriching the broth in a way that boneless chicken simply cannot. After cooking, remove the chicken, pull the meat from the bones, and discard the bones before returning the meat to the pot.

The Noodle Timing Problem (and How to Solve It)

Egg noodles are the classic choice for chicken noodle soup, but they turn mushy and fall apart if added at the beginning. The fix: cook the noodles separately according to the package directions, then add them to individual bowls just before serving. The soup itself can simmer all day; the noodles stay perfectly textured because they’re never in the pot for more than a few minutes.

Vegetables to Add and When

• At the start: diced carrots, sliced celery, diced onion, minced garlic
• In the last 30 minutes: frozen peas or corn
• At serving: fresh dill and flat-leaf parsley — these herbs lose all their brightness if cooked for the full duration

10. Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne

A slow-cooked chili is one of those dishes where patience is the main ingredient. Ground beef simmered for six or more hours with tomatoes, three types of chili pepper, kidney beans, and warm spices produces a depth of flavor that a 30-minute stovetop version simply cannot match. The spices have time to bloom, the fat renders and integrates into the sauce, and the beans absorb the surrounding flavor rather than just floating in it.

The Three-Pepper Foundation

Great chili isn’t built on chili powder alone. Use dried ancho chili powder for smokiness, chipotle in adobo for heat and depth, and a fresh poblano or jalapeño for brightness. This three-layer approach gives the chili a complexity that single-source heat never achieves. Toast the dried spices in a dry skillet for 60 seconds before adding them — the heat releases their essential oils and dramatically intensifies their flavor.

To Brown or Not to Brown the Beef

Browning ground beef before it goes into the slow cooker makes a real difference here, and it’s worth the 5 extra minutes. Browning creates flavor through caramelization that the slow cooker cannot replicate; the liquid environment inside the pot prevents the Maillard reaction from occurring. Brown the beef in batches (don’t crowd the pan), drain the excess fat, and then add it to the slow cooker with everything else.

Toppings That Complete the Bowl

• Shredded sharp cheddar melted directly onto the hot chili
• Sour cream or crema mexicana swirled in
• Sliced fresh jalapeños for extra heat
• Diced white onion and fresh cilantro for brightness
• Warm cornbread or crackers on the side

11. Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Pulled chicken sandwiches are faster than pulled pork, equally satisfying, and — made right — just as deeply flavored. Boneless chicken thighs, smoked paprika, garlic, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce go into the slow cooker and come out four hours later as perfectly shredded, sauce-soaked chicken ready for stacking onto a soft bun.

Why Thighs Beat Breasts Here

Chicken thighs have a fat content between 10–15%, compared to chicken breasts at roughly 3–4%. That fat keeps thigh meat from drying out during extended cooking and gives it a richer, more satisfying flavor. Chicken breast cooked in a slow cooker for more than 3–4 hours often turns cottony and stringy, while thighs continue to improve in texture and flavor the longer they cook. This is not a recipe where chicken breasts are a suitable swap.

Getting the Right Shred Texture

After cooking, remove the chicken to a cutting board and use two forks or clean hands to shred it into chunky pieces — not fine shreds. Chunky pulled chicken holds its structure better in a sandwich and gives each bite more substance. Return the shredded chicken to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker and stir to combine, letting it sit for 10 minutes to re-absorb the sauce before assembling sandwiches.

Building the Perfect Sandwich

• Soft brioche buns or potato rolls — their slight sweetness complements the smoky chicken
• A thick layer of crunchy coleslaw to add texture contrast and acidity
• Bread-and-butter pickles for a sweet-tangy counterpoint
• A smear of extra BBQ sauce on both sides of the bun

12. Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Lasagna soup achieves something that feels almost impossible: all the flavors of a layered lasagna — Italian sausage, rich tomato sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella — in a bowl of soup that takes no more than 15 minutes to assemble. The slow cooker does the rest, breaking down the sausage into the tomato base and building a sauce that’s as complex as anything you’d spread between lasagna sheets.

The Secret Is the Ricotta Dollop

The detail that separates good lasagna soup from exceptional lasagna soup is the ricotta garnish. Mix ½ cup whole-milk ricotta with 1 teaspoon of dried Italian herbs and a pinch of salt, then place a generous spoonful directly in the center of each bowl just before serving. The ricotta melts slightly into the hot soup, creating little pools of creaminess that mimic the cheese layers in a classic lasagna. Don’t skip this step — it’s the element that makes this soup feel authentic rather than gimmicky.

Noodle Handling in Lasagna Soup

Lasagna noodles can go in two ways. Break them into rough 2-inch pieces and cook them directly in the soup during the last 45 minutes on high, or cook them separately and add to individual bowls at serving. The in-soup method gives the noodles more flavor absorption; the separate method guarantees perfect texture every time. Either works — just don’t add the noodles at the beginning of the cook time unless you want mush.

Finishing the Bowl

• Shredded mozzarella melted over the top
• A few fresh basil leaves
• A crack of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
• The ricotta mixture as described above — non-negotiable

13. Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Chinese takeout honey sesame chicken, done in the slow cooker, is one of those dinners that earns you genuine enthusiasm from the people you’re feeding. Tender chicken pieces in a sweet, sticky, lightly sesame-scented sauce over steamed rice — and the whole thing comes together with pantry staples and maybe 10 minutes of active prep.

Building the Sauce From Pantry Staples

The sauce is ⅓ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Whisk these together, pour over 1.5 pounds of cubed boneless chicken thighs, and cook on low for 4–5 hours. The ketchup sounds odd but functions as a natural thickening agent and adds a subtle tomato sweetness that anchors the sauce in the familiar flavor of restaurant sesame chicken.

The Cornstarch Finish

Slow cooker sauces tend to stay relatively thin because the moist cooking environment doesn’t allow for evaporation. For honey sesame chicken, the sauce needs to be thickened before serving. During the final 30 minutes, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir the slurry directly into the slow cooker. Replace the lid and cook on high for the remaining time. The sauce will thicken into a glossy, clingy coating that holds onto the chicken properly.

What to Serve Alongside

• Steamed white or brown rice — the sauce soaks in perfectly
• Stir-fried snap peas, broccoli, or bok choy
• A garnish of toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions adds visual appeal and a nutty crunch the dish genuinely benefits from

14. Slow Cooker Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli cheddar soup done well is one of the most satisfying cold-weather dinners in existence — thick, creamy, and packed with sharp cheddar flavor. The slow cooker version has an advantage over the stovetop method: the long cook time softens the broccoli so thoroughly that when you partially blend the soup, it creates a naturally creamy base without needing as much cream or butter.

The Vegetable Foundation

Start with 1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets, plus 1 diced yellow onion, 2 diced medium carrots (they add natural sweetness and a deep golden color to the finished soup), and 3 minced garlic cloves. Add 3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook on low for 6–7 hours until the vegetables are completely soft.

The Partial Blend Method for Perfect Texture

Full-blending broccoli cheddar soup turns it into something more closely resembling baby food. The better approach: use an immersion blender to blend only about half the soup directly in the slow cooker, leaving the rest with visible vegetable chunks. This creates a naturally thick, creamy base while preserving the satisfying texture of soft broccoli florets throughout the soup.

Adding the Cheese Without Curdling

Cheese can seize and become grainy if added to boiling liquid. Reduce the slow cooker to the warm setting before stirring in 2 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar — and use freshly shredded, not pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents (usually cornstarch or cellulose) that prevent it from melting smoothly. Stir the cheese in slowly in two additions, letting each addition fully melt before adding the next.

15. Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo

This is the kind of dinner that looks and tastes like you spent two hours in the kitchen when you actually spent 20 minutes. Chicken or turkey meatballs (use store-bought to make this truly effortless, or homemade if you have the time) slow-cooked in a garlicky butter sauce with a cream finish, then served over orzo that’s been cooked and stirred with Parmesan — it’s the rare slow cooker recipe that feels genuinely elegant.

Making the Garlic Butter Sauce

Combine 3 tablespoons melted butter, 4 minced garlic cloves, ½ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper in the slow cooker base. Add 20–24 frozen or fresh meatballs and cook on low for 4–5 hours. The meatballs absorb the garlic butter sauce as they cook, becoming infused with flavor rather than just coated in it.

The Orzo Situation

Orzo cooks separately on the stovetop and takes roughly 8–9 minutes — plan this for when you’re about 15 minutes from serving. Cook the orzo in salted boiling water, drain, and immediately toss with a tablespoon of butter, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan, and a splash of the pasta cooking water to create a creamy, silky texture. The hot orzo serves as the base; spoon the meatballs and sauce directly over the top.

Finishing and Serving

• Fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped fine makes a bright, fresh garnish
• A final grating of Parmesan over the entire bowl
• A drizzle of good olive oil if you want extra richness
• Serve immediately — orzo begins to absorb moisture and become gluey within about 20 minutes, so this is a dinner best plated and eaten right away rather than held

Pro tip: If you want to make this completely hands-off, swap the orzo for creamy polenta or mashed potatoes, both of which can be made in a separate slow cooker and held on warm for up to 2 hours without compromising texture.

Final Thoughts

The slow cooker doesn’t just make cooking easier — it makes certain dishes better than they’d be any other way. Chuck roast, pork shoulder, and bone-in chicken all benefit from the low-and-slow approach in ways that oven roasting and stovetop braising can’t quite replicate. When you set any of these 15 dinners up in the morning and come back to a finished meal in the evening, that’s not convenience food. That’s a genuinely well-made dinner.

If you’re new to slow cooker cooking, start with the honey garlic chicken thighs or the chicken taco chili. Both are true dump-and-go recipes with minimal prep, and both deliver results that will have you reaching for your slow cooker far more often. From there, the pot roast and pulled pork are worth tackling once you’re comfortable with the format.

One final tip worth taking seriously: don’t rush the low setting. The temptation to cook on high when you’re running short on time is understandable, but low and slow produces noticeably better results for braised meats, soups, and stews. The extra patience pays off every single time you lift that lid.