Your granny never owned a slow cooker, but she cooked like one: a heavy pot on the back of the stove, a cheap cut of meat, and the patience to let time do the work. These are those same dinners — the braises, stews and smothered suppers built for long, gentle heat — done the modern way, in the crockpot and the Instant Pot as well as the one good pot on the hob.
That is the whole appeal. You brown a little, tip everything in, put the lid on and walk away; the appliance holds the low, steady heat that turns tough beef silky and melts a handful of odds and ends into supper. Most of these are better the next day, most freeze beautifully, and every one has been tested — with the appliance quirks written in, so the dairy goes in at the right moment and the pasta never turns to mush.
Whether you want to come home to a Mississippi pot roast that fell apart while you were out, or you just want one pot to wash after dinner, start here.
22 recipes in this collection
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Silky slow cooker mac and cheese kept grainy-proof with evaporated milk and block-grated Cheddar — Low only, and no peeking.
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Old-fashioned beef stew flavour from the electric pressure cooker, on the table in about an hour and a half.
Instant Pot Pot Roast
Fall-apart chuck with proper gravy from the electric pressure cooker — Sunday pot roast in about two hours.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Creamy, gently spiced white chicken chili that cooks itself while you get on with your day.
Mississippi Pot Roast
Fall-apart chuck with ranch, au jus, butter and pepperoncini — the internet's favourite roast, done granny's way.
Crock Pot Potato Soup
Creamy, bacon-topped potato soup that thickens itself — no flour, just a masher and a patient pot.
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
All-day chicken noodle comfort from the electric pressure cooker in about 45 minutes — tender shredded thighs and noodles with proper bite.
Crockpot Beef Stew
Old-fashioned beef stew made easy in the crockpot — browned chuck, big chunks of veg and a rich gravy that is never watery.
Main CourseOld-Fashioned Beef Stew
Tender beef, potatoes & peas in a rich, savoury gravy — the classic one-pot supper.
Main CourseOld-Fashioned Pot Roast
Chuck roast braised low and slow until fork-tender, with vegetables and rich pan gravy.
Main CourseOld-Fashioned Chili
Deep, thick and rich — the classic chili con carne, simmered low and slow.
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
Rich broth, tender shredded chicken, and cloud-soft drop dumplings.
Old-Fashioned Goulash
Ground beef, tomatoes and macaroni simmered together in one pot — cheap, hearty, unbeatable.
Old-Fashioned Potato Soup
Creamy but still chunky — floury potatoes in a gentle milk broth, part-mashed the old way. Bacon & cheddar optional.
SoupOld-Fashioned Split Pea Soup
A ham bone, a bag of split peas and a low, slow simmer into a thick, silky, spoon-coating bowl.
Old-Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup
A leftover ham bone, dried beans and a low, slow simmer into a thick, smoky bowl.
Old-Fashioned Cabbage Soup
A thrifty, warming pot of cabbage, root vegetables and a light tomato broth.
Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
Browned stewing beef and a potful of vegetables in a rich, brothy tomato-beef broth.
Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes
Sweet-tangy beef simmered spoon-thick and piled onto toasted buns — from scratch, no tinned sauce.
Old-Fashioned Swiss Steak
Round steak with the flour pounded right in, braised low and slow until fork-tender in its own tomato gravy.
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole
Juicy chicken baked over creamy, savoury rice — from scratch, no canned soup.
Main CourseFrankie Woulfe's Brown Stew
Meltingly tender beef, root vegetables and a deep, glossy gravy — slow-cooked comfort in one pot.