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Savory Crockpot Short Ribs

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It’s been a beautiful Spring here in North Texas so far.  Kind of rainy, a little flooding, but the grass and trees are bright green and flowers are blooming!  

It reminds me that Summer is around the corner and out comes the crockpot; ready for action.

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What better dish to throw in the crockpot but Savory Crockpot Shot Ribs?  Actually, I’ve made regular ribs (in the oven) many times, but never have tried making short ribs.  

All those braised short rib recipe photos look awesome and I guess I’ve been hesitant to make them because you usually have to toss them in flour, braise them in a Dutch oven along with wine and other good stuff, and let them cook on the stove top for hours to get that tender texture.

 I came up with an easier way to do it with outstanding results.

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You can adjust the time if your ribs are thawed out, but it was easier just to throw them in frozen.  My crockpot is from the 70’s – let’s call it ‘vintage’ to be nice.  

I’m dying to get one of those big new pots that has a handle and clip-on top.  It would be nice to put a tenderloin in it without standing it on end or cutting it up.  

I shouldn’t complain, though, because my old crockpot still cooks killer dishes.

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These Savory Crockpot Short Ribs are amazing! Tender ribs with a savory, rich sauce. Spoon these out onto a bed of rice or pile of mashed potatoes and you have a restaurant-worthy meal.

There’s really nothing like slow cooking meat, especially ribs. Throw it in there, go do whatever it is you do during the day, and your dinner is ready.

Your family will be very impressed. You can throw a little flour on your face so they’ll really think you worked hard on these!

Savory Crockpot Short Ribs

Savory Crockpot Short Ribs

Yield: 3
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

This rib meat just falls off the bones!

Ingredients

  • 2 lb short ribs
  • 1 C beef broth
  • 1 pkg. dry Lipton Onion Soup mix
  • 1/3 C Chili Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the beef broth, soup mix, chili sauce, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  
  2. Place the ribs in the crockpot and pour the sauce over the top.
  3. Place the lid on and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.  Ribs are done when meat starts falling off the bones.

Notes

I always use a crockpot liner for easier cleanup.  You can find them over by the aluminum foil and plastic bags at the grocery store.

Serve these over whipped mashed potatoes and add a little of that sauce over the top.  

I put frozen ribs in and they thawed quickly and cooked great.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 968Total Fat: 69gSaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 302mgSodium: 1167mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 79g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© sblades
Category: Beef

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Corn

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This is one of my Fall favorites – Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Corn, spiced up with salsa and a little chili powder.  It’s so very easy to put together and leave cooking while you do your running around.  

Also, you can use the leftovers (which get better each day) for different dishes. Here we made creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes with the chicken and sauce poured over the top. So, so good!

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Corn

You throw frozen (yes, frozen) chicken breasts into the crockpot, along with a can of drained black beans and drained corn, then top with your favorite salsa and a teaspoon or so of chili powder.  Leave it on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, depending on your crockpot, thicken the sauce a bit, and you end up with tender chicken in a delicious spicy sauce.

For the next meal, we shredded the chicken and had it along with fresh tortillas, a little sour cream, and a few pickled jalapenos to create great soft tacos.  

For Sunday dinner, we stirred the shredded chicken back into the sauce, added a cup or so of water and warmed it up.  We swirled a little sour cream into it and it was a delicious and satisfying chicken stew.

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Corn2

Incredibly easy, fairly healthy ingredients, and a great dish to use over and over in different ways!

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Corn

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans and Corn

Yield: 6 - 8
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

Quick, easy, and delicious hearty chicken dish.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 frozen, , boneless chicken breasts
  • 1, 15 oz can black beans, , drained
  • 1, 15 oz can corn, , drained
  • 1, 16 oz jar of your favorite salsa
  • 1 heaping tsp. chili powder
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Place frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot and pour the black beans and corn on top.
  2. Stir in the chili powder and turn the crockpot on high.
  3. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours on High. Salt to taste. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, noodles or rice. (See notes under Tips and Stuff for other ideas.)

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I used two fairly large chicken breasts for this batch.

At the end of 3 1/2 hours, I took the lid off, ladled about half a cup of sauce into a bowl and stirred in 2 tblsp. of flour until smooth.  Poured the floured sauce back into the crockpot, stirred, and let it simmer on high for about 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.

The chicken is really good shredded with a fork.

Next time I might throw in a can of green chile's or maybe even a can of hominy. It's very versatile.

To serve leftovers as a stew, add a cup or two of water and heat in microwave or on the stove. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 234Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 1109mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 26g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© sblades
Category: Chicken/Poultry

Slow-Cooked Beef Carnitas

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Texas has two seasons – Winter and Summer.  This year we had a cold, icy winter and then it was suddenly 85 degrees.  OK, there were a few beautiful clear days in the 60’s and 70’s, but that’s over now!  This is the time of the year that I pull out the old (and I mean old) crockpot and bring out the trusty slow-cooker recipes.

I got this crockpot in the early 80’s and have worked it to death. It still works, but one of its little feet broke off, so I have to put a pot holder under it so it’ll be level. What a workhorse!

A few years ago I finally got a great new slow-cooker. It’s the kind you can pull the ceramic pot out of and clean easily. I use it a lot, but certain recipes are just better in the old upright crockpot with olive green flowers on it.

Beef Carnitas

I worked on this Slow-Cooked Beef Carnitas recipe a long time before coming up with the perfect combination of tender beef and Mexican spices. It cooks all day long and it smells soooo good at the end of a long work day when you walk in the door.  

After 7 or 8 hours on low, the juicy roast is shredded and the flavorful sauce that’s left in the pot is thickened and used as one of the delicious sides to add to the soft stuffed tortilla. It’s really hits the spot when you’re craving Tex-Mex or Mexican food.

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You can add or leave out whatever you like – we don’t use onions, but 2 or 3 tablespoons might be good thrown into the crockpot.

These Slow-Cooked Beef Carnitas are delicious. Bret usually has the leftovers for breakfast mixed with scrambled eggs, salsa and wrapped in a soft, warm tortilla!

Beef Carnitas

Beef Carnitas

Yield: 10 -12

Outstanding and so easy to make!  They taste better and better every day.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 to 3 lb. chuck roast
  • 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1-2 fresh jalapenos, deveined and chopped (optional)
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes
  • 1/2 C water
  • Condiments: soft flour tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the green chiles, chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  2. Place the roast in the crockpot and rub the green chile mixture onto the roast. Pour the Rotel tomatoes and water around the sides of the roast and sprinkle in the freshly chopped jalapeno. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until roast is tender and can be shredded.
  3. When the roast is finished, take it out of the crockpot and place on a cutting board.  Pour the sauce that remains in the crockpot into a saucepan and simmer on low heat.  
  4. In a cup, stir in about 1/4 cup of the sauce and about 2 tsp cornstarch or flour until smooth, then pour into the saucepan to thicken the gravy (add water if you want it thinner).  Simmer for about 5 minutes. Shred the beef and serve with the thickened chile-tomato sauce and condiments.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Mine took about 8 hrs on low as I got a pretty large roast.  You may think it's not getting tender, but to test after about 7 hours, take two forks and lightly shred the top of the roast.  I think you'll find it shreds easily and is done.

I turned my roast over half-way through because I have one of those old 80's tall crockpots.

I added an extra fresh deveined jalapeno as we like them spicier!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 708Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 238mgSodium: 546mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 71g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Susan Blades
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Beef

Saucy Crockpot BBQ Chicken

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Updated:  March 2021

I’m always on the lookout for chicken recipes and crockpot recipes, and this Saucy Crockpot BBQ Chicken fits the bill on both parts.

BBQ chicken on a white plate and blue striped cloth.
The flavorful sauce is made from your favorite bbq sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s for us) and is doctored up with spices and other good stuff.

It’s creamy and tangy and is perfect on the slow-cooked chicken.  It should take about four hours on low to cook, but start testing it around three hours.  It should be around 165° on your handy-dandy meat thermometer.

If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can get them anywhere – even the grocery store.  You’ll be amazed how much you’ll use it!  No more guessing if steaks, pork, or chicken are done. 

Serve this with mashed potatoes and a salad and have a nice little weeknight meal without heating up the kitchen.  Make it a summer meal by adding potato salad and baked beans.  My favorite kind of meal.

I make this Saucy Crockpot BBQ Chicken in my old 80’s crockpot – you know, the one with avocado-green flowers on it. That crockpot will never die! I do occasionally enjoy my new crockpot with the LED’s and timer on it, though.

However you make it, keep your eye on it.  When timed perfectly, the chicken will be tender and almost fall apart.  The sauce is tangy and sweet, a little spicy and definitely delicious.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken close up on a white plate.

The sauce for this dish can be as spicy as you like it. I use the entire 1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes and that gives it quite a kick, so ease back on that if you prefer it milder.

Saucy Crockpot BBQ Chicken is super easy to make and so tasty that it’s a go-to in my recipe files.

More Great Crockpot Recipes You’ll Love!

 

Saucy Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Savory, Sweet, Spicy BBQ chicken. Easy to make, tasty to eat!

Ingredients

  • 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 1/2 Cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s bbq sauce, (or your favorite)
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp chopped green onions

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients, except for chicken breasts, in a bowl – combine well.
  2. Place chicken in crockpot and pour sauce mixture over the chicken.
  3. Cook on low 4-5 hours.
  4. Sprinkle plated chicken with green onions and serve.

Notes

Quick Tip: use frozen chicken breasts if you're really in a hurry!

Easily doubled if you want to use more chicken breasts. I just used plain old white vinegar, but apple cider vinegar would be good and balsamic may make it interesting!

Always use a crockpot liner for easy cleanup.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 471Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1833mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 2gSugar: 52gProtein: 39g

Nutritional Values are Approximate.

© sblades
Category: Chicken/Poultry