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Slow Cooker Mini Batch

If you’re new to batch cooking or low on freezer space, this video aims to share some easy ways to batch cook without making a month of food in one go! Instead, I’m using the slow cooker to make 1 protein and 2 base sauces, which will be used for 4 dinners, a snack and lunches.

On the menu:

  • Slow Cooker Gammon
  • Wholegrain Mash
  • Gammon & Boursin Pinwheels
  • Slow Cooker Braised Beef Brisket – Served 2 ways
  • Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken – Served 2 ways

Overnight Slow-Cooker Gammon

I’m so glad I started with this in the slow cooker, as not only was it a great ingredient for 2 of the recipes below, it was also wonderful in sandwiches.

Ingredients:

  • Large unsmoked gammon joint
  • Approx. 750ml cold water, or enough to come roughly halfway up the joint

Method:

  1. Put the gammon into the slow cooker.
  2. Pour in enough cold water to come roughly halfway up the joint.
  3. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours overnight.
  4. Lift out and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
  5. Use the gammon for sandwiches, the pinwheels below, and reserve around 300g for the chicken and ham pie.

Ham & Boursin Puff Pastry Pinwheels

These came out so well and were really easy to make – I made these to ensure I didn’t waste any pastry, as I use the other half of the sheet in a recipe later on.

Ingredients:

  • ½ sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
  • Garlic & Herbs Boursin
  • Cooked gammon, finely chopped/shredded

Method:

  1. Unroll the pastry and spread generously with Boursin.
  2. Scatter over the chopped ham
  3. Roll tightly from the long edge.
  4. Slice into approximately 8–10 pinwheels.
  5. Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 200°C / 180°C fan for 15-20 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Slow-Cooker Brisket with Rich Beef Gravy

This was such a delicious way to use the slow cooker, and I aimed to get the largest brisket I could to make the most of the meat which I then served in 2 different ways.

Ingredients

  • 1.5–1.6kg beef brisket
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 leeks, sliced
  • 3 celery sticks, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 litre beef stock, preferably lower-salt
  • 3 tbsp tomato purée
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tsp Marmite, optional
  • Cornflour, only if required

Method

  1. Pat the brisket dry and season with black pepper.
  2. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and brown the brisket really well on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the onions, carrots, leeks and celery to the same pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened and beginning to colour.
  4. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  5. Pour approximately 250ml of the beef stock into the pan and scrape up all the browned bits, then tip everything into the slow cooker.
  6. Add the remaining stock, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, balsamic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and Marmite, if using.
  7. Cook on LOW for around 7-8 hours, until the brisket pulls apart very easily (I checked on mine and it needed a little longer, I’m so glad I gave it that extra time).
  8. Make the gravy by first lifting out the brisket and resting it, remove the bay leaves and then blend the softened vegetables into the cooking liquid until smooth. Transfer to a wide saucepan and bubble for 10-15 minutes, until reduced to a thick, glossy gravy. Taste only after reducing. Adjust with Worcestershire, balsamic, Dijon, pepper or salt if required.If it still needs thickening, add a small amount of cornflour (spoon off some gravy into a small dish, mix with the cornflour to make a paste, then add back into the gravy). Pull the brisket into large, juicy pieces and spoon some gravy back through it.
  9. Save some brisket for the pie (below) and some to use as a jacket potato topper.

I used the leftover gravy for the following:

  • Beef & Gravy Puff Pastry Pie: I simply put some of the beef and gravy into a small pie dish, added a tin of chopped carrots and topped with the other half of my puff pastry sheet. Don’t forget to cut a steam hole! I then baked at 200 / 180 fan for 25-30 mins until golden and bubbling.
  • Pulled Beef Jacket Potatoes: We had some leftover beef, so I put it into the freezer and then used at the end of the week as a jacket potatoes topper. I’m conscious that we have young children, so although we squeezed 3 meals out of the beef, for most it would likely only cover 2.

Big-Batch Buttery Mash

Ingredients

  • 2.5kg floury potatoes
  • Approx. 100g butter
  • 150-200ml milk
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Wholegrain mustard

Method

  1. Peel and chop the potatoes, then boil in salted water until completely tender.
  2. Drain thoroughly and mash with butter and enough milk to get the consistency you like. I like to add some wholegrain mustard to season the mash but this is optional.
  3. I saved some of the mash to enjoy with the slow cooked beef, and some for the chicken pie.

Slow-Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken & Leeks

This recipe came out so well in the slow cooker and I love that I was able to serve it in 2 different ways so I didn’t feel too repetitive.

Ingredients

  • 900g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 200-250g sliced leeks (either fresh or frozen)
  • 8 garlic cloves, crushed (or 2 frozen garlic cubes)
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp onion granules
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • Black pepper
  • 300g full-fat cream cheese
  • 300ml double cream
  • 100-150g Parmesan, finely grated

Method

  1. Put the chicken, leeks, garlic, chicken stock, Dijon, onion granules, parsley and black pepper into the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, until the chicken is completely cooked and tender.
  3. Lift the chicken out temporarily.
  4. Add the cream cheese to the slow cooker and stir until incorporated, then stir in the double cream and Parmesan.
  5. Return the chicken, breaking it into chunky pieces.
  6. If necessary, cook on HIGH with the lid off for 15-20 minutes to thicken.
  7. You want a thick, creamy sauce that clings to the chicken, rather than lots of thin liquid.

I then served this with penne pasta, some extra parmesan and black pepper, reserving the other half for a pie.

Chicken, Ham & Leek Mash-Topped Pie

Ingredients

  • Remaining creamy chicken and leek mixture
  • Approx. 300g cooked gammon, chopped
  • 800g–1kg prepared mash
  • Mature cheddar, grated

Method

  1. Stir the cooked gammon through the creamy chicken and leek mixture and transfer to a baking dish.
  2. Spoon the prepared mash over the top and rough it up with a fork, then top with grated cheddar.
  3. Bake at 200°C / 180°C fan for 25-30 mins, until bubbling and golden.