{Note from Jessica: Today’s post is shared by my lovely friend, Marjorie Saveski, author of the website This is So Good. Marjorie is a blogger and home cook with a passion for real food, health and fitness. She hopes to share what she has learned through her real-life experience and research with her readers. Stop by their site, This is So Good, to find more delicious recipes and helpful health information.
There’s nothing like a tasty simmered meal on a cold winter day like these slow-cooker pieces of meat with garlic and herbs. Your house will smell amazing and the food will warm you up from within!
I love my slow cooker for many reasons.
First, convenience. Prepare food that morning or night before, and put the slow cooker to low before heading out the door. Dinner is ready for when you get home! Or throw away some bones and vegetables and the next day you’ll have plenty of homemade broth to use later in the week or freeze for another time.
Secondly, minimal cleaning! Even if you choose to seal the meat and sauté the vegetables before adding them to your slow cooker, there is usually only one pan to wash.
Third, you can make harder cuts of meat (which are usually cheaper), tender, and delicious with low, slow cooking. These cheaper cuts are usually larger as well, allowing you to have several meals of a preparation day.
Cheaper cuts of meat, including stems, short ribs, breasts and roasts, contain more connective tissue and saturated fat than their more expensive counterparts, such as steaks and loins.
Slow cooking breaks down connective tissue (which contains important nutrients like choline, glycine, glucosamine, and chondroitin—important for skin, nails, joints, and gut health!) and produces some of the fat, leaving you with tender, juicy meat and a delicious, nutritious sauce or broth.
Because you’ve saved money by buying the cheapest cuts, you may be able to budget for higher-quality, grass-fed, grass-fed meats.
Slow Cooker Beef Shanks with Garlic and Herbs
I’m a big fan of meat scion! This slow cooker meat chunk recipe will quickly become one of your home’s favorite foods.
They were introduced to me for the first time by my mother-in-law. She made us melting pieces of meat in our mouths for dinner one night and I knew I had to start making them too.
One of my favorite preparations is my Osso Bucco with sun-dried tomatoes and capers. Although that recipe was prepared in a Dutch oven and cooked slowly in the oven, I have also made it in the slow cooker and it is still a winner!
You’ll notice a couple of themes between the two recipes.
Homemade broth is used for stew liquid. If you haven’t jumped on the homemade stock bandwagon yet, do yourself a favor and do it! You can freeze it to have on hand for dishes like this and by using bones from other meals, you’ll save money too.
Another favorite addition is anchovies. Don’t panic, your meat will NOT taste fishy. Anchovies give a beautiful and tasty taste (umami) to your food and no one will suspect it!
Finally, I like to brighten up slow-cooked meals with some fresh herbs after plating: it gives it a little more flavor and a nice green color!
I would like to make two quick notes before getting to the recipe. I leave the garlic cloves whole so that they are very soft and buttery when they are ready to serve. I love to spread them on the stem like butter, so delicious!
Next, don’t miss the bone marrow goodness of your slow cooker meat offspring! My husband and I eat it with spoons, but you can also take it out and mix it with the sauce.
Delicious Obsessions Reliable Product Recommendations for the Slow Cooker Meat Scions with Garlic and Herbs
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What’s your favorite slow cooker food? Leave a comment below!
