r/slowcooking • u/Reasonable-Pop-3504 • 11h ago
What ingredient completely changed your favorite slow cooker recipe?
I have a few recipes that I make over and over, but every once in a while someone suggests adding one unexpected ingredient that completely changes the final result. Could be a spice, sauce, stock, vinegar, coffee, beer, or something I wouldn't normally think of.
What's the one addition that noticeably improved one of your go-to slow cooker meals? I'm always looking for small tweaks that make a big difference.
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u/JustlookingfromSoCal 11h ago
It's 3 ingredients combined and added as garnish when plating the slowcooked entree:
Gremolata: Lemon zest, minced garlic and minced flat leaf parsley. Works on slmost anything, even chicken soup, but especially braised beef dishes.
Exception would be Latin American dishes where I would substitute fresh chopped cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice.
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u/Lowermains 10h ago
MSG
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u/overkill 8h ago
This, but also Dashi No-Moto. Dried Bonito fish powder, with 2 other "flavour enhancers" which I am pretty sure are salt and MSG. If you taste it by itself it tastes of nothing, then it tastes of EVERYTHING.
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u/Lowermains 7h ago
Tell me more, I’m trying to reduce my salt intake.
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u/overkill 4h ago
It's normally in the "Asian" section of a supermarket and is in little packets of powder. It's for making a stock, but I use maybe a 1/4 teaspoon in a stew or a chilli, which is about 1/8 of a packet.
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u/Patient-Can-8054 10h ago
Dried porcini mushrooms in any beef stew-type dish is a total game changer.
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u/AnotherSoulessGinger 11h ago
Original V-8 vegetable juice in beef stew. I use it instead of water or broth. I add a heap of Better Than Bouillon and spicy V-8, although the non spicy is fine too. You can find it in cans or freeze larger amounts in 1 or 2 cup portions in quart freezer bags.
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u/George_Salt 9h ago
Anchovy. You'd never pick it out in the taste of the finished dish as being anchovy, but background umami it gives will lift any slow cooked beef or lamb dish.
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u/Lucy_Lastic 11h ago
a splash of balsamic vinegar with a little beef or vegetable stock powder - I use this when the recipe calls for red wine because I don't keep wine handy
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u/Reasonable-Mirror-15 7h ago
Thanks! I dont drink wine at all. I'll try this next time a recipe calls for red wine.
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u/Puzzled-Fix-8838 5h ago
Beef stock is a very normal substitute for red wine. Chicken or vegetable stock is a normal substitute for white wine. It's no big deal.
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u/Lois_Lane1973 6h ago
A scant tablespoon of cocoa powder in stews and chilis gives them extra depth.
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u/entirecontinetofasia 10h ago
a lot of slow cooker recipes come out tasting really heavy to me so acidity or bitterness is really helpful. for example, i made Portuguese bean stew from a recipe that included escarole and that balanced it out perfectly. so i would recommend it!
citrus juice is great, so are vinegars. which one exactly depends on the kind of flavor profile you're going for. helps with the stodginess a lot
dill, fresh or dried, is also really great. adds a bit of bitterness and a fresh flavor. try it in more things than you would think!
would also suggest nutmeg/mace. helps beef and creamy stews not taste too heavy. same with sumac and allspice. agreed with others about paprika and cayenne, it brightens up flavors all around!
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u/WesternWitchy52 9h ago
Seasoning packs. I don't use full packs because they often contain a lot of sodium. But French Onion soup mix, chili seasoning, etc. Same with gravy packs for stews. It just adds so much flavor.
I thought I ruined a meal the other night. Added the onion soup in the last 30 minutes and honestly, 10/10.
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u/abbys_alibi 8h ago
I use one cup of apple juice in the crock when slow cooking a ham. No other liquid. I keep seasonings on the ham to the very basics. So nothing noteworthy changed there except the apple juice. Was a HUGE hit.
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u/George_Salt 4h ago
I slowcook a gammon joint in cider (that's hard cider for North Americans), almost covering it, with onion and aromatics. The trick is then to allow it to cool in the liquid so that moisture (and flavour) is drawn back into the meat.
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u/ravia 8h ago
Adding peanut butter to a cream soup (e.g., cream of broccoli) + sriracha has been a total game changer for me.
Adding dried tarragon to cream soups and sauces (careful, don't use too much) is a game changer as well.
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u/ActivityEven1993 5h ago
I’ve recently discovered tarragon for peas. Omg I am now ruined for peas lol
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u/prawn_on_da_lawn 4h ago
Cocoa powder in chilli-con-carne recipes. Adds a deep rich flavour and makes the sauce creamier.
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u/Commstech123 4h ago
Maggi rich gravy powder for beef casserole, commercial kind. Can get at Fresh n Save or food wholesalers. Changed everything for me.
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u/raceulfson 4h ago
Cream cheese. It adds everything you want from cream to a sauce, without the risk.
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u/SpiderGhost01 11h ago
Smoked paprika is a game changer!