12 Slow Cooker Recipes for Game Day Success

Football season drives the need for convenient, crowd-pleasing meals. Slow cookers offer a practical solution for game-day cooking, allowing hosts to prepare food in advance and keep it warm. Cookbook authors Sarah Olson and Kim Laidlaw share recipes for dips, meats, and sides that utilize this appliance.

Key recommendations include grape jelly meatballs, beer brats, and braised brisket. For appetizers, Buffalo chicken dip and queso verde are popular choices. Chili and mac and cheese provide hearty options for the main course. Olson also suggests using multiple slow cookers to create a nacho bar. These methods minimize active cooking time, allowing hosts to focus on the game.

Slow cookers are ideal for preparing tender meats that serve as the centerpiece of a meal. Kim Laidlaw, author of Everyday Slow Cooking, notes that brisket is a natural partner for the appliance. Her recipe involves a gentle braise with garlic, onion, dry red wine, and carrots, resulting in meltingly tender meat served with chimichurri sauce.

For a versatile option, Laidlaw recommends pork shoulder braised with broth, salt, and pepper. This can be transformed into pulled-pork sliders topped with barbecue sauce and slaw. Sarah Olson, author of The Magical Slow Cooker, suggests beer brats simmered with onions, peppers, and garlic. She writes, "When the guests arrive, they get to choose when they want to eat since the slow cooker keeps these brats nice and warm during the game."

Olson also offers a recipe for grape jelly meatballs, which requires only three ingredients. She states, "They're so good, everyone will ask you for the recipe." For chicken dishes, shredded pork shoulder or chicken can be jazzed up with Mexican-inspired spices or Indian simmer sauces for tacos or sandwiches.

Appetizers are a staple of game-day gatherings, and the slow cooker excels at keeping them warm. Sarah Olson recommends Buffalo chicken wings made with thawed wings, hot sauce, and unsalted butter. To achieve a crispy texture, she advises removing the wings from the sauce after 2.5 hours, broiling them in the oven, and returning them to the slow cooker.

Dips are another category where the slow cooker shines. Olson explains that dips can be prepared well in advance and reheated when ready to eat. She lists several options: "There are so many different dips that can be made in the slow cooker, you can make Buffalo-chicken dip, bacon-cheeseburger dip, cheesy bean dip, Rotel and Velveeta Dip, and even artichoke dip." She suggests serving these with tortilla chips or making multiple varieties for guests.

Other popular dips include spinach and artichoke dip, which becomes creamier in a slow cooker, and queso verde. Olson’s queso verde recipe uses white Velveeta cheese, salsa verde, milk, and sour cream. Chili is described as an easy and hearty recipe that can be left simmering until ready to serve.

Beyond main dishes, slow cookers can handle essential side dishes like mac and cheese. Olson’s version utilizes cream cheese, milk, sharp cheddar, and white sharp cheddar. Celebrity chef Martha Stewart also offers a recipe, emphasizing the use of pungent cheeses. Stewart writes, "It is important to use pungent cheeses, such as sharp cheddar, mixed with a little Gruyere or pecorino Romano for extra bite, since the white sauce and pasta will absorb a lot of flavor."

For larger gatherings, Olson suggests a creative "nacho bar" using multiple slow cookers. "I use three slow cookers for a nacho bar, which is a great way to utilize those smaller slow cookers," she said. "I use one slow cooker for nacho cheese (store-bought), one for seasoned ground beef, and one for refried beans."

To complete the setup, she recommends a toppings bar containing:

• Salsa and sour cream
• Guacamole
• Olives, onions, and tomatoes

This approach allows guests to customize their plates while the food remains warm throughout the event.