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There’s no reason to push your slow cooker to the back of the cupboard in summer – it’s perfect for making hands-off dishes that allow you to spend more time in the sun. We talk to an expert about getting the most out of them during the warmer months.

When we think of cooking in the summer, our minds often leap to barbecues or fresh, quick dishes that need little more than a couple of minutes in a pan. Slow cooking isn’t really up there as a staple hot-weather method.

Yet there are plenty of ways to put slow cookers to good use at this time of year says cook, author and food stylist Rebecca Woods.

Slow cookers and barbecues are unlikely (but devoted) pals

For tender, fall-off-the-bone barbecue meat, low and slow is the only way to go. That can mean hours tending to your barbecue though – not to mention a fair heap of charcoal. To make things easier and more hands-off, get your slow cooker involved early on, says Woods.

“Slow cookers are great for preparing many meats for your barbecue, such as ribs or brisket. Slow cooking these joints for hours will render them meltingly tender, then they can be finished off perfectly on the barbecue to char and caramelise for maximum flavour. And you can also do the slow cooking in advance to save time on the day.”

Give it a whirl with sticky pork ribs which use easy-to-find ingredients and really deliver on flavour as well as that fall-apart texture.

Woods adds: “If you have lots of barbecue guests, the slow cooker is also great for keeping elements of your meal – such as sides – warm for long periods. For instance, your homemade smoky baked beans will happily sit (at a safe temperature) for hours on a ‘keep warm’ setting, meaning people can dig into them all day.

“Humble white beans, such as haricot, are a great vehicle for flavour and when you cook them slowly they absorb all those seasonings, which is why I used them here. To fit in with barbecue season, in my recipe I have added smoky sweet paprika and charred peppers, but you could also bump up the smoky element with a dash of smoke extract, if you have it.”

If barbecuing isn’t your bag, you can get great results for your slow cooked dishes by using the grill in your regular indoor oven.

In this summery slow cooker chicken shawarma recipe, onions are coated in the cooking juices before being blasted under a hot grill for that deep, charred flavour, then added back in.

Hands-off cooking

Planning a summer gathering in the UK comes with in-built stress thanks to our inherently unpredictable, ever-changeable weather.

Slow cookers don’t need any maintenance while they quietly and patiently prep your meal. There’s no need to keep a close eye, only minimal stirring (if any) will be required, and there’s little danger of overcooking anything thanks to the timer function. That frees you up to sort the drinks or rethink the picnic in the park idea, given the black cloud that’s suddenly looming.

These virtues also make them great for everyday cooking on warm, sunny days, when the kitchen is likely not where you want to be spending extended periods of time.

Try summer-inspired favourites like smoky chipotle pulled pork, which is served in wraps with homemade guacamole. Or for an alternative to burgers, you could opt for pulled pork baps.

These apple-glazed ribs are fall-off-the-bone good, while these barbecue-style pork chops come in a glossy barbecue marinade.

Everyone loves tacos and these slow cooker chicken versions (pictured above) will really impress.

Giving winter dishes a summer spin

Slow cookers are known for working their magic on the comforting likes of hearty stews with chunks of meat and lots of beans. But all that’s pretty wintery and isn’t something we’re craving when the sun’s out.

Rethink that meal for the warmer season, though, and you end up with a summer vegetable and butterbean stew, served either as a warm salad or with crusty bread for a main course.

Soups, tagines, pasta and briskets are all just as good in summer as they are in winter too, and can make the most of fresh, sun-kissed, in-season produce while also playing to the strengths of your slow cooker.

Take Woods’ recipe for creamy chicken, lemon and basil pasta with courgettes. “As well as showing people that it is possible to cook pasta in a slow cooker, I wanted to keep the flavours summery and light with basil, lemon and courgettes,” she says. “But it’s still rich and creamy. It goes really well with a crisp green salad.”

“Pulses are as good in the summer as winter: use them in bean salads, to make hummus (dried butterbeans and chickpeas are perfect for this if you have a good food processor), or try classic soups from sunnier climes such as Moroccan harira or an Italian ribollita, which have a really summery feel.”

To let summer ingredients shine, you’ll need to tweak cooking times, though: “Summer veggies (especially green ones) will not benefit from hours and hours of cooking, so cooking times are necessarily shorter – usually around one to two hours, rather than the six hours plus you might cook winter stews and soups for.

“You can still include tender summer veg, such as peas, in your slow-cooked recipes – simply add them in towards the end of the cooking time, so they retain crunch and colour.

“This is the same for delicate seafood, such as white fish and prawns – spend some time slow cooking a soup or stew base and getting a good flavour, then simply pop these in for the last few minutes so they don’t overcook. That said, seafood such as squid benefits from long, gentle cooking, so a slow cooker works really well there.”

Even dishes such like curry can receive a summery slow cooker makeover. Woods has created a rogan josh curry focussing on two key summer ingredients: aubergines and cherry tomatoes.

“This is a lovely, veggie-packed curry which is kept light and summery with the sharpness of the yoghurt, fresh coriander and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

“Many people think you have to add water to the slow cooker, but this recipe will show you that’s not the case as all moisture is sealed in the cooker – the water will come out of the veg and you will have a flavourful base rather than anything too diluted and watery.”

Slow cooker summer puds

You could even use these old-faithful cookers to create summery desserts: “Infused fruits and berries are ideal – they can make great compotes to serve warm or cold on ice cream or with yoghurt. Try adding summer herbs or a splash of alcohol to experiment with flavour.

Want your chocolate fix? Try making an oozing chocolate pudding in your slow cooker and serving it with a no-churn ice cream. No oven required.

The beauty of using a slow cooker on hot days is that they’re far more likely to retain the heat than an oven or hob, helping you and your kitchen to stay cool.

Been convinced to get your slow cooker down from the shelf? Give these summer slow cooker recipes a whirl.

Originally published July 2023