Planning a dinner for a group of people, whether small or large, is no easy task, especially if you plan to serve fancy special dishes. Let your slow cooker help you – you’ll be able to save a lot of time and energy and still be able to serve up five-star dishes.
Wow your guests with these simple crock pot meals suitable for an elegant dinner party:
Duck confit in a clay pot
What do you need:
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6 whole duck thighs, rinsed and dried
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8 sprigs of fresh thyme, without leaves
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3 bay leaves, lightly crushed
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5 1/2 cups duck fat
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1/4 cup kosher salt
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1 tablespoon white peppercorns, lightly crushed
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2 teaspoons juniper berries, lightly crushed
In a small bowl, mix together the thyme leaves, bay leaves, kosher salt, white peppercorns, and juniper berries. Rub the mixture evenly into the duck feet. Cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate. When ready, melt the duck fat over high heat in a slow cooker. Rinse the duck feet under cold water and add to the slow cooker when the fat melts. Cover and simmer for 4 hours over low heat or until meat is very tender. Once cooked, remove the duck thighs from the fat and allow to cool. Return the legs to the fat when both are cool and ready to serve.
Slow Cooked Pork Rillettes
What do you need:
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1 1/2 kilograms boneless pork loin, sliced into 2-inch pieces
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10 sprigs of thyme
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6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
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4 cups of rendered pork fat
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1/4 cup kosher salt
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2 teaspoons allspice berries
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2 teaspoons of black pepper
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1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
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1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Toasted baguettes and pickled apricots, for serving
Blend the allspice berries, peppercorns, and coriander seeds in a spice grinder and grind to a powder. Add 1/4 cup of salt and cinnamon. Toss the pork into the spice mixture in a large bowl, then add the thyme and garlic to the bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When done, bring the pork to room temperature and then place it in a crock pot along with the seasonings and pork fat. Partially cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours on low heat. When done, transfer the pork and garlic (discard the thyme) into a bowl. Shred the pork and crush the garlic. Add 1 cup of fat and season with salt. Serve with toasted baguettes and pickled apricots.
Serve any of these easy crock pot meals and your guests won’t believe they were cooked using a slow cooker!
