Beat the Heat: Our Favorite Slow Cooker Meals for Busy Summer Nights
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Summer at May Hill Farm means long days outside — chores, market prep, kids running around until dark. The last thing any of us wants to do is stand over a hot stove when it's already hot out. That's where our slow cooker earns its keep. It's honestly our most-used kitchen tool this time of year: load it up in the morning, walk away, and come back to a hot, healthy dinner without ever heating up the kitchen.
Here are the recipes we come back to again and again — organized by the cuts we raise right here on the farm.
Chicken
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken — A whole chicken in the crock pot is about as low-effort as dinner gets, and it stretches into a couple more meals afterward. We've also shared before how we turn leftover smoked chicken into avocado sandwiches and Caesar salad wraps — same idea applies here.
Dijon Chicken (from Eat At Home Tonight by Tiffany King) — This one's a favorite on its own, but the real magic is in the leftovers. Shred what's left and turn it into a Dijon Pear Chicken Salad for lunch the next day.
Beef
Mongolian Beef — We make this with skirt steak, and it comes together faster than you'd think for a slow cooker meal. Great over rice, and the whole family eats it without complaint.
Slow Cooker Mississippi Roast Gyros — Made with a chuck roast, which isn't the first cut you'd think of for gyros, but give it a try. It comes out tender and flavorful, and everyone likes a meal they can eat out of a pita.
Beef & Broccoli in the Crockpot — Simple, and it gives you that take-out feel without leaving the house. Here's the version we like.
Slow Cooker Chipotle-Style Burrito Bowls — These are a favorite because everyone in the family can build their bowl the way they like it. We've made a version similar to this one.
Slow Cooker Tamale Pie — We make a version of this in the oven too, but on a hot summer day, the slow cooker version wins every time.
Pork
Crock Pot Cooked Fresh Ham — This is an easy way to feed a crowd with a low-effort, big-flavor shredded pork sandwich on a regular weeknight.
Garlicky Pulled Pork (from Eat At Home Tonight by Tiffany King) — This one's great fresh out of the crock pot, but we especially love turning the leftovers into Pulled Pork Cuban Sliders.
Crock Pot Balsamic Pork Roast — Shred it, pile it on buns, add some coleslaw on the side, and dinner's done.
Why It Works for Us
None of these recipes are complicated, and that's the point. On a summer day when there's fieldwork to do or the pool to hang out at, we need dinner to take care of itself. The slow cooker lets us use good cuts of meat — the same beef, pork, and chicken we raise and sell right here at the farm — without asking anyone to stand in a hot kitchen for an hour.
If you're stocking your freezer for summer, these cuts are the ones we reach for most: whole chickens, chuck roast, skirt steak, pork shoulder, and fresh ham.