7 Tricks for Better Slow-Cooking in Your Crock Pot

5. Maximize Flavor

If you’re in a hurry or really prefer to just dump your ingredients in the cooker and go, then you can skip this tip—it’s by no means necessary. But when I have a little extra time, I like to brown my meat and/or vegetables in a skillet before I add it to the cooker. Then I “deglaze” the pan with my liquid to get all the brown, caramelized bits from the sauté pan into the cooker. You’ll end up with a richer flavor that can’t be achieved by slow-cooking alone.