As the evenings start to get longer and the kids are heading back to school it can be a chore to get the dinner ready at the end of a busy day. A slow cooker is a perfect investment for a busy household. Just add your ingredients, let the slow cooker do the work and tuck in at dinner time. We have selected our favourite comfort food slow cooker recipes, perfect for Autumn nights in with the family.  

Warm up the family in the evenings with a comforting bowl of Irish stew. It is also perfect for reheating for lunch the next day!  

• 1kg Irish Lamb Shoulder
• 4 Large Carrots
• 2 Large Onions
• 1 Medium Turnip
• 100g Pearl Barley
• Fresh Parsley and Thyme
• Bay Leaves
• 1 Veg or Beef Stock Cube
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt & Pepper  

1. Cut the lamb into bite-sized chunks and brown in a pan on a high heat.
2. Dice the turnip, carrot and onion into bite-sized pieces.
3. Add the meat and vegetables to your slow cooker. Add fresh parsley, thyme, stock cube and bay leaves. Add water until the lamb and vegetables are covered. Cook for 5 hours on a low heat.
4. Add the pearl barley and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Cook for a further 1 hour on a medium heat, until the pearl barley is tender.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a side of buttered green beans, boiled potatoes or Irish soda bread.               

Pulled pork is the perfect meal staple for fussy eaters. You can serve it in a burger bun, on top of a fresh salad or in a baked potato. You could also try making pulled pork burritos or tacos. The options are endless!

• 1 Pork Shoulder (1.6-1.8kg)
• 125ml Apple Juice 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 Tbsp Ketchup
• 1 Thumb Sized Piece of Fresh Ginger
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Tsp of Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tsp of Chilli Powder
• Salt & Pepper  

1. Brown the pork shoulder in a hot pan and transfer to the preheated slow cooker.
2. Add the liquid ingredients and brown sugar to your pan to remove the seared pork flavouring. Let the liquid reduce for 5 - 7 minutes and then add to your slow cooker.
3. Dice the ginger and garlic cloves and add these and your spices to your slow cooker.
4. Cook on a low heat for 8 hours.
5. Remove the pork from the marinade and place in a large serving tray. Pull apart using two forks.
6. You can use some of the marinade when serving for extra flavour. If you want to reduce further, skim off any fat on the top add it to a pan over a medium/high heat to reduce.

Check out the range of food prep and slow cookers at your local DID or online.