'Football is a big deal at our house….and game day means cooking up my favorite recipes,' announces Camila McConaughey alongside the appliance that makes her recipe a breeze.
'The Crock-Pot MultiMeal Multicooker [available on Amzon] lets you easily cook two dishes at once and still catch kickoff,' she says. In the McConaughey household, Camila makes a smokey black bean chorizo dip, which, Crock-Pot says, is perfect for small gatherings. 'The beauty of the Crock-pot multi-cooker is that you can be cooking two things at the same time. Grab your cocktail, go and enjoy the game,' McConaughey explains after demonstrating the easy cooking process on her Instagram.
The original Crock-Pot debuted 50 years ago (in 1971) by Kansas City's Rival Manufacturing, and today, it's one of the best slow cookers on the market. At the time, it was revolutionary, but it remains a kitchen countertop icon. Naturally, it's evolved significantly since its first model, but multifunctionality remains at the heart of the appliance.
As McConaughey demonstrates, this slow cooker allows you to make multiple meals simultaneously. Its innovative dual-pot is easily controlled and has a range of essential functions, including slow cooking (as seen in her video), searing, sauténg, baking, steaming, and a keeping warm function.
McConaughey's Black Bean Dip recipe is a simple way to give your Crock-Pot a test drive if you're new to the world of slow cookers. The preparation time is only 15 mins, and it cooks in 45 minutes more, using things you will likely already have in your pantry.
Lydia Hayman, our trusted Kitchens Editor, also recommends investing in a Crock-Pot over these winter months, when you can enjoy a hearty, healthy, warm meal that will make you forget about any longing for sunnier days. 'I'd try the Tailgate Chili Slow Cooker recipe in my slow cooker,' Hayman says. 'McConaughey does an excellent job of showcasing the Crock-Pot multi-cooking abilities. She shows it's possible to create complete meals without the need for separate stock pots, cooking pans, and Dutch ovens. You only need this one-trick wonder machine.'
It's no surprise this appliance comes with such praise, however. Its sister slow cooker, the Crock-Pot MyTime (also available on Amazon), took first place following H&G's slow cooker testing process. It was the best overall cooker of all those we tried on the day. Plus, at $89, it's even more accessible. Whichever one you use, however, you can rest easy knowing this brand is entirely McConaughey-approved.
This very clever slow cooker allows you to select the type of food you're cooking (meat, poultry, soup, veggies) and the volume (under or over 2 pounds, for example) for automatically adjusted timings and temperatures.
