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“The crockpot! Yes, my wife discovered that’s the trick to fast, easy home cooked meals and it’s been wonderful …”, he said. “Now she just tosses the goods in and we come home to a hot dinner!”
I was recently chatting with an architect at a recent business expo. Oh, he had tons of praises to sing about slow cooker dinners (And I bet his wife would too—maybe even more if he started prepping it in the morning before heading to the office!).
He almost sounded like he wished he had invented the crockpot, beautiful thing that it is. Which got me to pondering the origins of slow cookers. How long have they been around? How long have folks used ‘em as an everyday meal solution?
Sure, we see ‘em in just about any department store … but was it an invention from the 50s or 60s …? Or do its origins go back much, much further—is it possible that the Egyptians were concocting slow-cooker options that we don’t know about? Hmmm … clay pot slow cookers? I can’t help but think there’s a longer history than what we know … with the sun and stone and ingenuity that has come from that era’s civilization. But according to modern records, it looks like it’s only been since 1971 that slow cooking in its electric form has been known. That’s thanks to the Rival Company; they introduced the first Crock-Pot that year.
That’s the year that cooking dinner changed forever.
For those of us who have parked a crockpot on our countertop, it’s now considered a kitchen basic. It’s certainly equipment for getting a standard household going—and will often pop up at bridal showers (and even as wedding gifts—that’s when we got our first one). Numbers indicate that an estimated 80 percent of U.S. households now own a slow cooker.
I know I certainly wouldn’t want to be without one—dinner in the slow cooker is freedom. Forget babysitting a slow-simmered pot roast for hours on the stove. Just having something on the stove ties you to the house. You know the routine: you have to run in and check that all is well, poke and prod that baby to see how it’s progressing, make sure it’s not cooking dry.
But thanks to the slow cooker revolution, you can load the cooker and come back a whole day later to a hot, home cooked meal (although I’ve been known to take a quick poke, prod and peek with the slow cooker on my counter too!). Using a crockpot really is one of the fastest, easiest ways to have a home cooked dinner. The only caveat is that you have to plan ahead. Forget the last-minute “What can we eat?” cry. If you want to enjoy the beauty of a slow cooker, it’s imperative to do a bit of planning—at least enough to get the minimum 4, 6 or 8 hours of cooking time in.
Just a quick plan-it-out session on Sunday can make a world of difference in knowing if you’ve got the goods to get some dinners on the table for the coming week. Of course, this all sounds right and dandy until the time crunch hits mid-week and then we all just need something fast and easy that’ll fill everyone up quick!
I recently read an article that interviewed lots of folks—they were all singing the praises of slow cooking dinners. Some favorites: chicken, pot roast, short ribs, chilis, stews, and whole grains.
So I can’t help but wonder, dear readers, what’s your favorite slow cooker dealie? Do you have a particular dish that is a tried-and-true? A trustworthy ally that carries you through the roughest of days? I’m looking to try some new specialties in my slow cooker and share ‘em with you … so bring it on … what would you recommend popping in the crockpot tonight?
Here’s a recipe that I dug out of my recipe box—it’s an original that I created years ago and is one of our meat-loving guys’ faves. I’ve tried it with different veggies (cabbage, celery, etc.), but have found that this combo is the all-around best.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/christine-gable/988-slow-cooker-history/
A History of Slow Cookin'
“The crockpot! Yes, my wife discovered that’s the trick to fast, easy home cooked meals and it’s been wonderful …”, he said. “Now she just tosses the goods in and we come home to a hot dinner!”
I was recently chatting with an architect at a recent business expo. Oh, he had tons of praises to sing about slow cooker dinners (And I bet his wife would too—maybe even more if he started prepping it in the morning before heading to the office!).
He almost sounded like he wished he had invented the crockpot, beautiful thing that it is. Which got me to pondering the origins of slow cookers. How long have they been around? How long have folks used ‘em as an everyday meal solution?
Sure, we see ‘em in just about any department store … but was it an invention from the 50s or 60s …? Or do its origins go back much, much further—is it possible that the Egyptians were concocting slow-cooker options that we don’t know about? Hmmm … clay pot slow cookers? I can’t help but think there’s a longer history than what we know … with the sun and stone and ingenuity that has come from that era’s civilization. But according to modern records, it looks like it’s only been since 1971 that slow cooking in its electric form has been known. That’s thanks to the Rival Company; they introduced the first Crock-Pot that year.
That’s the year that cooking dinner changed forever.
For those of us who have parked a crockpot on our countertop, it’s now considered a kitchen basic. It’s certainly equipment for getting a standard household going—and will often pop up at bridal showers (and even as wedding gifts—that’s when we got our first one). Numbers indicate that an estimated 80 percent of U.S. households now own a slow cooker.
I know I certainly wouldn’t want to be without one—dinner in the slow cooker is freedom. Forget babysitting a slow-simmered pot roast for hours on the stove. Just having something on the stove ties you to the house. You know the routine: you have to run in and check that all is well, poke and prod that baby to see how it’s progressing, make sure it’s not cooking dry.
But thanks to the slow cooker revolution, you can load the cooker and come back a whole day later to a hot, home cooked meal (although I’ve been known to take a quick poke, prod and peek with the slow cooker on my counter too!). Using a crockpot really is one of the fastest, easiest ways to have a home cooked dinner. The only caveat is that you have to plan ahead. Forget the last-minute “What can we eat?” cry. If you want to enjoy the beauty of a slow cooker, it’s imperative to do a bit of planning—at least enough to get the minimum 4, 6 or 8 hours of cooking time in.
Just a quick plan-it-out session on Sunday can make a world of difference in knowing if you’ve got the goods to get some dinners on the table for the coming week. Of course, this all sounds right and dandy until the time crunch hits mid-week and then we all just need something fast and easy that’ll fill everyone up quick!
I recently read an article that interviewed lots of folks—they were all singing the praises of slow cooking dinners. Some favorites: chicken, pot roast, short ribs, chilis, stews, and whole grains.
So I can’t help but wonder, dear readers, what’s your favorite slow cooker dealie? Do you have a particular dish that is a tried-and-true? A trustworthy ally that carries you through the roughest of days? I’m looking to try some new specialties in my slow cooker and share ‘em with you … so bring it on … what would you recommend popping in the crockpot tonight?
Here’s a recipe that I dug out of my recipe box—it’s an original that I created years ago and is one of our meat-loving guys’ faves. I’ve tried it with different veggies (cabbage, celery, etc.), but have found that this combo is the all-around best.
The Best Beer-Basted Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Made with sirloin or chuck roast, garlic, salt, potatoes, celery, baby carrots, black pepper, water, tomato paste, beer
Made with sirloin or chuck roast, garlic, salt, potatoes, celery, baby carrots, black pepper, water, tomato paste, beer
Serves/Makes: 6
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 pounds sirloin or chuck roast
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups baby carrots, or peeled and sliced carrots
- 1/2 cup sliced celery
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 can (6 ounce size) tomato paste
- 1 can (12 ounce size) beer
Heat the oil in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the roast, cover the pan, and let the roast cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
Carefully turn the roast over, cover the pan again, and cook until browned, about another 3 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and let cook for 1 minute then remove the pan from the heat.
Transfer the roast and garlic to the crock pot. Place the potatoes, carrots, and celery around the roast. Season everything with salt and pepper.
Combine the hot water and tomato paste in a bowl and mix until smooth. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Pour the beer over all. If the vegetables are not covered in liquid, add additional water or beer as needed.
Cover the crock pot and cook on high heat for 4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/christine-gable/988-slow-cooker-history/