Slow Cooker Cider Recipes

SLOW-COOKER CIDER

Steps:

• Place cinnamon, cloves and allspice on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with a string to form a bag. , Place cider and brown sugar in a 3-qt. slow cooker; stir until sugar dissolves. Add spice bag. Place orange slices on top. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until heated through. Discard spice bag.

HOW TO MAKE MULLED CIDER IN THE SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Fill the slow cooker. Pour the cider or juice into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
• Add the fresh ingredients. Cut the orange into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut the ginger into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add both to the slow cooker.
• Add the spices. Add the cinnamon sticks. Add the cloves and optional spices. To make it easier to serve, place the cloves and spices in a tea ball first, or place in a double layer of cheesecloth or paper coffee filter, gather it up into a sachet, and tie closed with kitchen twine.
• Slow cook the cider for 4 hours. Cover the slow cooker and cook until the flavors meld, 4 hours on LOW. (If there are clumps of spices floating at the top that you wish to remove, strain the cider through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large pot.) Keep warm and serve in mugs garnished with additional orange slices if desired.

SLOW COOKER APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• Wash apples and the orange, and then roughly cut into quarters. (Don't worry about removing peels, seeds, or stems.) Place in the bowl of your a large cooker. Add cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Cover with water, filling the slow cooker until it is nearly full. (I left about 1/2 inch of space at the top of my pot.) Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours, or on low heat for 6-8 hours.
• About an hour before the cider is done cooking, use a potato masher (or tongs or the side of a spoon) to mash the apple and orange slices once they are soft. Finish cooking for one more hour.
• Strain out the apple cider juice into a clean pitcher or pot. To get the maximum juice out of the apples, you can press them through a fine-mesh strainer or strain through a cheese cloth. Stir in your desired amount of sweetener until it is dissolved.
• Serve hot. (You can also transfer the cider to a heat-safe sealed container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Just rewarm the cider to serve.)

SLOW COOKER HARD CIDER

Steps:

• Pour the apple cider into a slow cooker. Tie the ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and black peppercorns into a cheesecloth to make a sachet. Add the sachet, brown sugar and orange slices to the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on high for 1 hour then reduce to low and continue cooking for another 4 hours. Add the gin just before serving. Serve in mugs.

SHORTCUT SLOW-COOKER APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash and dry the apples. Cut each apple into 8 wedges (skins, seeds and stems included) and transfer to a 7-quart slow cooker. Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks and 12 cups water. Cook on high, covered, for 4 hours.
• Remove the lid and carefully crush the apples with a potato masher. Cover again and cook on high for another 2 hours.
• Set a large, fine-mesh strainer over a large stockpot. In batches, ladle the apple mixture into the strainer and use the back of the ladle to press down on the apple pulp to extract the liquid. Discard the pulp. Stir in 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until completely dissolved. Taste and add additional sugar if needed.
• Serve the apple cider hot or allow it to cool fully, then serve it chilled over ice.

SLOW COOKER CIDER APPLESAUCE (NO SUGAR ADDED)

Steps:

• Layer apples into a slow cooker. Sprinkle cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg over the apples.
• Cook on High until apples are soft, 4 to 5 hours. Whisk apples vigorously for a chunkier-style applesauce. Puree with an immersion blender for a smoother applesauce.

SLOW-COOKER MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• Put the cardamom pods on a cutting board. Lay the flat of a chef's knife over them and gently smack the flat of the knife to lightly crush and crack the pods. Add the cardamom pods, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks and allspice berries to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the spices, shaking the pan often, until very fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the cinnamon sticks into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Tie up the remaining spices into a cheesecloth bundle, and add that to the slow cooker as well. (If you don't have cheesecloth, you can use tea infusers or loose tea bags. You could also put the spices directly into the slow cooker, then strain the mixture as you serve.)
• Cut the piece of peeled ginger in half lengthwise and smash each piece by laying the flat of the knife over it and smacking with the heel of your hand. (At this point, put the slow cooker in the spot where you'd like to serve it, because it will become difficult to move once you've added all of the liquid.) Add the ginger, lemon, orange, salt and apple cider to the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on high for 3 hours.
• Reduce the heat to warm. Add the rye whiskey and vanilla and stir to combine. You can leave the cider on warm for several hours, allowing guests to serve themselves, adding additional citrus slices and cinnamon sticks to their mugs, as desired.

SLOW COOKER MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients except the calvados in a slow cooker and cook for 1 hr on high or up to 4 hrs on low.
• Just before serving, stir in the calvados. Ladle into heatproof glasses or cups to serve.

SLOW-COOKER CIDER BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place onion in slow cooker.
• In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook pork in oil about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until brown on all sides. Place pork over onion in slow cooker. In small bowl, mix cider and honey. Pour around pork.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker to cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Shred pork into chunks, using 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking liquid in slow cooker. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and water; stir into cooking liquid. Increase heat setting to High. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until gravy is thickened.
• Heat mashed potatoes as directed on package. Serve pork with mashed potatoes and gravy. Sprinkle with additional pepper.

SLOW COOKER CIDER PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 of the onion, 1/2 of the apple, and the garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to slow cooker along with the apple cider and water.
• Season the roast with salt and pepper. Combine the ginger and flour in a shallow container. Gently press the roast onto the flour mixture to coat all sides. Brush off any excess flour. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Brown the pork in the hot oil, turning until golden on all sides. Place the browned roast in the slow cooker and scatter the celery and the remaining onion and apple on top. Cook on low for 4 hours, then add carrots. Cook for an additional 3 hours.
• Remove the cooked roast and carrots to a heated platter. If desired, thicken the cooking juices from the slow cooker to make a gravy.