Christmas dinners you can make in your Crock-Pot
'Tis the season to be slow cooking, and these festive holiday meals help lower your seasonal stress.
Feeling the Christmas crunch? Does Santa have you running around town for the perfect gift? Too many holiday parties to keep track of? Skip the formalities and do yourself a favor by cooking this year's Christmas dinner in a Crock-Pot! From decadent pot roasts to slow-cooked salmon, the Crock-Pot is here to save your holiday sanity.
Don't forget, your Crock-Pot can handle other courses, from appetizers and snacks (like slow-cooker party mix) to cozy cocktails (like slow-cooker spiked wassail) and even dessert (hello, slow-cooker chocolate cake with a scoop of candy cane ice cream and hot fudge sauce!).
Read more on Chowhound: Easy Crock-Pot party appetizers | Slow-cooker cocktails for keeping cozy
But if you're looking to slow cook the main event while you tend to all the rest, read on for Crock-Pot Christmas recipes to slow cook your main dish this December.
Crock-Pot turkey breast
Turkey may be the main event for Thanksgiving, but it shows up on plenty of tables in December too. If you have a smaller group, skip the whole bird in favor of a turkey breast. It's less work (no trussing, no carving!) and cooks more evenly for juicier, more succulent results. Don't forget the gravy. Get the Crock-Pot turkey breast recipe.
Crock-Pot bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin with balsamic glaze
Everything's better wrapped in bacon! This beef tenderloin gets the star-of-the-dinner-table treatment with a wrap in the salty pork and a coating of balsamic glaze. The impressive cut of beef is always a holiday winner, especially when it's been cooking all day in the low maintenance slow cooker. Get the Crock-Pot bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin and balsamic glaze recipe.
Crock-Pot tamales
It wouldn't be a complete Christmas in the Southwest without tamales on the table. While the hard work happens during the assembly of the tamales, this recipe uses the slow cooker to steam the tamales easily and keep them warm throughout dinner. Get the Crock-Pot tamales recipe.
Slow-cooker ham with maple brown sugar glaze
Christmas in the South feels incomplete without ham making an appearance. This incredibly easy recipe starts with a bone-in ham and slow cooks it to perfection. The maple-brown sugar glaze dresses up the pork and is caramelized under the broiler for a few minutes for more classic flavors and textures. Get the slow-cooker ham with maple brown sugar glaze recipe.
Slow-cooker whole roast chicken
Skip the whole turkey thing -- you made a giant meal just a few weeks ago! Give yourself a break and go for a whole roast chicken. It has the same flavor profile without the hassle of the giant bird. Get the slow-cooker whole roast chicken recipe.
Crock-Pot Cornish game hens with orange sauce
Some Christmas traditions call for a quintessential game hen or two on the table. These Cornish hens are prepared slow and low in the Crock-Pot and garnished with a savory orange sauce for an elegant meal. Get the Crock-Pot Cornish game hens with orange sauce recipe.
Slow-cooker bacon pork roast
Pork loin is always an impressive Christmas dinner, especially when it's been filling the house with the delicious smell of roasted meat all day. The best part about this roast is the fig jam and mustard glaze -- sweet, tangy and perfectly paired with bacon's brine. Get the slow cooker bacon pork roast recipe.
Slow-cooker portobello pot roast
Is your family not into meat? Your Christmas table can be full of vegetables and just as delicious. This mushroom pot roast is glistening with a delicious red wine glaze and brimming with in-season root vegetables. Get the slow-cooker portobello pot roast recipe.
Slow-cooker poached salmon
You don't have to do the whole Feast of the Seven Fishes to enjoy fish for Christmas dinner! Serve an impressive side of salmon, slow cooked in the Crock-Pot with citrus and fresh herbs. To keep it even more low maintenance, serve alongside steam-in-bag green beans tossed in a lemon vinaigrette or a side of simple roasted potatoes. Get the slow cooker poached salmon recipe.
This story was written by Rachel Johnson.