H O W T O P O W E R U P D I N N E R

New toy on your kitchen counter? A slow cooker, air fryer, or multicooker can be like having an extra set of hands helping with weeknight dinners, meal prep, and entertaining, and each of these kitchen workhorses has its particular strengths. We polled BH&G food editors and Test Kitchen cooks for their advice on the best ways to get the most out of these countertop appliances.

B Y E M I LY T E E L P H OTO S C A R S O N D O W N I N G I L L U S T R AT I O N S K E L LY A N G E L O V I C F O O D S T Y L I N G G R E G L U N A R E C I P E S B Y I V Y M A N N I N G

RECIPES BEGIN ON PAG E 8 8 .

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CONFIT

Hours of gentle cooking make chicken leg quarters fall-apart tender. They can anchor a citrus and Dijon salad or star with velvety slow cooker beans in a sausage cassoulet.

slow slow cookers cookers

USE THEM FOR

■ Gently cooking dried beans ■ Making saucy braised meats: pulled pork, shredded chicken thighs, roasts, Italian beef, etc. ■ Applesauce and apple butter ■ Keeping food warm while serving: mashed potatoes, meatballs, mulled cider, etc.

SKIP THEM FOR

■ Lean meats, fish ■ Recipes that call for searing first ■ Bread

reasons WE LOVE WE LOVE THEM THEM

■ Simple settings ■ Set-and-forget operation ■ Ability to check, taste, and add ingredients in stages

MIST FOODS WITH COOKING SPRAY TO ENSURE EVEN BROWNING.

AIR FRYERS ARE GREAT AT MAKING CRISPY SNACKS, BUT SKIP WET BATTERS (WHICH STICK TO TRAYS) AND OPT FOR DRY BREADING INSTEAD.

AIR-FRYER COCONUT SHRIMP

Coated with shredded coconut, coconut milk, and coconut oil cooking spray, these crispy shrimp are a tropical dream. The air fryer cooks the shrimp without drying them out and creates crisp breading with a fraction of the fat of deep-frying.

SHRIMP TACOS WITH PINEAPPLEAVOCADO SALSA + AIR-FRYER SPICED CASHEWS

One weakness of most air fryers is their limited capacity, which can make it tough to count on them for main-dish applications. Turn an appetizer portion of coconut shrimp into a full meal of tropical tacos with fresh salsa and a sprinkle of spiced cashews.

air air fryers fryers

USE THEM FOR

■ Reheating leftovers, especially pizza and fries ■ Potatoes ■ Juicy vegetables ■ Fish ■ Crispy appetizers, chicken wings

SKIP THEM FOR

■ Fibrous vegetables ■ Feeding a large group (most models don’t have the capacity) ■ Batterdipped or sticky/soft ingredients (they stick to trays/grates)

reasons WE LOVE WE LOVE THEM THEM

■ Quick operating time ■ Convection cooking allows for 360-degree crispiness

MULTICOOKER FRENCH ONION SOUP

The pressure cooker function makes multicookers excellent at tasks that can take ages on the stove. We love using them to cook rich beef broth and caramelized onions. Combine these two elements and you’re just a few steps away from silky, French bistro-style onion soup.

MULTICOOKER BEEF, MUSHROOM & CARAMELIZED ONION PENNE

Pasta cooks quickly enough on the stove, but use a multicooker to ensure that every al dente bite has absorbed layers of flavor from the savory ingredients.

multi multicookers cookers

USE THEM FOR

■ Fast braises for large or tough cuts of meat: ribs, short ribs, pot roast, lamb shanks, etc. ■ Bone broth, stock ■ Quickly cooking dried beans ■ Whole grains and polenta ■ Cooking meat from frozen ■ Flan and cheesecake

SKIP THEM FOR

■ Anything you could cook in 12 min. or less on the stove ■ Add-as-yougo cooking ■ Delicate vegetables ■ Dairy (add it after pressure cooking)

reasons WE LOVE WE LOVE THEM THEM

■ Ability to cook in stages with different functions (sear then braise) ■ One-button program options (yogurt, rice, broth, etc.) ■ Versatility (the best of a slow cooker and pressure cooker in one) ■