October means cooler evenings, busy schedules, football games, harvest season....and officially pulling the crockpot back out of the cabinet.

There’s something pretty great about putting dinner together in the morning and coming home hours later to a kitchen that smells like you’ve been cooking all day. And when you start with good beef or pork, you really don’t need to make things complicated.

Whether you have a roast waiting in the freezer, ground beef you aren't sure what to make with, or pork that needs a new purpose, here are six crockpot recipes worth adding to your fall rotation.

1. Slow Cooker Garlic & Herb Beef Roast

This is the kind of Sunday dinner that tastes like you spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 3–4 lb. beef roast

• 1 lb. baby potatoes

• 4 carrots, cut into large pieces

• 1 onion, quartered

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the potatoes, carrots, and onion in the bottom of your crockpot.

Season the roast generously with salt and pepper and place it over the vegetables. Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme.

Pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce around the roast.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.

FarmTable Tip: Don't toss that cooking liquid! Spoon it over the meat and potatoes or turn it into a quick gravy.

2. Crockpot Apple Cider Pulled Pork

Sweet, savory, and just right for fall.

Ingredients:

• 3–4 lb. pork shoulder

• 1 cup apple cider

• 1 large apple, sliced

• 1 onion, sliced

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Place the sliced onion and apple in the bottom of the crockpot.

Mix the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together and rub the mixture over the pork.

Place the pork on top of the apples and onions.

Whisk the apple cider and Dijon mustard together and pour around the pork.

Cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours.

Shred the pork with two forks and mix it back into some of those delicious juices.

Serve on sandwiches, over mashed potatoes, in tacos, or straight from the crockpot.

3. Slow Cooker Steak Bites & Mushrooms

Yes, steak can go in the crockpot, and this might become one of your new favorite ways to use it.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. beef steak, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

• 1 small onion, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1½ cups beef broth

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Add the steak, mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the crockpot.

Pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Sprinkle with onion powder and pepper.

Top with the butter.

Cook on LOW for approximately 5–6 hours, or until the beef is tender.

Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.

FarmTable Tip: Crockpot cooking is all about low and slow. Check your beef toward the earlier end of the cooking window so you don't overcook smaller pieces.

4. Crockpot Pork Chops with Creamy Garlic Gravy

Put this one on the list for a busy weeknight.

Ingredients:

• 4–6 pork chops

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1½ cups chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• Salt and pepper

• ½ cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Place the sliced onion in the bottom of the crockpot.

Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, thyme, and onion powder and place them over the onions.

Add the garlic and pour the broth around the pork.

Cook on LOW for approximately 4–6 hours, depending on the thickness of your chops.

Remove the pork chops.

Stir together the cornstarch and cold water, then add it to the crockpot along with the heavy cream. Stir and allow the sauce to thicken.

Return the pork chops to the gravy before serving.

This one practically begs for a side of mashed potatoes.

5. Crockpot Beef & Sweet Potato Chili

Chili season is officially here.

This version combines ground beef with sweet potatoes for a hearty fall dinner that's perfect for game day, trick-or-treat night, or meal prep.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground beef

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 can kidney beans, drained

• 1 can black beans, drained

• 2 cans diced tomatoes

• 1 can tomato sauce

• 1 cup beef broth

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a skillet and drain any excess grease.

Add the beef and onion to your crockpot along with all remaining ingredients.

Stir well.

Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Set out shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, crackers, and hot sauce and let everyone build their own bowl.

Make Extra: Chili is one of those meals that might taste even better the next day.

6. Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

One crockpot. A whole lot of dinner possibilities.

Use this pork for tacos the first night, nachos the next night, and maybe quesadillas for lunch.

Ingredients:

• 3–4 lb. pork shoulder

• 1 onion, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• Juice of 2 oranges

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1½ teaspoons salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Place the onion in the bottom of the crockpot.

Mix the cumin, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper together and rub generously over the pork.

Place the pork in the crockpot and add the garlic, orange juice, and lime juice.

Cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours.

Remove the pork and shred it with two forks.

For those crispy carnitas edges, spread the shredded pork onto a baking sheet, spoon a little cooking liquid over it, and broil for a few minutes before serving.

Pile it into warm tortillas and add your favorite toppings.

What's in Your Freezer?

One of our favorite things about crockpot cooking is that it doesn't have to be fancy.

Start with quality meat. Add a handful of ingredients. Give it some time.

Dinner takes care of itself.

And if you've been staring into your freezer wondering what to make with that FarmTable beef or pork, consider this your sign to pull out the crockpot.

Happy Crocktober!