We’re into our last month of winter, and while it may soon officially be the end of the season, the chilly and hopefully wet weather (if you’re in Cape Town you’ll know that our dam levels are still not where they should be) will continue for at least another month or two, which means pot roasts, soups and stews are still the order of the day so don’t put away that slow cooker just yet.

Indispensable, especially in the winter months, a version of the slow cooker first made its appearance in 1950. Refined by The Rival Company, it was officially relaunched as the Crock-Pot in 1971 and proved to be hugely popular as many women began to work outside the home. Today it has retained its popularity traversing era, culture and gender; and the list of what it can magically conjure up continues to astound – try Cooking Panda’s Slow Cooker Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake if you’re feeling particularly adventurous. But for many of us it remains mostly synonymous with soups and stews, and knowing which cuts of meat are better suited to long and low cooking is essential.

Beef is considered by many to be the most versatile meat to use in slow cookers and N1 offer the best in Halaal Certified meat cuts from chuck and topside to silverside and shin. Lamb leg and shanks are also popular, and while osso buco – an Italian slow cooker classic consisting of meat on the bone braised with vegetables, white wine and broth – usually calls for veal; both beef and lamb make for a delicious alternative. Another meat that benefits from low and slow cooking is venison, and here too leading meat wholesalers, N1, offer a wide variety of high-quality loin and shank cuts ranging from warthog, springbok, kudu and blesbok to impala. While chicken is not your typical slow cooker fare, it can also be used, but it’s better to use chicken on the bone as this gives a more intense flavour and helps to keep the meat moist – think spicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender Thai chicken curry.

And if you’re looking for new ideas, turn to the doyenne of all things domestic, Martha Stewart, she lists 40 of her best slow cooker recipes to inspire and delight, from her loaded baked potatoes (topped with sautéed broccoli, mushrooms and low-fat Greek yoghurt) to Cajun stew and Hawaiian-style ribs.

Here’s to richly flavoured and delectable dishes that require very little effort – happy slow cooking!