Crock Pot Meat for Babies

I don't know why I hadn't thought of this yet--but what a great idea.  We just made chicken in the crock pot and it was a much nicer consistency for A!

Meats in the Slow Cooker are Great for Babies!

From Wholesome Baby Food

January 12th, 2010 

I made pulled pork in the slow cooker yesterday (or was it the day before..) and tweeted about how it reminded me that this is a great way to make meats for babies.  On our Meat Recipes and Meats for Babies FAQ pages, I note that using the crock pot/slow cooker might not be the best way to prepare meats for babies due to their inherent stronger taste.  This is particularly true when you are just starting baby on meats.
Pureed meat is a bit icky as it is with the odd texture and taste; making it in a crock pot so that it soaks the juices and becomes “stronger” often makes babies recoil in horror!  It’s true, I hear it all the time and somewhere in my memory sticks, I have pictures of my own twins’ terrified faces to prove it.
Anyway, if your baby is getting adjusted to meats, it could be a good time to use the crock pot and slow cook!  Using a slow cooker will make most meats soft, tender and easy to shred into bits and pieces.   You can toss the meat into the crock pot and add any liquids and herbs and spices you desire.  You can also add veggies and lentils and other legumes too!  Give this tasty pork recipe a try!
1 pork tenderloin (about 2 pounds)
1 cup water or low sodium natural chicken broth
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
shake of pepper
shake of nutmeg
1 small onion, finely diced
Add tenderloin to the crock pot.  Mix water and juice together and add the pepper and nutmeg, stir then pour 1/2 of the liquid over the tenderloin.  Turn the tenderloin over and add the rest of the liquid.  Add the onions and garlic and stir it up.  Turn the cooker on low and cook for approx. 6 hours.
When done, remove the tenderloin to a cutting surface and then shred with a knife and fork – much like you would do when “pulling pork”.  Please ensure the size of the pieces you offer your baby don’t pose a choking hazard.
Enjoy!