17 cozy comfort meals you can make in a slow cooker

Beef stew is one of the best slow-cooker recipes for fall days.

John Kernick/Williams Sonoma A slow cooker or Crock-Pot can be a valuable yet underutilized tool in your kitchen.

A slow cooker can make many cozy comfort foods, from stews to simple soups and roasted meats.

Meats like brisket and short ribs become tender when made in a slow cooker.

As the first hints of fall arrive and temperatures begin to cool, it's a great time to dust off your Crock-Pot or slow cooker and ease into the season with warm, comforting meals that practically cook themselves.

Business Insider spoke with chefs and cookbook authors about their favorite comforting slow-cooker meals , from hearty beef stews and chowders to tender brisket, and researched celebrity chefs' go-to Crock-Pot dishes.

Here are 17 cozy comfort-food dishes you can make in a slow cooker, according to chefs.

Short ribs become extra tender when slow-cooked.

Braised short ribs.

Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock Short ribs are one of cookbook author Kim Laidlaw's favorite things to make in a Crock-Pot, and they're a go-to on a chilly fall day.

In her cookbook , "Everyday Slow Cooking: Modern Recipes for Delicious Meals," Laidlaw offers several recipes for short ribs and recommends serving them with other sides.

"If you do them in a slow cooker, then the meat is out of the way," she told Business Insider.

"Then, you can focus on other side dishes like polenta or risotto." Stew is one of those slow-cooker meals where you can practically toss in the ingredients and walk away. sumnersgraphicsinc/Getty Images/iStockphoto Beef, turkey, or chicken stew is the kind of stick-to-your-bones comfort food that feels made for fall.

Packed with tender meat, hearty vegetables, and a rich, flavorful broth, a warm bowl of stew makes an especially satisfying meal as temperatures drop and chilly evenings set in.