12 Long-Cook Dinners Worth Starting Early (No Slow Cooker Needed)
Twelve dinners that take an hour or more — roasts, braises, and bakes done in an oven or a pot — ordered longest first, with cost and macros.
Long cooking isn't long work. Almost everything below is fifteen minutes of hands-on effort followed by an hour where the oven or the pot does the job — which is why a Sunday braise is less tiring than a Tuesday stir-fry, and why cheap cuts end up tasting expensive.
Anychef catalog data: 92 dinners in our library run 60 minutes or longer, at a median 80 minutes, $2.80 a serving, and 38g of protein — the protein climbs because time is what makes tough, cheap cuts worth buying. Longest first.
The list
1. Barbacoa Shredded Beef
54g protein420 cal$3.00/serving120 min
Low and slow beef that melts into tender, savory strands, the foundation of epic tacos and burritos.
View the full recipe →
2. Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine
52g protein620 cal$5.50/serving120 min
Fall-apart tender short ribs slow-braised in red wine with aromatic vegetables, a showstopping centerpiece for a special Sunday dinner.
View the full recipe →
3. Birria Beef Tacos
40g protein420 cal$3.00/serving100 min
Braised beef in a deep, spiced red sauce, dipped tortillas crisped and dunked in the savory broth.
View the full recipe →
4. Split Pea and Ham Soup
25g protein380 cal$1.40/serving90 min
Thick, velvety split peas simmered with smoky ham and vegetables, the old-fashioned pot of soup that warms the whole house.
View the full recipe →
5. Beef Barley Soup
26g protein360 cal$2.00/serving90 min
A slow-simmered pot of tender beef, chewy barley, and vegetables that gets better with every reheat.
View the full recipe →
6. Swiss Steak
38g protein440 cal$2.40/serving90 min
Budget-friendly steak braised slow in a chunky tomato and onion gravy until it cuts with a fork, a true diner classic.
View the full recipe →
7. Beef and Noodles
36g protein520 cal$2.50/serving90 min
Slow-simmered shredded beef folded into buttery egg noodles with rich gravy, Midwest comfort in a bowl.
View the full recipe →
8. Herb Butter Roast Chicken
50g protein540 cal$2.50/serving90 min
Butter mashed with fresh herbs slipped under the skin makes this roast chicken shatteringly crisp and impossibly juicy.
View the full recipe →
9. Beer Can Chicken
49g protein560 cal$2.60/serving90 min
A backyard favorite gone indoors, the whole bird roasts upright over a beer can for steamy, tender meat and crackly skin.
View the full recipe →
10. Hearty Beef Stew
34g protein440 cal$2.60/serving90 min
Chunks of beef, potatoes, and carrots simmered in a rich broth until every spoonful tastes like a hug.
View the full recipe →
11. Lasagna Bolognese
42g protein620 cal$2.70/serving90 min
Layers of rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and pasta noodles, a classic that tastes even better reheated as flavors meld.
View the full recipe →
12. Dal Makhani
14g protein320 cal$2.80/serving90 min
Creamy, luxurious black lentils simmered for hours in cream and butter, the showstopping comfort bowl served at every Indian restaurant.
View the full recipe →Keep going
Every recipe above comes from the Anychef library of 1,700+ recipes, each with cost per serving and full macros — browse the comfort food collection and all high-protein recipes. Or skip the browsing entirely: scan your fridge with the Anychef app and get recipes built from what you already have, macros and grocery list included.
