Reddit reviews Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2: The Easy-Prep Edition: 200 All-New, Ground-Breaking Recipes

Browning the meat means using your stove to brown it (not fully cook, just brown the outside) before putting it in the slow cooker. Drying the pork means patting it dry with paper towels or something before putting it in the slow cooker.

Browning the meat is not fully necessary, but it will add an extra depth of flavor. It'll taste better if you do this step, but if you don't have time and just throw it into the slow cooker, it'll still cook through and you'll still have a tasty dinner. I skip that step all the time when I'm in a rush.

I highly recommend the Slow Cooker Revolution and Slow Cooker Revolution 2: Easy Prep cookbooks from America's Test Kitchen. For two reasons: One, their recipes are awesome. Two, they actually explain why you do certain steps and what the results will be so you can better understand what you're doing. Helped me to branch off from just using recipes to inventing my own. If you're looking for quick recipes, I'd go with SCR2 as the prep is much quicker for those recipes than in the first.

Definitely check out Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2: The Easy Prep Edition by America's Test Kitchen. Totally worth it.

Idiots guide to slow cooker cooking and slow cooker revolution volume 2 have some easy prep recipes. Browning (or sautéing) means pre cooking the food for a few minute before you put it in the slow cooker. It's not necessary but from my experience it adds a lot if flavor and is worth it. It'll bind the spices to the food better. For this reason I upgraded my slow cooker to this one. It can saute and even steam food right in the cooker. I found myself using my slow cooker sometimes twice a day so for me I didn't mind spending the extra money.