Crock Pot Tips

Some of the recipes featured in EbtChef ‘s no-fuss-all-done-for-you meal plans are crock-pot recipes. This month we’ll give you some crock-pot tips to help you make the most out of it, but most of all—don’t be afraid of it! It’s very simple and it’s hard to go wrong when using a crock-pot.

Crock Pot Tips - The Basics

• Cooking temperatures in a slow cooker, or crock-pot are about 200 degrees F. on low, and 300 degrees on high.
• Generally 1 hour of cooking time on High equals 2 hours of cooking time on Low.
• You can cook meals in an oven, rather than a crock-pot, and visa versa. Times below are approximate, but will help you convert from one to the other if you need to do so.
• If recipe says 30 minutes (oven), then cook 2 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.
• If recipe says 45 minutes (oven), then cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
• If recipe says 3 hours (oven), then cook 6 on high or 12-14 hours on low.
• When cooking on high, stir occasionally for more even cooking. When cooking on low do not stir or remove the lid because it takes 30 minutes for your slow cooker to regain lost steam and return to the right temperature.
• Always fill your crock-pot at least ½ full. There is no heat on the bottom, only on the sides.
• Cooked food can (usually) be held about an hour on low without overcooking.

Crock Pot Tips - Meats

• Frozen meats may be cooked without defrosting. If recipe calls for thawed meat, cook an additional 2 hours on high, or 4 on low, if meat is frozen.
• Less tender, less expensive cuts of meat are better suited for a crock-pot than expensive cuts of meat.
• Option: Meat can be browned on stove top before going into crock-pot. This adds a little flavor.
• When using raw meat, it’s sometimes best to begin cooking on high for 1-2 hours to avoid cooking it too slowly.

Crock Pot Tips - Vegetables and Herbs

• Be sure vegetables are thinly sliced or chopped if the amount of cooking time is relatively short (4 hours or less), since veggies cook very slowly in a crock-pot.
• To prevent potatoes from darkening, stir a mixture of one cup water and ½ tsp cream of tartar with sliced pieces. Drain and put potatoes into crock-pot according to recipe.
• Tender vegetables such as fresh mushrooms, tomatoes or zucchini will only need to be added the last 30-45 minutes.
• You may want to revise the amount of herbs you use. Fresh herbs and spices increase in flavor, and dried, ground herbs and spices tend to lose flavor. Sometimes it’s best to season to taste before serving.

If the first time the carrots are a little underdone and the mushrooms are barely recognizable, it’s okay. With a little practice and our crock pot tips, it will get as good as you want it to be.

Crock Pot Tips - Little Extras

• You can raise dough (low setting) in a slow cooker.
• When it’s hot outside it’s nice to use a slow cooker because it doesn’t heat up the kitchen like an oven does - keep your house cool with this crock pot tip.
• You can assemble your crock-pot meal the night before you want to cook it. Refrigerate it overnight, and the following morning put your meal in to cook - save time with this crock pot tip.
• You may find it helpful to lightly grease your crock-pot before adding casserole ingredients.
• You can reduce the amount of liquid in the cooker by removing the lid and cooking on high for the last 15-20 minutes.
• Milk gets lumpy, so it should be added the last 10 minutes when cooking on high, or 30 minutes when cooking on low. Condensed soups may be substituted for milk, and they can cook for extended periods.
• Since food takes longer to cook at high altitudes (above 4000 feet), crock-pot cooking times may need to be longer—especially for something like beans.

Using a crock pot with our crock pot tips is a perfect way to have a meal ready for you when you come home after taking the kids to the dentist, soccer practice, and ballet lessons. It’s very easy to use and it’s hard to really blow a meal in it. Simple crock pot tip - most things aren’t that picky so if you cook them all day (5-8 hours, more or less) you have it made.