Slow-Cooker Recipes - Recipes by Cooking Style | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Tender vegetables

Vegetables such as peas, asparagus and peppers can become a flavorless, mushy mess in a slow cooker.

What is the difference between High and Low Setting in Crock-Pot Slow Cookers? What is the difference between High and Low Settings? Both low and high stabilizes at 209°F. The difference is the time it takes to reach that temperature.

Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker. Leaner cuts like pork tenderloin tend to dry out. Likewise, dark meat chicken — thighs, drumsticks, etc.

Yes, so long as the lid is on and the liquid is topped up. Crock pots are designed to run for long periods of time, that is kinda their thing.

It's generally safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours—that's what they're made for. That said, follow all safety rules. I had old cookers I'd keep an eye on more.

Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are designed to cook raw meats. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time and steam created from the tightly covered container destroys bacteria, making slow cooking safe. You can put frozen chicken in a slow cooker, too!

Absolutely, which is why you should always adjust times and amounts as needed. Smaller amounts of slow cooker hamburger only need a few hours before they are done.

Technically you can cook raw meat in a slow cooker, but it's tricky and requires a bit of preparation in order for it to be really worth it. If you simply pop some raw meat in your slow cooker, it won't have a chance to brown, which adds some much-needed flavor and cuts down on plenty of unappealing grease.

Your meat will be juicier and more tender

It also makes the meat far more flavorful. Moreover, the slow-and-low method ensures you get that fall-off-the-bone tender meat. The same results just aren't achieved when cooking meat on high heat for a shorter period of time.

What are the 3 settings on a slow cooker? ›

On all CrockPot units you have usually three temperature settings. I for Low, II for High and the last symbol (it may be in the form of "squiggly lines" that look like elongated SS) is the Warm setting. On the Warm setting, your slow cooker will achieve 165-175°F.

The general rule is the high setting cooks about twice as fast as the low setting.

**Vegetables on the Bottom:** Placing vegetables on the bottom of the crock-pot allows them to cook directly in the flavorful juices released by the meat as it cooks. This can result in very tender and flavorful vegetables, but they may become quite soft or even mushy if cooked for a long time.

I also try to make sure the potatoes are on the sides around the roast and top the roast with the carrots and onions. Pour the beef broth/seasoning mixture over the roast and veggies in the crockpot. Add the lid to the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is fall apart tender!

The best vegetables for a slow cooker are sturdier veggies like celery, carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers and green beans, like we used in this recipe.

If a dish usually takes: 15-30 mins, cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low. 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2-3 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low. 1-2 hours, cook it for 3-4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low.

If a recipe calls for cooking on the HIGH setting for three hours, you can cook it for seven hours on the LOW setting instead. Or if a recipe calls for eight hours on HIGH, it can be cooked for up to 12 hours on LOW.

Most slow cookers have two slow cooker temperature settings. The 'Low' cook setting reaches temperatures between 164-182°F (reaching a peak of around 205°F after 4 hours). Wondering what temperature is 'High' on a Crockpot slow cooker? The 'High' cook setting tops off at around 205°F after cooking for 4 hours.