Have you ever been hungry for something special… maybe a roast or a ham, for example… and then figured out you just did not have time to cook it? Unless they have a specific recipe for the crockpot, most people never even think to use it. In reality, many recipes for the oven or kettle can be adapted to the crockpot with delicious results.
In general, the low setting on a crockpot is approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The high setting is usually around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. One hour of cooking on high is about equal to 2 or 2.5 hours of cooking on low. Most recipes you find for crockpots recommend cooking your food for 8 to 10 hours on low.
Advice for Converting Recipes
If you are thinking of trying your favorite recipe in your crockpot for the first time, there is a little advice you may want to follow for the best results. When changing any recipe for the crockpot, you will want to reduce your liquid. The crockpot does not let liquid evaporate like the oven, so you will want to reduce the amount you initially put in by about half. You will be surprised how much liquid is there when your dish is done.
Adjust your spices. Ground spices tend to lose flavor with many hours of cooking, so wait to add them until the last hour before serving. Whole spices, on the other hand, tend to become intensified in the crockpot. Unless you want to be overwhelmed with the flavor of that spice, you may want to cut it back by half.
If you are planning on chicken soup recipes or other one-pot meals, add just enough liquid to cover the other ingredients fully. If you need a thinner soup, you can add more liquid later. For cream soups, do not add the dairy products until the soup is almost done. This will keep the milk from separating or curdling.
Dried beans work well in the crockpot, too. Instead of soaking them, try cooking them on low overnight in the crockpot. To do so, just add your beans into the pot and cover them with water. Do not forget to add a teaspoon of baking soda. When you wake up, drain the water off, and combine your beans with whatever ingredients you need for your recipe. Chili, bean soup or tortilla soup are only a few ideas of the tasty meals you can make with dried beans.
Some foods do not hold up to 8 to 10 hours of cooking. Pasta, rice, seafood, dairy products, and Chinese vegetables will all suffer with such a long cooking time. Add these ingredients a couple hours before serving if your crockpot is set on low. If you set it on high, wait until the last hour to add them into the crockpot. If you really need to use milk in a recipe that must cook for 8 to 10 hours, use evaporated milk.
Browning your meat can be done before adding it to the crockpot to add that lovely coloring. Browning may also reduce the fat content a little bit on some kinds of meat. Browning is optional, however. Roasts can turn out very flavorful in the crockpot with or without it.
