Crockpot Cooking - How to Convert Recipes to the Crockpot

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.

While crockpots may vary slightly, generally the low setting is about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The high setting is approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit. An hour of cooking on the high setting is equivalent to two - 2.5 hours on low. Many recipes that you find written for crockpots suggest your food should cook for 8 to 10 hours on low. This is about how long most people are gone to work or school.

Recipe Conversion Tips

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 to make a chicken soup recipe, or any other soup for that matter, add just enough liquid to cover the rest of the ingredients. You can always add more liquid later in the cooking process for a thinner soup. For cream soups, hold off on the dairy products until close to the end of your cooking time to keep them from curdling.

Dried beans work well in the crockpot. Instead of spending time soaking them, cook them on low overnight. Put your beans in the crockpot and cover with water. Be sure to add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water. In the morning, drain the water before adding your softened beans to the other ingredients. Chili, bean soup, and other delicious meals can then continue cooking in the crockpot.

Some foods are too delicate for cooking over long periods of time. Seafood, rice, pasta, some vegetables, and dairy products are just a few. Do not add any of these ingredients until a couple of hours before serving if you are cooking on low or one hour before serving if you are cooking on high. If you really must use milk earlier in the cooking period, consider using evaporated milk.

Browning of the meat is optional. If you choose to do so before putting the meat in the crockpot, it will add a beautiful color to the surface. It also helps reduce the fat content on some meats. If you do not have time for it however, browning is not necessary to have a delicious roast waiting when you come home in the crockpot.