Idea of exploration for newer crocks

[of_salfarro]

I was clued in on a comment on one of the A Year of Slow Cooking blog posts that the author regularly uses frozen meat which extends the cooking time-- beneficial for those of us who actually want to be able to use the crock overnight or while we are at work and not come up to overcooked pig trough slop.

Her link to Crockpot's site about the safety

Comments

[margi_lynn]

Huh. That makes a lot of sense! I actually do that a lot with meat in the oven, so why not use a crock pot? It would be less energy certainly.

I've noticed that you can stick the newer crockpots on high only if you throw everything in them in the morning for dinner that night maximum. Usually, I don't even get that long - I can throw everything in at, say, lunch to be ready in time for dinner.

[of_salfarro]

mine gets to 165 in about 4 hrs on high even when full

[of_salfarro]

It's a big one but I forget the size.

[margi_lynn]

That sounds about right. Mine's a 6 quart one.

[hockeycat]

http://www.crock-pot.com/searchresults.aspx?search=frozen

Your link seems to be borked, too.

Thanks for sharing this. Even though I consider myself an intermediate-advanced crock-cooker, I still overcook things on a fairly regular basis. :/

[of_salfarro]

Sheesh. Thanks XP

[rymrytr]

I bought a new crockpot, two weeks ago. One with the lid that has a hole in it, for my prob. It has five settings: 2 hours, 4, 8, 10 and warm.

I put some veggies in the bottom and a whole chicken. Set it on 10 hour setting and it reached 165 degrees in 3 hours and 40 minutes.

How is one supposed to put on the meal, go to work, and then find it ready when you get home? Don't "they" understand the original intent of a "slow cooker"?

End of rant :o)

[of_salfarro]

If you try a frozen chicken let us know!

[annamarie326]

I will have to try and find this post and comment soon :) I HAVE done frozen chicken breasts before and it took about 4 hrs longer on low and they definitely were less dry.

Yesterday I had pot roast and today am having chicken and dumplings. Since it's only 2 adults and a baby eating them I put half of everything in and have another pot roast and chicken and dumplings meal in the freezer all ready to plop in the crock and go. I very well may need them this week since hurricane sandy is about to massacre us and our generator will handle our fridge, electric fireplace, and the crockpot not much more if the power goes.

[dracutgrl]

I've followed Stephanie O'Day's (or is it O'Dey -too lazy to look it up right now) recipes to the letter and have found that frozen meat comes out much more tender than cooking defrosted meat - I don't do it any other way anymore. (And no one has gotten sick yet!)