Comments | what_a_crock: Logistics Question - Strategies on using a Crock Pot?

mrs_scarborough in what_a_crock

Logistics Question - Strategies on using a Crock Pot?

Apr 22, 2009 08:43

Hi all. I've been lurking for quite a while and have a question.

I've come into the possession of a slow cooker, but of the smaller, older kind, like this one. My weekly routine is to head off to work at 7 am, come home at 4:30, cook a meal and have it on the table between 7-9 pm. It's just me and my hubs, so we're flexible on dinner times. I'm ( Read more... )

technique, beginner, longer cooking times

Comments 14

mrs_ralph April 22 2009, 14:52:10 UTC

Have you considered using a vacation timer (a timer that plugs into an outlet that you plug an appliance or light into) and setting it for the amount of time you want your crock pot to run? That usually solves the timing problem because you can set it up the night before, put things in the fridge overnight, set them in the cooker and set it to run in a couple of hours which is about long enough to take the worst of the chill off the contents so it doesn't crack when the heat comes on. That would work out fine if your home is climate controlled year round so the room isn't 80 degrees at 9 in the morning and causing the food to get too warm and possibly spoil.

The other option would be to cook things at a lower temperature for a longer period of time or in the case of a recipe that calls for cooking on high for a couple of hours then turning it down, just eliminating the high temperature cooking time.

abbierose April 22 2009, 16:04:29 UTC

you can prepare everything the night before, put the crock part in the fridge overnight, and then just put it in and turn it on in the morning.

When you get home, if it's not done yet put it on a higher setting.

The newer crocks have an "automatic" mode where it starts our low and then gets high heat after a few hours. Works great!

oldhalloween April 22 2009, 16:41:46 UTC

Soups and stews are often a good choice for long cooking times. I use my crockpot 3 times a week so we have leftovers for pack to work lunch and dinner. On the weekend you can experiment with recipes that require less cooking time and save the leftovers for the week. Pop in the microwave for a quick re-heat then add fresh greens, fruit, or bread.

nolly April 22 2009, 18:26:52 UTC

I"m regularly out of the house for 12 hours or more on weekdays, so I usually crock things on the weekend and eat them over the following week. There's just me, and I have a small crock.

superdaintykate April 22 2009, 19:01:58 UTC

Just a note on some of the suggestions here -- I would be wary of putting the food in the crock into the fridge overnight. Chilling the crock would mean it would come to a safe temp more slowly and I believe that would increase your chance of food-borne illness. (I know people on here do it all the time with no problems, but I am just pointing out the possibility of risk ( ... )