Crock Pot question

[cubsgirl]

I'm not a chef. I am using my brand new crock pot for the first time.

I added all the ingredients and put it on low, however, the outside and inside of it still feel very "hot" to me. Is this normal on a low setting? I just thought it wouldn't be this warm.

 

[InsaneCdn]

In order to safely cook food, the temperature has to be higher than 200F. That's still pretty "warm".

 

[cubsgirl]

Thank you I'm very stupid when it comes to cooking - I was hoping this crock pot would help me put together something edible!!

 

[dstc_99]

Mine gets pretty warm too. I haven't had any issues with it burning anything though. One thing I would say is that you can overcook in a crockpot if you leave stuff in their way longer than needed.

PS If you dont have these get them! They are the best thing ever made.

 

[dstc_99]

Crockpot recipes are my favorite. If you need some give me a yell I have two pork loin recipes, a chicken recipe, and two chili recipes that I love. None of them require any skill.

 

[Tanya M]

You will learn to love Crock-Pot cooking. I cook at least one meal a week in a crock-pot. (I own 6 of different sizes) They come in handy at the holidays for keeping food hot. One of my favorite holiday tips is make mashed potatoes a week or so ahead of time and freeze them. The night before you will serve them, thaw them out, in the morning put them in the crock pot on low and stir about every 1/2 hour. Happy cooking

 

[susiestar]

Crock pots are incredible. If you run across a sale on meat and want to stock up, you can load it all into a crockpot and let it cook then package in 1 lb amounts in ziplocs in the freezer. I have stuffed mine FULL of ground beef and it cooked perfectly overnight, ditto with the chicken breasts (boneless or bone in). Then you have meat cooked and ready to go for fast meals anytime.

The liners are incredible for cleanup. Well worth the cost - and I am a super tightwad!

For some easy meals, search the archive here. Pinterest also can lead you to loads of crock pot recipes (search crockpot recipes). You can also find the 'Fix it and Forget It" cookbook at used bookstores and online fairly cheaply.

 

[DammitJanet]

I have learned so much about crockpots because of my soap making. For example, crock pots cook on 200 degrees whether they are on high or low its just a matter of how long you want something to cook. I do my soap on warm and it is still well over 175 degrees.

My favorite item now for soapmaking is the good ole turkey cooker...sometimes called a Nesco counter top oven. You can set the temp down to 150 degrees and cook the soap longer but you can make a lot more. Right now I have 3 soap making crocks and I love them all. I dont cook at all anymore...well not food!

 

[2much2recover]

I like to use the crockpot to keep mashed potatoes hot. Doing this means you can cook them in advance and not have that chore at the last minute. I usually add a little extra butter and milk and keep them on low. They are steamy hot when ready to serve.

 

[HMBgal]

I have a Fagor combination crock pot, rice cooker, and pressure cooker, all in one 6 quart appliance. You can even brown food in it. This thing rocks and I use it all the time.