Crock Pot Cooking Times
Cooking with a crock pot or slow cooker is all about convenience. You can set it and forget it ... go off to work, shopping or what have you and return to a completely cooked dinner.
But there are concerns and to that end I have created this page. Use the ideas and figures here as a guide to adapt other recipes to slow cooking, and for estimating the time of low, medium and high settings.
If you are using a traditionally cooked recipe reduce the amount of liquids. With the lid on in a slow cooker liquids do not evaporate, therefore you will want to put less in to start with. You'll need to experiment but starting with one cup less should get you near what you'll need. Every recipe is different, some foods will absorb more liquid than others, so do experiment with this.
You can always consult with the cooker's instruction booklet. Find a recipe they offer that is similar to what you are cooking and take the times from that. It should get you into the ballpark.
Remember that new slow cooker's will probably cook hotter than an old one. Experience with your cooker is really the only way to know for sure how it will cook and how long it will take to cook any particular dish. You really need to test your cooker to be absolutely certain. These figures should be used only as a guide.
| Time for Traditional Recipe | Time in Slow Cooker |
| 15 to 30 minutes | Low: 4 to 6 hours -- High: 1/2 to 2 hours |
| 35 to 45 minutes | Low: 6 to 8 hours -- High: 3 to 4 hours |
| 50 minutes or more | Low: 8 to 10 hours -- High: 4 to 6 hours |