Crock pots, also known as slow cookers, are beloved kitchen appliances that allow home cooks to create delicious meals with minimal effort. Simply load up your crock pot in the morning with ingredients, turn it on, and come dinnertime you’ll have a hot, home-cooked meal ready to eat. While there are many things that can easily be made in a crock pot, there are some limitations to what a slow cooker can handle. In this article we’ll explore what should and should not go into your crock pot if you want optimum results.
Meats that Don’t Do Well in a Crock Pot
While tougher, fattier cuts of meat that require long, slow cooking are perfect for the crock pot, more delicate meats may not fair so well. Here are some meats that generally don’t cook well in a slow cooker:
- Chicken breasts – Chicken breasts tend to turn out dry and stringy in a crock pot. This lean cut of meat would do better baked, grilled, or sautéed.
- Pork tenderloin – Pork tenderloins also tend to dry out, so it’s best to avoid cooking them low and slow. Try roasting or grilling tenderloin for a juicier texture.
- Steak – Whether it’s filet mignon or another premium steak, this quick-cooking cut deserves more high heat cooking on the stovetop, grill, or broiler.
- Fresh sausages – Uncooked sausages like breakfast links or Italian sausage become overly soft and prone to bursting if cooked too long in a crock pot.
- Bacon – The crock pot doesn’t get hot enough to properly crisp up bacon.
- Deli meats – Pre-cooked meats like ham, turkey, or roast beef should be warmed gently to avoid drying out.
For best results when cooking meat in a crock pot, choose less tender, fatty cuts like pork shoulder, beef chuck roast, oxtails, or short ribs. Meat on the bone, like chicken thighs, also does well. If using quick-cooking or pre-cooked meats, wait until the end to mix them in just to warm through.
Seafood that Just Doesn’t Work
Delicate seafood tends to turn out overcooked and rubbery in the slow cooker. Steer clear of these types of seafood:
- Raw shrimp – Shrimp gets tough when cooked too long.
- Fish fillets – Most fish won’t hold up being simmered for hours on end.
- Crab legs – Crab legs would overcook and turn chewy.
- Mussels and clams – Without high enough heat, mussels and clams won’t open properly.
- Oysters – Oysters would likely turn out shriveled up and leathery.
Really, all raw seafood is best avoided in the crock pot. The only exception would be if a recipe specifically instructs to add the seafood towards the very end of the cooking time just to warm through and incorporate flavors.
Vegetables to Use Caution With
While most vegetables do wonderfully when slow cooked into soups, stews, and braises, some types can overcook and turn to mush with too much time in the crock pot. Vegetables to keep an eye on include:
- Leafy greens like spinach – These will completely break down with long cooking.
- Bell peppers – Peppers can also disintegrate if cooked down too much.
- Mushrooms – Mushrooms may soften excessively in texture.
- Fresh herbs – Extended cooking dilutes herbs’ flavors; add them at the end.
- Frozen vegetables – Don’t thaw before adding to a recipe or they’ll get too soft.
Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and celery generally hold up very well to crock pot cooking. Onions, garlic, squash, eggplant, and tomatoes are also great slow cooker options. Just keep the veggies in larger chunks and add more delicate produce like leafy greens towards the end.
Foods that Require Higher Heat
Some recipes simply require higher heat than a crock pot can achieve in order to work properly. Avoid trying to cook these foods in the slow cooker:
- Fried foods – Anything breaded and fried like chicken fingers needs hot oil to crisp up.
- Foods that require searing or browning – A good sear on meat helps develop flavor.
- Dishes with a reduced sauce – Sauces reduce better on the stove or in the oven.
- Candy or caramel – These require high heat for proper crystallization.
- Anything that needs to roast – Roasting is done at high heat to caramelize and brown.
- Casseroles – Casseroles do best baked in the oven to form a nice crust.
- Quick breads and cakes – Baking gives the rise needed for light texture.
The crock pot maxes out at around 300°F on high, while searing and frying call for temperatures over 400°F. Delicate seafood, fresh meats, and anything requiring color and texture from high heat cooking will not turn out properly in the slow cooker.
Potential Food Safety Issues
There are also some potential food safety concerns to keep in mind when using a crock pot:
- Uncooked beans – Toxic proteins can form if dried kidney, black, pinto, etc beans are slow cooked without first boiling on the stove.
- Large cuts of meat – Larger roasts may not cook through to safe internal temperatures.
- Dense root vegetables – Potatoes, carrots, turnips and other dense produce may not get hot enough internally.
- Frozen ingredients – Already frozen items in a recipe may keep surrounding ingredients in the danger zone too long.
- Dairy-based dishes – Dairy-heavy foods can potentially support bacteria growth when held warm.
To prevent foodborne illness when using a slow cooker, make sure to start with fresh ingredients, trim and slice meats and vegetables to smaller pieces, and follow proper food handling best practices.
Tips for Using a Crock Pot Successfully
Now that we’ve covered what not to cook in a crock pot, here are some tips for using a slow cooker effectively:
- Choose the right cuts of meat – Opt for fatty, tough cuts that benefit from moist heat like pork shoulder or beef chuck.
- Prep ingredients well – Cut meat and vegetables into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Brown meats first – Take the extra step to brown meats in a skillet for deeper flavor.
- Layer ingredients wisely – Put vegetables on bottom with meat on top to prevent overcooking.
- Use enough liquid – Include broth, tomatoes, or sauce to keep ingredients nicely moist.
- Mind the max fill line – Don’t overstuff or understuff your crock.
- Keep checking doneness – Test meat and vegetables toward end of cooking time.
- Allow for carryover cooking – Food will continue cooking after unplugging.
With the right recipes and some practice, you’ll get comfortable determining what can and cannot be made in a slow cooker for best results. Just avoid quick-cooking meats, raw seafood, anything needing color from high heat, and foods requiring exacting temperatures or textures. Follow basic food safety guidelines, prep and layer ingredients smartly, and your crock pot creations will turn out perfectly cooked from morning ‘til night.
Common Questions about Crock Pots
What types of meat should not be cooked in a crockpot?
Delicate, quick-cooking cuts of meat like chicken breasts, pork chops, fish fillets, shrimp, steak, fresh sausages, and bacon do not do well with crockpot cooking. The moist heat environment causes lean meats to dry out and seafood to turn rubbery. Fatty, tough cuts of beef, pork, and lamb are best suited for the slow cooker.
Which vegetables get overcooked in the crockpot?
Leafy greens like spinach, herbs, mushrooms, bell peppers, and frozen vegetables run the risk of becoming mushy and overcooked in the slow cooker. Root veggies, onions, tomatoes, squash, and eggplant hold up better. Add quick-cooking veggies toward the end to retain texture and color.
Why don’t cakes or breads bake well in a crockpot?
Cakes and quick breads require dry heat and airflow to properly rise and set. The moist environment of the slow cooker prevents batter and dough from baking correctly and forming the proper crumb texture.
Can you cook pasta in a crockpot?
Dried pasta requires boiling at high temperatures to properly rehydrate and become tender. The lower heat of the crockpot may undercook pasta, causing it to turn out crunchy. For best results, cook pasta separately on the stovetop.
Is it safe to cook frozen meat in the crockpot?
It’s best to thaw meat completely before cooking in the slow cooker. Putting frozen meat into the crockpot runs the risk of bacteria growth in the outer layers while the center remains frozen. Thawing first allows meat to cook evenly and safely.
Crock Pot FAQs
What are some common mistakes to avoid when using a crockpot?
Common crockpot mistakes include overfilling the insert, not browning meats first, neglecting to add enough liquid, lifting the lid frequently, and not accounting for carryover cooking time. Follow manufacturer guidance for max fill levels, prep ingredients wisely, and allow time for food to finish cooking after unplugging.
Is it okay to put a cold ceramic insert directly into a hot crockpot base?
No, you should never put a room temperature or chilled crock insert base directly into a preheated crockpot base. The sudden temperature change can cause the ceramic to crack. Always start with a cold base, then add your cool ingredients into the cool crock.
Can you cook using the crockpot if the ceramic insert cracks?
It is not recommended to use a crock pot with a cracked ceramic insert even if the cracks appear minor. The cracks may worsen over time and allow food to seep into the base where it can cause electrical issues. Replace the damaged insert before continuing crockpot cooking.
Is it safe to leave a crockpot on all day unattended?
Modern crockpots are designed to safely operate unattended for long periods as long as they are used properly. Key tips are to start with fresh ingredients, fill correctly, and keep the lid secured. Do not leave perishable foods sitting in a warm crockpot after cooking completes.
How can you adjust cook times for a high vs low setting?
Crockpot recipes designed for the high setting can typically be converted to the low setting by doubling the cook time. So if a recipe calls for 4 hours on high, expect approximately 8 hours on the low setting. Check periodically for doneness near the end of the estimated time.
Conclusion
Crockpots are incredibly useful tools for making flavorful, hot meals with minimal hands-on cooking required. However, not all ingredients do well with the low, moist, slow cooking environment of the crockpot. Quick-cooking proteins like chicken breasts or fish can easily dry out or overcook. Items needing a crispy texture won’t work either. When armed with the knowledge of what doesn’t suit the slow cooker along with some best practices, though, you can whip up crowd-pleasing pulled pork, pot roasts, chili, soups, and more with ease. Follow the do’s and don’ts outlined above, and you’ll be crockpot cooking like a pro in no time.
