20 Crock Pot Thanksgiving Recipes - Lydi Out Loud (2024)

FAQs

Can I just throw a bunch of ingredients in the crockpot? ›

For many dishes, particularly soups and stews, you really can just throw all the ingredients in. It can be nice to cook the onions beforehand, as the flavour is different to when you put them in raw, but experiment both ways as you may find you prefer one.

For a family of three to five or a leftover-obsessed couple, a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker is the perfect size. It will fit almost all recipes, including typical roasts. If you've got a big family and plenty of storage room, go for the big 7 or 8-quart models.

Yes, you can use your slow cooker for longer than eight hours, as long as you keep an eye on it. Many slow cookers do have an automatic shutoff after 24 hours.

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

If you're planning to cook your meals mostly when you're not home or overnight, then sticking to a Crockpot might be a better choice, since the heat distribution is more even and there is no need to stir at all.

Foods take different times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting.

Overfilling the slow cooker can lead to uneven cooking.

"Try not to fill the crock more than 3/4 of the way for the best results," she said. On the other hand, not adding enough ingredients can also be a problem. "The crock should be at least 2/3 full to avoid dry or burnt food," Audet-White told BI.

Don't leave it on 'warm' all day

The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm. After this, it needs to be cooled and transferred into the refrigerator.

Can you stop slow cooking and start again? It is not recommended to stop slow cooking and start again, otherwise you risk falling into what the USDA calls the “danger zone” for food, which is 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit. “This is the temperature range at which bacteria (like Salmonella and E.

How many people does a full crockpot feed? ›

People do this all the time, but many aren't truly confident that it's 100 percent safe — I, for one, am one of those people. So I did a little digging to get the hard facts. The truth is, yes, leaving the slow cooker on and going about your day is safe, as long as you are using the appliance properly.

Don't open the lid during cooking!

Slow cookers work by trapping heat and cooking food over a long period of time. Every time you remove the lid, the slow cooker loses heat, and it takes a while to heat back up. Follow this tip: Unless it's noted in the recipe, there's no need to remove the lid.

Overfilling the slow cooker can lead to uneven cooking.

"Try not to fill the crock more than 3/4 of the way for the best results," she said. On the other hand, not adding enough ingredients can also be a problem. "The crock should be at least 2/3 full to avoid dry or burnt food," Audet-White told BI.

Using the Crock Pot

on High = 2 to 2 ½ hours on Low. Most crock pot recipes require 8 to 10 hours on Low. Fill at least half full and no more than three quarters full.

"Ideally, you should only fill a slow cooker about three quarters full so there's room [for ingredients and liquid] to expand."

“Keeping the slow-cooker on the high setting for that long may result in overcooked, dried-out food.” Now that you've gotten the basics of how to use your slow cooker, you'll want to level up your chef skills and maximize your flavor from each dish.