Slow Cooking Tips and Recipes

Sample recipe links are at the end of this post.

Slow cooking can be an arcane art due to different temperature settings and efficiency of individual units and the quality of the ingredients being cooked.  Environmental factors such as climate and altitude together with electrical current consistency are also factors.  After a day researching (see below), I have found that newer slow cookers tend to cook at lower temperatures than older ones and are better sealed.

These differences make it difficult to cook from assorted recipes, as each recipe may be directed at a certain type and age of slow cooker than the one being used.  The result may be under/over cooked or dry and tough food.

I have two slow cookers, a new 5 in 1 multi cooker which allows me to saute and brown ingredients prior to slow cooking and an older ceramic style cooker.  Using the below research and the recipe books for these two slow cookers, I have come up with the following:-

Slow Cooker Type New Wave 5 in 1 Kambrook KSC100

Oven or stovetop 15 - 30 minutes 1 hour 1 - 3 hours 15 - 30 minutes 1 hour 1 - 3 hours

Slow cooker (high) 95–100 °C (203–212 °F) 2 - 3hours 4 - 6 hours 6 - 8 hours 2 - 3hours 3 - 4 hours 4 - 6 hours

Slow cooker (low) N/A N/A N/A N/A 4 - 6 hours 6 - 8 hours 8 - 12 hours

Heat Settings

By Manufacturer:-

Slow cooker (Type) West Bend Crockpot Cuisinart NewWave 5 in 1

Setting - high 93–100 °C (200–212 °F) 149 °C (300 °F) 100 °C (212 °F) 95–100 °C (203–212 °F)

Setting - low 79–85 °C (175–185 °F)  93 °C (200 °F)  93 °C (200 °F)

Setting - simmer  NA  N/A 85 °C (185 °F)

Setting -warm 68–77 °C (155–170 °F)  N/A 74 °C (165 °F)

By Cooking Pages:-

Source Wikipedia  Crok Pot King Answer Line DVO

Setting - high N/A 149 °C (300 °F) 149 °C (300 °F) 149–163 °C  (300–325 °F)

Setting - low 79–93 °C (175–200 °F) 93 °C (200 °F) 88 °C (190 °F) 93–99 °C (200–210 °F)

Setting - simmer  N/A  N/A 85 °C (185 °F) N/A

Setting -warm 71–74 °C (160–165 °F)  N/A 74 °C (165 °F) N/A

Timing

Taste.com suggests:-

Oven or stovetop 15 - 30 minutes 30 - 45 minutes 45 minutes to 3 hours

Slow cooker (high)  1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours  2 - 3 hours  4 - 6 hours

Slow cooker (low)  4 - 6 hours  6 - 8 hours  8 - 12 hours

 BbcGoodFood advises:-

Oven or stovetop 15 - 30 minutes 30 mins - 1 hour 1 - 2 hours 2 - 4 hours

Slow cooker (high)  1 - 2 hours  2 - 3 hours  3 - 4 hours  4 - 6 hours

Slow cooker (low)  4 - 6 hours  5 - 7 hours  6 - 8 hours  8 - 12 hours

Root vegetables can take longer than meat and other vegetables so put these near the heat source, at the bottom of the pot.

Slow Cooking for Dummies simplifies it:-

Oven or stovetop 45 minutes 50–60 minutes

Slow cooker (high)  3–4 hours  4–5 hours

Slow cooker (low)  6–10 hours  8–10 hours

AustralianBeefandLamb formulates:-

As a general guide 1 hour of simmering on the cooktop or in the oven equates to about 2-2.5 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low in a slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Recipes from Huff Post