How many times have you been planning meals and came up disappointed when you discovered you didn’t have time to make the meal you wanted? Most people will not even think of putting a recipe in the crockpot unless it is written expressly for the crockpot. Did you know that many standard recipes could be converted to crockpot recipes?

In general, the low setting on a crockpot is approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The high setting is usually around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. One hour of cooking on high is about equal to 2 or 2.5 hours of cooking on low. Most recipes you find for crockpots recommend cooking your food for 8 to 10 hours on low.

Recipe Conversion Tips

If you want to convert a standard recipe to a crockpot recipe, there are a few tips to know so you get the best results. When you are changing a recipe to suit your crockpot, reduce the amount of liquid called for in the recipe. Liquid does not evaporate out of the crockpot; in fact, you normally end up with quite a bit at the end of cooking. Unless you have rice or pasta in your finished dish, reduce the amount of liquid by half.

Spice amounts will need to be adjusted accordingly. Powdered spices tend to lose flavor after cooking for long periods, so do not add them until the last hour or so before serving. Whole spices, on the other hand can become overwhelming. Reduce the amount by half.

If you plan to make chicken soup or other liquid-based meals, only add enough liquid to cover the other ingredients. You can add more liquid towards the end of cooking time if needed. If you are making a cream soup, do not add the dairy products until close to the end to prevent curdling and separating.

Dried beans work well in the crockpot. Instead of spending time soaking them, cook them on low overnight. Put your beans in the crockpot and cover with water. Be sure to add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water. In the morning, drain the water before adding your softened beans to the other ingredients. Chili, bean soup, and other delicious meals can then continue cooking in the crockpot.

Some foods do not hold up to 8 to 10 hours of cooking. Pasta, rice, seafood, dairy products, and Chinese vegetables will all suffer with such a long cooking time. Add these ingredients a couple hours before serving if your crockpot is set on low. If you set it on high, wait until the last hour to add them into the crockpot. If you really need to use milk in a recipe that must cook for 8 to 10 hours, use evaporated milk.

Browning your meat can be done before adding it to the crockpot to add that lovely coloring. Browning may also reduce the fat content a little bit on some kinds of meat. Browning is optional, however. Roasts can turn out very flavorful in the crockpot with or without it.