Friday, May 02, 2008

Oven To Crockpot Conversions

For most crockpots, the low setting is about 200º and the high setting is about 300º

One hour on high is equal to 2 to 2 1/2 hours on low.

Here is the conversion for regular ovens to crockpots
15 to 30 minutes oven = 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high in crockpot or 4-6 hours on low.
35 to 45 minutes oven = 3 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
60 minutes to 3 hours oven = 4-5 hours on high or 8-18 hours on low.

Most uncooked meat and vegetable combinations require at least 8 hours on low.

Here are some more tips:

Beef cuts will be better cooked on low for 8-10 hours, while chicken can be cooked on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Reduce the amount of liquid used in oven recipes (unless rice or pasta is used) when using the low setting-the crockpot retains moisture while it would evaporate in a regular oven.

Spices may need to be reduced or increased. Whole herbs and spices increase their flavoring in a crockpot, while ground spices and herbs may lose some flavor. Add ground spices during the last hour of cooking. Whole herbs and spices will probably need to be reduced by half.

Rice, noodles, macaroni, seafood, Chinese vegetables and milk do not hold up well when cooked 8-10 hours. Add these to sauce of liquid about 2 hours before serving when using low, or 1 hour on high.

If you want to use milk in an 8-10 hour recipe, use evaporated milk

Browning meats is a personal choice. It's not necessary, but may reduce the fat content if browned.

Sautéing vegetables isn't necessary except for eggplant which should be parboiled or sautéed due to it's strong flavor. You may want to decrease the amount of strong tasting vegetables since they will permeate the other foods in the crock pot with their full flavor.

Dry beans can be cooked overnight on low as an alternative to soaking. Cover with water and add 1 tsp of baking soda. Drain and combine with other ingredients. Be sure beans are softened before adding to any sugar or tomato mixture.

Use long grain parboiled/converted raw rice in recipes and use standard liquid amounts instead of reducing the liquid. For mixed recipes requiring pasta, it's best to cook the pasta separately to al dente and add just before serving.

For soups, add water only to cover ingredients. If thinner soup is wanted, add more liquid at the end of the cooking time.

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