New Crock Pot user with lots of questions!

[MiamiAna]

Hi! This is my first time here and I am new at using a crockpot/slow cooker. I've never used one before and now that I am a new mom and have a full time job I need I figured this will help me save some time a few times a week. I have some questions.
1. Can I put frozen meat/poultry in the crock pot?
2. Can I prepare the foods the night before, store it in the fridge then put it in the crock in the morning before I leave to work?
3. I'm usually out of the house at 7am and get back around 6pm. Is it ok for the food to be in there that long even if then recipe calls for 6 hours of cooking? Will it burn or dry out??
4. Do I have to add water even if a recipe does not call for it??

[Andy M.]

Welcome to Discuss Cooking, Ana. Someone will be along soon who uses a slow cooker and answer your questions.

[GB]

Welcome to the site. You will get a ton of great info here!

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

1. Can I put frozen meat/poultry in the crock pot?

I would worry about putting the Crockpot in the freezer. I am not sure on this, but I would be worried about it cracking.

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

2. Can I prepare the foods the night before, store it in the fridge then put it in the crock in the morning before I leave to work?

That would depend on the recipe. It will work for some, but not for others. If you have specific recipes in mind then feel free to post them and we can let you know if it will work.

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

3. I'm usually out of the house at 7am and get back around 6pm. Is it ok for the food to be in there that long even if then recipe calls for 6 hours of cooking? Will it burn or dry out??

Again this will depend on the recipe, but generally this should not be a problem. Use the Low setting instead of High.

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

4. Do I have to add water even if a recipe does not call for it??

Nope. one thing you will notice with Crock Pot cooking is tht you always end up with more liquid than what you started with. Most (but not all) recipes will have you put some liquid in or will use ingredients that have a lot of liquid to begin with (like tomatoes). Follow the recipes the first time you make then to see how it works and then you can tweak them after that.

[CharlieD]

I use my crock pot often and by now now exactly what to do with it, but it took at least few times to get it right. They are all diffrent you know. And cook diferently.

4. I'd say 11 hours of cooking insted of 6 will require more water, so

3. add an extra cup or two. Most crock por recipes can handle extra cup of water anyway.

1. You cannot cook frozen meat. So defrost night before.
(Hey GB, you are also not reading the post!)

2. Of course you can prepare everything from night before, as the matter of fact prepare everything from night before and even put into your crock pot (not the electrical part) and leave it in refrigerator, in the morning just add water turn it on and off you go. Of course, it depends on type of vegies you are putting it in. You know some of them get dark and so on.

Okay I think that is all.

[GB]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

1. You cannot cook frozen meat. So defrost night before.
(Hey GB, you are also not reading the post!)

LOL you got me Charlie

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

1. Can I put frozen meat/poultry in the crock pot?

Yes-but you will have to add time to the cooking and may have to reduce the liquid, if that matters.

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

2. Can I prepare the foods the night before, store it in the fridge then put it in the crock in the morning before I leave to work?

I have made chili and other soups that way.

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

3. I'm usually out of the house at 7am and get back around 6pm. Is it ok for the food to be in there that long even if then recipe calls for 6 hours of cooking? Will it burn or dry out??

That should be fine. I usually put a cookie sheet under it because it will boil over if you fill it too much. I also make sure there is enough liquid.

Originally Posted by MiamiAna

4. Do I have to add water even if a recipe does not call for it??

Not usually unless it has lots of noodles or rice.

[Constance]

I wouldn't put frozen meat in the crockpot. I'm afraid it would spend too long at at an unsafe temperature.

You know, you can buy a timer at the discount store for a very reasonable price. You just plug the timer into your outlet, and plug your crockpot into the timer, set the time you want the crockpot to come on, and you're good to go!

[GB]

Originally Posted by Constance

I wouldn't put frozen meat in the crockpot. I'm afraid it would spend too long at at an unsafe temperature.

i completely agree with this!

Originally Posted by Constance

You know, you can buy a timer at the discount store for a very reasonable price. You just plug the timer into your outlet, and plug your crockpot into the timer, set the time you want the crockpot to come on, and you're good to go!

I would be too worried about the danger zone with this method as well.

[Gretchen]

Absolutely NO frozen meat in the crockpot. Never never.

[BreezyCooking]

Do you have the instruction booklet that came with your crockpot?

Because all of the questions you've asked here are probably answered therein. What's also important about reading the instruction booklet is that every brand/model/size of crockpot IS different. So what might be taboo for one, might work with another.

If you don't have the instruction booklet, do yourself a favor & do an online search for the manufacturer. They all provide instruction booklets for their different models online these days.

[MiamiAna]

Thank you all for your help!!! THANKS!!!

I do have the owners manual and I've read it a few times and it did not answer none of my questions.... that's why I came here.

Thanks again!!

Ana

[GB]

Glad we could help!

Just out of curiousity, which brand do you have?

[SizzlininIN]

Hey Miami! I just purchased yet another cookbook ....shhhhh don't tell DH.....maybe he won't notice it. Anyway, its Pillsbury Slow Cooker, and it has some really nice recipes in it that I plan to try. You might want to go to your library and see what cookbooks they have. I know mine carries several cookbooks for this type of cooking. Also, go to the bookstore and have a look around there. I've also found some wonderful sites just by googling.

I like to just create things in mine. Sometimes they turn out really good and other times....we won't go there.... . But thats the fun of cooking. One meat that I advice not to use is Pork Loin as I just did this and its too tender a piece of meat to withstand this type of cooking.

Check out the forum for slow cookers or crockpots (can't remember the exact title) .... I know there were some really great suggestions for recipes there too.

[GB]

Here is the forum Sizz is talking about

[Corinne]

The frozen meat thing - I don't want to get into a debate on the subject but I have put a frozen beef roast in the crock pot more than once & have seen recipes for putting frozen meats in the crock pot. Never had a problem.

[GB]

You can do it a million times and not get sick, but that one time you do get sick will change your mind forever.

You can ride in a car without a seatbelt for years and not get hurt, but that does not mean it is safe.

[CharlieD]

I wouldn't warry about being sick iether. I think it is the taste, that would be my concern.

[GB]

Charlie there are bacteria that will spoil food, but not change the taste at all. Taste is not always an indication that something is not safe to eat.

[BreezyCooking]

That's why I asked about the instruction booklet. I believe the frozen meat issue has a lot to do with the make & model based on the thickness of the crockery insert as well as the location of the heating element.

Some models say "no" to any frozen products, vegetables included, others say it's fine. I'd be surprised to find a manual that didn't mention it at all.

[Gretchen]

As a microbiologist, I'd have to say that frozen MEAT in the slow cooker at some point in time will lead to food poisoning. As others have said, you can always cite times that you haven't gotten sick.
It also slows down the ENTIRE cooking process, since heat is being absorbed to thaw the meat, keeping the meat in the zone of bacterial growth even longer. There are bacteria that produce toxins that are heat resistant--the bacteria that produce them may be killed but the toxin remain. These are some of THE most virulent.
I am completely aware of the new freezer crockpot packages--just another expensive "convenience food". Veggies don't take long to thaw. A solid piece of meat does--and if you do it with chicken you are totally flirting with danger.