Bob, we've had a lot of discussion here on the new crockpots. Because of 'safety issues' in keeping the food at a temperature that may not be high enough to be safe, the new crockpots cook inordinately hot. Mine also boils on low. The older crockpots were better, cooked at a lower temperature, and I think a few people actually found newer models that would 'slow cook' instead of cooking the living devil out of everything in it. good luck with that crockpot, I hate the new ones. Annie

Slow-Cookers (aka Crock Pots) are designed to cook foods between 170-280°F. If you want to check your cooker for actual temperature, it can be checked by heating the appliance filled with water and testing with a candy thermometer, or an Instant Read thermometer. This is also how you check the temperature to see if the appliance heats to a food-safe temperature. It's important to know the cooking temperatures if you purchase a used cooker, before using it. -Grainlady

i made the brisket in the oven which i turned on earlier today after putting the air on in the kitchen. it's now cooling. i just wanted to know if it was a cut of meat that could be done in the crockpot. i never did before that's why i asked. i followed this recipe since i couldn't find my standard. season with S&P, sear it, lay it over a few onions (although i added a few potatoes and a couple carrots and a diced celery stalk to the mix), add two cups of red wine, 10 oz can chopped tomatoes (although i used fresh from the garden), herbs and let it slow cook. smells great, haven't cut into it yet. it will be either a very late night snack or a midday meal tomorrow. one of these days, maybe i'll try the crock pot and if the meat shreds too much, then i'll make "pulled brisket sandwiches" (or dog food) thanks maryanne

There's a big problem with trying to convert a slow cooker "recipe" to an oven. There is no actual conversion temperature because slow cookers vary SO much on their temperature, heating and recovery times. I did some research years ago and posted the results but I don't have the data handy so I have to go by memory. One surprise I discovered was that one slow cooker's "low" temperature can be the same as another's "high" temp. As I recall "low", when tested, ranged from about 135° (even less) to about 225° and high could range from about 180° to about 300°+. Some testing places even lined up a number of slow cookers (identical brand and model) and tested them and even they varied very significantly in temperature. When I used my one Crock-Pot® slow cooker it was so noticeable on chili if I had it on low for a period of time it was not even a good eating temperature, it was far too cool. So to use it, I had to keep switching between high and low. Admittedly when I used it for chili, I had it too full. You should never fill a slow cooker more than 1/2-2/3 full or you risk these problems. The instructions are clear about it but nobody (including myself) read the instructions. My other one was not a Crock-Pot® brand but had the usual slow cooker limitations. Those and the other issues convinced me to throw away the slow cookers and use electric roasters where you have control of the temperature, much faster heat up times to avoid the danger zone temps and far more versatility. Plus they're usually cheaper than a slow cooker these days too! Many recipes are not that fussy on actual temperatures. For example some people cook turkeys at 200° while some cook at 300°-350° and still others cook them at 500°. BTW, the universal slow cooker recipe seems to be: Place items in slow cooker, cook 4-5 hours on high or 6-10 hours on low until done. Serve