Losing Faith in My Crock Pot

10 years ago

So I two fails this weekend, both with tried and trues but that are usually done in the oven - I thought I would try out the crockpot.

The first was for carnitas - usually done in my dutch oven for a few hours and then broiled a bit for crispness. Just didn't really work right. The recipe has you take the cooking liquid, reduce a bit, coat the meat and then the broil. There was just too much liquid. I usually LOVE these but this just didn't do it for me. I also make pulled pork in the CP with no issues (not all that different but somewhat).

The second was corned beef. I usually just cook forever on the stove. Figured why not try the crock pot? Again, just didn't work right. I think my mistake here was I should have left it on high rather than low - it just didn't seem to be cooked enough (even after several hours). I tested that theory last night - threw the leftovers into a pot on the stove and cooked some more and it was much better.

Have you done these in a crock pot? Do you modify things when you use a crock pot or was this just an off weekend of cooking?

Featured Answer

marcopolo5

10 years ago

I think making a corned beef would take 6 to 8 hours in a crock pot on high. You said you normally cook it forever on the stove top. No way a lesser heat source will cook it in less time. I have success making corned beef in the pressure cooker. I cook a 3 -4 lb piece about 90 minutes. Finish the vegetables without pressure in same liquid.

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Comments (6)

pkramer60
10 years ago
Remember that when cooking or braising in a crock pot less liquid is lost, so reduce the amount by at least 1/3 that what a stove/oven recipe calls for.

Crock pot cooking is also a slow cooking, so if you cook something forever on the stove top, plan on forever and a day. crocks do not get as hot as you stove top or oven.

Try again and see what happens or make a soup...
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grainlady_ks
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
1. Did you pre-heat your slow-cooker before adding ingredients?
2. When I cook a large amount of meat I pre-heat the slow-cooker (on High with the lid on) and turn it to High for about an hour to make sure everything is well-heated, then turn it down to Low.
3. Here's a conversion chart that might be helpful found at: http://lifehacker.com/make-almost-any-recipe-work-in-a-slow-cooker-with-this-1593228858
4. I'd also agree with pkramer60 and reduce the liquid. You can always add more, if needed.
-Grainlady
User
10 years ago
Even in a dutch oven, liquid can evaporate. No so much in a CP, so no wonder you ended up with too much liquid.

The corned beef needed more time.

Just operator error. Keep the faith in your CP!
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
10 years ago
I don't use mine that often but a few things i like it for...caramelized onions when i buy the big bags...and that garden harvest weekend when multi sauces and chili are hogging the stovetop...

Definitely pre-heat as mentioned and i also add a cup or two of water to test how it is working first...some will get to a boil rather quickly on high and some just barely simmer. Take the internal temp of meats after half an hour or so...try and get the temp up and hot asap.

I'm without an oven right now and may need to pull mine out but so far stovetop cooking has been fine...unless the installers hog the kitchen late in the day. I could use it out of the way or even downstairs. They can be very handy once you monitor the temp. Such basic hi-low settings on appliances are not the best but fine for some stewy things.
annie1992
10 years ago
I always did my corned beef in the crockpot, but I cooked it for at least 10 hours in my older/cooler crockpot on high. It became fall apart tender, if I wanted it firm enough to slice without falling apart I had to check it sooner, about 8 hours. It never failed.

I agree that a crockpot just doesn't lose the liquid other cooking methods do. Reduce the liquid in your carnitas and they won't be so wet.

I love the crockpot for some things, like beans, split pea soup, corned beef, pulled pork. I'm not as crazy about it for chicken, which overcooks quickly, and some ground beef recipes seem to get just an odd texture. But then again, I don't use a saute for everything, or a braise or roast, so I can't expect a crockpot to be good for everything either. I like the pressure cooker for chop suey, the Nesco roaster for roast chicken, an enameled dutch oven for stew and a screaming hot cast iron pan for seared steak.

Good luck, you'll find that "sweet spot" and the crockpot will serve its purpose. I know there was a very recent thread on crockpots started by Islay, here:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3598724/an-ode-to-the-slow-cooker?n=57

Annie

Losing Faith in My Crock Pot

marcopolo5

Comments (6)

pkramer60

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grainlady_ks

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sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)

annie1992

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