If you love your crockpot like I do, here is some useful information that will help you take even better advantage of it. A handy chart for converting your favorite traditional recipes to crockpot meals!
I especially like using my crockpot this time of year because it doesn’t heat up the house like turning on the oven does! No one needs that in the heat of summer!
By using the simple reference chart below, you can make almost any of your family favorites into crockpot favorites!
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Most traditional recipes can be converted to use in your crockpot, however, there are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind when going from stovetop to crockpot:
- Reduce the amount of liquid the recipe calls for by about half. The slow cooking process will produce more liquid that won’t get boiled away.
- If the recipe does not include liquid or sauce of any kind, you should add 1/2 cup of water because moisture is needed to produce steam for the slow cooker to reach the appropriate cooking temperatures.
- Browning the meat before adding to the slow cooker will enhance the flavor of the dish.
- If the recipe calls for vegetables, be sure to cut them into consistent size pieces and layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- More delicate vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, peas, and summer squash should be added towards the end of the cooking time.
- Recipes for soup and stew containing milk, cheese, or other dairy products, should have these ingredients added in the last 30 to 60 minutes of cooking time.
- To avoid rice and pasta from becoming sticky, cook them on the stovetop and add in at the end of the cooking time just long enough to be heated through.
- At the end of cooking, if there seems to be too much liquid, remove the lid and turn the pot up to high, allowing some of the water to cook out.
- If you’d like to thicken or enrich the sauce, stir in cream, sour cream, shredded cheese, or a mixture of cornstarch and cold water.
- Brighten up flavors with salt and pepper, lemon juice, or vinegar, and maybe a handful of fresh chopped parsley, basil, or cilantro.
Almost any recipe that bakes in the oven or simmers on the stovetop can be converted for your crockpot. Give some of your favorites a try! Let me know how they turn out! :-)
Here are a few of mine:
Crockpot Spareribs & Mom’s Secret BBQ Sauce
Pineapple Teriyaki Crockpot Chicken
More Ideas You'll Love
3-Ingredient Sweet & Tangy Meatballs
5 Slow Cooker Meals In One Hour
Easy Roast
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If that’s what you seek in a roast hen, your search stops here. This approach uses nothing but a slick of olive oil on the skin, a sprinkle of salt …
Have have a chicken recipe I’ve only ever made in the oven. Its cooked chicken, cooked frozen broccoli with a cream of mushroom, mayo, cheddar cheese and curry powder sauce. I usually layer broccoli, then chicken, the sauce and cover with cheddar. Then cook cover at 350 for 30 min. I’m unsure of how to convert this to a slow cooker?.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The crockpot in the picture looks like stainless steel. Please tell me what the brand is. Your blog is always so helpful. Thank you for all the info you share.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For the meatloaf, you could use no-stick foil on the bottom. The meatloaf recipe is almost exactly like mine. Differences: I use soft bread crumbs, dried onion flakes rather than powder, a splash of soy and Worcestershire sauce, a tsp. of beef base (Better Than Bouillon), and slather top with ketchup. I have never made it with cheese…can’t wait to try it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The crock pot mashed potatoes!!! What a fantastic idea! I usually make the mashed potatoes and then put them in a crock pot to keep them warm and out of the way while getting everything else ready (for holiday cooking especially). To do it all in the crock pot!!! Brilliant.
you have so many good ideas, here is another one that you can research, how to make our own teas from roots, spices and other items. i would like to learn to make my own teas so that i am not spending as much money at the store.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh, thank you! I have had two fails in the slow cooker department since beginning my Please Don’t Heat Up the Kitchen New Recipe Challenge. I hope to use the chart and suggestions to keep other fails from happening (and to be able to convert recipes to slow cooker recipes).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.As someone else noted the link to the “5 Slow Cooker Meals in One Hour” just takes you to the “3-Ingredient Sweet & Tangy Meatballs” recipe.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What is the difference between crockpot cooking and slow cooker cooking? How do they compare in ease of use and in the food products prepared?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Crockpot and slow cookers are one in the same.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mashed potatoes in the crockpot are my favorite way to make them now! Thanks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanx–I’m going to try reducing the size & making a magnet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love you even more today . Thanks so much for this!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.PS: thanks for the conversion chart–really helpful.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Inspiring ideas! I would suggest that you emphasize that you have to be really careful not to beat mashed potatoes too much because they can quickly turn into glue because of the high starch content.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also, the link for the 5 meals leads to just meatballs.
Oooh- thanks Jill! You’ve inspired me to try steak fajitas in the crock pot tonight.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is an awesome conversion chart! Thanks so much for sharing. A few months ago you shared my 1 hour + 1 Mess = 5 crock pot meals (thanks!). I now have 35 crock pot freezer meals that can help save so much time and money! http://www.savingyoudinero.com/2014/04/26/35-crock-pot-freezer-meals/
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank You So Very Much I Enjoy Your Web Site So Very Much.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use my crockpot as an oven all the time. I cook my fish packets in the crockpot. I bake potatoes or cook frozen corn wrapped in foil in the crockpot. I have a recipe to bake bread in the crockpot as well but haven’t tried it yet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow, lots of great info in here! Thanks so much for the handy conversion chart!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I use my crockpot in the summer, I put it either in the garage or on the porch. That way it’s not adding any heat at all to my house.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi, I put my crockpot in the garage too but not for the reason you stated. My issue with the crockpot is the overpowering odor it leaves in the air in every room in my house. I can even detect it in the lining of my purse located 3 rooms away. Any solutions?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If your crockpot has a chemical odour to it, call the manufacturer to make sure nothing wrong is with it.
If that’s not the case, you can get rid of chemical odours by setting out an item in the sun to “bake out.” It might be the plastic surrounding your crockpot that outgasses every time the crockpot warms up. Speeding up this process in the sun might help (with the crockpot OFF of course)
The odour could also be a chemical non-stick coating.
If you can’t get rid of the odour by baking it out, I would try finding a new crockpot, preferably with little to no plastic parts and without a chemical non-stick coating added to it.
Thanks for responding to my comment. I should of mentioned it was the food cooking that overpowers my house. The food is good it just stinks while cooking. Can’t stand it. The liner is ceramic and not a nonstick finish so that doesn’t present a problem. It’s really to bad because I really love the food cooked in those crockpots.
AMAZING! Thank you!
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