Have you ever been disappointed because you wanted to make a certain meal but you found there just was not time? Most meals can be put in the crockpot, but unless a recipe is specifically written for this appliance, many people do not think to use this timesaving device. In fact, many standard recipes can be easily converted for use in the crockpot.

While crockpots may vary slightly, generally the low setting is about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The high setting is approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit. An hour of cooking on the high setting is equivalent to two - 2.5 hours on low. Many recipes that you find written for crockpots suggest your food should cook for 8 to 10 hours on low. This is about how long most people are gone to work or school.

Advice for Converting Recipes

If you are thinking of trying your favorite recipe in your crockpot for the first time, there is a little advice you may want to follow for the best results. When changing any recipe for the crockpot, you will want to reduce your liquid. The crockpot does not let liquid evaporate like the oven, so you will want to reduce the amount you initially put in by about half. You will be surprised how much liquid is there when your dish is done.

Adjust your spices. Ground spices tend to lose flavor with many hours of cooking, so wait to add them until the last hour before serving. Whole spices, on the other hand, tend to become intensified in the crockpot. Unless you want to be overwhelmed with the flavor of that spice, you may want to cut it back by half.

If you are planning on chicken soup recipes or other one-pot meals, add just enough liquid to cover the other ingredients fully. If you need a thinner soup, you can add more liquid later. For cream soups, do not add the dairy products until the soup is almost done. This will keep the milk from separating or curdling.

You can make dried beans in the crockpot. Cook them overnight on low instead of spending the time soaking them. Add your beans and then cover them with water. Add a teaspoon of baking soda. In the morning, drain the beans before combining them with your other ingredients. Bean soup, chili, and other tasty meals can then proceed in the crockpot as usual.

Some foods do not hold up to 8 to 10 hours of cooking. Pasta, rice, seafood, dairy products, and Chinese vegetables will all suffer with such a long cooking time. Add these ingredients a couple hours before serving if your crockpot is set on low. If you set it on high, wait until the last hour to add them into the crockpot. If you really need to use milk in a recipe that must cook for 8 to 10 hours, use evaporated milk.

If you wish, you may brown your meat before adding it to the crockpot. Browning gives your meat an attractive appearance and it helps reduce the fat content of the meat. Taste-wise, browning is optional. Roasts turn out deliciously in the crockpot whether you brown them first or not.

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