Question: I have an old, smaller crockpot which I love. I recently bought a large one to keep mashed potatoes in when the whole gang is here. It burns the potatoes, even on low. Do the large cookers heat at a higher temperature?
Can I use it for the egg casseroles you have posted?
Marjorie Asby
Hi Marjorie,
I recommend running the slow-cookery test on both your cookers to determine the heating differences between them. The following excerpts from past Home Cook'n newsletter will assist you in testing your cookers. If you cook the breakfast casserole recipe in your high-heating cooker, I recommend cutting the time by a few hours; since none of us have the luxury of sleeping for 10-12 hours, you should be able to check it after 8 hours to see if the eggs are set.
Hope this helps,
Desi @ DVO
The Slow-Cooker Test
My slow-cooker seems to cook sporadically. I cook everything on LOW in the time it takes to cook things on HIGH. I keep wondering what’s up???. If age or malfunctioning is causing sporadically cooked food in your kitchen too, this test will tell you whether its time to replace your cooker. You’ll also be able to gauge whether food is reaching proper temperature in the two-hour window of safe time.
To perform the test, pour two quarts of cold water into the cooker. Heat, covered, on LOW for two hours. Using an accurate thermometer, check the temperature quickly (the temperature will drop 10-15 degrees when the lid is removed). The water temperature should be between 185-200° F.
If your cooker is not heating up to these temperatures in that two hour period, it will not heat food hot or fast enough to avoid food safety troubles. You can either purchase a new cooker or apply the tricks in the Faster Slow Cooking section to ensure your food heats up faster.
FASTER SLOW COOKING
If you really need the meal to be done at the minimum cooking time specified in a recipe, or sooner, try any of these handy tricks:
Remember the temperature of the food entering the pot determines overall cooking time.
Heat liquids before adding them to cooker.
Use only thawed meats. Sear them to warm them up.
Thaw and warm vegetables slightly by searing or steaming them until they are crisp-tender.
Cover the food contents or the pot with a layer of aluminum foil and then top with the lid. The foil will deflect heat back down into the food.Start the cooker on HIGH while you prepare for work, church, family life, etc. Then, before heading out the door, turn the gauge to LOW to complete the cooking per recipe instructions.
The HIGHs and LOWs of Slow Cookery
Cooking on HIGH
Cooking on HIGH for one hour is equivalent to 2 to 2-1/2 hours of cooking on LOW.
The HIGH setting of a slow cooker ranges in temperature from 300-325° F.
The slow cooker becomes a "soup kettle" as liquids boil and evaporate at this temperature.
Due to moisture loss, food can cook dry. Check food periodically to ensure enough liquid remains in the pot. If the liquid boils away, the food may burn.
Turn the unit to HIGH and remove the lid to thicken juices by evaporation.
Make sure you’re home during the final hours of cooking time so you can check the food.
Stir food periodically to distribute flavors and to prevent sticking. This will help make the stoneware crock easier to clean.
Cooking on LOW
Cooking on LOW for 1 hour is equivalent to cooking on HIGH for 30 minutes.
The LOW setting of a slow cooker ranges in temperature from 200-210° F.
Liquids only simmer at this temperature.
Due to little evaporation or moisture loss, foods become more watery.
Foods will not burn or overcook on the LOW setting.
Cooking on LOW ensures a "start it and leave it" fuss free meal. No checking or stirring is required.
