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The Art of the Crock Pot

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jessalon
jessalon Posts: 12 Member
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Everything I crock ends up all dry and gross because I cook it too fast and too long. I made a bottom roast last night stuffed with garlic and drowning in beef stock. It seemed yummy this morning... and then when i got home from work it was disgusting and dry and falling apart. I tossed it. Talk about a waste of 14 bucks.

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  • jessalon
    jessalon Posts: 12 Member
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    The wife informs me the roast was improperly wrapped and that somehow the fridge can eat all the yummy juice inside... sadness.
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
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    Wait, what? Did you put it in the crock pot last night, or did you just put everything together and start cooking it this morning? Sounds to me like you either cooked it too long or the heat was too high.
  • zellagrrl
    zellagrrl Posts: 439
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    I would just do it for 4-6 hours... overnight and all day seems way too long.
  • kerriknox
    kerriknox Posts: 276 Member
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    I would just do it for 4-6 hours... overnight and all day seems way too long.

    This^^^ I use the crock pot all the time. Mine has a timer so I put it on in the morning, set the timer for about 6 hours and then it automatically switches to 'warm' mode when it is done. Easiest way to cook!
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
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    i use my crock pot for country style pork ribs and they're done in an hour or two.
  • SweetxCatastrophe
    SweetxCatastrophe Posts: 593 Member
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    If you cooked overnight, thats waaay too long. The longest I have ever had anything in the crockpot is 10hrs for chicken cacciatore. Any roast type things should only go like 6ish
  • jessalon
    jessalon Posts: 12 Member
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    Ugh. Crockpot should be convenient... I work 11-12 hour days and by the time I get home overnight is my only option. I
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
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    Ugh. Crockpot should be convenient... I work 11-12 hour days and by the time I get home overnight is my only option. I

    You can't start it in the morning before you leave, instead of overnight? Consider putting everything into the crock, then putting the crock in the fridge. Take it out and turn it on in the morning, easy peasy.

    If you're gone too long, consider one of those timers you get for a Christmas tree. Set it for what time you'd like the crock pot to start, and do that.
  • GalaxyDuck
    GalaxyDuck Posts: 406 Member
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    If you're gone too long, consider one of those timers you get for a Christmas tree. Set it for what time you'd like the crock pot to start, and do that.

    ^^This. Those little timers work great for situations like this.
  • spirit80
    spirit80 Posts: 327 Member
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    Ugh. Crockpot should be convenient... I work 11-12 hour days and by the time I get home overnight is my only option. I

    I would get an electrical timer. Same one they use for lights. Set it to come on 5 hrs before you get home. Just a thought.
  • tsavisky
    tsavisky Posts: 78 Member
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    If i'm going to be gone that long I will cook it on my low setting and my food has turned out fine. I think the standard is 5-6 hrs on high and 8-10 on low. I think...
  • KristysGonnaGetFit
    KristysGonnaGetFit Posts: 40 Member
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    We used to have the same issue with DRY foods cooked in C.Pot while we were gone at work 10-11 hours. We now use a timer (like mentioned previously) and put in the food frozen and have it set to turn on 4-5 hours later, so that it only cooks about 6 hours (on LOW) and it's perfect when we get home. Now, I LOVE my C.Pot! I always put food in frozen though as I'm scared that just raw food might spoil before it starts cooking (but that's just me! maybe it'd be fine?!?)
  • jessalon
    jessalon Posts: 12 Member
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    Didn't even think of the light timer thing. It'd be really nice to be able to come home to warm food that's super tasty. I have 2 crockpots. One is a digital deal with the thermometer and you could fit a lot of stuff in and the other is old school and small. I'll have to fool around with the digital one and make sure it will work if I do that otherwise I'll just use the smaller one for this method. Someone should invent a wifi connected plug that you can turn on and off from your smartphone for people like me with constantly changing schedules.
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
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    Another thing is the crockpot isn't suitable for more expensive cuts of meat. The long slow cooking is best for breaking down the tougher connective tissue of cheaper cuts. Using the crockpot for premium cuts of meat is a waste of money and dries it out as well. Just FYI
  • digitalalchemy
    digitalalchemy Posts: 56 Member
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    I also work 10-11 hour days, but I put things on low. I have found if I don't turn off the crock pot and allow the meat to "rest" and cool down in the crock pot with all the good juices, the meat comes out super dry. It is weird because you would think that because it has been cooking on low all day it would be nice and moist, but it isn't unless I allow it to cool for at least 1/2 hour. I usually will take off the lid as it helps to cool faster. It is annoying to wait another 30 minutes, but it helps. I guess that's where the timer would come in handy. Good luck!

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