Summary of The Crock Pot Buyers Guide:
This article is about the crock pot, a kitchen appliance that is used to slow cook food. It is an incredibly versatile tool, with different settings to adjust cook time, and can be used to make a variety of dishes. Tips for cooking with a crock pot are provided, as well as a breakdown of the different sizes available.
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Plus, it’s super affordable at only $18.99 (as of July 2022). Budget brand: Hamilton Beach 1.5 Quart Stay or Go Slow Cooker This budget-friendly crock pot is great for those who are on a tight budget. It’s simple, yet effective, and a great way to make small batches of food without breaking the bank. Large crock pot Maybe you’re throwing a party or you have a large family. In that case, you’ll want to consider a larger crock pot. These appliances range in size from seven quarts to ten quarts and are great for preparing large batches of food or for entertaining. Recommended brand: Hamilton Beach 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker This large crock pot is perfect for those who need a lot of food at once. It’s programmable, so you can set it and forget it. Plus, it comes with a locking lid, which makes it great for taking dishes to parties or potlucks. Budget brand: Crockpot 10 Quart Slow Cooker This 10 quart crock pot is great for those who don’t want to spend a ton of money, but still need a large crock pot. It’s great for large batches of food and is easy to use. Final thoughts The crock pot is a fantastic kitchen appliance that can help make cooking meals easier and more enjoyable. Whether you’re cooking for one or for a crowd, there’s a crock pot size that will suit your needs. And with the right tips and tricks, you can make the most out of your crock pot and create delicious meals for your family.
Crock Pot: The Ingenious Kitchen Appliance
What is a Crock Pot?
In this context, when we use the term crock pot, we are referring to slow cookers in general. The terms are often used interchangeably in today’s times. That being said, there is a specific brand of slow cooker called Crockpot that offers its own spin on the classic tool. But for the sake of this article, we will use crock pot and slow cooker interchangeably.
Quite simply, a crock pot, or slow cooker, is an appliance that sits atop most countertops and uses a low heat setting to slow cook whatever food is put within its stoneware container. This stoneware container (most often porcelain or ceramic) is then placed inside an electrical heating element which can be set to different heat levels depending on the needs of your recipe. A lid sits atop the container to keep in the heat.
Crock Pot Settings
One of the great aspects of a crock pot is the total versatility of the appliance. The sheer number and range of dishes that a crock pot can cook sometimes seems endless. That is due, in part, to the settings on which a crock pot can be used.
Have all day to cook a large piece of meat? Set the cooker on low and it will be nice and tener by the end of the day. Need something a bit more quickly? Turn it up to high and it could be done in three to four hours. Most crock pots also have a “warm” setting which keeps your food warm, but doesn’t cook it any farther.
The temperature range for most crock pots lies between 175 and 215 degrees Fahrenheit. Both the low and high settings fluctuate between these temperatures; the low setting hits the peak temperature less often than the high setting. This is how the crock pot cooks things slowly or more quickly depending on the setting. Generally, the time it takes to cook a certain dish on low is double the time it takes on a high setting.
The warm setting is between 165 and 175 degrees Fahrenheit. This function is great for keeping food warm that may be eaten later in the day or if you are serving food at a party where it needs to stay warm over an extended period of time.
Tips for Cooking with a Crock Pot
While specific recipes for crock pot dishes will vary, there are some general tips that you can follow to ensure that your experience cooking with the crock pot will yield the best results.
Don’t overfill your crock pot. Crock pots function best when the main cooking vessel is filled halfway to three quarters of the way full. Crock pots do come in different sizes, so you may need to consider how much food you will normally be preparing and buy the appropriately-sized slow cooker.
Shut the lid and keep it that way. Resist the urge to peek inside to check your food. Every time the lid is opened, heat escapes and your total cooking time will need to increase. Keep the lid closed until the very end of your cooking time for the best results.
Crock pots are great for meals with meat and vegetables, such as stews. If you are cooking vegetables in your crock pot, be sure that the vegetables are chopped to roughly the same size. This will ensure even cooking across all veggies. If you are cooking vegetables and meat at the same time, place the hearty vegetables (like carrots, onions or potatoes) on the bottom and the meat on top.
Meat matters. Tougher cuts of meat, or those that are more fatty, will fare better in the crock pot. In fact, they’ll come out juicy, tender and delicious. Leaner cuts typically dry out.
If you do have a particularly fatty piece of meat, be sure to trim the fat off before placing it in the crock pot.
At the end of the cooking time, you may find that your dish has more liquid in it than you planned. Because the lid is shut tight throughout the duration of the cooking time, liquid has no place to evaporate. Instead of dumping out the extra liquid, pour it into a small saucepan, add your desired thickener (flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, etc) and turn it into a thick sauce or gravy. This will add loads of flavor to your dish and is less wasteful than just dumping it down the drain.
Crock Pot Sizes – A Breakdown
As we mentioned above, crock pots come in a variety of sizes. We recommend buying a crock pot that will most often suit your needs. If you’re still stuck on what size is best for you, keep reading as we breakdown the most common crock pot sizes and recommend our favorite brands.
Standard Crock Pot
The standard-sized crock pot is between five and six quarts. This is a great size for families or people who plan to use the crock pot for meal prep or who want leftovers. If you plan to make hearty stews or soups, this is a beneficial size to do so.
Recommended brand: Crockpot 6 Quart Slow Cooker with Locking Lid With over 24,000 reviews on Amazon, and an average rating of 4.5/5 stars, this standard crock pot is an easy pick for our favorite six quart slow cooker. One of the best features, in our opinion, is the warm setting – which kicks on automatically once the set cooking time has expired. This one rings in at $79.99 (as of July 2022), which is a bit on the pricier side admittedly, but considering how long this appliance will last you and how much food it can cook at once, we think it’s worth it.
Budget brand: Elite Gourmet 5 Quart Stainless Steel Slow Cooker A great option for those who want a sturdy, quality crock pot at an affordable price.
Small Crock Pot
Maybe you’re just cooking for yourself. Or perhaps you have a tiny kitchen or you live in a dorm room. If that’s the case, you definitely don’t need a standard size crock pot. Luckily, there are small crock pots available on the market. Sometimes referred to as “mini” crock pots, these appliances range in size from one quart to three quarts and are perfect for those who need just a little bit of food at a time.
Recommended brand: Courant 1.5 Quart Mini Slow Cooker A great option for people who are cooking in smaller quantities. It’s great for a couple of servings of oats, quinoa or for taking dips to a party. Plus, it’s super affordable at only $18.99 (as of July 2022).
Budget brand: Hamilton Beach 1.5 Quart Stay or Go Slow Cooker This budget-friendly crock pot is great for those who are on a tight budget. It’s simple, yet effective, and a great way to make small batches of food without breaking the bank.
Large Crock Pot
Maybe you’re throwing a party or you have a large family. In that case, you’ll want to consider a larger crock pot. These appliances range in size from seven quarts to ten quarts and are great for preparing large batches of food or for entertaining.
Recommended brand: Hamilton Beach 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker This large crock pot is perfect for those who need a lot of food at once. It’s programmable, so you can set it and forget it. Plus, it comes with a locking lid, which makes it great for taking dishes to parties or potlucks.
Budget brand: Crockpot 10 Quart Slow Cooker This 10 quart crock pot is great for those who don’t want to spend a ton of money, but still need a large crock pot. It’s great for large batches of food and is easy to use.
Final Thoughts
The crock pot is a fantastic kitchen appliance that can help make cooking meals easier and more enjoyable. Whether you’re cooking for one or for a crowd, there’s a crock pot size that will suit your needs. And with the right tips and tricks, you can make the most out of your crock pot and create delicious meals for your family.
