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SaraP Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 08 2009 at 6:17pm | IP Logged
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This thread reminded me of something I have been meaning to ask . . .
Whenever I run my crockpot for a long time - more than 6 or 8 hours - the edges of whatever I am cooking are burned. This has happened with at least two different crockpots and with all sorts of recipes. Is this normal or have I had two bad pots? Is there a way to avoid it? I'd love to do crockpot breakfasts, but burned oatmeal, etc. just doesn't go over.
__________________ Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
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guitarnan Forum Moderator
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Posted: Dec 08 2009 at 7:53pm | IP Logged
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I have this happen, too, with my 6-qt. and it happened with my (sadly dead) 4-qt. I try to keep an eye on the cooking process, but, of course, that's not what a crockpot is all about. Sometimes I'm away for the last 3 hours of cooking time.
I hope someone has the inside scoop on this!
__________________ Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JodieLyn Forum Moderator
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Posted: Dec 08 2009 at 8:07pm | IP Logged
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I think I've read that the newer crock pots are hotter than the older ones.. so recipes that worked with older pots.. are being cooked at a higher temp. I vaguely recall now a friend saying something like the low on her new crockpot being closer to the high on her old one.
__________________ Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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RamFam Forum Pro
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Posted: Dec 08 2009 at 8:13pm | IP Logged
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I too experience this but my biggest crockpot problem is that no matter what I put in it comes out tasting the same.
__________________ Leah
RamFaminNOVA
Tom ^i^, Kyle (my Marine), Adeline '00, Wyatt '05, Isaac '07 Philip '08,Michael '10, and John Xavier Feb '13
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CrunchyMom Forum Moderator
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Posted: Dec 08 2009 at 8:33pm | IP Logged
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RamFam wrote:
I too experience this but my biggest crockpot problem is that no matter what I put in it comes out tasting the same. |
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__________________ Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Paula in MN Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 08 2009 at 8:39pm | IP Logged
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You have to keep it on the lowest setting and shorten the cooking time. I don't think I cook anything longer than 5 hours. I also spray the inside of mine with Pam before filling.
__________________ Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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melanie Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 09 2009 at 5:21pm | IP Logged
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I have found my latest couple of crockpots to cook fast too. Basically I use "low" when the recipe says "high" and "warm" when it says "low. I almost never use the high setting.
__________________ Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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Maddie Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 09 2009 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
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I was also going to recommend greasing the inside of the crock first.
__________________ ~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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Mary G Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 10 2009 at 5:58am | IP Logged
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I read somewhere that crock pots should be full to get the most benefit and flavor ... in other words a smaller pot filled to the brim is better than a larger pot with excess space. Also, you might want to cover the crock with a bathtowel to help hold in the heat/steam from the process; I've found that when I can seal it "almost" air-tight, I get a better result.
Leah ... dh is right with you ... he can't stand anything cooked in the crock!
__________________ MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Karen T Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 3:17pm | IP Logged
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I don't think it's just newer ones; I think old ones get hotter as they age. I have a slow cooker, the kind with a metal pan that can go on the stove to brown meat first, then it goes on a base that works like a crock pot. It was a wedding present 20 yrs ago and still going strong but even on the very lowest setting, I can't leave something like spaghetti sauce in there more than about 5 hours or it burns. It's bubbling even on low.
I recently bought a "new" crockpot at Goodwill, the regular crock kind, and as long as I keep it on low, and have it pretty full, it's working better.
Karen T
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JodieLyn Forum Moderator
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 3:41pm | IP Logged
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My problem with mixed dishes like crockpot or soups or casseroles coming out the same is because I tend to want to add more.. with these dishes LESS is usually better.. for instance.. chicken soup with noodles and green beans, salt, pepper, sage and thyme will taste a lot different from beef with carrots and potatoes and cabbage and salt and pepper and caraway. But chicken with noodles and green beans and carrots and cabbage and italian seasonings won't taste a huge difference from beef with potatoes and green beans and carrots and cabbage and italian seasonings.
So less in each dish so that you can increase the difference between dishes.
__________________ Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Nina Murphy Forum All-Star
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:31pm | IP Logged
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Paula in MN wrote:
You have to keep it on the lowest setting and shorten the cooking time. I don't think I cook anything longer than 5 hours. I also spray the inside of mine with Pam before filling. |
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How interesting.
I just made a beef stroganoff the other day where it required spraying the pot with Pam first and I have never done this before. It cooked for almost 7 hrs (on low) and it was perfect....no "edges". This must be the big secret!
__________________ God bless,
~~Nina
mother of 9 on earth,
and 2 yet-to-be-met
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