A slow cooker is a really inexpensive way to keep you eating healthy, keep your meals affordable and ensure that you can have a hot cooked meal every day. They are designed to do all the cooking for you; just set it up in the morning and leave it alone until it’s time to eat.
Slow cooker cook time vary depending on what you are making, generally ranging from 3 hours to 12 hours, even longer for some recipes. The good news is you can alter the cook time by changing the settings from low to high, you just need to know a few cook time basics.
What are the Typical Cook Times for a Slow Cooker?
Most slow cookers come with two settings – High and Low. The cooking the goal is to reach a simmer point of 209°F. On the low setting it takes 7 to 8 hours to reach the simmer point; on high, about 3 to 4 hours.
Most slow cooker meals can be completed in this time frame.
How do I Convert Cook Times Between High and Low?
Depending on your schedule for the day, you may need to adjust your cook times. The recipe you are using will outline the time and heat setting to use, but what if you need to speed things up, or have the time to cook it longer on low, which is the preferred method according to the food experts. Use this chart to help you convert between cook times for High and Low settings on your crock pot.
| Low Cook Times | High Cook Times |
|---|---|
| 7 Hours | 3 Hours |
| 8 Hours | 4 Hours |
| 9 Hours | 5 Hours |
| 10 Hours | 6 Hours |
| 11 Hours | 7 Hours |
| 12 Hours | 8 Hours |
Not Working From a Recipe, Pick the Right Cook Time with these General Guidelines
Appropriate cook time varies according to specific meat as other ingredients added to dish including liquid, the size of meat cubes, type of vegetable, the size of vegetable pieces, how high the slow cooker is filled, and so on. The table below should give you a general idea of the cook time to use, but you’ll have to do a little experimentation.
| Meat Cut | Meat Weight | Low Cook Time | High Cook Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork Roast | 2.5 to 3 kg | 9.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours |
| Pork Loin | 1.5 kg | 6 Hours | 5 Hours |
| Poultry | 2.5 to 3 kg | 7.5 Hours | 6.5 Hours |
| Beef Roast | 1.5 kg | 8 Hours | 6 Hours |
| Stew Meat | 1.5 kg | 6 Hours | 5 Hours |
| Fish | 1 kg | 3.5 Hours | 1.5 Hours |
How to Convert from Oven Time to Slow Cooker Time
Many of us already have our favourite meals, so instead of reinventing the wheel, simply follow these general guidelines for cook time to convert your oven cook time into slow cooker cook time. Remember, this isn’t an exact science and some experimentation will be needed to make sure your meals are cooked through.
| Oven Cook Time | Slow Cooker Low | Slow Cooker High |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 30 Minutes | 4 to 6 Hours | 1 to 2 Hours |
| 30 Minutes to 1 Hour | 5 to 7 Hours | 2 to 3 Hours |
| 1 to 2 Hours | 6 to 8 Hours | 3 to 4 Hours |
| 2 to 4 Hours | 8 to 12 Hours | 4 to 6 Hours |
Getting a slow cooker for your truck is a great idea for the busy lifestyle that truck drivers have. For more information on slow cooker cooking check out our article, Tips for Using a Slow Cooker in the Truck
