Do you leave your crockpot on while you are not home?

[Soarin_04]

However, here is my problem. I'm usually away from home for about 11 1/2 hours a day.

I won't use a timer. Leaving home at 5:30 am and not having the slow cooker turn on until 11 am is unsafe and out of the question. But what are my options? I must be doing something wrong if others can go to work all day and have a nice, slow-cooked meal, and I cannot.

Is it possible to have DH or an older child turn it off prior to your return home? I've had days like that and I've just asked them to turn it off and wait until I hit the house. Normally, they're home by 3 - 3:30, and even with the crockpot turned off, if I get home by 5ish, the food's hot, cooked through, and not dried out.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Sometimes if the recipe calls for 8 hours on low I will cook it for 6 hours and have it switch to warm. Never had anything dry out. Or I just have the dog turn it off.

Is it possible to have DH or an older child turn it off prior to your return home? I've had days like that and I've just asked them to turn it off and wait until I hit the house. Normally, they're home by 3 - 3:30, and even with the crockpot turned off, if I get home by 5ish, the food's hot, cooked through, and not dried out.

 

[herdtoDisney]

Could you put the food in frozen? Like, frozen meat. That way it takes up a couple of the hours heating up before it actually starts cooking, and it's safe thawing because you are cooking it immediately.

 

[lori123]

Could you put the food in frozen? Like, frozen meat. That way it takes up a couple of the hours heating up before it actually starts cooking, and it's safe thawing because you are cooking it immediately.

Some info on putting frozen items in the crock pot:

Food Safety

* Many people cook frozen foods in the crockpot. And others like to reheat foods in the crockpot. Most food experts do not recommend these practices, as foods need to reach a temperature of 140 degrees within 1-1/2 hours to prevent bacteria growth.
* Even if the foods do eventually reach a safe temperature and cook thoroughly, bacteria in the food can produce toxins that aren't destroyed by heat and that can make you sick.
* Many people have experienced food poisoning and don't even know it. They may have some digestive discomfort or feel ill for a day or two and then recover. Unfortunately, a person in a high risk group (elderly, persons with compromised immune systems, small children, and pregnant women) can suffer serious consequences from food poisoning.
* More than 5,000 people die each year in the U.S. as a result of food poisoning. If you decide to cook frozen foods or reheat foods in the crockpot, do so at your own risk.
* One thing you can do is to warm the liquid used in the recipe and add it along with the frozen foods, to help raise the temperature more quickly.
* Taking a calculated risk may be acceptable to you as long as you know the consequences AND as long as no member of your family is in a high risk group.


I used to put things in the crock pot frozen all the time - and then it happened - we got food poisoning. It was one time out of many - but it was enough to make me stop!

 

[ceecee]

Sometimes if the recipe calls for 8 hours on low I will cook it for 6 hours and have it switch to warm. Never had anything dry out. Or I just have the dog turn it off.

As long as the dog doesn't sample it! I must be tired or something, because I could not stop laughing at that, I can just picture the dog turning off the crock!!!

 

[gigi1976]

You guys just reminded me that my mother in law won't hold the remote during a storm! Once we were visiting and it was storming, as soon as she saw the first flash of lightning she made my DH put down the remote, we had the greatest laugh at her expense, and she did not appreciate it, but I still smile when I think about it.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Is it possible to have DH or an older child turn it off prior to your return home? I've had days like that and I've just asked them to turn it off and wait until I hit the house. Normally, they're home by 3 - 3:30, and even with the crockpot turned off, if I get home by 5ish, the food's hot, cooked through, and not dried out.

No. I'm usually the first one home. I guess I could ask my youngest daughter to take the crockpot out of the refrigerator right before she leaves for work at 9. Even then, the food might be cooking too long at 8 hours. Oh, and my DD is 22.

Sometimes if the recipe calls for 8 hours on low I will cook it for 6 hours and have it switch to warm. Never had anything dry out.

I've done that before when I'm home. Usually, I take the lid off of the crockpot at the 6 hour mark. However, I can't do it when I'm away. The 6-hour setting on my crockpot is high. The first low setting is the 8-hour setting.

Or I just have the dog turn it off.

I don't have a dog.

My crockpot is about 10 years old now. Is it time to get a crockpot with better features that would allow me to control the temperature settings. My crockpot was top of the line...for the beginning of the new century.

 

[pixiewings71]

YOu should never leave a dryer running, just ask an insurance adjuster or fireman. Also I guess none of yu have ever had a plastic utensil fall onto the heating element of the dishwasher.

Running these appliances while gone is just dumb and asking for trouble.

When I say plastic I mean like the utensils that you use when cooking in non stick pans.

Also, OMG to the like is dangerous. I put that comment on the Dis boards right up there with snowflakes and helicopter parents. Really, this makes no sense. Why do I need to run the dishwasher or dryer when I am not here and take a chance on losing everything that I have, including my dog. That is just crazy. If you want to take a chance fine go ahead, but firemen and insuracne adjusters will tell you, it isn't a good idea.

Your aunt, well good luck. If she is crazy enough to run the dryer while she is gone, well then oh well. I am not willing to do that. I paid too much for my stuff and am too attached to my dog to run something that can wait until I get home.

Also for everyone that works, I have plenty of friends that work full time and they feel the same way.

As far as a crock pot, yes I will use it when gone, it is for that use, the dryer and dishwasher are not.

I've never had a plastic utensil fall onto my heating element, but even then it won't cause a fire, it just smokes and stinks up the place. yes I know, my sister has had it happen to her.
My dryer is in my garage, if it catches on fire only my garage will be destroyed. I'm not worried about my dryer causing a fire anyway as we keep it clean and do our best to keep it lint free. Also, our dog is OUT during the day as are the cats. If we lost pets we would lose the saltwater fish tank, that would suck (ins. doesn't pay you for the livestock you have, just for the equipment you have) but they can all be replaced. Fish aren't the same as a dog or cat IMO.

Me neither until it happened to me. My DH was out of town so luckily I was sleeping extra light that night. I woke up and thought that I was smelling smoke. I toured the house sniffing outlets and even feeling the walls to see if they were hot and couldn't figure out the source. I then assumed that it was coming from outside...opened the front door and sniffed...hmmm...

Anyway, got back in bed and couldn't relax 'cause it was still slightly smokey. Got up, checked the kitchen again, but this time turned on all the lights. I followed my nose to the dishwasher (which was on the dry cycle) and when I opened it, smoke billowed out. Somehow a wooden spoon had fallen from the top rack and landed on the heating element. It was actually slow burning and only 1/2 of the spoon portion was left...the bottom of the dishwasher had a small pile of ash!

I don't know if it could have actually developed into a full on fire, but now I have one more thing to add to my list of neurosis!

I've had this happen many times in the past, but not with my current dishwasher. We had an old top load dishwasher and it happened in that thing all the time......we lost a lot of wooden spoons that way. We never had one develop into a full on fire tho, it just smoked and smelled bad.

No. I'm usually the first one home. I guess I could ask my youngest daughter to take the crockpot out of the refrigerator right before she leaves for work at 9. Even then, the food might be cooking too long at 8 hours. Oh, and my DD is 22.



I've done that before when I'm home. Usually, I take the lid off of the crockpot at the 6 hour mark. However, I can't do it when I'm away. The 6-hour setting on my crockpot is high. The first low setting is the 8-hour setting.



I don't have a dog.

My crockpot is about 10 years old now. Is it time to get a crockpot with better features that would allow me to control the temperature settings. My crockpot was top of the line...for the beginning of the new century.

My crock pot has a 10 hr setting....I've never used it but it has it. I just got this one a few weeks ago and I've only used it once. My old one had an 8 hr setting, I got that one 4 years ago but we had an "incident" with it and had to get rid of it.

 

[marie1203]

I love my pets too...I fail to see how using a crock pot during the day equals me not loving my pets....my pets are so spoiled, they are more spoiled than the kids are. lol I have 2 types of crock pot, 1 with a timer and 1 without. When I only had the one without the timer I didn't use it if I wasn't home, now I have one with a timer and it automatically switches to warm when it's done cooking. It has 4 settings, High for 4 hrs, High for 6 hrs, low for 8 hrs and low for 10 hrs, then after that time it switches to warm. I keep mine on my stovetop (glass stovetop) and keep it away from the cord and pulled out from the stove top controls. Maybe you need to look into one witha timer?

I used to work with a firefighter I hear too many stories when it didn't work right, the timer didn't turn it off, etc. So it is not matter of having something with a timer. Leaving anything home that heats up is taking a risk timer or no timer.

 

[pezaddict231]

I have heard of a dishwasher causing a fire, but it was because the unit itself malfunctioned. Since reading this blog post I only run it when I'm home and awake.

http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/01/on-a-serious-note/

I have used a crockpot and left it on when I'm at work, and I do worry but I've never had a problem.

 

[IDoDis]

Just a couple of weeks ago my Pampered Chef large nylon spatula fell on the heating element in the dishwasher, melted part of it which then got stuck to the hot part, and then broke in half when I pulled it off. I smelled burning plastic, so figured something fell on the heating element. Needless to say, there wasn't a fire. It's happened before with plastic cups that get put on the bottom shelf.

I'm just that it was my Pampered Chef spatula! They are only sold in a set with four other pieces (that I already have), so the only way to replace the spatula is to buy the entire set!

As far as the crockpot goes, I always leave it plugged in while we're gone all day. I did have a coworker several years ago have fire destroy 1/2 of their house that started with a crockpot. It was due to faulty wiring though, and not necessarily the crockpot. The fire could have started no matter what was plugged in. It just so happened that she had something in the crockpot cooking the day the fire started (while everyone was gone at work).

 

[Bell30012]

I leave my crock pot on all the time when I'm not home. The outside of the pot doesn't get that hot. I believe that was the intention when they made crock pots was to cook while you weren't in the kitchen babysitting it.

Think of all the electrical appliances that run when you are not home. My computers, my air conditioner, the water heater, the refrigerator, the freezer, a couple of lights, etc.

 

[marie1203]

Think of all the electrical appliances that run when you are not home. My computers, my air conditioner, the water heater, the refrigerator, the freezer, a couple of lights, etc.

Yeah but those appliances do not heat up.

 

[luvsJack]

I have always left my crock pot on while I was at work. Mine has different settings on it for 4,6,10 or 12 hour cooking temps. At the end of the cooking time it will go on "warmer" for another 6 hours or so. I like that because there has been times I could not get home by the end of the cooking time.

My grandmother used to go home at lunch (she and grandpa ran a small grocery store), and put a roast on the stove turned down super low and then go back to work. Supper ready when they got home. She did that for years.

My mom and I have both let things cook in the oven while at church. I haven't done it in awhile but I used plan Sunday dinner to be something that takes about an hour to bake. I would put it in the oven and set the cooking timer to make the stove come on at 11:00 and go off at 12:00, we got home at 12:15 to dinner already ready to eat.

 

[angierae]

Yeah but those appliances do not heat up.

Just because something is warm to the touch doesn't mean it's going to spontaneously burst into flames.

 

[Bell30012]

You ever put your hand on the compressor for a refrigerator or freezer? Don't heat up??? My computer room generates enough heat that I have an extra air conditioner in there. What about a water "heater"? Yep, that thing heats water with two very hot coils.

 

[pixiewings71]

I used to work with a firefighter I hear too many stories when it didn't work right, the timer didn't turn it off, etc. So it is not matter of having something with a timer. Leaving anything home that heats up is taking a risk timer or no timer.

My Dad was a firefighter for years and years....my Mom used the crock pot while we were gone and we never had any problems at all with it. So I will continue to do the same, I think about it sure, but I don't stress over it that much. I've been thru a house fire, things are replaceable, the only things NOT replaceable are my family members and our fuzzy aminals (yes, I spelled that wrong on purpose lol), they are out during the day when no one is home so in the event of a fire they would most likely be just fine.

Yeah but those appliances do not heat up.

Ummmm, yes they do.....every single one of them heats up. But the heater, water heater and a/c units are outside or in our garage, with the dryer....if they caught fire we'd have more time before the flames invaded the house.

 

[marie1203]

My Dad was a firefighter for years and years....my Mom used the crock pot while we were gone and we never had any problems at all with it. So I will continue to do the same, I think about it sure, but I don't stress over it that much. I've been thru a house fire, things are replaceable, the only things NOT replaceable are my family members and our fuzzy aminals (yes, I spelled that wrong on purpose lol), they are out during the day when no one is home so in the event of a fire they would most likely be just fine.



Ummmm, yes they do.....every single one of them heats up. But the heater, water heater and a/c units are outside or in our garage, with the dryer....if they caught fire we'd have more time before the flames invaded the house.

I meant as it heats up to a temperature that can make things catch on fire. I know any fire can catch on fire if something is wrong with it. But is more likely to catch on fire with things that are high temperature. I do not leave my animals outside so I would not take the risk.

 

[angierae]

I meant as it heats up to a temperature that can make things catch on fire. I know any fire can catch on fire if something is wrong with it. But is more likely to catch on fire with things that are high temperature. I do not leave my animals outside so I would not take the risk.

And I still say that the outside of a crock pot does not get hot enough on the outside to set something on fire. You can TOUCH the outside of a crock pot. It's not that hot.

How does something only warm to the touch "make things catch on fire"? I'm sorry, the only way I could see a crock pot start a fire is through the electrical, and if that's the case, then I hope you unplug your TV, computers and everything else every time you leave the house.

 

[pixiewings71]

I meant as it heats up to a temperature that can make things catch on fire. I know any fire can catch on fire if something is wrong with it. But is more likely to catch on fire with things that are high temperature. I do not leave my animals outside so I would not take the risk.

I disagree, our water and home heaters are gas, they have a flame on at all times....they get much hotter than our crock pot does.......
We leave our pets out because there isn't someone home for much of the day, they have access to the garage but not the main house. Our street is quiet enough that we don't worry about traffic accidents with them. When we are home they have in and out access from the pet door in the backyard. You don't have to agree with me, we can agree to disagree and I have no problems with that at all.

And I still say that the outside of a crock pot does not get hot enough on the outside to set something on fire. You can TOUCH the outside of a crock pot. It's not that hot.

How does something only warm to the touch "make things catch on fire"? I'm sorry, the only way I could see a crock pot start a fire is through the electrical, and if that's the case, then I hope you unplug your TV, computers and everything else every time you leave the house.

ITA
I think our fridge gets hotter than our crock pot does.