I am I the only one with quick cooking crockpot?

[jenn-]

I really want to do a meal in the crockpot tonight but I have become very disheartened by it in the past. Anytime I try cooking meat in the thing, it comes out so dry. I have managed to cook, from frozen, boneless chicken breast on low in 4hrs and even then it tetered on dry. I thought my crockpot was defective so I got a newer one. It does the same thing. I have pretty much gotten to the point I won't cook meat dishes in the thing. Am I the only one out there that can't leave a crockpot on for 10hrs without having to order takeout when I go to eat it?

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Oh, my, I thought it was just me. I can have frozen chicken breast cooked in under four hours on low. Forget high. Everything burns on the edges. Soup, spaghetti sauce, it all burns.

 

[Disney Ron]

I hate my crockpot, everything gets so watery!

Mrs. Disney Ron

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

I don't use mine that much -- mostly for those Campbell's soup recipes, but when I do use it I always cook on low.

When I cook sausage in tomato sauce it gets really soft -- overcooked dh says. I find that things look raw and then poof! they are cooked.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Nope, you aren't the only one. My crockpot will boil liquids on low after about 4 hours. It's frustrating. I read somewhere that they changed the way they are making the new crockpots to cook faster to make it safer, but I never got sick after cooking chicken for 8 hours when I was growing up!

 

[lisa_from_nj]

I got a new crock pot within the last year because the plastic lid to my 10 plus year old was was really cloudy and looked gross. The new one cooks so fast. I hate it. I really liked the old one. The new one cooks so fast I could set it on low and boil pasta!

Lisa

 

[legalsea]

You struck a nerve with me!

My old crock pot, back in the 1970s, would 'slow cook' chicken and meat perfectly. Heck, even if I were late getting home (by two hours) the meat would still be juicy.

However, my newer crockpot (5 years old) does exactly what the OP is complaining of. My old recipes are worthless regarding time for cooking. Four hours, and all is overcooked, even on the lowest setting.

I agree that the government must have issued a regulation mandating that the crock pot makers raise the minimal temperature. I have read that all slow cookers now bring the contents to boiling level (212degrees), with the only difference between 'low' and 'high' settings being how fast it gets to that level. Old crock pots, on the low setting, would get no higher than 190 degrees or so.

I must keep an eye out at estate or garage sales, and find an old crock pot again.

 

[simpilotswife]

I had the same problem. I think a slow cooker is something you guys might want to look in to. My mom bought one with a temp gauge which I inherited. It allows you to regulate the heat a bit better and generally if I put it on 200 or so I get the results that I want.

 

[Connie of Trenton]

Mrs. Disney Ron I was watching a Food Network program one day and I believe they said to prevent watery crock pot food you should place paper towel on top of the crock pot under the lid to catch the moisture.

 

[Dismom+two]

I just did my potroast in my crock yesterday and I was not happy with it...
HOWEVER...It was a rush job. NORMALLY, I put it all together and put in on low for the day while I am at work and it cooks for like 9 hours. Yesterday, I put it on low but then realized that it will be like 8pm before we could eat so I put it up on high and it just wasn't as good.

I don't get fancy with my recipe...I put the roast in (and I'm not ever sure what kind I use...all I remember is its the one that is tied up! ) and then I use the prepackaged seasoning by McCommick or something and how ever much water they say.

 

[Connie of Trenton]

Tied up roasts thats a good one! My favorite way to do a roast (beef and/or pork) is a can of cream of mushroom soup and an envelope of dry onion soup mix. Besides doing in the crockpot on low you can also do a few hours wrapped in foil in the oven on 225 degrees. It makes a great gravy.