QUICK! I Need Help from the Crock Pot Experts

[BethR]

If I would put a 3.5 pound mostly frozen roast into the crock pot now, would it be ready by 4:45 this afternoon?

I have the bigger Rival one with the removable crock.

THANKS!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I use a crock pot but never use frozen meat in it. Can you defrost the roastr in the microwave then cook it at high in the crock pot?? Does your owners manual have times in it?

 

[BWVDenise]

I always put meat in the crock completely frozen and it doesn't seem to take any longer to cook than when it isn't frozen! It will be done by 4:45!

 

[RUDisney]

I'd season the frozen roast, put it in the crockpot on high, and plan for dinner at 4:45. I think, I don't have access to my book right now, that says you can cook a frozen roast in about 8 hours on high.

Happy dining!

 

[BethR]

Hi Carol!

Got this from a rummage sale - so no owner's manual.

I think that it might take a long time to defrost this roast without it starting to cook (it is a block style rump roast.)

What I am going to try - I THINK - is to brown it in the oven at 475 and then throw it into the crock pot. I will check it early this afternoon and if it is not "moving" then I will throw it into the oven.

Thanks!

 

[BethR]

Thanks BWVDenise and RUDisney!

I have the roast browning in the oven now. I seasoned it with garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and worchestershire sauce.
I will put in the crock pot when it is brown.

I am going to cook mini carrots with it - should I put them in at the same time?

Thanks!

 

[sharbear]

I do this a lot. I just put the frozen roast in the crockpot and it always seems to be done at dinner time. We eat at 6 and if I put it in first thing in the morning it is always done. Frozen meat is fine in the crockpot. I think that putting frozen chicken in the crockpot doesn't dry it out as much and I prefer to put frozen chicken in.

 

[Kermit]

Yes, put the carrots in with the roast. In fact, I think you're supposed to put them on the bottom because vegetables cook slower than meat in crock pots. I'm not really sure why that is, but I read it in the book that came with mine, and it works when I do it that way.

 

[BethR]

Thanks everyone! I am about to put the roast in the crock now. I am adding some onions and celery that I browned with the roast in the oven. I will put the carrots on the bottom (thanks Kermit) and then add a can of cream of celery soup and a package of onion soup mix.

I sure hope that everything turns out ok. I know that it sure SOUNDS good to me!

 

[sharbear]

Sounds good to me too.

 

[RUDisney]

That sounds very good!

I just tried another DISer's recipe for carrots in a crockpot that I'd like to pass along because they were delicious! Get yourself a small crockpot. I think the one I got for Christmas is only a 1-1/2 qt style. I told my Mom that I wanted it and she got it in Target for $6.99 or $7.99, I forget, but it wasn't expensive.

Anyway, I opened a bag of baby carrots, prepared a mix of carrot glaze that they sell by the carrots, and put the butter on top. I cooked this for 4-5 hours (I did this on my lunch hour and it was finished for dinner.) It was delicious!

Maybe for next time!

 

[BethR]

Thanks for the tip RUDisney!

I have always thought that a smaller crock pot might come in handy.

You know how I use my crock the most? To keep foods warm for parties, picnics, etc. Actually I have 2 of them this size and they both usually end up getting used at things like that.

This winter I did make some hot sausage in the crock. I cooked my sausage links (I buy the Primo ones from Sam's) in a little water to get them mostly cooked through. I then put them in my crockpot with a can of spaghetti sauce, a can of diced tomatoes and some sliced peppers and onions. I put it on at 7 am and it was ready by 1 or so. I can't remember if I had it on high or low though. I just know that everything was done perfectly.

The thing about cooking in the crock pot for me is that DH and a couple of my DDs don't care for "saucy" - or maybe I should say "gravy" kinds of foods. But *I* do. I think that I would use my crock pot more if I had more support from my family...

(I guess this thead belongs on the recipe board now. But I needed an answer FAST - and I knew that I could rely on the CB folks. )

 

[cgcw]

Oooh, I'm going to have to get a little crock pot and try the recipe for the carrots. It sounds yummy.

I always put frozen meat in my crock pot. I'm not much of a planner or a cook for that matter. So, the crock pot is my God send. I use it at least a couple times a week.

 

[piratesmate]

I didn't see this in time to respond this morning, but . . .

according to my old Rival manual (25 yrs ago) you can cook a frozen roast on HIGH in the stoneware pot if you add at least 1 cup cold water. The carrots should go on the bottom & the potatoes on the top.

I ALWAYS do my roast frozen. If your family doesn't want gravy, the extra juice (from the water added) is great to use as stock for other recipes later. I usually start my roast around 8am & it's done by 6pm. I am finding, though, that this new larger oval doesn't seem to cook as fast as my old one. I used to be able to do a 4lb roast in that time on LOW. Now I have to do it at least half time on HIGH.

Deb

 

[BethR]

Ack! I did not add water. Wonder if I could sneak some in now?

I think that I may just leave it alone. I thought that I read somewhere that you add an extra hour? - half hour? to the cooking time each time that you take off the lid.

I have another Rival crockpot that IS probably 25 years old - also with the removable crock. I have noticed that one of the 2 crock pots cook faster, but I don't recall which one. Guess next time that I use both of them that I will have to mark the one that seems hotter.

And after all of this, I am remembering that DD #3 is going to have pizza with her scout troop tonight and I am going to BINGO - where I always have some of THEIR yummy food.

DD #4 has musical rehearsal at 5:30 so that was my reason for wanting dinner ready by 4:45 - she may just have some leftover rigatoni from last night. And DH will be eating by himself - which he really does not like - so he may just grab something somewhere. So this roast may end up being THURSDAY's dinner (we eat meatless on Wednesdays during Lent).

Oh well- that will make Thursday easy.

 

[cgcw]

Very seldomly do I add liquid to my crock pot. Usually I just add spices or a package of Lipton Onion Soup mix. Once in a while I will add a can of cream soup. But that's just me. Plain & simple.

 

[RUDisney]

Beth, with the creamed soup you added, you should be fine with the liquid. Don't worry about sneaking some water in now.

 

[piratesmate]

The water was to prevent the stoneware from cracking due to the difference in temperatures between the meat & heat element. Since you seared the meat first & it was only partially frozen, that possibility was greatly reduced. I think you'd have had the problem by now if there was going to be one. However, I don't really think that condensed soup would perform the same function.

BTW - I still add water even if it's not frozen because I like to use the broth for other recipes. But then I've only ever tried one chicken recipe (I got it here) that uses soup. We tend to use spices for flavoring - no calories that way.

 

[BethR]

Nope - no cracked crock. Thank goodness!

There's lots of liquid in the crock now. The house smells heavenly. But DD #4 is going to have a french bread pizza before her play rehearsal, and DH will have whatever - so I DO have Thursday's dinner ready. I think that I will make some "real" mashed potatoes that day since I won't have any other preparations to do. "Real" mashed potatoes are a real treat in our house!

 

[RUDisney]

Real mashed potatoes? I stopped mashing whole potatoes myself when I found Reser's brand, et al, that are real mashed potatoes that you just have to heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, add butter and mix, then heat for 2 more minutes.

There are two things I don't make well... mashed potatoes from scratch and brownies. Pretty much everything else is good... just those two things.