Kitchengroot is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Is it your first time trying to cook your meal in a crockpot, and you have no idea about its settings and how the temperature on the crockpot works? Are the different temperature settings on the crockpot or slow cooker confusing you, and you can’t decide which setting is ideal for your cooking? Don’t fret; we have all answers for you.
Crockpot or slow cooker is slowly becoming the new normal in most households. All thanks to the hassle-free cooking experience it provides and the wide range of meals you can cook in it. However, as it is still new to most households, people need time to adjust to its settings and temperature requirements.
We have compiled an extensive write-up for you explaining all the crockpot settings, i.e., temperature modes, its working, advantages of using a crockpot, preparing your food for cooking in the crockpot, and some safety and cleaning tips that might help you in the future.
What Temperature Does a Crockpot Usually Cook At?
Crockpots or slow cookers are widely used all around the world for cooking a large number of recipes, especially vegetable and chicken stews, and soups. It’s generally loved by people who want their food to cook for long hours on slow heat as, according to some people, this tends to increase the flavor, and the food retains its nutritional value to a great extent.
But unfortunately, this cooking equipment hasn’t become a norm in households yet, so it’s crucial to know about the temperature parameters and settings of a crockpot before finally beginning your journey of cooking your meals in this.
Generally, the crockpot’s temperature goes up to about 85 to 99 degrees celsius when you set it to a low setting. Similarly, on a high setting, its temperature can go as high as 149 degrees Celsius, which is best for cooking meals fast.
Another setting that you could see on the dial of your crockpot is warm, which often confuses most people using the crockpot for the first time. Your crockpot’s temperature can go up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit when set at the warm setting. However, one thing you need to know about the warm setting is that it is not meant to cook your food. Instead, the warm setting on the crockpot is to keep the food warm as long as it is in the slow cooker.
Note: This is just a generic idea about the crockpot’s temperature and can vary depending on the brand you own, the size of your crockpot, and its type.
What Is the Temperature of a Crockpot On the Low Setting?
Now that we have given you a general idea about the temperature settings of a crockpot let’s take you through a detailed analysis of what the temperature inside the crockpot looks like at the low setting.
When you rotate the crockpot’s dial to set your slow cooker on low, its temperature can reach 190 degrees Fahrenheit. However, when it comes to crockpots, they need some time to increase the temperature and reach higher thresholds, unlike the stovetop, where you can immediately see the flame lighting up as soon as you give the ignition.
This means that if you have just rotated the dial and moved it to the low settings, the temperature of the crockpot at the beginning will be low and will increase as time passes. So, if a slow cooker works for the past few minutes, its temperature will typically reach the maximum threshold for low setting, i.e., 87 degrees Celsius or 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
What Is the Temperature of a Crockpot On the High Setting?
When the dialer of your Crockpot is set to the High-temperature setting, you can expect the temperature inside the slow cooker to go up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you make a recipe with a lot of water or some other liquid, the cooker’s temperature might stop rising after reaching the liquid’s boiling point.
As mentioned above, the temperature-rising capacity of a Crockpot is time-dependent, i.e., it gradually increases as time passes. Typically, a standard-sized crockpot takes around 7 to 8 hours on low setting and 3 to 4 hours on high setting to reach the maximum temperature.
What Is the Temperature of a Crockpot On the Warm Setting?
The Warm Setting on the crockpot is something that often confuses a lot of users. Some people take it for an additional temperature setting, but the reality differs. This setting is meant to keep your food warm depending on the food item being cooked in the slow cooker.
According to experts, cooking the food in a warm setting is not recommended as you might have to wait another few hours for it to be cooked in a high setting afterwards.
As far as the temperature is concerned, it’s best not to exceed the threshold of 140 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the food warm, as beyond this, the food might get too hot to be consumed.
Cooking Time on Low and High Settings
Now that you have looked at the temperature thresholds of both the low and high settings of your crockpot, your next concern must be cooking time. Well, as evident from their name, on a low setting, your cooker will typically take double the amount of time as it will on a high setting. But this is not definite and keeps changing depending on the recipe you are making.
This is why it’s best to check the recipe first on the recipe book you generally get with your crockpot. In such cases, if the recipe is supposed to take 12 hours on low setting, it will typically take 8 hours on High.
Here is a table for you to get a better idea of the cooking time comparison on the high and low-temperature settings.
| Time on Low Setting | Time on High Setting | |
| 7 Hours | 2 – 3 Hours | |
| 8 Hours | 3.5 – 4 Hours | |
| 9 Hours | 4.5 – 5 Hours | |
| 10 Hours | 5.5 – 6 Hours | |
| 11 Hours | 6.5 – 7 Hours | |
| 12 Hours | 7.5 – 8 Hours |
Working of the Crockpot or Slow Cooker
To help you understand the temperature modes better and make it easier for you to comprehend the whole phenomenon, let us explain the entire working process of a Crockpot for you.
Here is a list of all the components a typical crockpot comes with:
-
- Vessel – Where the food is placed
- Base with a heating element
- Glass Lid
Procedure
The cooking process in a crockpot or slow cooker is almost like that of a pan placed on a stovetop. However, in this case, the heat initiates at the bottom, makes its way to the sides at the upper part, and then reaches the food.
As the cooker is sealed with a glass lid, the steam generated within the cooker creates a vacuum inside. The consistent and gradually increasing temperature retains this moisture and heat that ultimately cooks the food. As this whole process is gradual, it takes much more time than a typical pan you use at home for cooking.
Why Use a Crockpot for Cooking?
As the trend of crockpots is new, a lot of people are still confused about making this transition and aren’t yet sure if this can benefit them in the long run. If you are also one of them and are unsure whether a crockpot is a better cooking appliance than the typical stovetop in most households, we have you covered.
After thorough research, we have enlisted some of the primary benefits of using a crockpot for cooking that hopefully help make up your mind.
-
Budget Friendly
When it comes to crockpots, it won’t be wrong to say that they are just a one-time investment. Well, we understand that they run on electricity and will consume some units in the future for cooking up your meal, this is nothing to worry about.
Compared with most households’ average gas cost, the electricity consumption by a crockpot would be too low to even consider. Fortunately, these appliances are built so that they don’t use too much power, saving you from spending too much money.
So, if you are on a tight budget or generally want to save up for your next trip, this might be a cue for you to get yourself a crockpot.
-
Hassle-Free
Unlike the manual cooking process on a pan placed on top of a stove where you have to stand and keep an eye on your food for a long time and occasionally have to move the spoon around in the gravy, the cooking process in a crockpot is too simple and hassle-free.
All you have to do for your meal to be cooked is to adjust the time and temperature settings on the cooker, and you are good to go. Moreover, unlike manual cooking, where even a slight carelessness can burn your food, overcooking is not a problem with a slow cooker.
To top it all off, the warm temperature setting on a crockpot keeps your food warm for a long time, and you can enjoy your meal all fresh and warm whenever you want.
-
Better Taste
You must have heard your granny say that when a meal is cooked at low flame, it’s a lot tastier and better quality. This is the exact mechanism by which a slow cooker works. It doesn’t quickens or hurries up the cooking process, and as a result of which, the end result is always way beyond your expectations.
The meal cooked on low flame tastes much better, and its smell is enough to trigger your appetite.
-
Healthier Food
Not only is the meal cooked on slow heat incredible on your taste buds, but is packed with a lot of nutritional value. Moreover, using a slow cooker, you can make a lot of healthier meal options for yourself, i.e., stews, soups, and other healthy and protein-rich recipes that don’t work well at high flame.
Here is a guide you can check out for some healthier meal options that can be cooked in a crockpot.
How to Prepare Food for Cooking in a Crockpot?
Though cooking in a crockpot is a lot more convenient and hassle-free, you might have to go through a little bit of hassle while preparing your food to go into a slow cooker for cooking.
Here is how you can prepare different food items before finally adding them to a crockpot:
-
Beans
If you plan to cook beans in your crockpot, ensure to soak them in water overnight before adding them. Never add beans at the beginning of the cooking process, as this might dry them out. Always add them during the last 30 to 40 minutes of cooking.
Another thing you need to be careful about when cooking beans in the slow cooker is not to add any acids, salt, or sugar to them. Doing so will slow the cooking process of the beans, and they will not be too tender in the end.
-
Veggies
This might be a little shocking for you, but potatoes, carrots, turnips, and other root veggies take longer time to cook than meat in a crockpot. So, it’s best to place these veggies at the bottom and top them off with the meat.
Delicate vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, peas, zucchini, etc., are best added towards the last 40 to 60 minutes as they can cook quickly. Make sure to cut the veggies into small-sized cubes before adding them to the slow cooker.
-
Meat
If you need to cook meat that’s more than 3 pounds, it’s best to cut it down to half before adding them to the crockpot for even cooking. Ensure to trim off the excess fat from the chicken, as this can lead to overcooking.
-
Rice
If you use instant rice, it’s best to add it in the last 30 minutes. However, converted rice is best cooked at a low-temperature setting for a significant number of hours.
How to Clean Crockpot?
Now that you have looked at the temperature settings of the crockpot, its working, food preparations, and all the things about a crockpot that you need to know before getting on to the cooking process, here are some simple steps you can follow to clean it up after making your first meal in it.
- Fill up the crockpot with water a little above the food line.
- Add ½ cup white vinegar to it.
- Now pour ½ cup of baking soda into the mixture.
- Note: If your crockpot is 6-quart, increase the quantity of vinegar and baking soda to 1 cup.
- Once the bubbles die down, add a little more baking soda.
- Cover the cooker with the glass lid and rotate its dialer to set it to the LOW setting for around 1 hour.
- When the time is up, remove the glass lid.
- Using a cleaning sponge, gently clean the sides and bottom pane of the cooker.
- Wait for a few minutes till the crockpot cools down.
- Wash it with cold water or rinse it under the kitchen sink.
- Set the counter on the cooker meant for its drying.
Your crockpot or slow cooker is all set for the next meal.
You can also check out this YouTube guide to seek any help regarding crockpot cleaning.
FAQs
Can the Oven be Used as Slow Cooker or Crockpot?
Yes, an oven can easily be used as a slow cooker, but you have to set it to a shallow temperature, i.e., upto 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Placing the food on a roasting pan and cooking it for a long time on a slow flame is another thing you can do to achieve the results of a slow cooker.
Can Water be Boiled in a Crockpot?
Yes, it’s possible to boil water in a crockpot. However, this is not an ideal scenario; no one would want to do it again after attempting it for the first time. It’s because, in a slow cooker, it will take at least 2 to 3 hours to get the water to its boiling point.
This time can also increase depending on the quantity of water you are trying to boil, and it is entirely unworthy.
Can a Crockpot Be Left on Low Setting Overnight?
As the name suggests, a slow cooker is meant to cook at a slow temperature for long periods of time. Therefore, it is possible to leave a crockpot in the low-temperature setting for the entire night.
Considering that a crockpot is manufactured in such a way that it keeps the electricity or power consumption as low as possible, this won’t be a bent on your wallet either.
Is It Recommended to Leave Crockpot on Warm Setting for the Whole Night?
As the warm setting of a crockpot has nothing to do with the cooking process and is only meant to keep your food warm, it is entirely harmless to leave your crockpot in a warm-temperature setting for the whole night. Doing so will only keep your food warm and fresh to be consumed later on.
Conclusion – Crockpot on Warm Instead of Low: Everything You Need to Know!
In this guide, we have taken you through all the things you possibly need to know about the crockpot to initiate your cooking journey with it. We have also tried to answer your question of which mode among the low and warm modes is best for cooking.
As discussed above, low mode is meant to cook food in the crockpot at low temperatures for long hours, while warm mode only keeps it warm. So, hopefully, this has answered your question.
We have also taken you through the working mechanism of the crockpot, preparing food before putting it into the slow crocker, the benefits of using a crockpot, and a method you can use to clean up your slow cooker after cooking.
Hopefully, this write-up serves as a usage guide for you, and you will be confident to cook all the meals you love in your new crockpot. Happy Cooking!
