Slow cookers are powerful and versatile small kitchen appliances that create flavorful, tender meals. Read our guide on how to use a Crock-Pot or any other type of slow cooker and you’ll be crafting delicious meals in no time. Timer set, go!

What Is a Crock Pot?

Crock-Pot is a brand that manufactures slow cookers, and the name is colloquially used to refer to the products themselves. These convenient countertop appliances are designed to heat food for up to eight hours at a low heat, producing delicious flavors and tenderized meat or vegetables – all with the press of a button. Slow cookers come in three configurations – the classic slow cooker (which this guide focuses on), the roast oven (for the perfect roast turkey, ham, or pot roast), and the sous vide slow cooker (for use with standard soup or stock pots).

Tip!

To learn more about different types of slow cookers and size options, check out What Is a Sous Vide? or Slow Cooker Sizes to Have in Your Kitchen.

How to Use a Slow Cooker

Because slow cookers are all about setting and forgetting, mastering their use is super simple.

Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients

If your recipe involves chopping vegetables or slicing meat, make sure that you cut each ingredient into uniform pieces so they cook evenly when you add them to the slow cooker.

Step 2: Put Your Ingredients in the Internal Pot

Next, add your ingredients! We recommend adding root vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, or turnips) and vegetables like peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower first, since they take longer to cook than most meats and other vegetables.

Place meat on top of this layer. Then, layer quick-cooking vegetables like cabbage, peas, or spinach on top of the meat. By adding ingredients by cook time, you ensure that the food on the bottom gets cooked to perfection, while the food on the top receives just enough heat to cook without getting mushy.

In order for your food to cook evenly, your slow cooker should be filled at least half full but not over three-quarters full.

Step 3: Close & Secure the Lid Using the Lid Lock

Most slow cookers have tight-fitting lids and lock features to prevent heat or steam from getting out and disrupting the cooking process.

Step 4: Plug Your Slow Cooker In & Program Its Temperature & Cook Time

You can set the temperature to low if you want it to cook all day or high if you’re in more of a hurry. The high setting will cook food in half the time as the low setting. If your slow cooker doesn’t have a built-in timer, you’ll have to set one yourself.

Roast ovens operate similarly to Crock-Pots, except that they need to be preheated for some dishes. Handheld sous vide slow cookers need to be submerged in a pot of water along with a sealed container of your ingredients before you apply your settings.

Tip!

Typical electric slow cookers can be preheated just like roast ovens. Try it with meat and poultry to ensure it isn’t sitting out for too long at too low of a temperature.

Step 5: Sit Back & Wait!

Once your food is done, you’ll have to turn the cooker off or apply the “Keep Warm” setting yourself, unless it does so automatically.

That’s all there is to it!

Slow Cooker Features

Not sure what all your Crock-Pot or slow cooker features mean? Learn more below.

Programmable: If using a Crock-Pot wasn't easy enough, there are programmable models that have specific settings for different foods. Not only that, but some automatically lower the heat when your dish is done cooking so you don’t need to set it to keep warm manually.

Adjustable Temperature Settings: Slow cookers with only one or two heat settings are things of the past. These Crock-Pots have multiple heat settings. Some let you choose a desired temperature down to the degree.

Cool-Touch Exterior: With this feature, bumping into these appliances is no big deal. Their exteriors stay cool even while cooking, so there’s no risk of burns.

Delayed Start Setting: If eight hours isn’t enough, these slow cookers can be set to start at a later time. Just remember to be careful about what foods can safely sit uncooked for extended periods of time.

Keep Warm Setting: Need to keep a finished dish hot? The keep warm setting maintains heat without burning or overcooking the food.

Auto Shut-Off: There’s no need to worry about these slow cookers burning your food – they shut off automatically when they’re done cooking.

Portable: Spill-safe lids designed for travel and ergonomic handles enable you to take these Crock-Pots with you to the dinner party or the tailgate.

Easy-Clean Interiors: Slow cookers with removable interiors take the hassle out of cooking and cleaning. Those that are nonstick and dishwasher-safe can shave even more time off of cleanup.

Tip!

Not sure if a slow cooker is the appliance you’re looking for? Check out these related guides to help you find the right one for your cooking needs:

• Dutch Oven vs. Slow Cooker: Which One Do You Need?
• Pressure Cooker vs. Slow Cooker: How to Choose the Right One
• Rice Cooker vs. Slow Cooker: Which One Is Right for You?

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