Crock Pot Cooking

Food Safety Issues 

One type of slow cooker has heating elements on the sides as well as the bottom, and is usually called a crock pot or crockery cooker. Heat surrounds the food, bringing the entire receipe more quickly up to a safe temperature. Crock pot cooking cooks foods slowly at a low temperature - generally between 170^o and 280^o F. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the direct heat from the crock pot, lengthy cooking, and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make a crock pot cooking a safe process for cooking foods.

However, true slow cookers only have heating elements on the bottom. Since there are safety concerns with such low level heat coming only from the bottom bringing a large piece of meat up to a high enough temperature before spoiling, the USDA recommends that this type of slow cooker be used for soups and stews only, where the food is cut into smaller pieces.

Experiences using slow cookers with heating elements on the bottom are mixed, with some reporting no problems but others having experiences such as a roast burnt on the outside but still raw on the inside.

As with any cooking method, you'll want to begin with clean utensils, a clean work area, and of course, a clean crock pot. Wash your hands before and during food preparation.

Fill cooker no less than half full and no more than two-thirds full. Vegetables cook slower than meat and poultry in a crock pot so if using them, put vegetables in first, at the bottom and around sides of the utensil. Then add meat and cover the food with liquid such as broth, water, or barbecue sauce. Keep the lid in place, removing only to stir the food or check for doneness.

Store leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within two hours after cooking is finished. Reheating leftovers in a crock pot is not recommended. However, cooked food can be brought to steaming on the stovetop or in a microwave oven and then put into a preheated crock pot to keep hot for serving.