How to Convert a Slow Cooker Recipe for Oven or Stove Top (2024)

FAQs

Can I use a stove top instead of a slow cooker? ›

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can slow cook right on stovetop using a cooking pot that has a heavy build (like a Dutch oven) so it can disperse heat evenly to the food cooking inside. You should cover it well with a lid, keep the heat low and keep checking food in between so it does not run out of liquid.

Conversion to Oven

The low setting of a slow cooker ranges from 190°F to 200°F. To mimic this in an oven, set your temperature to approximately 325°F. The high setting of a slow cooker ranges from 290°F to 300°F; in oven terms, this is roughly equivalent to 375°F.

Slow Cooking on Stovetop

You can also slow cook in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan on a stove over very low heat, for a slow simmer. Note, this is a hands-on process and requires monitoring—stir the pot occasionally and add liquid as needed. Stove top cooking is generally for stews, soups, chilis, or braises.

More even cooking: Second, oven-baked stews heat from all sides rather than just from the bottom, which results in faster, more even cooking.

A cast-iron Dutch oven closely mimics a slow cooker due to its ability to retain and evenly distribute heat. Its tight-fitting lid helps create a cooking environment similar to a slow cooker. It can usually be used on the stovetop or in a 325F oven.

This means that a meal cooked in a slow cooker retains more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals than a meal cooked in the oven. It also keeps the freshness and flavours of each ingredient more efficiently and reduces the risk of overcooked or burnt food.

Choose the best size and shape slow cooker for baking. For cakes and pies, I recommend a 5- or 6-quart round slow cooker. You can fit a 1-quart round baking dish with a lid, as well as a 2-quart round baking dish with a lid, into your 5- or 6-quart round slow cooker.

If a dish usually takes: 15-30 mins, cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low. 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2-3 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low. 1-2 hours, cook it for 3-4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low.

Is 8 hours on low the same as 4 hours on high? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Slow cooker cooking vessels may be heated in an oven, but the glass lids cannot because the plastic knob on the lid could melt or burn.

To slow cook on a stove top, brown the meat and add liquid, seasonings and any other desired ingredients. Slow cookers offer great convenience, but not everybody has one. It's good to know that most slow-cooker recipes can be converted to the stovetop or oven.

While you can make a beef stew on the stovetop or also in the Instant Pot, I'm partial to using my slow cooker for beef stew, to give the ingredients that long, unattended time they need to become really tender and delicious.

Not only are slow cookers ideal for people who want to leave dinner to simmer away and attend to other errands, they work out to be one of the cheapest appliances to cook with in the kitchen. The electricity usage of an electric oven is estimated to be around two to 2.2kWh, compared to a slow cooker at just 0.7kWh.

Slow cookers, also known as crock pots if you're a yank, have been a staple kitchen appliance for decades. They might look a little bit technical but they offer convenience, cost-effectiveness, and versatility, making them a must-have in any kitchen.