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

FAQs

Can I use stove top instead of 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.

Preheat the oven to about 160 C. Follow the slow cooker recipe, but use a baking dish with a lid instead of a crockpot or slow cooker. If the recipe calls for slow cooker setting, then divide the cooking time by 4. Eight hours on low then becomes 2 hours in the oven at 160 ºC.

But you can also use your slow cooker like an auxiliary oven and stick your baking dish, cake pan or pie plate into the standard insert that came with it. It helps to use a short wire rack to raise your pan off the bottom so the heat can circulate all around it as it does in a conventional oven.

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.

Mainly that with a slow cooker you can “set it and forget it”. You can go to work, and those slow cookers with the right options will turn on at the preset time, cook for the preset time, then keep food warm until you get home. A stovetop pot needs to be watched in case the water evaporates off and it starts to burn.

A general rule of thumb from Luis Sanchez, senior category manager for the appliance manufacturer Breville: To go from "High" to "Low" (or vice versa), multiply (or divide) the original time by 1.5 to 2.5 hours. And as with the cooking times for specific ingredients, these times are approximate.

Slow cookers typically cost less to run than an oven. They won't necessarily save you money compared with using an induction hob, or even a gas hob. Making exact comparisons is difficult, because there can be lots of variables, such as the type of hob and how you use it.

The next best practice is to roast between 80°C (176°F) and 120°C (250°F) for an appropriate amount of time. This is the method I typically use when I roast red meat. You can also vary the temperature according to when the meat should be done. I usually start with the oven at 80°C (176°F) and then see how it goes.

What if I don't have a slow cooker? ›

Originally Answered: What can be used as a substitute for a crock pot? As long as you are relatively familiar with the heat characteristics of your stove-top, or even oven, you can go ahead and use a regular old cooking pot with a lid. A casserole dish covered with foil in a low temperature oven will work fine too.

What temperature is 'Low' on a slow cooker? Most slow cookers have two slow cooker temperature settings. The 'Low' cook setting reaches temperatures between 164-182°F (reaching a peak of around 205°F after 4 hours).

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.

If a recipe calls for cooking on the HIGH setting for three hours, you can cook it for seven hours on the LOW setting instead. Or if a recipe calls for eight hours on HIGH, it can be cooked for up to 12 hours on LOW.

Moderately slow = 160°C = 325°F = Gas Mark 3. Moderate = 180°C = 350-375°F = Gas Mark 4-5. Moderately hot = 200°C = 400°F = Gas Mark 6. Hot = 220°C = 425-450°F = Gas Mark 7-8.

While a slow cooker offers convenience, it's not the only route to slow cooking. With alternative methods like Dutch ovens, stovetop simmering, oven baking, pressure cooking, and utilising crockery, you can still savour the joys of slow-cooked meals. The results will be worth the wait.

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.

It depends on what kind of settings your crock pot has. A low simmer on the stove is probably equivalent to something fairly low on your slow cooker, though. If all you have is warm, low, and high, you want low - in some cases it might be too hot, though.