15 Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

How to convert slow cooker times to oven? ›

To use an oven as a substitute for a slow cooker, you'll need to make a few tweaks to the temperature, cook time and even the amount of liquid you'll need. You'll also need to understand how each appliance operates. Here's a breakdown: Temperature adjustments.

It really doesn't matter if you have a conventional oven, gas oven, multifunction oven or a dedicated slow cook area on your range cooker as you can always slow cook. Slow cooking is a great way to prepare a nutritious family meal or make a large pot of something for family and friends in a relaxing way.

The basics for oven temperatures

Low oven temperature: low oven temperature is considered to be between 120-150°C and is good for slow roasting and tenderising tough cuts of meat. This is akin to a slow cook temperature in the oven if you don't have a slow cooker.

To mimic a slow cooker, you can use a dutch oven or covered casserole dish in a very low oven preheated to 200° Fahrenheit (United States) or 95° Celsius.

Slow cookers turn cheap meats tender and tasty, but they're also much cheaper to run than a big oven.

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.

If I can do it, then you definitely can, too. Recipe notes: If your oven temperature does not go as low as 160 degrees, use the lowest setting it has and be vigilant about monitoring the internal temperature of the meat.

While the slow cooker will be on for longer than if you cooked in an electric oven, that doesn't mean you'll be spending more on electricity as they use far less energy. In addition, slow cookers are suited to both cheaper cuts of meat and cheaper varieties of vegetables.

If you don't have a dedicated slow cooker but have oven-safe crockery such as casserole dishes or even clay pots, you can utilise them to achieve slow cooking. These retain heat well and provide a gentle, consistent cooking environment. Simply follow your desired recipe, and adjust the cooking time.

What can I use if I don't have a slow cooker? ›

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.

Food texture changes: Canned foods, such as vegetables, can become too mushy in a slow cooker. It's better to use them fresh or frozen. But, frozen veggies tend to make the texture of the dish more “watery”. Defrosting and draining the extra liquid before cooking can help minimize this.

“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.

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). Wondering what temperature is 'High' on a Crockpot slow cooker? The 'High' cook setting tops off at around 205°F after cooking for 4 hours.

We like to sear roasts first in a Dutch oven with a little olive oil, add spices, sauces and vegetables, a little water, and bake tightly covered in a slow oven (225-250 degrees F) for 4-6 hours.

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.

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).

How long should I cook a slow cooker recipe? 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.