Slow cooker users (N3TR)

andrea1103

So I am trying to use my crock pot more.  DH works nights so I try to have dinner for him before he goes in and a crock pot is an easy way to do it.  However, I am not a fan of having to cook things in the am before putting it in the crockpot. I am trying one tomorrow (slow cooker chicken and gnocchi soup).  What I am wondering is do I have to cook the chicken before I put it in for 10 hrs.?  Won't it just cook in there all day?  Does anyone else cook the meat ahead or do you just throw it all in?

Aime32

I totally agree with pp.  When I use my slow cooker I also use recipies that are assembly only.  There are times when I do cook prior especially when I make sloppy joes.  You'll be fine just throwing the chicken in there.

ADub09

I personally would pre cook all meats, but that's just me I never put raw meat in the slow cooker ~ I don't really know why thought!

katib77

I've done thawed meat that's uncooked, but not frozen.  It's an italian beef recipe that Chicago folks who are into Gardinaire (sp?) LOVE!

maybebride

The only meat I ever cook before putting it in the slow cooker is ground meat (beef/turkey) except for my slow cooker meatloaf. I do brown a roast before putting it in, but that is more for flavor. Any other meat can go in raw, doesn't hurt anything.

99luftballoons

No reason you can't put raw or frozen meat in there if you are cooking for 10 hours, that's the beauty of it!  I've only precooked meat once because of the particular recipe I was using, but otherwise I just throw it in and go.  I'm not a morning person, so having to do a ton of prepping in the morning just doesn't work for me.

orange1414

I put raw frozen chicken in mine all the time. Anywhere in the eight to ten hour range and it is always done all the way through.

jaminjeff

maybebride:

The only meat I ever cook before putting it in the slow cooker is ground meat (beef/turkey) except for my slow cooker meatloaf. I do brown a roast before putting it in, but that is more for flavor. Any other meat can go in raw, doesn't hurt anything.

This exacatly.  If I'm putting ground meat in, it's for some type of chili, I'm sure, and so I just brown it the night before.  Roasts get browned and also I'll broil spare ribs for ~5 minutes before putting them in there, just a flavor thing.  Otherwise, it goes in raw.