Slow cookers are quite handy to have around the house, making dinner preparation easy while you’re off doing other things. However, one problem people often run into with slow cookers is the question of whether they can overcook meat in a slow cooker. Is it possible? Read on to find out what happens when you leave your meat cooking too long in your slow cooker and how to avoid overcooking when you use this appliance.



What does overcooked meat look like

If you're ever been curious about what overcooked meat looks like, look no further than those sad and shriveled-up chicken breasts that have spent too much time in your slow cooker. It's unfortunate but it happens. While they still might be safe to eat, they certainly won't taste good. For tips on making sure your next batch of pulled pork isn't overcooked, check out our guide below. The same goes for any other proteins, seafood and red meat included!


What are the benefits of using a slow cooker

A lot of people seem to avoid slow cookers because they feel that it is easier or faster to use other methods for cooking. This couldn’t be further from the truth! The benefits of using a slow cooker are many, including: saving energy; leaving your home free from odors and mess; and creating some of your favorite meals. While slow cookers can take some time to learn how to use them properly, once you do you will wonder how you ever cooked without one. Below we’ll take a look at several ways that having a slow cooker can benefit you. Afterward, consider investing in one so that you can give it a try for yourself!


Different Types of Meats to Use in Slow Cookers

For best results, choose lean cuts of meat that you’d cook using another method—that is, either by sautéing, roasting or grilling. Choose meat that’s naturally tender; tougher cuts like chuck are best cooked slowly over a longer period of time. Always monitor your meat during cooking to avoid over- or under-cooking it! Generally speaking, boneless chicken breasts will be done after 4 hours on high and 6 hours on low. If you prefer your chicken less dry and more moist (like I do), I recommend preparing boneless thighs instead: they have much more fat than breasts, which keeps them from drying out. Chicken legs work great too—their skin makes for extra flavor and helps keep them moist during cooking as well.


Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

This is almost as simple as it gets. Dump everything into your slow cooker (but don’t add any liquid), and turn it on low for 10 hours. It doesn’t get much easier than that! Throw your meat, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions, and garlic into your crock pot. Then add pepper, salt (optional), dried rosemary or oregano leaves and thyme sprigs (or you can use crushed rosemary or oregano if you have them). While these herbs are optional, they do enhance all of those flavors! The high amount of time in a slow cooker should tenderize even tough cuts of meat (like cheap roasts) making them delicious.


Tips for Using Your Slow Cooker

Cooking slower is better for meat because it allows you to get tender, fall-off-the-bone results without drying out your food. When using your slow cooker, avoid opening it as much as possible and don’t check on it too often. By keeping your slow cooker closed and letting all of that heat build up inside, you’ll help seal in juices and moisture so that when you do open it up at dinnertime, you can be sure everything will be perfect. Even if overcooking is an issue with these recipes, however, we have ways to fix that problem! Just remove some of those hot juices from your crockpot (or use a slotted spoon) before adding ingredients like rice or noodles.


Conclusion

It’s true that you can overcook meat in a slow cooker if you let it run for too long, but generally speaking, very few meats will suffer from being cooked low and slow. Unless you’re taking it to extremes (letting your pork roast cook for 18 hours), chances are you won’t overdo it. Just make sure to keep an eye on your slow cooker so your dinner doesn’t cook longer than expected!