Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> Nancy Young > wrote in
> :
>
>> "Dennis G." wrote:
>>>
>>> (sara hurt) wrote:
>>>
>>>> I bought my first crock pot this weekend. The instruction manual
>>>> claims that "it's virtually impossible to overcook anything" in the
>>>> crock pot. I'm a little dubious. I'd like to try a recipe while
>>>> at work tomorrow (for pork chops) and it calls for cooking on low
>>>> 6-8 hours. However, with my hours, I'll be gone more like 10 1/2
>>>> to 11 hours. Will it overcook, or is the 6-8 hours the minimum
>>>> time it takes to be fully cooked and it's fine if you cook it
>>>> longer? Thanks!
>>>
>>> You could put a timer between the crock pot cord and the electrical
>>> outlet to start the cooking later by 3 hours.
>>>
>>> Dennis
>>
>> Not to be a little safety freak, but would you really want pork chops
>> sitting around at room temp all that time? I wouldn't. I guess
>> maybe if the liquid was replaced by ice cubes, but ... really.
>>
>> nancy
>>
>
> Atually, I use a timer all the time with a delay of about 3 hours.
> What I do is fully prepare the contents of the crock the night
> before, then refrigerate covered until just a moment before I leave
> for work. The residual cold from the thick crockery and food keeps
> it cool enough prior to the cooking cycle. I never include "high
> risk" ingredients like eggs, mayo, etc.
>
> Another alternative might be to leave the meat frozen when put into
> the crock. Veggies won't spoil regardless. If including potatoes,
> they should be coated or covered in liquid to prevent darkening.
>
> Wayne
Agreed... but I also have to wonder... the OP didn't mention the crock pot
having more than one temperature setting. The ones I have do; HIGH is for
10-12 hours, LOW for 6-8.
Jill