As for the chicken, have you tried browning it first in a pan? For some reason, I was thinking that browned cuts might hold together better than totally raw chicken. This, of course, is only a guess.

You can't do this with just any recipe, though. Chicken definitely can't stand up to such long cooking - but beef stew is fabulous. The tricky things are getting the amount of liquid right, and making sure the seasonings are robust enough not to get lost.

Well, it might be different for some models, but mine bubbles the whole time, even on low. I figure if it's boiling at all I should be perfectly safe.

If you're not used to cooking on low and that is what concerns you - the fact that it will take so long for the raw meat to reach bacteria-killing temperature - maybe you could start the recipe on high, or brown the meat first?

quote:

---

Originally posted by cmtigger:
...can it be turned on that long?...

---

I battled with this, too. My crock only has High/Low/Keep Warm settings with no timer, and my days last longer than 8 hours, which is the maximum amount most of my recipes call for. A friend reccommended that I get one of those timers that you hook your lamps up to when you're going out of town. You know - the ones that automatically switch on your lamps to make it look like you're there, when you're really not. I figured that was a pretty good idea, but then I didn't like the idea of food just sitting out for a few hours. I'm not sure if that's safe. Is it?

Anyway... my solution has been to turn the crock pot on at night while I'm sleeping, and shut it off before I get in the shower in the morning. I take the lid off to help it cool faster, and then I just cover it with a towel while I get ready for work. When I'm all set, I dish it out into Glad containers, and put them in the fridge. Because most of the recipes I use call for about 6 to 8 hours on low, doing it while I sleep works out perfectly!

That's what I love about crock pots - the lid and lower heat keep the liquid from drifting away so the seasonings really get to work.

Usually, in cold weather, I make two soups during the weekend. One goes in the crock and the other on the stove top. Then I freeze it in little bowls for lunches. After a couple weeks, I've got a great variety of soup in the freezer and none of the yucky preservatives and junk that they put in Campbell's.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nieci:
I made bone-in ribs last week in my crock.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by luckieracergirl:
Mom's Famous Crock Pot Chili
2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
about half a bottle mild, hot, etc. salsa
2 lg cans of red kidney beans
1 1/2 to 2 cans tomato juice
season everything to taste. Feel free to add, subtract any ingredients. My Moms chili is very versatile.
Throw everything together in the crock pot. Stir to mix it all together.

---

This is currently in my crock pot. I can't wait to get home!!

I must have copied the recipe down wrong - I thought I only needed one can of tomato juice. It looked a little dry, so I threw in another half jar of salsa.

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting With Your Slow Cooker by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good.

Barley, Bean & Sausage Stew

1 lb. Kidney beans (soaked overnight)
1 lb. Smoked sausage, sliced
1 large can of chicken stock (or you can use 7 cups of water)
1 c. Barley
2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped (I was feeling lazy so I opted for using a few teaspoons of garlic powder instead)

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Add salt just before serving.

quote:

---

Originally posted by SuzyB:
Kat, I have had some problems with the sausage in a sausage/kielbasa soup losing flavor after being cooked all day in the crock. The broth was great, but the pieces themselves lost flavor. Did yours turn out that way? If not, what kind of sausage did you use?

---

Hi SuzyB,

6 Chicken Breasts
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can consensed cheddar cheese soup

Rinse chicken, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix undiluted soup and pour over chicken. Cook in crock pot on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.

quote:

---

Originally posted by BionicGirl:
[b]Frijoles Charros
1 lb. pinto beans
about 3 c homemade vegetable stock (or canned)
2 large carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 sprig fresh oregano (or 1 tbsp dried)
2 slices raw bacon
water (about 3-4 c)
chopped fresh cilantro to taste
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Soak beans over night; drain. Place beans in crockpot. Add next 7 ingredients (through bacon); stir. Fill crock pot with water. Cook on high approx. 8 hours. Stir in cilantro, salt & pepper. (You could leave the bacon out if you're a vegetarian.)[/B]

---

Hey BG, I have this cooking in my crock right now, which wasn't actually big enough to accommodate everything. I scooped out a quarter of the beans, added only half of the tomatoes, and couldn't add any water at all.

quote:

---

Originally posted by marydemp:
I have a recipe for cooking a 6 pound turkey BREAST in the crock pot. The time required is 7 hours. My turkey breast is only 3 pound. I assume I would approx, half the time but I'd like to check with the experts out there! Thanks.. and HURRY!
Mary

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by meggo:
I wish I could help on this one!! I would also assume yes. 6 hours might be needed to have the heat get all the way to all corners of the meat - if it's half the size - logic would say it should take HALF the time.
I would put it in the crockpot & allow for 5 hours though - check it after three, if it seems done - I'd turn it on low so it keeps warm - if not - keep cooking & check it every half hour or so...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nieci:
I've got ribs going at the moment. My daughter called when she got home from school salivating over the smell lol

---

There's actually a recipe on epicurious.com for espresso ribs, but it's done in the oven (and with baby backs, not spare)