NCDR- crock pot question

[jnu76]

OK- this is probably a stupid question, but I once blew up a baking dish in the oven, so it can't hurt to ask-
I finally upgraded to a modern crock pot where you can lift the crock part out of the heating part. (Before this I had my mom's 1970s one where you have to deal with the power cord while you're washing it.)
My question is- can I put everything in it at night and put the crock in the fridge, then just pop it in the heating part in the morning, or should I put the prepped stuff in some kind of container and pour it into the crock in the morning so that the crock isn't cold when I turn it on?
Thanks. I'm trying to avoid another exploding cookware incident or poisoning my family with undercooked meat, but I'd love to avoid extra dishes.

[TJ]

I prep mine the night before and put it in the fridge. No problemo.

[DVMmomma]

^^wss. I actually think it helps because the times I don't do this, my food ends up burning a bit. So I think starting with a cold crock (I sense a dirty joke in there somehow) eats some of the time and then my food doesn't actually 'cook' as long.

[jnu76]

Great! Thank you!

[brandiewine11]

Nooo!

Well, actually it depends on your crock pot. Mine comes up to temp very quickly and I did this and cracked the insert in half. So sad!

Now I prep everything and put it in a large tupperware container in the fridge (I leave raw meat separate), then just dump it all in the crock pot in the morning. It works just as well and its safer.

[TJ]

Jan 28, 2015 12:36:50 GMT -5 brandiewine11 said:

Nooo!

Well, actually it depends on your crock pot. Mine comes up to temp very quickly and I did this and cracked the insert in half. So sad!

Now I prep everything and put it in a large tupperware container in the fridge (I leave raw meat separate), then just dump it all in the crock pot in the morning. It works just as well and its safer.

Wow, really? 

I also only put mine on low since it will be cooking for 12 hours.  Maybe that makes a difference?

[mrslka]

Jan 28, 2015 12:36:50 GMT -5 brandiewine11 said:

Nooo!

Well, actually it depends on your crock pot. Mine comes up to temp very quickly and I did this and cracked the insert in half. So sad!

Now I prep everything and put it in a large tupperware container in the fridge (I leave raw meat separate), then just dump it all in the crock pot in the morning. It works just as well and its safer.

I had this happen also!

[rockiesnugget]

Jan 28, 2015 12:40:23 GMT -5 mrslka said:

Jan 28, 2015 12:36:50 GMT -5 brandiewine11 said:

Nooo!

Well, actually it depends on your crock pot. Mine comes up to temp very quickly and I did this and cracked the insert in half. So sad!

Now I prep everything and put it in a large tupperware container in the fridge (I leave raw meat separate), then just dump it all in the crock pot in the morning. It works just as well and its safer.

I had this happen also!

What kind of Crockpot do you have? I rarely put something in the crockpot that hasn't come straight from the fridge, since I prep it the night before. I cook everything on low.

[brandiewine11]

Jan 28, 2015 12:38:18 GMT -5 TJ said:

Jan 28, 2015 12:36:50 GMT -5 brandiewine11 said:

Nooo!

Well, actually it depends on your crock pot. Mine comes up to temp very quickly and I did this and cracked the insert in half. So sad!

Now I prep everything and put it in a large tupperware container in the fridge (I leave raw meat separate), then just dump it all in the crock pot in the morning. It works just as well and its safer.

Wow, really? 

I also only put mine on low since it will be cooking for 12 hours.  Maybe that makes a difference?

I have 3 settings: Simmer, Low, and High. I almost always use "simmer" which is lower than low. I think the problem is that it comes up to temp very quickly when most crock pots take a while to come up to temp. This was listed as a specific feature of my crock pot (KitchenAid)  so the food doesn't sit out at room temp very long. 

It specifically says in the manual to only put a room temp insert into the crock pot...I just didn't read that part until after I cracked it. Oops. At least KitchenAid has great customer service and replaced it free.

[brandiewine11]

Jan 28, 2015 12:44:41 GMT -5 rockiesnugget said:

Jan 28, 2015 12:40:23 GMT -5 mrslka said:

I had this happen also!

What kind of Crockpot do you have? I rarely put something in the crockpot that hasn't come straight from the fridge, since I prep it the night before. I cook everything on low.

It's fine to put cold things in the insert, just not good to put a cold insert into the crock pot and turn it on.

[rockiesnugget]

Jan 28, 2015 12:46:48 GMT -5 brandiewine11 said:

Jan 28, 2015 12:44:41 GMT -5 rockiesnugget said:

What kind of Crockpot do you have? I rarely put something in the crockpot that hasn't come straight from the fridge, since I prep it the night before. I cook everything on low.

It's fine to put cold things in the insert, just not good to put a cold insert into the crock pot and turn it on.

I prep everything into my insert the night before and put it directly in the fridge. Then in the morning I place the insert into the heating shell.

[unaveragejane]

I never thought about prepping in the insert! Mine is huge, though; it would take too much space. Yes, I just admitted that I have a giant crock.

[mrslka]

Jan 28, 2015 12:44:41 GMT -5 rockiesnugget said:

Jan 28, 2015 12:40:23 GMT -5 mrslka said:

I had this happen also!

What kind of Crockpot do you have? I rarely put something in the crockpot that hasn't come straight from the fridge, since I prep it the night before. I cook everything on low.

I don't remember what brand it was. It happened 5+ years ago and we could get a replacement insert.  I know it was on low because we both were gone 12+ hours a day at the time. 

[mrslka]

Like brandiewine11 I prep into a different container, put it in the fridge, then dump it into the crockpot in the am. After having one break, I just don't want to chance it.

[doeie04]

Now that I read this thread, I'm pretty sure this is why my insert has a crack in it.

[jnu76]

Well crap. I only read the first couple of posts before I prepped the stew and put the insert in the fridge. I guess I'll dump it into something else. Cracking the insert would be bad, but I'd cry if I had to make something else for dinner tomorrow.

[ABobLoblawLawBomb]

Jan 28, 2015 16:50:21 GMT -5 jnu76 said:

Well crap. I only read the first couple of posts before I prepped the stew and put the insert in the fridge. I guess I'll dump it into something else. Cracking the insert would be bad, but I'd cry if I had to make something else for dinner tomorrow.

Lol at crying about cooking dinner. I'd be crying about breaking my crockpot. But I also have a love affair with that thing.

[CurlieWhirlie]

You guys, we need to start a crock-pot-specific recipe thread. I really want to love mine more, but I don't always love how the food comes out, often it's weirdly scummy because of the way the fat separates? Or something? I think I'm doing it wrong.

[piccyami]

Pretty much the only thing I do in mine is pork roast. I haven't branched past that

[ovenrack]

I just told my husband that I definitely want a new slow-cooker with a separate insert. I'm still using the one my parents got as a wedding present in 1972. Cleaning it is super annoying.

[clldll]

Yes to the thread for crock pot recipes. I haven't seen a insertless crockpot in years!

[scaggsed]

Oh I love crockpotting! We've been given like three recipe books over the years, and I've never had something not turn out yummy from one.

I'm with unaveragejane though, my crock would take up too much room in the fridge. But it would be so nice to not have to prep in the AM.
Speaking of things not fitting, my cat just jumped between my bump and my keyboard and is attempting to sleep on my touchpad.

[MapleMe]

My go to for random cuts of meat has become laying halves of onion on the bottom of the crock pot, placing the meat of the onion, pouring a mustard/olive oil/spice mix over it all and cooking it for 24ish hours. Shredded meat for everything!