Get the most out of your slow-cooker by converting conventional recipes to slow-cooker recipes.

Don’t let your slow-cooker languish in the back of the cabinet. It can be your best culinary friend in these days of 50-hour workweeks, multiple school and church activities, and the general busy-ness of our daily lives. Did you know you can use it to make conventional recipes?

You probably have a few go-to slow-cooker recipes, maybe you got them from the instruction book that came with the cooker. Of course, Grandma’s got a few up her sleeve as well, such as Pea Soup with Sausage, Hearty Beef & Beans, Slow-Cooker Alfredo and Warm Stuffed Apples. See them all on her Slow Cooker page.

But maybe you have a favorite recipe for a stew, braise, or soup that you’d like to make in the slow cooker? Have no fear! Many recipes that call for long simmering, stewing or covered oven baking can be converted to the slow-cooker, but you’ll have to make some adjustments to the timing and ingredients.

Here are broad guidelines for adjusting the timing:

1. Conventional cook time of 15 to 30 minutes: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on High in the slow cooker; 4 to 6 hours on Low

2. Conventional cook time of 35 to 45 minutes: 3 to 4 hours on High; 6 to 8 hours on Low

3. Conventional cook time of 50 minutes to 3 hours:  4 to 6 hours on High; 8 to 12 hours on Low

In addition, you should make these adjustments to the ingredients:

1. The slow cooker needs less liquid because there’s not as much evaporation.  So use 1/2 to 1 cup less liquid. On the other hand, you need at least a little bit of liquid in the cooker, so if the recipe doesn’t include any liquid, add about 1/2 cup of water or broth.

2. Go easy on dried herbs as  they can become bitter with long cooking. You’ll probably want to use half the amount. On the other hand, fresh herbs tend to lose their punch after long cooking, so for the brightest flavor add them during the last few minutes of cooking. 

3. Dairy products (milk, sour cream, cream, etc.) can break down during long cooking. Add only during the last  half hour, or use canned condensed cream soups or evaporated milk.

4. Rice and pastas don’t do well in the cooker—they become mushy. Cook them separately (on the stovetop) and then stir into the dish just before serving.

5. Dense vegetables (like potatoes, carrots, turnips) should be cut into small pieces, no more than 1 inch thick, to make sure they cook through.

6. When making soup, use only enough liquid to cover the other ingredients. You can add additional liquid at the end if you like thinner soup.

And here are some of Grandma’s favorite recipes that are good candidates for the slow-cooker:

Farmhouse Lamb Stew: Cut the potatoes into small pieces and use less broth. No need to cook the veggies separately; after browning the lamb, transfer to the slow-cooker and add the vegetables. Cook on High for about 4 hours. Stir in the peas and cook on High for another 30 minutes.

Oven-Baked Beef Stew: Cut the potatoes into small pieces and use a little less vegetable juice cocktail. Cook in the slow-cooker on High for 4 to 5 hours.

Barbecue Beef Roast: Brown the beef in a skillet, then transfer to the slow-cooker. Continue as directed through step 4, but cook on High for 3 hours. In step 5, cut the potatoes into small pieces, add to the cooker and cook for another 2 hours on High.

Peachy Pork Picante: Brown the seasoned, marinated pork in a skillet, then add to the slow-cooker and stir in the salsa and preserves. Cook on High for about 2 hours; don’t make the rice until the pork is just about done.