Hofstra - slow cooker question!

When are you supposed to add fresh (non-frozen) vegetables to slow cooker? Some recipes say to add the vegetables (ex: carrots, potatoes, onions) to bottom of slow cooker and then layer the meat on top at the start of cook time, but when I've made stews and chilis like this the vegetables have either turned to complete mush or literally disintegrated and disappeared altogether

So, when is a good time to add the vegetables? I don't want mushy disintegrated veg, but also want to make sure they're cooked through and not still partially raw.

Thanks!

Message edited 1/21/2019 1:48:02 PM.

Re: Hofstra - slow cooker question!

Posted by MC09

When are you supposed to add fresh (non-frozen) vegetables to slow cooker? Some recipes say to add the vegetables (ex: carrots, potatoes, onions) to bottom of slow cooker and then layer the meat on top at the start of cook time, but when I've made stews and chilis like this the vegetables have either turned to complete mush or literally disintegrated and disappeared altogether

So, when is a good time to add the vegetables? I don't want mushy disintegrated veg, but also want to make sure they're cooked through and not still partially raw.

Thanks!

Re: Hofstra - slow cooker question!

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by MC09

When are you supposed to add fresh (non-frozen) vegetables to slow cooker? Some recipes say to add the vegetables (ex: carrots, potatoes, onions) to bottom of slow cooker and then layer the meat on top at the start of cook time, but when I've made stews and chilis like this the vegetables have either turned to complete mush or literally disintegrated and disappeared altogether

So, when is a good time to add the vegetables? I don't want mushy disintegrated veg, but also want to make sure they're cooked through and not still partially raw.

Thanks!

It depends on a few factors, one being how big or small your dice is. If you're dicing veggies small, they are naturally going to cook faster. The bigger the dice, the longer they will need. In the case of stews, I do put my carrots and potatoes in right from the start but I chunk them both pretty large. They always come out perfectly.

Secondly, the more tender the vegetable is to start with (example: tomato, mushroom, broccoli, peas, zucchini, etc) the less time they will need to cook. For tender veggies, you're going to want to add them in the last hour of cooking, give or take a few minutes.

Lastly, the foods that are placed on the bottom of the Crock Pot will cook faster than those placed on the top since they are closer to the heat source. To slow down the speed at which the vegetables are cooking, place them in the Crock Pot last on top of all the other ingredients.

Hope this helps!!

Re: Hofstra - slow cooker question!

Posted by MC09

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by MC09

When are you supposed to add fresh (non-frozen) vegetables to slow cooker? Some recipes say to add the vegetables (ex: carrots, potatoes, onions) to bottom of slow cooker and then layer the meat on top at the start of cook time, but when I've made stews and chilis like this the vegetables have either turned to complete mush or literally disintegrated and disappeared altogether

So, when is a good time to add the vegetables? I don't want mushy disintegrated veg, but also want to make sure they're cooked through and not still partially raw.

Thanks!

It depends on a few factors, one being how big or small your dice is. If you're dicing veggies small, they are naturally going to cook faster. The bigger the dice, the longer they will need. In the case of stews, I do put my carrots and potatoes in right from the start but I chunk them both pretty large. They always come out perfectly.

Secondly, the more tender the vegetable is to start with (example: tomato, mushroom, broccoli, peas, zucchini, etc) the less time they will need to cook. For tender veggies, you're going to want to add them in the last hour of cooking, give or take a few minutes.

Lastly, the foods that are placed on the bottom of the Crock Pot will cook faster than those placed on the top since they are closer to the heat source. To slow down the speed at which the vegetables are cooking, place them in the Crock Pot last on top of all the other ingredients.

Hope this helps!!

Makes sense! Thank you!

Hofstra - slow cooker question!

dup post

Message edited 1/22/2019 2:18:27 PM.