🍲Slow Cooker Converter

About this tool

Enter the recipe's normal cooking time in minutes and the amount of liquid. The tool gives the slow cooker time on LOW and on HIGH, and how much liquid to use.

Adapting recipes for a slow cooker

Slow cookers simmer food gently, at about 190–200 °F (88–93 °C) on LOW and slightly hotter on HIGH, so they need much longer than an oven or stovetop. A widely used conversion chart: recipes that take 15–30 minutes conventionally need about 4–6 hours on LOW or 1½–2½ hours on HIGH; 35–45 minutes becomes 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 on HIGH; and 50 minutes to 3 hours becomes 8–10 hours on LOW or 4–6 on HIGH. As a rule of thumb, an hour on HIGH is about 2–2½ hours on LOW. Because the lid traps steam and almost nothing evaporates, cut the liquid by a third to a half. Add dairy, pasta, rice, quick-cooking vegetables and fresh herbs in the last 30–60 minutes. Browning meat and onions first adds flavour. Honest limits: slow cookers vary in power and size, and food cooks most evenly when the pot is half to two-thirds full. Don't put frozen meat in a slow cooker, keep the lid on (each lift adds time), and make sure food reaches safe temperatures. The air fryer converter and the meat cooking time calculator are related.

Frequently asked questions