Here are some Easy Crock-pot Hacks That Will Save you Time! From Easy Clean Up Ideas to heating up two things at once… these Easy Crock-pot Hacks have you covered.
Crock-pots are wonderful for easy dinners and fun crafts. Whether yours is high tech and fancy or has been handed down for generations, these Easy Crockpot Hcks will help save you time with your many Crock-pot recipes, Crafts and Serving needs. Pick out your favorite Crock-pot hack and share it below.
Easy Clean Up
These days, it’s a no-brainer, use liners. Then all you have to do it toss the liner when you are done. No cleanup needed. No liners? The same thing can be accomplished with foil.
Two in One
Build a foil wall in the middle, add a liner to each side and you can cook two different things at once! This is great for dips or other things that require the same amount of time to cook. You can also individually wrap your main course and side dishes in foil and have it all cook together as well.
Warm it up
Cooking up fillings for sandwiches or tacos? Place your bread, buns, or tortillas in a pie plate and top your slow cooker with that. They’ll be nice and toasty without drying out too much and ready for filling when it’s done cooking. Or you can try another method that I really like the one I show here. Simply take a clean dish towel and wet it… ring it out tight and then wrap your tortillas or rolls and place in the Crock-Pot and turn it to warm or low. YUM!!!
Roast it or Bake it
Any recipe that calls for baking or roasting and requires an oven can be converted to be made in the Crock-pot. Bake brownies or make fork tender potatoes in no time. We gave created FREE PRINTABLE Crock-Pot Conversion Chart… print one out in 5X7 or 8X10… pop it on the fridge for easy access! Simply click on the size you would like… the image will appear… when it does… “Save As” and then print… it’s that easy!
Free Printable Crock-Pot Conversion Chart
Don’t Fill It Up
It’s tempting to use all that space that a slow cooker offers to cook as much as possible all at once. However, you should never fill a Crockpot more than two-thirds full. The heat needs to be able to circulate to properly cook your food.
Entertain Low and Slow
No need for bagged snack mix. Toss the ingredients in the Crock-pot and set it to low and let it cook up while you get ready. By the time you’re ready to entertain it’ll be warm and ready to serve right out of the pot. I HIGHLY Recommend visiting Gimme Some Oven… she has the most delicious Crock-Pot Chex Mix Recipe!!! To VEGANIZE or make it VEGETARIAN this recipe… use Nature’s Balance and use Vegan Worcestershire sauce and you can partake in this yummy delight.
Keep it Closed
Do you want your food to be finished cooking on time? Then leave the lid on. It’s that simple. Every time you lift the lid you can add up to 30-minutes of extra cooking time.
Serve it Up
Use your Crock-pot to keep foods warm while serving them up. This is a great Crock-pot hack for mashed potatoes on thanksgiving. Just think of all the things you can keep warm!!! I love keeping my Chili nice and hot and let the family serve themselves… fabulous for a party! Let your imagination SOAR!
Catch Condensation
When making things like breads or cakes the last thing you want is built up condensation dripping all over your batter and sponge. Simply drape a towel over the top of the Crock-pot and place the lid on top of that. The towel will catch any extra falling moisture.
Don’t Mix it Up
It’s best to cook anything, like dried beans, overnight. This way they get the proper amount of cooking time and don’t need to be bothered until it’s time to turn off the Crock-pot anyway. It’s also a great way to have breakfast ready for you in the morning! Overnight oats and even yogurt can be prepared this way.
Dip it
Use this Crock-pot hack to turn your pot into a double-boiler. It’s perfect for melting chocolate without burning it and keeping it melted for dipping fruit or cake.
Sweet Potatoes
Did you know you can have perfect sweet potatoes ready for you with out any muss or fuss! Just wash your Sweet Potatoes… place them at the bottom of your Crock-pot… turn it on low and let cook for 8 hours… they will be perfect and ready to devour! No… you don’t need water and you don’t even have to prick them with a fork… dump and cook… could not be easier. Our friend Kathy wrote a great suggestion and I am including it because it is that fabulous… here you go… Even if you don’t prick holes in the skins, the sweet potatoes seem to “weep” and it’s really, really, really stifcky. How about lining the bottom of the crock with aluminum foil first. You could place the crock on the foil and trace out the circle (or oval-depending on your crock) then trim out the shape and put it in the bottom of your crock. That way the gorgeous sweets can weep all over the foil and clean up is much easier.
Hot Drinks
When you are entertaining and serving delicious Hot Drinks such as Mulled Apple Cider… Hot Chocolate… Spiced Warm Wine and more… your Slow Cooker can be your best friend. Place it on warm and it will keep those drinks ready all night long. For a fabulous collection of Slow Cooker Hot Drinks… Click here… you will find over 100 of them and I am sure one will be perfect for your and your guests.
Slow Cooker Crayons
I love this one! We all have tons of pieces of crayons that get saved and stored just waiting for the right project… well making awesome rainbow giant crayons is sure a fabulous way to use them up! It’s simple… just use a silicon mold or little dixie cups and fill them with all the bits and pieces and put the Crockpot on low and allow to melt… it’s simple. Once they are cooled… peel and let the little ones inner Picasso come out. It’s a great project for Scouts, Rainy Days or just a great idea to do with kids any day. If you don’t happen to have crayon pieces… why not hit up the Dollar Store and then break them up!
Simmering Pot and other Unconventional Uses
Your Crockpot can do more than just cook up your next meal. Get crafty and dye fabric, make candles or soap, or make playdough or potpourri. It can also be used to clean up your jewelry, freshen a room, and be a makeshift humidifier. So many uses!
Want to make the entire house smell absolutely delightful! It’s easy… just add some slice fruits… cinnamon stick… cloves and more to the Crock-Pot… add water… put it on high for an hour and then turn it down to simmer and let it simmer for hours and hours and hours… you will become addicted! Why not use our little recipe right here which also makes a great little gift during the Holidays and we have all the Free Printable Tags you see here waiting for you. Do yourself a favor and try this!
What to Start With and What to End With
Make sure you streamline your cooking process by doing the right thing at the right time. Proteins should be trimmed and then browned in the slow cooker first. Wait to add any dairy such as milk or cheese at the end to prevent curdling. Also wait until the end to add salt or your dish may end up too salty. Ingredients that can get too soft such as cooked beans or pasta should also only be added at the last minute.
Hope you enjoyed all of these Easy Crock-Pot Hacks! We would LOVE to hear some of your… either leave them in the comment section or send us and email and we will will add them to the post with credit to you! ENJOY!
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I loved these ideas, many I hadn’t heard of before. I definitely plan to do sweet potatoes (and potatoes) this way.
Hi there Debra! How are you my friend. So happy you enjoyed the Crock-pot hacks! The Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes : ) work great! Sending hugs and wishes for a fabulous week!
Your sweet potatoe hack sounds like a real winner!!!! I can hardly wait to try it out. Even if you don’t prick holes in the skins, the sweet potatoes seem to “weep” and it’s really, really, really stifcky. How about lining the bottom of the crock with aluminum foil first. You could place the crock on the foil and trace out the circle (or oval-depending on your crock) then trim out the shape and put it in the bottom of your crock. That way the gorgeous sweets can weep all over the foil and clean up is much easier.
OMG Kathy… that is a WONDERFUL IDEA!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! I am going to add that to the copy! Thank you so much for sharing with us! I have to say that the hack works well : ) I wish you a fabulous day and sending tons of hugs!!!!