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Can You Put Raw Meat in a Slow Cooker? (Why You Might Want To)

Can You Put Raw Meat in a Slow Cooker? (Why You Might Want To)

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A slow cooker is the lifesaver of every home kitchen. Dump a few ingredients into your slow cooker and leave it to cook while you go and do other things. Convenient right?

However, if it’s your first time using one, you might be looking at the uncooked meat in your hands and wondering if it’s okay to just toss it in with the other ingredients.

Yes, you can put raw meat in a slow cooker. But there are some caveats to it. The type of meat and your cooking practices can affect the safeness and taste of your meal.

But I’m sure you want to learn more than that. So, keep reading and discover why you should or shouldn’t put raw meat into a slow cooker and more!

Can You Place Raw Meat in a Slow Cooker?

The good news is that you can indeed place raw meat into your slow cooker. It cuts down time preparing the meat, and you can still enjoy a delightful meal.

However, here are a few reminders before throwing uncooked meat into the machine:

Give It Time!

First, but most importantly, leave the meat in the slow cooker for long enough to cook thoroughly. This step ensures it’s hot enough to kill harmful bacteria in the meat.

For instance, you’d want to give pork and beef a good 4 to 5 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low heat setting. Chicken, on the other hand, cooks faster at 3 hours on Low heat.

Meet the Meat?

Now, this part is where it gets somewhat complicated. You see, not ALL kinds of meat are a good pair for slow cookers—there are certain types you should avoid at all costs.

Generally speaking, the best meats to prepare in a slow cooker are the fresh and the fatties. I’m talking about briskets, lamb shanks, pork shoulders, and chicken thighs.

Tough cuts of meat also make the most savory and tender morsels because of their high collagen content.

So, if your meat isn’t that fresh and has been sitting in the fridge for a few days, I’d suggest you think twice before throwing that in. Slow cooking turns them chewy.

Additionally, if you’re using lean meat, don’t even consider putting it near slow cookers. Lanky cuts like chicken breasts, pork filets, and pork steaks practically turn into tough leather!

Undress Your Chicken!

You might love fried chicken skins as much as I do, but it’s a different story when it involves a slow cooker.

No matter how long you cook chicken skin, whether High or Low, it’ll always come out of the pot unappetizingly leathery. If you want roasted-like skin, chicken is the wrong way to go.

It’s why slow-cooked recipes almost always ask you to deskin your chicken! And it’s the same result even if you sear the chicken before cooking.

That said, if you really want chicken with its skin on, you can crisp the meat up by broiling it. Do it after its term in the slow cooker, though.

Why Should You Slow Cook Raw Meat?

Except for some meat I mentioned earlier, there are practical benefits to cooking your meat raw in your slow cooker with the rest of your ingredients.

For one, you can save valuable time as you won’t need to brown the meat prior. 

Searing takes only about 10 minutes, but that could be the additional 10 minutes you could use to get something else done. After all, what’s the point of a slow cooker but to remove the extra steps?

Besides conserving time, slow cooking also saves you from needing to wash extra dishes and spatulas that you need to use to brown the meat or cook it separately. 

The only thing you need to clean after is your slow cooker—and your palate after the hearty meal. Sounds like a good deal to me!

Why Are People Against Placing Raw Meat in a Slow Cooker?

Raw Meat In A Slow Cooker

Although you can slow-cook raw meat, save time and resources, and still enjoy a lovely meal, some people are against this practice. “But why?” you might ask.

The first reason that comes to mind is that they fear it won’t cook everything thoroughly. 

After all, if you’re adding all the ingredients at the same time, there’s a chance you could overcook the veggies and undercook the meat.

Another reason comes down to the taste and appearance of the cooked meat when you dump it in a slow cooker raw.

What comes out of your pot might not be the tempting and gorgeous brown you crave. Instead, you can get a morsel that appears pale and less appealing.

Raw meat also retains more excess fats and oils that can make your meal greasy. These extra oils and fats affect the meat’s taste and increase the chances that the food will be watery. 

There’s a situation you won’t like to be in while hosting guests and friends!

Why You Should Brown the Meat Before Slow Cooking

Browning Ground Beef

Going through each step of the recipe might be the last thing on your mind after a long day at work. And, sure, that’s what slow cookers are for.

Nevertheless, browning the meat before throwing it into the pot certainly pays in both the flavor and practical departments! 

Here are two reasons why I always recommend browning before slow cooking:

Saves on Cooking Time

It may sound contradictory as you’ll spend extra time browning the meat, so how can it save time? Well, that additional 10 minutes of effort means your meal will be ready much sooner! 

By partially cooking the meat, browning will save you considerable time waiting for the meal. It removes excess fat in the meat, reducing the effort your slow cooker needs to cook it through. 

Besides saving electricity, this simple step improves the meat’s appearance out of the pot. Instead of sad, pale meat cuts, you’ll have scrumptiously tempting brown!

Naturally, the texture of the cooked meat improves, too.

Browning locks in moisture inside while keeping the meat a little dry outside. This seemingly tiny difference can be the line separating a chewy from a well-roasted crust.

Adds Extra Flavoring to the Food

You might have heard somewhere that browning the meat first before you place it into your slow cooker creates meat of a superior flavor.

It’s true, but calling superior may be a bit overboard.

Locking the juices inside, browning the meat first adds a richer taste to the meat. It makes the cooked flesh moist and more tender as well.

Browning offers plenty of benefits if you’re conscious about your fat intake. By getting rid of excess fat, you and your loved ones can enjoy a healthier meal.

So, whether you’re simply trying to eat healthier or maintaining your cholesterol level, browning the meat first may be a good option for you. That is if you don’t mind the extra effort, cooking time, and dishwashing.

But, ultimately, half-cooking the meat or not depends on your preferences, the recipe you’re following, and the flavors you want to create.

While browning can elevate the flavor, it doesn’t mean you won’t get tasty results without it!

Quick Slow Cooker Tips with Raw Meat

Checking Slow Cookier

Learning to cook raw meat on your brand new slow cooker? Take note of these expert tips to get the best out of your efforts:

1 – Don’t Over Season

Overseasoning is a common mistake everyone makes when dealing with raw food. So, how should you season the meat when you can’t taste it yet?

For starters, keep your seasoning mild before or during cooking. When salting, sprinkle a teeny amount while preparing and leave the heavy seasoning by the end!

2 – Let Frozen Meat Thaw

Another tip to remember is never to throw frozen meat into your slow cooker. Unthawed ingredients will take longer to stew, and your meat likely won’t cook correctly at the proper temperature before dinner time.

While it takes time, the safest method to defrost meat is using the refrigerator you use to freeze it. Alternatively, you can fill a bowl with cool water and submerge the frozen meat for faster thawing.

3 – Warm Up the Slow Cooker

It is a good idea to warm your slow cooker up first before you place the raw meat inside it, as this can help you make sure the meat cooks faster and thoroughly.

To warm up your slow cooker, place it on high heat for roughly one hour. When the slow cooker is hot, lower the heat to the needed temperature before adding your ingredients.

4 – Add Fresh Herbs Last

If you’re thinking of adding fresh herbs to your recipe, don’t simply throw them in with the rest. Typically, herbs taste better if you keep them fresh.

Letting fresh herbs stew along with the meat strips them of their flavor, color, and texture. To prevent this hitch, add a few leaves at the start and add more before serving.

5 – Don’t Open the Pot

It’s tempting, I know, but you should never peek inside the cooking pot.

If you’re unfamiliar, slow cookers work by trapping in heat. You’re releasing the essential heat the pot needs to cook the ingredients by removing the lid to peek or stir.

Let your slow cooker do what it does best: cook slowly!

Safety Considerations When Slow-Cooking Raw Meat

If you’re considering slow-cooking raw meat, then there are a few safety considerations you should be aware of.

Slow cookers do just that: they cook slowly at low temperatures and for several hours. Keep this in mind whenever you’re cooking meat with it.

I’ve been saying it a lot. But cooking your ingredients thoroughly is one of the keys to a delectable and safe meal.

Ensure you cook the meat at around 140 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria in the meat. You can use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking.

If you place raw meat into the slow cooker but, for some reason, take it out earlier, there’s a high chance you’ll be chowing down on uncooked meat.

While eating raw meat is a common practice worldwide, it doesn’t discount the chance of foodborne illnesses, contamination, or poisoning.

Cooking meat and all the ingredients properly is the surest way to kill potentially harmful bacteria and pathogens in food. It goes for whether you’re using slow cookers or regular pots!

What Food Should You Avoid Slow Cooking?

Now that you know certain types of meat aren’t suited for slow cooking, what are other foods you should avoid?

Milky Meals

Slow cookers make the tastiest soups, stews, and briskets. Not if your recipe involves cream, cheese, and other milky products, though.

Adding dairy at the start of slow cooking causes curdling. As the crock pot heats, the dairy proteins separate and form clumps. 

Curdling is a great way to make cheese, but not if you’re making your favorite casserole!

This rule applies to pasta and doughy foods as well. They easily break down and become mushy messes when cooked at low temperatures.

Leftover Food

Some might look at a slow cooker and compare it with an oven or a microwave. Don’t make the same misconception.

No matter how tempting, heating a batch of leftovers in a slow crock pot is a poor idea. Not only will it sluggishly heat food, but it’ll also expose leftovers to unsafe temperature zones where bacteria rapidly grow.

Final Thoughts

There’s no reason you can’t place raw meat in your slow cooker to cook it and make a lovely, tasty meal. However, ensure you’re slow-cooking the right cuts of meat and cook them thoroughly.

If you have time to spare, searing or browning the meat before closing the crock pot lid offers plenty of benefits. It only takes ten minutes, but doing so makes the finished product more flavorful and appetizing.

There are certain foods to avoid dumping in your crock pot, too. Dairy products, pasta dishes, and leftovers are a big no-no.

There you go! I hope those answered all your questions about slow-cooking raw meat and that you enjoy your well-deserved meal!

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