Is It Safe To Leave Your Slow Cooker On Overnight? (+ Recipes) (2024)

Call it a slow cooker, call it a Crock Pot… call it convenient! Since the Crock Pot was patented more than 80 years ago, people have been chopping up their food, throwing it in a heated cooking pot, and then setting and forgetting it until it’s time to eat! According to Smithsonian Magazine, slow cookers gained popularity in the 1940s, when many women began working outside the home. They would start dinner in the morning, it would cook all day, and then be ready by the time they came home. By the way, slow cookers work for men just as well as they work for women. So, fellas: feel free to set it and forget it, too, if you wish. Here is some inspiration:Slow Cooker Recipes

Leaving a slow cooker on during the day is something we’ve all done, but is that okay? Is it safe to leave your slow cooker on overnight? The answer is… there are no guarantees in life and there’s no guarantee a fire wouldn’t happen. If you’ve ever seen the show “This Is Us”, you know what that’s about. And if not, don’t Google it if “This Is Us” has been on your list of shows to watch.

Is It Safe To Leave Your Slow Cooker On Overnight? (+ Recipes) (2)

What could go wrong?

Like in “This Is Us”, your slow cooker could be too old. According to The Spruce, the life span of the appliance is five to ten years. So, if you started using it when your kid was in diapers and now they’re whining about when dinner’s going to be ready, it may be time for a new one. A new slow cooker, not kid.

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In addition to checking its age, check the cord! According to the New York City Fire Department, “two-thirds of all electrical fires begin in plugs or cords on appliances… Frayed cords expose the electrical wires that spark on contact with each other or anything that can ground the electrical current.”

Speaking of the cord, don’t let it touch any heated parts of the slow cooker. You’re cooking food, not cord.

Also, make sure the slow cooker isn’t close to any flammable objects like napkins, towels or curtains and there shouldn’t be anything flammable under the appliance.

To slow cook or not to slow cook?

People are going to use slow cookers for many years to come. Slow cookers are easy to use, easy to clean and they save time, which is a huge benefit, especially for busy families. However, leaving them completely unattended does carry risk. Experts tell HuffPost, people should unplug appliances when they’re not being used. Although, that does defeat the whole purpose of a slow cooker, right?

With many people still working from home post-COVID, slow cookers seem like a good option because you can slip away from your home office to check on what’s cooking. Another option may be a programmable slow cooker, which automatically switches to a lower temperature after a designated time.

Is it safe to leave your slow cooker on overnight? The bottom line, or bottom of the pot, is that leaving slow cookers unattended does carry some risk. So, use caution, and if your slow cooker is old enough to have a college degree, time to invest in a new one.

From My Kitchen To Yours

So… I don’t cook. I’m just not someone who enjoys the whole process. I have enough dishes without piling the remnants of some complicated recipe on top. Easy and simple are the keys to my game when it comes to dinner and that’s why sheet pan and slow cooker meals are ALL I do. They’re my jam. So, I thought I’d share a slow cooker recipe one of my besties told me about. It is so easy. I made it for the Super Bowl last year. You can enjoy it while you’re watching the game, patiently waiting for Usher to come out so you can relive your youth through his one million hit songs.

Chicken Fiesta Slow Cooker Recipe

  • Chicken breasts
  • One packet of taco seasoning
  • One jar of salsa
  • One package of frozen corn
  • One can green chiles
  • One can black beans
  • Shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro (all optional toppings)
  • Dump it all in the slow cooker, set it on high and forget it! In four hours, shred the chicken and add toppings. Serve with rice and/or tortilla chips.

Finally, here is another Crock Pot meal to try:Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers.

Is It Safe To Leave Your Slow Cooker On Overnight? (+ Recipes) (2024)

FAQs

Is It Safe To Leave Your Slow Cooker On Overnight? (+ Recipes)? ›

Yes, you can leave your slow cooker on all day or overnight. However, if you are planning to leave your slow cooker on overnight, make sure it's on a low heat. You may wonder how long can you leave a slow cooker on low for? Well, the recommendation is a maximum of 8 hours on a low heat for most slow cookers.

Can I leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours? ›

Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours? Yes, you can use your slow cooker for longer than eight hours, as long as you keep an eye on it. Many slow cookers do have an automatic shutoff after 24 hours.

How long can you leave food in slow cooker once cooked? ›

While it's perfectly ok to use your crock pot in this way, try to avoid leaving food on the warming setting for more than four hours. According to the USDA, food kept at between 40 and 140 degrees is more at risk of forming bacteria. In this temperature range, bacteria can double in number within just 20 minutes.

Can you leave ingredients in slow cooker the night before? ›

Make-ahead when possible: If your slow cooker has a removable insert, assemble the ingredients the night before and refrigerate the entire insert overnight. It's important to note that starting with cool ingredients may lengthen cooking time (but be sure to keep them out of the temperature danger zone).

Does the crockpot turn off automatically? ›

Once the timer is done, it automatically switches to the Warm setting so you dont have to worry about getting home in time to turn the crock pot off and after 4 hrs on Warm, it automatically shuts completely off.

Can you overcook in a slow cooker? ›

It is possible to overcook your dishes, especially if you're using the high setting (which will take 5–6 hours, as opposed to the low setting which will usually take about 8 hours). It's best to follow your recipe guidelines and switch your slow cooker off or to the 'keep warm' setting once the meal is done.

What happens if you leave something in the slow cooker too long? ›

The food will get mushy. It's also possible if you haven't used enough liquid, it would dry out. I think most slow cookers have a shutoff after about 8 hours. All three those I have used over the years did.

What foods should not go in a slow cooker? ›

What not to put in a slow cooker
  1. Lean, tender cuts of meat. Lean, tender (and usually more expensive cuts) will actually become dry and tough if you cook them in a slow cooker! ...
  2. Meat with skin left on. ...
  3. Too much liquid. ...
  4. Delicate vegetables. ...
  5. Fresh herbs and spices. ...
  6. Milk and cream. ...
  7. Alcohol. ...
  8. Seafood.

Can I slow cook beef for 12 hours? ›

Place the beef roast on top. Sprinkle the soup mix over it all. Pour the wine or stock over all the ingredients. Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or until the beef and vegetables are tender.

Is it safe to leave cooked meat out overnight? ›

The Two-Hour Rule. Cooked food can only stay in the temperature danger zone for so long before it becomes unsafe to eat. Havern explains: "The maximum amount of time perishable foods can [spend] in the danger zone is two hours. At two hours, the food must be consumed, stored correctly, or thrown away.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›

The difference is the time it takes to reach that temperature. Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point.

Can you reheat food that has been cooked in a slow cooker? ›

Don't reheat in a slow cooker.

Do not reheat food or leftovers in a slow cooker; instead reheat on stove top or microwave (165 F or above) and transfer to slow cooker to keep warm (140 F or above).

Is it safe to leave the crockpot on low overnight? ›

However, if you are planning to leave your slow cooker on overnight, make sure it's on a low heat. You may wonder how long can you leave a slow cooker on low for? Well, the recommendation is a maximum of 8 hours on a low heat for most slow cookers.

Can I leave cooked beef in slow cooker overnight? ›

Probably don't do it. It is not recommended to keep food warm in a slow cooker overnight by turning it off and not opening it until the next morning. Doing so could create an environment that allows bacteria to grow, which can make the food unsafe to eat.

Can I prep crockpot meals the night before? ›

Prepare for slow cooking the night before

Ideally the dish should be as close to room temperature as possible, so get it out of the fridge when you wake up and leave it for 20 minutes before turning the cooker on.

Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on all day while at work? ›

But is it safe to leave a crockpot on all day? Yes! Since crockpots cook at a much lower temperature, it's often necessary to run the appliance for 4-8 hours.

How long can a crockpot be on warm? ›

The 'Warm' setting is ONLY for keeping already-cooked food at the perfect serving temperature until mealtime. To prevent food from dipping into temperatures that aren't food-safe, you shouldn't use the 'Warm' setting for more than 4 hours.

Can you leave food in a pressure cooker overnight? ›

Avoid leaving food inside the cooker overnight

The food will discolour the cooker and make it that much harder to clean.

Do slow cookers use a lot of electricity? ›

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a slow cooker is one of the most energy efficient kitchen appliances. On average, a slow cooker draws about the same amount of energy as a standard electric light bulb. This means that despite being on for a longer period of time, a slow cooker actually uses very little energy.

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