i have a crock pot recipe that tells me to cook this meal on low for 6-8 hours. WHICH IS IT?

Question

that's a big time interval, at least i think so, so how do i know how long to cook it for if i've never made this before. also, it calls for sweet potato cut into bite size pieces-- can i just use the 'yams from a can', even though they're already softer? do i have to use actual sweet potato for the recipe to work?

Answer 1

if you use canned sweets, and cook them for 6 hours. you are going to have mush. do the meal for 6 hours then check on it, if it needs more time, go another hour. add the canned sweets just long enough beforehand to heat them up.

Answer 2

The beautiful thing about crock pots is that they cook at a low consistent temp. Meaning that it should be done in 6 hours - but if you leave it on for 8 hours your dinner won't be overdone. Canned yams are ok - but check to make sure that the canned yams don't have any added ingredients like sugar or salt that could mess up your recipe. And I'd add them in the middle of cooking or a few hours before its done so they dont get too mushy.

Answer 3

The yams in a can are already cooked and just need to be heated prior to serving. If you choose to use the canned version, then add then just prior to serving. If you use the fresh then floolow the directions. The 6-8 hour time frame is because each slow cooker is different a meal in one could take 6 hours while another it could take longer. Plus desired doneness is different for each person. But cooking it longer than what the recipe states will not do any harm either. Good Luck...

Answer 4

Um, is this a recipe for just sweet potatoes? If so, there is no sense in slow cooking the ones from a can! Plus the ones in the can have heavy syrup, rather than just a pure sweet potato cut up. If it's a recipe like a stew or something that just includes sweet potatoes, definately don't use the canned, because of the syrup, in that case they would be used more like a regular potato. Cooking times vary. If you want it a little faster, put a heavy towel over the lid, use a glass lid too, if you have a plastic lid wet down a heavy bath towel and cover it. Don't forget to stir every so often.

Answer 5

A. If you are using a crock pot--follow the recipe directions!! I've cooked recipes that take 10 - 12 hours on low setting--that's why they're also called "slow cookers"
B. Just add the drained/rinsed canned yams if you have no choice. May need to add more salt in the end--Those canned yams are sweetened--unprossessed fresh yams have no intense sugar flavor -or- maybe substitute white potatoes.

Answer 6

Normally when a receipe calls for 6 to 8 hours, it is giving the variable according to the temperature variations for the crock pot. If you have an older one, I would go with the 8 hours.
And yes, you can use yams instead of sweet potatoes. However, would cut the cook time as you are using processed yams.
I'd cook it for 4 hours, check to see if the yams are tender. If not, cook it for another 2.

Answer 7

The 6 to 8 hours is due to the fact that all appliances have different heating qualities/power, either way your dish will be safe to eat, check it after 6 to see if all the meat(ingredients) are tender=Done! And the Yams will substitute for sweet potato although " from the can " well get really soft and might fall completely apart due to the long cooking time of crock-pot meals!

Answer 8

Depends on your crock pot. Mine has a 6 and an 8 hour setting. Obviously, one is a higher temperature than the other. Definitely use actual sweet potatoes. Canned yams would come out as mush!

Answer 9

Don't use "yams in a can". First they are not yams they are actually potatoes that are orange. If you use the canned ones they will be mushy and gross....... even if you add them at the last minute. One thing the real ones will do is add starches to the liquid as they cook. The thing will 6-8 hours is that the crockpot is forgiving and an extra hour won't hurt. After 6 just check it out. But whatever you do don't keep opening the lid.

Answer 10

You don't HAVE to use sweet potatoes, but dont' cook the yams as long. Maybe add them 30 min before you're ready to eat. By the 6-8 hours, that just means that you can eat it after 6 hours, but maybe everything would be completely done at 8 hours. I'm not the patient type, so I only cook it for 6 hours and then eat. Good luck!

Answer 11

when cooking food in the crock pot, yes it does take food this long to cook, that's why it is called a slow cooker. even though you have never made this before the cooking time is right. sometimes slow cooker recipes give you a time for high and low. the low is always a longer cooking time, when it is on high it is about half the time of low. don't use canned yams because they are already soft they will just turn to mush cooking in the crock pot. use fresh sweet potato, they will cook. they will get soft but not mushy. hoped this helped you. what recipe are you making, i love sweet potatoes and i also love using my crock pot----love one pot meals!!!