Can I use the slow cooker for frozen meat?

Question

Hi.......can I use frozen meat, or does it have to be thawed? Any recipes??

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

Maybe... but it's always safer not to.

Slow cooker makers have always warned against putting frozen meat/poultry into the crock (especially large pieces) because the heat can take too long to reach the center of the meat. Meat and poultry need to reach 140 degrees (within 4 hrs, I think) or the bacteria count just goes up way too high. If you take the meat/poultry out before it's had time to stay at 150-160 etc. long enough for the entire center to be cooked to the proper temp, you're taking a chance on it.**

And actually, because so many people WERE using frozen meat/poultry in their slow cookers, the manufacturers of slow cookers have increased the temps for Low and Hi a LOT in all their slow cookers to keep from getting sued when and if people get sick.

So if you have an older slow cooker, be *especially* careful --but hang onto that oldie-but-goodie because the lower heat it uses will make all your foods taste better and stay juicier!

Personally I'd at least defrost meats/poultry some, or try to cut them up (or pound them) so they're thinner/smaller before putting in a slow cooker.


**Many people have used frozen meat/poultry successfully without getting sick, BUT there are lots of variables that could be different for diff. people and different situations:

...individual brands and models of slow cookers (whether old or new) do not cook at the same temps
...meats and poulty come to the store with lots more bacteria and yucky stuff than they used to years ago
...some meats/poultry may have been sitting in a frig. for days already
...the size of the pieces could be different
...in cooler rooms, the cooker may take longer to heat up to the critical temp
...and, let's face it... some people just have iron guts, and some are more susceptible to digestive problems

Btw... do NOT take a chance with frozen meat/poultry if you're feeding the resulting food to anyone who has a compromised immune system! (e.g., cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, HIV pts, and various others)


If you're just looking for slow cooker recipes (not necessarily recipes for frozen meats), take a look at my reply in at least this recent thread:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArjeGZkGygI_rMDHX4QWTkrsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071030123150AAHIfTB&show=7#profile-info-b5a1205e401b88aec19c6b697430c199aa


Diane B.

Answer 3

you shouldn't cook anything on the warm setting in your slow cooker. the warm setting is a "holding" setting to simply keep your food warm. If you season your meat and put some liquid in the pot then your roast you can cook it on the low setting overnight and should be ok. best results are achieved with thawed meat however. Depending on the size of your roast, expect cooking time to range from 6 to 12 hours.

Answer 4

Yes, but it takes so long before it begins to actually cook. I would recommend thawing first completely.

Answer 5

frozen meat works fine - so long as it is completely covered by liquid.

Answer 6

Yes you can. I've done it. It will thaw as it sweats its juices out. I recommend it being thawed first but its up to you.

Answer 7

yes you can. just make sure that it is plugged into the electrical outlet