timer for the slow cooker?

JustAnotherSaver

I did a forum search to see where most of the food talk seems to be and that's how i ended up in this forum with this question. Point me in the right direction if it's better suited to another forum.

Do any of you use timers on your slow cookers? I ask because i'm having to warm the food up in the microwave with ours.

My wife leaves the house later than i do so if it's a slow cooker meal then she'll put it on around 7:30am. By the time we get home anything between 6pm-7pm it's actually cold (or lukewarm at the very best).

I'd obviously like it to come to its end right as we're getting through the front door (or as close to obviously).
Just don't know if these things are ok with timers or not? Do any of you use timers on them? If so then any old timer?

[Deleted User]

If its been on all that time it should be well cooked and piping hot ,sounds like you need to invest in a new SC I cook a chicken overnight in my SC and put it on low before bedtime and its cooked and pretty hot and ready to eat in the morning 8-9 hours later.I never use a timer I just chuck it in and set it to low and leave it until it looks cooked through and done ,normally about 7-8 hours

pamsdish

I use a timer, every 3 days, I cook chicken thighs for my dog, throw them frozen in s.c. in the morning, turn s.c. to low, my plug in timer is set to come on at midnight until 6 am, they defrost during the day, by the time I wish to remove them they have cooled enough to handle, and perfectly cooked.
JUST REMEMBER TO TURN TO OFF.
When I wish to use it for myself I just use the override on the side of timer, they are £3ish in Wilkos,
I agree with JackieO sounds like a problem with your sc. is the meal cooked, you say warm up so suggests it is but gone cool, are you already using a timer and it`s switching off too early ?, if so reset it for 6.30 pm, food keeps quite hot for some time, residual heat.

Pollycat

JackieO wrote: »

If its been on all that time it should be well cooked and piping hot ,sounds like you need to invest in a new SC I cook a chicken overnight in my SC and put it on low before bedtime and its cooked and pretty hot and ready to eat in the morning 8-9 hours later.I never use a timer I just chuck it in and set it to low and leave it until it looks cooked through and done ,normally about 7-8 hours

I think the same as JackieO

What sort of slow cooker do you have?
What settings does it have?

Mine are both basic - one has high, low, medium, the other has high, low and warm.
The food is hot in both - and stays that way hours after I switch it off.

It sounds as if yours is cooking for a set time period then switching off, allowing the food to go cold.
Does it have an in-built timer that is being set unaware to you and that is why the food is cold when you get home?
If not, it sounds like it's not working properly.
Has it always functioned like this?

buildersdaughter

A word of caution. Many of us use older slow cookers (my own is 40 years old) but the newer ones seem to operate at higher temperatures. Now there is just 2 of us at home, I bought a small one and was shocked at how quickly it cooked. Anything in there for 10-11 hours would be done to a frazzle ( I have watched my small slow cooker, set on low, bubble energetically)
BUT the problem about setting it on a timer, so it cooks for a shorter time, may be bacteria multiplying. It is safe if you are putting everything in cold, setting the timer a few hours later - the food will be quite safe coming up to room temperature before cooking.
It is not safe if you are starting everything off cooking, then allowing it to sit for a few hours at room temp. before the cooking starts.

I suggest that you try it when at home so you can observe it. Then certainly consider a timer - I have done this - but only with food you are putting in cold.
Otherwise, even if it has cooked and cooled down, at least you only have to microwave for a few minutes rather than cook from scratch.

Let us know how you get on please

Pollycat

buildersdaughter wrote: »

A word of caution. Many of us use older slow cookers (my own is 40 years old) but the newer ones seem to operate at higher temperatures. Now there is just 2 of us at home, I bought a small one and was shocked at how quickly it cooked. Anything in there for 10-11 hours would be done to a frazzle ( I have watched my small slow cooker, set on low, bubble energetically)
BUT the problem about setting it on a timer, so it cooks for a shorter time, may be bacteria multiplying. It is safe if you are putting everything in cold, setting the timer a few hours later - the food will be quite safe coming up to room temperature before cooking.
It is not safe if you are starting everything off cooking, then allowing it to sit for a few hours at room temp. before the cooking starts.

I suggest that you try it when at home so you can observe it. Then certainly consider a timer - I have done this - but only with food you are putting in cold.
Otherwise, even if it has cooked and cooled down, at least you only have to microwave for a few minutes rather than cook from scratch.

Let us know how you get on please

buildersdaughter
I agree.
My ex MIL gifted us a Prestige 'Crock pot' when they first came out almost 45 years ago.
A sales rep gave it to her.
I loved it!
It was like this and was used regularly until the base failed. I still have the pot and look on car boots and in charity shops and occasionally on ebay for a replacement base.

Neither of my 2 - small round Cookworks or large oval Morphy Richards - cook anywhere near as well - or for as long.

pamsdish

I have a small crockpot, brand name, off, low, high, and a larger one, low, med, high, from Aldi, the smaller crockpot gets very hot on low and bubbles, the bigger one I think low is just a keep warm function, no good for cooking, we still don`t know if food is cooked or not, I think that will answer a lot of our questions.

TensandUnits

As above, I can't see why it would switch itself off like that. Ours goes on at about 9.30am and the meal is ready at about 6pm, but it would keep cooking slowly if we left it on till later.

gettingtheresometime

Got my slow cooker on today using a timer.


Just a standard one with low, high & warm temperature settings.

Slinky

The only slow cookers I have ever had stay on at whatever temperature (low or high) until you turn them off. Sounds like your's has some sort of timer within it.

caronc

I think some of the digital sear & stew slow cookers have an auto shut off when the cooking time has elapsed.