Slow cookers are a wonderful innovation for people who want the delicious flavor and tenderness that comes from long, slow cooking without spending an entire day by the stove. However, one drawback of slow cookers is having to wash the inner pot afterward.
Some clever innovator came up with the idea of using liners to eliminate this hassle. You simply toss the liner in the dustbin when you’ve finished your meal. This reduces water waste as well as saves time.
However, some people say that slow cooker liners melt. So, we investigated this problem. Read on and see what we came up with!
Why Do Slow Cooker Liners Melt?
Firstly, let’s look at what these liners are made of. They’re composed of nylon resin that is supposed to be safe for temperatures up to 400˚F (204˚C). We’re going to look at a few possible causes of this problem.
- Your slow cooker may be old. In old cookers, heating distribution sometimes becomes impacted and some areas of the base overheat. This can cause your liner to melt. The only solution for this is to buy a new slow cooker.
- Using substitutes for liners. Some people try all kinds of other materials instead of buying proper slow cooker liners. This may be why they are melting. Not all materials are safe when heated. Some melt and some may give off toxins. Please only buy the correct liners.
- Torn liners. If the lining is torn, food may leak out and stick to the bottom of the slow cooker. This may cause hotspots and overheating which in turn will cause the liner to melt.
- Reuse. People may have melting issues because of reusing the liners. Note that these liners are single-use only. They cannot be washed and reused. (You may as well just wash your slow cooker inner pot!)
- Trying to use them in the oven, toaster, barbeque grill. Please do not do this. Only use them in a crockpot. Crockpot liners are not the same as oven bags so don’t try to substitute one for the other.
How to Prevent Melted Liners
- Spraying The Slow Cooker
Before inserting the liner into the slow cooker and adding food, first spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray. This simple step will take care of the liner melting issue. However, we suggest using this method only if the liners melt.
There is no need to do it if you don’t have this problem. The cooking spray must be sprayed on all sides, as well as on the bottom. In case you don’t have cooking spray, it is suggested that you use vegetable oil.
The vegetable oil must be dripped on a paper towel and then wiped on the slow cooker sides and bottom.
- Stop Using Liners
If you have an old cooker and cannot get another one, use it without liners and use out easy cleaning method. First, spray the inner pot with cooking spray before putting any food into it.
Next, as soon as you have removed the cooked food from your cooker, put the inner bowl into the sink and fill it with very hot water and dishwashing liquid.
Leave it to soal for an hour or so, then wash it with a nylon scouring sponge. It will be clean in no time at all and you will have saved on the cost of liners.
- Try a Different Brand
According to the forums, some people have had this issue with one brand but not another. Switch brands and see if this solves your problem.
- Make Sure You’re Lining the Pot Correctly
Open the liner and spread it out evenly inside the inner pot. Do not tuck it under the rim of the inner pot between the inner and outer pots. This will put it in direct contact with a surface that may be exceeding 400˚F.
Put the food into the liner and put the lid on, making sure it’s sealed well. We recommend standing the excess liner edge up around the lid to prevent any steam from beneath the lid from dripping down.
Conclusion
Please don’t let the thought of this uncommon problem with slow cooker liners put you off trying them.
They’re great, especially for people who have a medical condition and find it difficult to work with their hands, people who don’t like washing dishes, people who are time-pressed, and people who gift others with frozen slow cooker meals.