Cooking is not everyone’s favorite job, especially for those who work full-time. For this reason, many people use Crock Pots as they allow for quick, convenient cooking.
All that you need to do is combine the ingredients in your crock pot, set the temperature, and you’ll have a delicious meal waiting when you come back from work.
However, understanding the difference between high vs low crock pot temperature settings is essential to cooking up the perfect meal. We’ve got everything you need to know about which setting is best and how to use both low and high heat coming up.
High vs Low Crock Pot Temperature Comparison
| High Temperature | Low Temperature | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 300°F Cooking Temperature | 190°F-200°F Cooking Temperature |
| Advantages | Rapid Cooking Time | Low Cooking Time That Unlocks Immense Flavor While Breaking Down Fibers & Collagen |
| Suitability | Lean Cuts Of Meat & Delicate Vegetables | Roasts, Tough Cuts, Dense Vegetables - Unlocking Maximum Flavor Through Slow Cooking |
| Temperature Checking | Four Hours Before Testing With Thermometer | Eight Hours Before Testing With Thermometer |
High vs Low Crock Pot Temperatures
When it comes to cooking with a crock pot, users don’t need as much water as compared to cooking on a regular stovetop. It is pretty safe to say that most recipes call for the liquid to be reduced by half when using a crock pot instead of a regular pot on top of a stove.
Other than this key vital piece of information, one also needs to understand how to use high vs low crock pot temperatures. Here is everything you need to know about both settings.
High Settings
High setting on your crock pot takes the temperature to roughly 300-degrees Fahrenheit. While not all food should be cooked at a high heat for the best results, those which can handle high setting will be cooked in a much shorter time than food cooked on a low setting.
Advantages
There’s no faster way to cook a meal using a crock pot than to use the high setting exclusively. One hour on high is roughly equivalent to two to two and a half hours on low.
Suitability
While high setting can be used to cook just about anything in a crock pot quicker than on low, there are certain ingredients that high handles better. Rice, pasta, seafood, and delicate vegetables don’t do well when slow-cooked and should rather be cooked on high setting.
High setting is best for lean cuts of meat, as slow cooking meat that’s low in fat will result in a leathery texture.
Temperature Checking
Those who want to confirm the internal temperature of their crock pot on high should allow the unit to heat for at least four hours before inserting a thermometer.
Keep in mind, removing the lid instantly causes the temperature to drop from 300°F to 285°F to 290°F, so give the pot a while to warm up after removing the lid before checking the heat.
Low Settings
Low setting on your crock pot takes the temperature to roughly 200-degrees Fahrenheit. As one would expect, this increases the cooking time of whatever you may be making. For example, something that would take two hours on high will take four hours or more on low.
Advantages
Slow cooking food brings out immense flavor. Fibers get broken down into flavor regardless of what’s being cooked.
However, when slow cooking meat specifically, the collagen breaks down into gelatin which imbues immense flavor into the meal while granting the sauce a richness and decadently textured mouthfeel.
One has to remember that the ideal temperature for slow-cooking meat is around 160°F which is basically the exact temperature that the bath of a crock pot reaches as the pot itself heats to between 190° to 200°F.
There is no better way to unlock the full flavor of roast than to cook it for a full nine to ten hours on low in a crock pot.
Suitability
Opt for the low setting when you know that you’re going to be out all day. It is the best setting for getting the maximum flavor out of meat. Low heat on your crock pot is best when cooking up a large pork or beef roast, poultry, or stew meat.
While fish isn’t recommended, those who do want to stew fish shouldn’t cook any cut for more than three and a half hours. All-day cooking of delicate meat and vegetables on low temperature is not recommended.
This being said, it is almost impossible to overcook any tough cut, even when leaving it for the full duration of the day.
Temperature Checking
When running a crock pot on low heat, one has to wait for at least eight hours before confirming the internal temperature.
Furthermore, the temperature plummets by around 15°F as soon as the lid is removed, and the pot will take longer to heat up to maximum heat due to the lower temperature setting.
We advise letting it cook for eight hours, then removing the lid and waiting a further twenty to thirty minutes before inserting a thermometer.
What Is The Difference Between High vs Low Crock Pot Temperatures
The main difference between the high and low crock pot temperature setting is that high reaches 300°F whereas low reaches 200°F.
High setting is better suited to lean cuts of meat and delicate vegetables, whereas low setting is optimal for slow cooking anything sinuous and dense, hardy vegetables that benefit from prolonged cooking.
Choosing Between High & Low Crock Pot Temperature Settings
You can follow the below-mentioned guidelines to calculate the heat settings necessary for your meals:
- Seven hours on low setting will take two to three hours on high
- Eight hours on low setting will take three and a half hours to four hours on high setting
- Nine hours on low settings will take four and a half hours to five hours on high setting
What’s The Best High vs Low Crock Pot Temperature Setting?
Using a crock pot as a beginner can at first appear challenging. However, once one realizes that there are only two basic temperatures, operating the unit becomes much easier.
All that you need to keep in mind is how high vs low crock pot temperatures are better suited to particular types of meat, and you’ll seldom run into any problems.
High-temperature cooking may seem like the better choice for those in a hurry, but one should keep in mind just how much better the flavor comes out when most meats and other meals are slow-cooked instead.
Ultimately, we suggest sticking to the recipe while keeping our tips and guidance in mind so that you can never go wrong.
