Slow cookers are amazing kitchen appliances for the busy home cook. The set it and forget it method is a lifesaver for busy households, but some recipes will ask that you “finish off” the recipe in the oven, which turns a one-pot recipe into a dishwashing ordeal.
So, are slow cooker dishes ovenproof? It depends on the material that your slow cooker is made out of. Thin-walled aluminum slow cooker dishes will be ruined if used in an oven, especially over 350 degrees. Ceramic slow cooker dishes can be used in ovens safely.
In this article, we will answer all your questions about how to use a slow cooker dish in your oven from safety to methods!
Why Would You Want to Put A Slow Cooker Dish In The Oven?
There are several reasons you might want to try using your slow cooker dish in the oven. Some of the positives of using a slow cooker dish in the oven include:
- When a recipe calls for finishing off a roast in the oven, using the slow cooker dish will save you time at the sink after dinner.
- These dishes are the largest dishes for baking in my kitchen; they can even handle making loaves of bread!
- Slow cooker dishes are easy to use and usually easy to clean!
- They insulate your food and cook with some pressure as the oven heats up.
- The slow heating and insulated walls build heat in a unique way that helps foods to release and produce antioxidant-rich minerals.
- When cooking with the enclosed and insulated environment of the slow cooker dish, food just tastes better. Meat and vegetables give up their juices only to let everything else soak it in like a greasy tasty jacuzzi.
- Slow cooker dishes can double as a serving dish for a company in a pinch. Place the dish down on the table with a heat guard and put it in a serving utensil.
- Some slow cooker dishes can be used up to 400 degrees according to the Crock-Pot customer service website, which states many other safety concerns and practical uses of slow cooker dishes beyond the original use.
- If your slow cooker stops working, you can finish off the meal in the oven, or even repurpose that slow cooker dish even after you replace the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Dishes Can be Used in Ovens
Now that you know why you might want to use a slow cooker in the oven, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Not all slow cooker dishes can be used in the oven. Here are some common materials used to make slow cooker dishes and whether or not they can go in the oven:
- Ceramic: According to the Crock-Pot customer service website, ceramic slow cooker dishes are ovenproof and can be used in temperatures up to 400 degrees. This means that you can use many slow cooker dishes in your oven at nearly any temperature you would need.
- Aluminum: Most manufacturer’s of aluminum slow cooker dishes recommend not using the insert in the oven
- Stainless steel: Slow cookers with stainless steel inserts are less common, but if you find one, you will likely be able to use it in your oven.
You should always check with your slow cooker’s manual to be sure it can withstand temperatures in the oven.
Tips for Using Your Slow Cooker Dish in the Oven
Although slow cooker dishes are ovenproof, they can be cracked or broken if not used properly. When using your slow cooker dish in the oven, you should follow these simple guidelines to avoid damaging your dish:
- Don’t use your slow cooker dish to store food in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures can weaken the ceramic.
- Don’t heat up cold ceramic; heating cold stone materials can be dangerous as they may fracture or even explode when the heat change is too much.
- Don’t use ceramic slow cooker dishes that have cracks already in them. Cracks weaken the dish and make them more likely to break if cooked at higher temperatures.
- Do not use the slow cooker lid in the oven since most have rubber or plastic parts
- Check your slow cooker dish occasionally to avoid burning to the edge
Is a Slow Cooker Dish Lid Ovenproof?
The glass top of most slow cooker dishes has some sort of rubber or plastic piece near the vent hole, and as a handle, so you definitely wouldn’t want to place those plastic or rubber pieces in the oven at high temperatures, even if the dish itself can handle it.
I personally don’t even like birthday candle wax melted to my cake, so industrial plastic would be a real nightmare in my souffle!
Instead, try using some aluminum foil as a makeshift covering for the lid of your slow cooker dish. Cover the top of the dish and place it on the rack in the oven so that the food still gets the benefit of being insulated as it cooks. Insulated baking can be important for a few reasons:
- It keeps your food tender and juicy by letting the moisture remain in the dish.
- It creates a vacuum seal that can help to cook food faster
- It keeps heat in better that also aids in thoroughly cooking your food.
Can You Use a Slow Cooker Dish on a Stove Top?
If you’re looking to give your roast a nice seer before setting it to cook in your slow cooker, then you’re probably wondering if you can just put your slow cooker dish right on your burner.
Just like with using your slow cooker dish in the oven, it depends on the material of the dish and the brand you purchased. Some slow cooker dishes are made with the busy home chef in mind and can handle being put over a burner, and some cannot.
Most ceramic slow cooker dishes should not be put on the stovetop, but some high-quality aluminum slow cooker dishes can be. Be sure to check with your owner’s manual.
Can You Use Slow Cooker Liners in the Oven
Slow cooker liners are a plastic lining that you put into the slow cooker before you add ingredients. They make clean up a breeze, especially for recipes that tend to stick.
Unfortunately, you should not use one of the liners when you plan to put your dish in the oven at any point in the cooking process. They are not intended for oven use and could be unsafe and ruin your meal.
The Best Slow Cooker Dish for Oven Use
If you’re looking to buy a new slow cooker and you want the dish to be the most versatile possible, we recommend the Breville Stainless-Steel 7-Qt. Slow Cooker with EasySear Insert.
You can use the insert on this high-quality slow cooker both in your oven and on your stovetop, making it easy to seer meats or brown vegetables before cooking and browning up that cheese on the top of your macaroni and cheese in the oven after.
The Final Verdict
There are many reasons to use a slow cooker for more than just slow cooking a meal with little fuss while you are at work. Slow cooker dishes can be used in ovens if they are made of ceramic or clay and are not damaged.
It can change the way that you cook because a slow cooker dish is nicely insulated, allowing for more moisture and a form of pressure used to cook your food to perfection.