Slow cooker meals make life so easy. “Set it and forget it” means you can toss everything in at the beginning of the day and come home to a delicious meal with no muss, no fuss. But is it safe to put uncooked meat in your slow cooker?
Yes, it is completely safe to put raw meat into a slow cooker. As long as you ensure the meat has reached a temperature hot enough to kill possibly harmful bacteria before consuming it, there is no risk in cooking meat this way. Generally, the safe temperature for whole meat is 145 degrees and for ground meat 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, some recipes and chefs will recommend browning meat before adding it to your slow cooker. The caramelization of the surface of the meat deepens the rich flavors of the meat.
How Do Slow Cookers Work?
While slow cookers can vary from brand to brand, the essential elements and functions they have are universal.
Slow cookers are made up of three main components:
- A base, or outer shell
- An inner container, also known as the crock
- A lid
The metal base contains the electric heating element which controls the temperature your slow cooker reaches. This sits at the bottom of the base and heats through the crock and into the food inside.
The crock is made of glazed ceramic or porcelain and is generally removable from the base. This makes the crock easy to clean without exposing the electrical elements in the base to water.
The lid is typically glass and fits snugly onto the inner container of your slow cooker. This lid traps in the heat and liquid during cooking.
To cook what is contained inside the crock, a slow cooker’s low wattage heating element engages and heats to various degrees depending on if you have it set to low, high, or warm.
The heat is transferred indirectly from the base and through the walls of the crock. In turn, the crock warms to somewhere between 180℉ (82℃) and 300℉ (150)℃ depending on what setting it is on.
The heat then transfers to the food in the crock and brings them to a simmer or low temperature for several hours.
Steam is formed as the food cooks and the condensation creates a vacuum between the lid and the crock. This prevents the steam from escaping and adds moisture to the food as it continues to cook.
Is It Safe to Put Raw Meat In a Slow Cooker?
There is no safety issue with putting raw meat into a slow cooker as long as you make sure the meat reaches a safe internal temperature for consumption.
While it may seem counterintuitive to have meat sitting in a slow cooker while in the “danger zone” (between 40℉ and 140℉), because the meat continues to cook to a temperature that ensures all bacteria has been killed it does not pose a threat.
Different types of meat have different temperature requirements. Use a food thermometer to ensure your dish reaches the safety zone.
Roasts should be between 145℉-160℉, poultry should be at a minimum of 165℉, and stews, sauces, and soups should all also reach 165℉.
The great thing about slow cookers is that because they are designed to retain moisture, you don’t really have to worry about your meat getting dry or tough with this method of cooking.
Should You Brown Meat Before Cooking It In a Slow Cooker?
If you are using ground meat in your slow cooker dish, be sure to brown it first. This prevents the ground meat from forming clumps of various sizes and also allows you to drain off excess fat before adding to your slow cooker.
Browning other meats is not necessary, but it does add depth and flavor to your dish and can be a game changer when it comes to your final product.
Despite popular belief, searing meat before adding it to your slow cooker does not lock in the juices.
One advantage to browning or searing meat before adding it to your slow cooker is decreasing your overall cooking time. If the meat is par-cooked it will reach a safe internal temperature more quickly.
If you want to avoid extra clean-up and want to skip the extra step of browning your meat, go ahead! There is essentially little difference between adding it raw or browned.
How to Precook Meat Before Cooking It In the Slow Cooker
To cook meat prior to adding it to your slow cooker, simply place a pan or heavy-bottomed pot on the stove over medium-high heat.
Add a small amount of oil to your cooking vessel and let heat on medium-high until hot enough to sizzle, but not smoking.
Add meat in a single, uncrowded layer to the oil. Once the side touching the pan is browned, rotate the pieces and repeat until all sides are browned. Adjust heat setting as needed.
Place par-cooked pieces on a plate lined with paper towels.
If you wish to add more body or thickness to your dish, such as in the case of a sauce or stew, dredge your pieces of meat in flour before browning. The flour will transfer to the liquid in your slow cooker and thicken it up.
How Long Does It Take to Cook Raw Meat In a Slow Cooker?
How long it takes to cook the meat added to your slow cooker depends on what setting you have it set to and what kind and cut of meat you are using.
If your slow cooker is set to high you will need less time to get the meat to the correct temperature. Chunks of meat instead of large cuts or whole roasts will cook faster, as will pieces of poultry over whole birds.
On a lower setting, your meat will need significantly longer to come to temperature, though it will have plenty of time to tenderize as well. Typically you will want to add about 4 hours to your cook time if you opt for a low setting.
A preferred method of many slow cooker aficionados is to first set their slow cooker on high for one hour and then switch over to the low setting for the rest of the cooking time. This decreases your cooking time but still gives the benefit of the “low and slow” method.
Be sure to use an accurate food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your meat before taste testing or serving to ensure it has reached a safe internal temperature.
More information on the pros and cons of both cooking on the high and low settings of your slow cooker is available here.
What to Consider When Adding Raw Meat to a Slow Cooker
Before you decide to use raw meat in your slow cooker, consider how much time you have. Since browning meat beforehand cuts your cooking time down, it may work better for you when you are short on time or can’t start your slow cooker until later in the day.
Also, consider if the depth of flavor that browning provides is something that you want in the flavor profile of your final dish.
The Benefits
Cutting out the steps of browning meat can definitely save you from active time in the kitchen.
A lot of the joy of using a slow cooker is that you can set it and forget it. If you have to do a bunch of prep beforehand it becomes a more involved project.
Putting the meat in raw will also save you the hassle of cleaning up. Instead of creating dishes in the process of browning or perhaps even dredging your meat, you simply have your cutting board, utensils, and slow cooker to clean up.
Another benefit is consistency. If meat is added raw it is all starting from the same base to cook from.
Instead of having uneven levels of par-cooked meat your dish will have consistently cooked pieces throughout, especially if you give it a stir every once in a while.
Temperature
Another thing to consider is what temperature the cut of meat you are using needs to get to in order to be in the safe zone and how long that will take.
Larger cuts may take twelve hours to get to a safe temperature, so consider if you have that kind of time before adding meat raw.
Always use an accurate food thermometer to gauge the doneness of your dish.
Why Some Advise Against It
Certain cuts and types of meat do better than others in the slow cooker. For example, lean meats don’t have as much fat to burn off and can cook too quickly, becoming overcooked before the rest of the ingredients are done.
The main concern with adding raw meat to a slow cooker is that it will not have enough time to cook thoroughly and will therefore be dangerous to eat.
If bacteria is still present and the meat is undercooked, you risk serious risk of becoming sick. Always ensure the meat is cooked to an adequate temperature all the way through.