A Crock-Pot is a versatile slow cooker that can be used to create a variety of delicious meals while being hands-off in the kitchen.
However, if you don’t have a lot of spare cookware to use in your oven, you may be tempted to use your crock pot instead of your usual Dutch Oven or casserole dish. But can you put a crock pot in the oven? And can you do this safely without damaging the appliance itself?
The good news is that yes, you can use your Crock-Pot in the oven! Of course, in order to modify how you use this appliance in the oven, you’ll need to take a few important factors into consideration, such as temperature, and which parts of the Crock-Pot are oven safe.
Today, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about using your Crock-Pot in the oven and explain how to do this safely.
It’s also important to remember that Crock-Pots is only one brand of slow cooker. So, while these are safe to use in the oven with some caveats, the same might not be true for competitive products. If in doubt, you should always consult with the manufacturer’s instructions.
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How To Use A Crock Pot In The Oven
While we’ve mentioned that, yes, you can use a Crock-Pot slow cooker in the oven to replace a casserole dish or Dutch Oven, there are a few important rules you’ll want to follow to ensure that you, and your slow cooker, stay safe.
First, only part of your Crock-Pot is safe for oven cooking. This is, of course, the removable ceramic insert that you would place your food into.
This insert is safe to use in the oven up to a maximum temperature of around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything more than this, and the ceramic insert will crack.
However, it’s important to remember that other parts of the slow cooker, such as the heating element, and the lid of the Crock-Pot, aren’t safe for use in the oven. These components have been designed for use on your countertop only.
Crock-Pot lids often have plastic parts that could melt in the oven. Even if your lid looks oven-friendly, because it is glass with a metal handle, it would still become damaged if used in the oven.
You should also remember that the ceramic insert of your Crock-Pot can’t be used for broiling. It isn’t broiler-safe, as the vast majority of broilers are capable of reaching temperatures hotter than the maximum 400 degrees Fahrenheit that the ceramic insert is safe for use at. (See more below.)
So as long as you don’t place your whole Crock-Pot in the oven, and keep the temperature under 400 degrees Fahrenheit, you should be able to safely use its ceramic insert in place of your usual casserole dish.
Can Other Slow Cooker Brands Be Used In The Oven?
So now that we now know you can safely place the ceramic part of your Crock-Pot in the oven, you may be wondering about your competitive slow cooker product.
We don’t all have a Crock-Pot stashed in the cupboard of course! If you have another brand of a slow cooker, that also comes with a ceramic insert, you may be wondering if it is also safe to use in your oven.
The good news is that yes, the ceramic part of your slow cooker is still perfectly safe to use in your oven! The great thing about these inserts is that they work similarly to other casserole dishes.
You can use them in your oven up to a certain temperature, which makes them a great fit if you don’t have another clean dish to hand.
However, make sure to be wary if this ceramic part already has cracks in it, as this will make it less safe to use in the oven.
You should also avoid using the slow cooker lid, as this usually has plastic parts on it that will only melt in the oven, rendering it unusable.
Can I Put A Crock-Pot On A Stovetop?
No, it’s not recommended to use the ceramic part of your Crock-Pot on a stovetop.
This is because it won’t be able to cope with the direct source of extreme heat, and is more likely to crack and become damaged than if you were to use it in the oven.
If you use the ceramic part of your Crock-Pot in the oven, this will slowly heat up over time with the oven itself. However, on the stovetop, only a certain part of the stoneware is being heated. This will make it more susceptible to thermal shock, and render it unusable.
Can You Put A Crock Pot In The Oven On Broil?
No, you can’t put a Crock-Pot in the oven on broil, and certainly not high broil. This is because the ceramic insert is only safe to use up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Broiling quite often has to exceed this temperature in order to reach the higher temperatures required. This means that you won’t be able to use the ceramic insert from your Crock-Pot, as it will crack and become unusable in your actual Crock-Pot.
We’re sure that you don’t want to damage such a crucial element of your slow cooker! Instead, you will need to opt for a piece of cookware that is safe for use with broiling.
Make sure to look for a cookware product that is able to withstand extreme temperatures.
In Summary
So there you have it! A Crock-Pot is safe to use in the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, but only if you take the ceramic insert out beforehand and use this.
Now all that’s left to do is have fun using your ceramic insert from your Crock-Pot or slow cooker in the oven to make some tasty, home-cooked meals!
Want to Learn More?
Looking for more information about using a Crock-Pot, or slow cooker, in the oven? You can access your Crock-Pot user manual here: https://www.crock-pot.com/instruction-manuals.html
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