The Slow Cooker Mistake That’s Ruining Your Recipes

We’ve all been there: You walk through the door after a long day, ready to be greeted by a rich bite of a perfectly cooked pot roast. But instead, you lift the lid of your slow cooker to find a pale, undercooked chunk of beef floating in a thin, watery sauce. What went wrong? Chances are, you made one of the most common slow cooker mistakes—adding too much liquid. Here’s why it happens, what it does to your dinner, and how to fix it next time.

The Slow Cooker Mistake

Because the heavy lid of your slow cooker locks in moisture and steam, very little evaporation occurs. Instead, moisture rains back onto your dish during the cooking process. The ingredients in your recipe also release juices as they cook. So if you add too much liquid to your slow cooker, you might end up with the following:

• Diluted flavor: The air-tight lid prevents evaporation, so the liquid doesn’t concentrate as easily as it does on the stovetop, leading to bland results.
• Soupy texture: Broths and sauces will be thin and watery instead of thick and rich.
• Uneven cooking: Some or all of your ingredients might not be fully cooked.

But in addition to a disappointing stew or roast, filling your slow cooker with too much liquid can also be dangerous because it can boil and overflow during the cooking time, says Catherine Jessee, Allrecipes Editor and former test kitchen pro. “It’s definitely something you don’t want to happen while you’re not around—and many Crock-Pot recipes are set-and-forget,”  she says. “It doesn’t just present a mess issue, but a safety issue too.”

How Much Liquid Belongs in Your Slow Cooker?

The rule of thumb is to use half or one cup of liquid in your recipe—the slow cooker should only be halfway to two-thirds full. While most recipes tailored for the slow cooker will indicate the right amount you need for the best textures and flavors, decrease the amount of liquid you add when adapting your favorite recipes from the stovetop or oven. Remember: You can always add more to the end if you notice the dish looks dry.

Already added too much liquid? Don’t worry. Your roast or stew probably isn’t ruined. Here are a couple remedies:

• Remove the slow cooker’s lid and set it to high. Then let the liquid evaporate for 20 to 60 minutes (keep an eye on the pot to avoid over boiling, though). 
• Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (one part cornstarch, two parts water).