Why is there so much liquid in my slow cooker after my food gets done cooking?
Reader Terri contacted me this week and had a great question. She writes:
Why is there so much liquid in my slow cooker? This is a question about any recipe, especially chicken. I’ve had slow cooker aka crock pots for 30 years and one thing for me irritates the heck out of just about anything I make. How do you avoid all the liquid that accumulates from the cooking of the chicken and vegetables? (Besides draining off the liquid during cooking, which is a pain because I have a four quart crock pot and it’s so heavy and the inner crock so hot that it’s hard to do—the other reason is we are supposed to set it and leave and let it do it’s thing anyway!)
It’s so obnoxious and to me it waters down the overall flavor. I made chicken breasts, green peppers, onions and potatoes with two cans of diced tomatoes that had garlic and bits of onion in it, Let it cook and in about 4 hours on high it was done but floating in liquid. I even drained the tomatoes first. This is the only thing that discourages me from making more slow cooker recipes. Do you have a secret?
I don’t know if I have a “secret” but I do know what I do to solve the “why is there so much liquid in my slow cooker” problem!
Why is there so much liquid in my slow cooker?
Well, this is because the slow cooker lid sits on top of the pot all day long. The food gets hot and lets off steam. The steam hits the top of the lid and then all that condensation drips back down on top of the food. This is why I recommend placing paper towels over the top of the slow cooker when baking (like in this slow cooker peach cobbler recipe).For slow cookers, you need half the amount of liquid that a traditional recipe asksfor. If the recipe isn’t optimized for a slow cooker, cut the amount of liquid by about 50%. When I’m cooking a pork roast or beef roast or whole chicken I usually don’t add any liquid at all. People get freaked out when I tell them not to add liquid to a roast…don’t! It’s ok. I promise.
Slow Cooker Solutions
1.First I would pat the chicken dry before placing it in the slow cooker. I wouldn’t throw the chicken in frozen because that will add more liquid when the ice crystals melt.
2.Dredge the chicken in a bit of flour before placing in the bottom of the slow cooker. There’s no need to brown the chicken. Just dredge the chicken in the flour and stick it in the slow cooker.
3.Add in 1-2 Tbsp ofminutetapioca. This is my favorite trick and I use it all the time. Tapioca is a thickener. It’s tasteless and you won’t notice it at all in the final product. This is the kind that I buy and I find it near the Jello section at the grocery store.
4. Always adjust seasonings to taste at the end because there is no reduction so the flavors will be muted if you don’t.
5. Use cornstarch at the end of the cooking time. In a little bowl stir together a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch and a couple tablespoons water. Turn the slow cooker to high and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Keep the lid off and let the sauce get thickened up. It will probably take about 10 minutes.
6. Remove the lid for the last hour of cooking time and turn the slow cooker to high.If you’re home to do this it will really help to evaporate a lot of the liquid.
Cashew Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Have a slow cooker question I can help answer?
Just ask! I’ve got a lot of slow cooker experience and I might just be able to help 🙂 You can email me at [emailprotected].
Other slow cooker tips!
- Slow Cooker Tips if you’re going to be gone all day
- 5 Tips for quick and easy crockpot freezer meals
- My favorite slow cooker and why I like it so much
- 5 outside of the box ways to use your slow cooker
FAQs
Well, this is because the slow cooker lid sits on top of the pot all day long. The food gets hot and lets off steam. The steam hits the top of the lid and then all that condensation drips back down on top of the food.
How do I stop my slow cooker from making too much liquid? ›
If it comes to serving and you open your slow cooker to find a watery sauce, never fear we have an easy answer. Take the lid off, turn the machine up to high heat and leave it for 30-45 minutes to let excess moisture cook off. The liquid will reduce, leaving you with a thick and delicious gravy or sauce.
Why is my slow cooker making everything watery? ›
For instance, slow cooker meals can turn out to be watery when there is too much liquid added at the beginning of the preparation or if during the cooking process, the water does not evaporate producing a runny consistency.
How much liquid is too much in slow cooker? ›
Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker
Half to two-thirds full is ideal – certainly no more than three-quarters.
How do you get rid of excess liquid in cooking? ›
Let the excess liquid evaporate away by bringing the substance to a boil or a simmer until the desired consistency is reached. This method is great for sauces – including a quick pan sauce created after cooking a protein – and gravies that are only marginally looser than desired.
How do I reduce the liquid in my pressure cooker? ›
Nothing too complicated about reducing liquids in your pressure cooker. First, open the pressure cooker in the quickest method possible – Normal Release for electrics. Then, put the pan back on medium to medium-low heat without the top to reduce the recipe to the desired thickness.
How do I stop my slow cooker from spitting water? ›
If the lid doesn't like staying offset, put a wooden spoon in the crock and then cover with the lid, the spoon will keep it from closing tight. It's the tight seal that lets the bubbles live longer and grow, and finally what causes the lid to spit. Break the seal and the bubbles fall, and the lid won't spit anymore.
Should food be covered with liquid in a slow cooker? ›
Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.
Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›
Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point.
Should I drain the liquid from a slow cooker? ›
Aside from temperature interruptions adding to your cooking time, there's safety to consider; the steam coming off the cooking liquid can cause steam burns, and attempting to remove the pot from the slow cooker to drain it is unsafe while it's filled with hot food and liquid that can scald the skin and cause dangerous ...
okay, secondly, you can put a tea towel under the lid. that will capture some of the moisture, it stops it circulating in the slow cooker. and then thirdly, you can use a corn flour slurry, so into a bowl, a little bit of corn flour, cold water, mix it with your finger, pour it in, stir it. you're done.
How do I reduce the juice in my slow cooker? ›
If you only have a small volume of extra liquid in the pot, another option is to partially prop the lid open and leave the slow cooker to finish doing its thing. This way, any steam generated will escape through the gap instead of condensing and falling back into the pot.
Why putting a tea towel over a slow cooker? ›
Try putting a tea towel over the top of the slow cooker before replacing the lid. This absorbs the excess moisture, thickening the dish and deepening its flavours. The cloth can be replaced with a fresh one when needed, but usually one tea towel during the final couple of hours will do the trick.
