According to their Slow Cookers and Food Safety guidelines, you should always thaw meat or poultry before putting it in a slow cooker.
Can you put frozen meat in a slow cooker?
It depends. The advice on whether or not to put frozen meat in a slow cooker is mixed. The USDA recommends thawing your meat in the refrigerator before starting a slow cooker recipe. Otherwise, the frozen meat might take too long to cook to a safe temperature (above 165°F); allowing bacteria to grow.
Can you cook a frozen roast in a crock pot?
Your 3 to 4 pound frozen roast will take a long time to cook in the slow cooker, and may spend too long in the “danger zone” temperature where bacteria can grow. Your best bet is to thaw that first. After you do, make our top-rated Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pot Roast!
Can you cook frozen chicken in a crock-pot?
Yes. Lean meats like chicken will cook faster than meats with more connective tissue and fat. That means frozen chicken will get to a safe temperature faster than other meats. To speed up cook time even more, consider cutting your frozen chicken into small pieces before adding it to the Crock-Pot.
Do you have to defrost meat before slow cooking?
The USDA recommends thawing your meat in the refrigerator before starting a slow cooker recipe. Otherwise, the frozen meat might take too long to cook to a safe temperature (above 165°F); allowing bacteria to grow.
