Crock pot question - can I put on stew tonight at like midnight...

[i.love.lucy]

and turn it off in the morning around 8 or 9 am? I can't see the difference in letting it cook 8 or 9 hours overnight vs all day, but I just wondered if any of you do this? I need to get a meal to my in-laws (and what I have is stuff for stew) but they eat at 11:30ish. So I figured instead of getting up at 3am to put it on, why not at bedtime, then turn it off and refrig. They can heat it up a few hours later for their lunch, and we can heat ours up much later for dinner.

 

Sound okay?

[In The Great White North]

Sounds fine. Crock pot leftovers are usually good, so reheating it shouldn't be a problem.

[Parrothead]

Oh, yeah. That is doable.

[ConnieB]

and turn it off in the morning around 8 or 9 am? I can't see the difference in letting it cook 8 or 9 hours overnight vs all day, but I just wondered if any of you do this? I need to get a meal to my in-laws (and what I have is stuff for stew) but they eat at 11:30ish. So I figured instead of getting up at 3am to put it on, why not at bedtime, then turn it off and refrig. They can heat it up a few hours later for their lunch, and we can heat ours up much later for dinner.

 

Sound okay?

 

I've done this many a time when I want the crockpot meal for lunch or to take to a buffet the next day.

 

The only problem.....you're gonna wake up VERY hungry after smelling that stew all night, lol.

[littleWMN]

yep!

[MaryCatherine]

I used to put my Sunday lunches in the crock pot and turn it on right before going to bed Saturday night. When I left for church, I'd turn it to "warm" and we'd have a nice lunch after church.

[ereks mom]

...I don't turn mine off ; I let it keep cooking until time to serve it. I put either a beef roast or a pork loin into the crockpot anywhere from 9:00 PM to midnight and we eat it after church the next day, usually around 1:00. If I were making a stew, I'd put the meat on the night before and let it cook all night on low, then add the vegetables the next morning around 8:00 or 9:00 to be ready by noon.

[i.love.lucy]

...I don't turn mine off ; I let it keep cooking until time to serve it. I put either a beef roast or a pork loin into the crockpot anywhere from 9:00 PM to midnight and we eat it after church the next day, usually around 1:00. If I were making a stew, I'd put the meat on the night before and let it cook all night on low, then add the vegetables the next morning around 8:00 or 9:00 to be ready by noon.

Okay! That's an excellent point otherwise they could be too mushy. I usually cook my stew 7-8 hours with all the veggies in it, and it's fine, but better to wait for them for morning and then I can leave it on low the rest of the morning.

 

Thanks Hive!!