Slow cooker: thaw the meat first, fill it half to two-thirds full, and never cook dry kidney beans in it

Why slow is the risk

USDA says the direct heat from the pot, the long cook time and the steam trapped under the lid combine to destroy bacteria, which makes slow cooking a safe way to cook. But it also says the cooker may take several hours to reach a safe, bacteria-killing temperature. [S1]

• Don’t give bacteria a head start. USDA says keep perishable food in the fridge right up until prep time, because bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature during those first hours. [S1]
• Hours don’t prove it’s done. FoodSafety.gov says you may assume a meal is safe because it cooked for hours, but the only way to know is a food thermometer in the thickest part. [S2]
• Wet dishes work best. USDA suggests foods with a high moisture content, like chili, soup, stew or spaghetti sauce. [S1]

Before you start

1. Thaw meat and poultry first. USDA says always thaw meat or poultry before it goes in. FoodSafety.gov says thaw it in the fridge, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter, and cook right away if you used cold water or the microwave. [S1] [S2]
2. Prep ahead, store apart. If you cut up meat and vegetables in advance, USDA says store them separately in the fridge. [S1]
3. Start clean. USDA says begin with a clean cooker, utensils and work area. FoodSafety.gov says wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before you start and again after touching raw meat. [S1] [S2]
4. Vegetables go in first. Both pages say vegetables cook slower than meat and poultry in a slow cooker, so put them on the bottom. [S1] [S2]
5. Fill it half to two-thirds full. FoodSafety.gov says too full and the food may be undercooked and unsafe, and not full enough and it may overcook. For big roasts, check your instruction booklet for the sizes your cooker can handle. [S2] [S1]
6. No delayed start. FoodSafety.gov says start the cooker right after you finish prepping and don’t set a timer to start cooking later in the day. [S2]

Short on fridge thawing time before a holiday? Our turkey thawing guide covers the fridge and cold water math.

While it cooks

• Plugged in and on. It sounds obvious, but USDA lists it as a reminder: make sure the cooker is plugged in and turned on. [S1]
• High first, if you can. USDA suggests the highest setting for the first hour, then low or what the recipe calls for. It also says cooking on low the whole time is safe if you’re heading out the door. [S1]
• Keep the lid on. USDA says remove it only to stir or check for doneness. [S1]
• Check the temperature. FoodSafety.gov says put the thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, fat or gristle: 145°F for whole cuts of beef, pork, veal and lamb with a 3 minute rest, 145°F for fish with fins, 160°F for ground meat and egg dishes, and 165°F for all poultry. [S2]

More on reading a thermometer is in our safe meat temperatures guide.

Dry kidney beans

FDA says raw or undercooked beans contain a natural lectin called phytohaemagglutinin, and at the high levels in raw beans it can cause nausea, severe vomiting and diarrhea. Canned and properly cooked kidney beans have low levels that won’t affect you. [S3]

1. Soak. FDA says soak dry beans for at least 5 hours. Health Canada says use 2 to 3 times as much water as beans and throw out the soaking water. [S3] [S4]
2. Boil on the stove. FDA says boil them in fresh water for at least 30 minutes. Health Canada says boil vigorously for at least 10 minutes. [S3] [S4]
3. Don’t let the slow cooker do that job. Health Canada says slow cookers and crock pots don’t reach temperatures high enough to destroy the lectins, so they shouldn’t be used to cook dry red kidney beans. [S4]
4. Canned kidney beans are fine. Health Canada says the canning heat already destroys the lectins in canned red kidney beans, so they need no further cooking. [S4]

Leftovers and power outages

• Shallow containers, 2 hours. USDA says store leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate them within 2 hours after cooking is finished. [S1]
• Don’t reheat in the cooker. USDA says reheat cooked food on the stove, in a microwave or in an oven until it reaches 165°F, then move it to a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving at 140°F or above. [S1]
• Power out while you’re away. USDA says throw the food away, even if it looks done. [S1]
• Power out while you’re home. USDA says finish cooking right away another way, like a gas stove, an outdoor grill or a house with power. If the food was completely cooked before the outage, it should stay safe up to 2 hours in the cooker with the power off. [S1]
• Wash the insert and lid. FoodSafety.gov says use hot, soapy water, or the dishwasher if they’re dishwasher safe. [S2]

How long the leftovers keep in the fridge is covered in our leftovers guide.

Your pot

Pick what’s going in and how the day will go. The answer puts the USDA, FoodSafety.gov, FDA and Health Canada steps from this page in one place. [S1] [S2] [S3]

Slow cooker checklist

Quick answers