Turn any oven or stovetop recipe into a slow cooker recipe. Enter the original cooking time to get LOW and HIGH times and how much to cut the liquid, or go the other way and convert a slow cooker recipe back to the oven.
Last updated:
Convert
h
min
Slow cooker setting
hours
Sets how much to cut the liquid: braise −50%, stew/casserole −⅓, soup none.
%
Broth, water, wine or sauce.
Liquid unit
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Slow Cooker Conversion Calculator
Choose the direction: oven/stovetop to slow cooker, or slow cooker to oven.
Enter the recipe time in hours and minutes (or the slow cooker hours and setting).
Pick the type of dish and, if you like, the amount of liquid in the recipe.
Press Convert time to see LOW and HIGH times and the adjusted liquid.
Check the chart below to see the standard ranges for other recipe lengths.
The slow cooker conversion chart
Slow cookers heat food to a gentle simmer over several hours. The usual way to adapt a conventional recipe is this chart, which many slow cooker makers and cookbooks use:
Oven or stovetop time
Slow cooker on LOW
Slow cooker on HIGH
15–30 minutes
4–6 hours
1½–2½ hours
35–45 minutes
6–8 hours
3–4 hours
50 minutes – 3 hours
8–10 hours
4–6 hours
The calculator places your recipe inside its row: a 2-hour stew is near the long end of the 50-minute-to-3-hour row, so it suggests about 9 hours on LOW or 5 hours on HIGH. Times are rounded to the nearest 15 minutes.
Adjusting liquid, ingredients and timing
Cut the liquid. About half for braises and pot roasts, a third for stews and casseroles, none for soups.
Dense vegetables go on the bottom. Potatoes, carrots and onions cook more slowly than meat, so put them under it, close to the heat.
Add delicate foods late. Dairy, fresh herbs, peas, pasta, rice and seafood go in during the last 15–60 minutes.
Brown first for flavor. Searing meat and softening onions in a skillet before adding them gives a deeper taste.
Thicken at the end. Stir in a cornstarch slurry and cook on HIGH, lid off, for 15–20 minutes if the sauce is thin.
Food safety tips
Thaw meat and poultry in the refrigerator before slow cooking.
Keep the lid on; every lift lets out heat and can add 15–20 minutes.
Dried red kidney beans must be boiled for at least 10 minutes before slow cooking, or use canned beans.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, and reheat them on the stove or in the microwave, not in the slow cooker.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert oven time to slow cooker time?
Use the standard chart: recipes that take 15–30 minutes in the oven or on the stove need about 4–6 hours on LOW or 1½–2½ hours on HIGH; 35–45 minutes becomes 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH; and 50 minutes to 3 hours becomes 8–10 hours on LOW or 4–6 hours on HIGH.
Is 1 hour on HIGH equal to 2 hours on LOW?
Roughly. Both settings reach the same final simmering temperature, about 209°F (98°C); HIGH just gets there faster. As a rule of thumb, one hour on HIGH equals about 2 hours on LOW, though tough cuts often become more tender with the longer LOW cook.
How much should I reduce liquid for a slow cooker?
Because the lid traps steam, very little liquid evaporates. Cut the liquid in braises and pot roasts by about half, and in stews, chilis and casseroles by about a third. Soups can keep the same amount. Meat and vegetables also release juices as they cook.
How do I convert a slow cooker recipe to the oven?
Reverse the chart: 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH is about 50 minutes to 3 hours in a covered Dutch oven at 325–350°F (165–175°C), depending on the cut. Add back some of the liquid, since more evaporates in the oven, and cook until the meat is fork-tender.
Can I put frozen meat in a slow cooker?
It is not recommended. Food safety agencies advise thawing meat and poultry first, because frozen pieces can spend too long between 40°F and 140°F (4–60°C) while the slow cooker heats up.
How full should a slow cooker be?
Between half and two-thirds full. With too little food it cooks too fast and may scorch; overfilled pots take too long to heat and can bubble over.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.