Meat always dries out in my slow cooker

[JillianH]

I have 2 slow cookers, (smaller WestBend and larger Rival) and I find that regardless of which I use, the meat always dries out. All the juice from the meat ends up in the crock pot as I end up with lots of juice for gravy. I try to follow the directions in terms of time, and not lifting the lid etc. I'm wondering if I should be adding more or less liquid? Or maybe that's what happens when you cook in the crock pot and people just use gravy to make up for it? If not, any ideas on what might I be doing wrong?

By the way, I tried to find a way to search the forums to see if this question was already answered, but couldn't find it. I'm striking out everywhere today!

[duonyte]

Right now there is no search function in the forums, but it's on the wishlist. You might want to try advanced Google.\

A lot of the times in recipes are just too long, especially with today's slow cookers which run hotter than do the early ones. For example, I don't cook chicken beyond 5-6 hrs. Most beef or pork I don't cook beyond 8 hrs, unless it's a really big piece or I want it shredded. This, of course, makes it tricky if you want to set it as you are leaving the house and letting it cook until you get home. I don't have one that is programmable, or that switches to keep warm at some point and that might be a sollution.

When meat cooks too long, the juices cook out of it and nothing really saves it - I don't think even shredding and saucing really helps.

[Red Apple Guy]

duonyte is correct, a lot of today's slow cookers aren't as slow as the devices used to be. Recipes can be disappointing because slow cookers vary so much.

I recommend testing to learn your crock pot. Cook a dish where the crock pot is 1/2 to 2/3 full and track both time and temperature. Most foods are safe at 165F and meats are tender yet juicy at 200F. If that takes 7 hours on low for your pot, then you have a barometer to go by with the knowledge that poultry generally cooks faster than say chuck roast beef.

Red

[Secret Agent]

I find that cheap cuts do much better in the crock pot and stay moister. I cook corned beef on low up to 24 hours and it always turns out great. I made one on Saturday, 6 pounder and it was gone in 2 meals and a sandwich and it was just the two of us - DH loves it once or twice a year. I even do a chicken overnight, about 8 hours and it turns out great. I prefer roasted but for pot pies, salads and the like it works great on the chicken. I think I have a slower cooker since it's a Rival and it's pretty old.

I also love my pressure cookers.

HTH
SA