Can Oven Sub for Slow Cooker?

[Deborah R.]

I recently came across an appealing recipe for a slow cooker, but don't own one. I'm wondering whether I could make the dish in a covered pan in the oven. What temperature would I set the oven at? And since this recipe involves pork, would cooking it on low heat for a long time in the oven pose any safety problems?

[Greyghost]

I think the oven was among the original slow cookers well before the commercial slow cookers were invented. At the risk of raising a few eyebrows, may I suggest you may have a slow cooker disguised as a fast cooker. This would be your microwave oven. I make many slow cooker type recipes in my microwave such as stews, chowders and many such things of every description. I know, it sounds counter intuitive, but a microwave can be a slow cooker if set on low with your recipe cooking for hours within it in a microwave safe vessel I have done this for years and the results are outstanding.

[chococat]

It's probably not a bad idea to get the food up to a simmer on the stovetop before putting the pot in the oven. Getting a large volume of food up to temp will take forever in the oven (the "pot" in the crockpot is is close to the heating element and will conduct the heat to the food much faster than relying on the hot air in the oven). Heating the food on the stovetop will cut down on the total cook time and it's preferable from a food safety standpoint.

[Gio]

Yes, you can use your oven to slow cook meat. I answered the same question this past April:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610140#4574166

The following is for cooking in a Dutch oven in the oven:
12 hours/Low Crock pot = 3 hours/325° F Oven
10 hours/Low - 2 1/2 hours/325° F
8 hours/Low - 2 hours/325° F
6 hours/Low - 1 1/2 hours/325° F
5 hours/Low - 1 hour, 15 min./325° F
4 hours/Low - 1 hour/325° F
4 hours/High - 2 hours/325° F
3 hours/Low - 45 min./325° F
3 hours/High - 1 1/2 hours/325° F

Here's the link:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4808173_use-c...
Gio Apr 07, 2009 07:58AM

For the pork recipe, preheat your oven to 450F. Prepare your recipe, put the meat in the oven, then turn down the heat to 250F.

[AmyH]

check out this recent thread:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/625100

[mrbigshotno.1]

No problem at all, any oven proof pot or dish with a tight fitting lid. Put it at 250* and let it go as long as you want. Bigger the peice of meat, the longer you cook it.

[fourunder]

Assuming you are braising this recipe, I would agree with (mrbigshotno.1) and his recommendation of 250* temperature.

If you ever decide to dry roast any pork cuts, e.g., ribs, loin, picnic or fresh hams, I am a proponent of slow roasting @ low temperatures, i.e., 215-225* . If you have never tried this method, I would recommend you give it a "shot".