Emilie Meyer
Cooking potatoes in a crock pot is an easy, hands-off way to make perfectly fluffy and tender baked potatoes. This method is especially useful when you don't want to heat up the kitchen or don't have space in the oven. You can cook as many or as few potatoes as you want, as long as they fit in your crock pot with the lid on properly. The cooking time varies depending on the size of the potatoes and the temperature setting, but generally, it takes around 2.5-8 hours. You can serve these potatoes as a side dish or use them in recipes that call for mashed or diced potatoes.
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What You'll Learn
Wash and dry the potatoes
Preparing your potatoes before cooking them in the crock pot is essential. Start by washing the potatoes under cold water and scrubbing them gently with your hands or a vegetable brush to remove any dirt. You can also use paper towels to give them a good scrub. Make sure you wash them thoroughly, paying extra attention to any eyes or spots that might be particularly dirty.
Once they are clean, it's important to dry them thoroughly. Use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to pat the potatoes dry. Removing excess moisture will help the skins stay firmer. It will also help the oil and seasonings adhere better to the potatoes in the next step. Make sure you get them as dry as possible before moving on to the next step of the recipe.
After washing and drying your potatoes, you'll need to prepare them for cooking in the crock pot. This involves pricking the potatoes with a fork several times. This step is important as it allows steam to escape during the cooking process, preventing your potatoes from bursting. Give each potato a good poke with the fork, piercing the skin in several places. You can also rub the potatoes with olive oil at this stage, which will make the skins nice and crispy.
Finally, season the potatoes with salt and pepper or any other desired seasonings. You can be generous with the seasoning to enhance the flavour of your crock pot potatoes. Remember to use a single layer of potatoes in your crock pot for even cooking and adjust the cooking time based on the size of your potatoes and your desired level of doneness.
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Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork
Preparing potatoes in a crock pot is a simple and delicious way to cook baked potatoes without using an oven. It is a convenient method for busy weeknights or potluck gatherings. The first step in preparing potatoes in a crock pot is to wash and scrub the potatoes under cold water. It is important to choose potatoes that are of similar size to ensure even cooking. Russet potatoes are a popular choice due to their high starch content, which creates a fluffy interior.
Once the potatoes are cleaned and dried, use a fork to poke holes in the potatoes by piercing the potato skins several times. This step helps the potatoes cook evenly and prevents them from bursting during the cooking process. Make sure to poke each potato a few times to create enough holes. After poking the holes, you can proceed to the next step, which is seasoning the potatoes.
Seasoning the potatoes involves coating them with olive oil and rubbing them with salt and pepper. You can also experiment with different types of olive oil, such as rosemary, garlic, or bacon-infused olive oil, to add extra flavor to your potatoes. Make sure to season generously to enhance the taste of the potato skins. After seasoning, the potatoes are ready to be placed into the crock pot for cooking.
Place the potatoes in a single layer inside the crock pot to ensure even cooking. Seal the lid and set the crock pot to cook on a low setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. High heat is not recommended to avoid burning the potatoes. To test if the potatoes are done, insert a fork into the largest potato. If the fork slides in easily with little resistance, the potatoes are ready to be removed from the crock pot.
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Season with olive oil, salt and pepper
To season potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper before crockpot cooking, start by washing the potatoes. Next, use a fork to prick the potato skins in several places. This will allow the olive oil and seasonings to be better absorbed by the potatoes. Then, drizzle or coat the potatoes with olive oil and rub salt and pepper over them. You can also add other seasonings like rosemary and thyme to infuse flavor into the potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are completely dry after washing so that the oil and seasonings stick better. Place the seasoned potatoes in the slow cooker and cover with a lid.
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Cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours
Cooking times can vary based on the size of the potatoes. A good way to test if the potatoes are done is to insert a fork or knife into the largest potato. If it slides in easily with little resistance, the potatoes are ready to be taken out. If you feel any firmness, continue cooking in 30-minute increments until they are tender.
Cooking on high heat for 3-5 hours is a good range to aim for when using a crock pot without foil. This is because crock pots without foil tend to cook potatoes faster than those with foil. However, do note that high heat is not recommended as it may lead to burning. Hence, cooking on low heat for 6-8 hours is a safer option.
If you are using a 6-quart slow cooker, medium-sized Russet potatoes around 5 inches in length will be cooked to perfection in 3 hours on low heat. Smaller red potatoes will cook faster, and you can expect them to be nicely steamed and perfectly cooked in about 2 hours on high heat.
If you are cooking a large batch of potatoes, stacking may be necessary. In this case, rotate the top and bottom potatoes halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
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Serve with toppings of your choice
Crockpot potatoes are a great option for a casual weeknight dinner, game day party, or potluck. They can be served with a variety of toppings, allowing your guests to build their own potato creations.
To create a potato bar, arrange small bowls with toppings such as sharp cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits, fresh chives or green onions, sour cream or Greek yogurt, butter, and various seasonings. You can also offer homemade chili, slow cooker BBQ pulled pork or Hawaiian pulled pork, and a side of coleslaw as accompaniments to the potatoes.
If you have any leftover baked potatoes, you can use them to make twice-baked potatoes by dicing and sautéing them with onions and peppers, or creating a breakfast hash with similar ingredients.
For a simple and delicious side dish, crockpot potatoes can be made with just a handful of pantry ingredients. Seasonings such as rosemary and thyme can be added to the potatoes during cooking for extra flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
Wash and scrub the potatoes, then prick them with a fork and rub with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then place them in the crock pot. Seal the lid and cook on a low setting for 2.5-3 hours.
Cooking times can vary based on potato size, but generally, it takes around 2.5-3 hours on a low setting or 6-8 hours on a high setting.
Yes, you can cook multiple potatoes in a crock pot without foil, but try to keep them in a single layer to ensure even cooking. If stacking is necessary, rotate the potatoes halfway through cooking. A 6-quart slow cooker can typically hold 4 medium potatoes.
