Steaming, Crocking, And Pressuring: Multi-Purpose Cooking Techniques

The Crock-Pot Express Pressure Cooker is a multi-cooker with a 6-quart capacity. It comes with a recipe book, steaming rack, and serving spoon. The cooker has nine pre-set pressure cooker buttons: Meat/Stew, Beans/Chili, Rice/Risotto, Yogurt, Poultry, Dessert, Soup, Multigrain, and Steam. It also has Slow Cook, Brown/Sauté, and Keep Warm buttons. The cooker has a non-stick cooking pot, which is dishwasher-safe, and comes with a steaming rack. The cooker does not have a manual or pressure cook button, so you have to use one of the pre-set buttons and adjust the time using the “+” and “-” buttons.

How to convert slow cooker recipes to pressure cooker

Converting a slow cooker recipe to a pressure cooker recipe is easy! Here are some tips to help you convert your Crock Pot recipes.

Is the recipe a good candidate for converting?

Pressure cookers require liquid to function properly, so your recipe should have liquid in it. The amount of liquid varies from unit to unit, but 1 to 2 cups of liquid is standard. If your recipe doesn't have liquid, make sure to add the minimum amount.

Pressure cookers are all about steam, so if your recipe has a fried or crispy coating, it's not a good candidate for conversion. However, crumb toppings can work well.

Pressure cookers are great for tougher, everyday cuts of meat. If your recipe calls for a tender cut of meat, like a T-Bone steak, don't use a pressure cooker as it may ruin it.

Omit these ingredients

Milk and other dairy products can curdle under pressure, so it's best to add them at the end of the cooking time.

Wine doesn't evaporate under pressure, so it stays tart and raw. Add wine at the end and simmer without the lid.

Thickeners like cornstarch or arrowroot shouldn't be cooked under pressure. Instead, mix them with water and whisk them in at the end.

Pressure cook the meat, broth, grains, and beans first, then add the veggies

In a slow cooker, you can combine all the ingredients and set it to low for 8 hours. However, if you do that in a pressure cooker, your veggies will be mushy. Instead, cook the meat, rice, or beans for about half an hour, then release the pressure, add the veggies, and cook under pressure for a few more minutes.

Convert the timing

Check your pressure cooker manual or an online chart for timing on different food items. A good rule of thumb is to determine the ingredient that takes the longest amount of cooking time and set the pressure cooker based on that. For example, if you're making a beef stew, use the stew meat's cooking time as your guide.

If there's a big difference in the timing required for your ingredients, you have two options:

• Cut the meat into smaller pieces so they'll cook faster and come closer to the timing of the other ingredients.
• Cook the recipe in stages, as mentioned in tip #3.

Reduce the liquid

When pressure cooking, very little liquid is lost to evaporation. In general, reduce the liquid in your recipe to 1 to 2 cups when using a pressure cooker.

However, there are some exceptions:

• Grains and beans: Use the exact amount needed to cook them, with a bit more for the other ingredients in the recipe.
• Soup: Use the amount of liquid you want in the finished dish.
• Baked dishes: Put the batter/mixture in a baking dish inside your cooker on a rack. Make sure to pour the minimum amount of water (1 to 2 cups) inside the cooking unit, surrounding your baking dish but not inside it.

Quick or natural release?

Meats generally do best with a natural release. If you're doing a recipe in stages and adding vegetables, do a quick release, add the veggies, and cook for a few more minutes under pressure, then do another quick release.

Vegetables do best with a quick release, otherwise, they may get mushy.

Rice and beans work well with either type of release.

Take time to brown

You can brown meat in your pressure cooker, which is great for building flavor. Put your pressure cooker on sauté mode, add some cooking fat, and brown your meat on all sides. If you have many pieces, do them in batches so they don't overcrowd the pot.

Then proceed with the rest of your recipe, cooking under pressure.

Normal operating rules apply

It's important to operate your pressure cooker safely. Make sure the seal is clean and well-seated, the venting knob is in the sealing position, and the valves and condensation cup are clean and empty.

Use the slow-cooker function

Don't forget that your pressure cooker likely has a slow-cooker function! Sometimes, you may not want to convert a slow cooker recipe, especially if you're going to be out all day.

How to use the Crockpot Express as a slow cooker

The Crockpot Express is a multi-cooker that can be used as a slow cooker. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use it as a slow cooker:

Step 1: Prepare the Crockpot Express

Before using the Crockpot Express as a slow cooker, ensure that you have the correct lid. The Crockpot Express comes with two lids: a pressure cooker lid and a glass lid for slow cooking. The glass lid has a vent for steam release.

Step 2: Place the Stoneware and Ingredients

Place the stoneware pot into the heating base of the Crockpot Express. Then, add your desired ingredients to the stoneware pot.

Step 3: Cover and Plug In

Cover the stoneware pot with the glass lid. Ensure that the lid is properly secured and in the correct position. Simply plug in the unit.

Step 4: Set the Temperature and Timer

The Crockpot Express has three temperature settings for slow cooking: High, Medium, and Low. Choose the desired temperature setting and program the timer according to your recipe. The Crockpot Express does not specify the temperature ranges for these settings.

Step 5: Cooking and Safety

Once the cooking time is complete, unplug the slow cooker and allow it to cool before cleaning. If the power goes out during cooking, discard the food as it may be unsafe to eat.

Tips:

• For best results, fill the Crockpot Express at least halfway and up to three-quarters full.
• The Crockpot Express will automatically shift to the "Warm" setting when your food is done cooking, keeping your meal warm until you're ready to eat.
• Both "High" and "Low" settings stabilize at the same temperature; the difference lies in the time it takes to reach the simmer point.

Crockpot Express cooking times

The Crock-Pot Express is a multi-cooker that can be used for pressure cooking, slow cooking, browning, sautéing, steaming, and more. It has nine pre-set pressure cooker buttons: Meat/Stew, Beans/Chili, Rice/Risotto, Yogurt, Poultry, Dessert, Soup, Multigrain, and Steam. It also has Slow Cook, Brown/Sauté, and Keep Warm buttons.

The pre-set buttons are just suggested times for cooking a particular type of food. You can use any of the pressure cooker buttons to cook your food, choosing the one with the closest cook time to the time in the recipe you are using. For example, if you are cooking chicken soup, you can use the soup button, the poultry button, or the meat button.

The pre-set times can be adjusted using the "+" and "-" time select buttons. The Steam button, for example, is pre-set for 10 minutes, but you can change it to anywhere from 3 minutes to 1 hour. The Soup button is pre-set for 30 minutes, but can be adjusted from 5 minutes to 2 hours. The Poultry button is pre-set for 15 minutes, but can be adjusted from 15 minutes to 2 hours. The Beans/Chili button is pre-set for 20 minutes, but can be adjusted from 5 minutes to 2 hours. The Meat/Stew button is pre-set for 35 minutes, but can be adjusted from 15 minutes to 2 hours. The Multigrain button is pre-set for 40 minutes, but can be adjusted from 10 minutes to 2 hours. The Rice/Risotto button is pre-set for 12 minutes, but can be adjusted from 6 minutes to 30 minutes. The Dessert button is pre-set for 10 minutes, but can be adjusted from 5 minutes to 2 hours. The Slow Cook button is pre-set for 4 hours, but can be adjusted from 30 minutes to 20 hours. The Brown/Sauté button is pre-set for 30 minutes, but can be adjusted from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. The Keep Warm button is pre-set for 4 hours, but can be adjusted from 30 minutes to 4 hours.

When pressure cooking, you will always need to use at least 1 cup of liquid in your pot. If you are cooking ingredients that release liquid as they cook and have a short cook time, you may be able to use less.

Crockpot Express FAQs

The Crockpot Express is a multi-cooker with a range of functions, including pressure cooking, slow cooking, and steaming. It comes with a recipe book, steaming rack, and serving spoon. The inner pot is dishwasher-safe and non-stick, making it easy to clean.

The Crockpot Express comes in one size—six quarts—and retails for around $80. It has eight functions: meat/stew, beans/chili, rice/risotto, yogurt, poultry, dessert, soup, and grains.

The Crockpot Express is simple to use. If you are already familiar with the Instant Pot, you will have no trouble operating the Crockpot Express. The Crockpot Express has a non-stick surface, making it easier to clean than the Instant Pot's uncoated insert.

The Crockpot Express performs similarly to the Instant Pot in terms of cook time and results. For example, black beans soaked overnight will cook in less than eight minutes in either unit. The Crockpot Express delivers the same function as the Instant Pot with a non-stick liner, making it easier to clean. However, the Instant Pot offers more flexibility with programming and a wider range of preset options.

• Always use the inner pot when cooking. Never put water directly into the housing.
• You always need liquid in your pot when pressure cooking. Crock-Pot recommends a minimum of 1 cup.
• The Crockpot Express does not have a manual or pressure cook button. You will need to use one of the pre-set buttons and adjust the time accordingly.
• The Crockpot Express does not have a designated manual button. You can use the "Beans/Chili" setting to adjust the pressure cooking time from 5 minutes to 2 hours at high or low pressure.
• To release pressure quickly, use the "Quick Release" method. For a more gradual release, use the "Natural Release" method.
• To clean the Crockpot Express, it is best to hand-wash it and store the lid upside down so that the gasket can air out.

Crockpot Express error codes

The Crock-Pot Express is a multi-cooker with a range of functions, including pressure cooking. It has a number of error codes that can be displayed on its screen, which are designed to help users troubleshoot problems with the appliance. Here is a list of the error codes and what they mean:

• E1: Internal circuits have been disconnected. The cooker will stop the cooking cycle. Contact Crock-Pot customer service.
• E2: The cooker will stop the cooking cycle. This may be due to disconnected internal circuits or the unit overheating. Contact Crock-Pot customer service.
• E3: The cooker's lid was not closed or sealed properly. Set the release valve to "Release" and wait for the unit to depressurise. Check the lid and rubber ring are intact and in place, then set the release valve to "Seal" and restart the device.
• E4: The cooker is already pressurised. Set the release valve to "Release" and wait for the unit to depressurise. Set the release valve back to "Seal" if using pressure settings, or to "Release" if not. Restart the device and start the cooking program again.
• E5: The lid or release valve are not being used correctly for the chosen setting. Make sure the lid isn't on the unit when using Brown or Sauté settings. For other functions, such as Slow Cook or Yogurt, the lid should be on but the release valve must be set to "Release". Adjust, restart the device and start the program again.
• E6: The unit is overheating. Make sure the release valve is set to "Seal" and that the lid is locked on completely. Depressurise the cooker, check the lid and rubber ring are intact and in place, then add a cup of liquid and restart the cooker.

Frequently asked questions