A recipe that bakes or simmers for 35 to 45 minutes takes 6 to 10 hours on Low or 3 to 4 hours on High in a slow cooker. Use about half the liquid, and thaw any meat first.
Your Low and High times appear here. The chart below has the same figures.
Oven to slow cooker conversion chart
| If the recipe says | Cook on Low | Cook on High |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 30 minutes | 4 to 6 hours | 1½ to 2 hours |
| 35 to 45 minutes | 6 to 10 hours | 3 to 4 hours |
| 50 minutes to 3 hours | 8 to 16 hours | 4 to 6 hours |
Slow cooker High vs Low: how long is 1 hour on High?
One hour on High is about two hours on Low, so a recipe that says 4 hours on High needs about 8 on Low. Both reach a safe temperature: slow cookers heat food to roughly 170 to 280 °F. USDA suggests High for the first hour when you can, then Low, but Low the whole day is safe too if you’re leaving for work.
Can you put frozen meat in a slow cooker?
No. USDA says to always thaw meat or poultry before it goes in. A frozen roast or frozen chicken breasts warm up too slowly in a slow cooker. Thaw them in the fridge first, and allow more than a night for a big roast. Commercially frozen slow cooker meals are the exception: follow the package.
Is the Warm setting safe for cooking?
Warm is for keeping cooked food hot, not for cooking. USDA’s rule for serving is to heat food to 165 °F first, on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven, and then keep it in a preheated slow cooker at 140 °F or above. Don’t reheat leftovers in the slow cooker itself.
How to convert a recipe to the slow cooker
- Use about half the liquid. Under the lid it doesn’t boil away. Soups are the exception.
- Put dense vegetables like potatoes and carrots in first, then the meat on top.
- Fill the cooker at least half full and no more than two-thirds full.
- Add milk, cheese and cream in the last hour, and pasta at the end, or cook the pasta separately.
- Keep the lid on. It can take about 20 minutes to get back the heat lost each time you lift it.
What if the power goes out?
If you weren’t home during the whole cooking time and the power went out, throw the food away, even if it looks done. If you’re home, finish cooking it right away another way, on a gas stove or a grill. If the food was fully cooked before the power went out, it stays safe in the cooker for up to two hours.
Is it done?
| Food | Done at |
|---|---|
| Chicken, turkey and other poultry | 165 °F |
| Ground beef or pork, as in chili | 160 °F |
| Roasts and chops | 145 °F, then rest 3 minutes |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165 °F |
For the oven to air fryer instead, use the air fryer converter. Cooking a big batch for one or two? See how long it keeps in the fridge and freezer.
Time chart, liquid and filling rules from Montana State University Extension, Slow Cooker Solutions. Safety rules from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Slow Cookers and Food Safety, and the Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart. Checked on October 30, 2026.