Crock Pot Potato Bacon Soup - Recipes That Crock! (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to cook bacon before putting it in a crockpot? ›

If crispiness is non-negotiable, the bacon should be cooked prior to being added to the slow cooker.

Yes, it is possible to cook bacon in a slow-cooker overnight. However, the results may not be as crispy as traditional oven-baking or pan-frying methods. To cook bacon in a slow-cooker overnight, you can place the bacon in a single layer on the bottom of the slow-cooker and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.

Cornstarch, potato starch, and chickpea flour are a couple of pantry-friendly ways to thicken soups, stews, and sauces in the slow cooker. Just a tablespoon or two of any — added towards the end of cooking — will thicken sauces especially well.

Do the potatoes need to be covered in liquid? No, because only a small amount of the liquid will evaporate out of the crockpot during cooking. You won't need to drain the potatoes before you mash them.

Bacon is pork meat cut from parts of the pig other than the legs, such as the back, loin, collar or the belly. Other differences are that Bacon is sold raw and must be cooked before being eaten. Ham is sold pre-cooked and therefore can be eaten straight away.

Even if you're in a hurry, we really don't recommend this method. Stovetop (medium-low heat): We started with a cold pan, put the bacon in, and turned the heat to medium-low. It took 18 minutes to cook and the result was bacon with a great bite, good color, and rich flavor. This one's definitely a winner.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until much of the grease has been released, but bacon is still flexible. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Stir together baked beans, onion, apple, brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard in a 9-inch square baking dish until well combined.

Not using quality stock or broth

You can always use water in your soup, but if you want it to have a full body and dimension, a good stock or broth can make all the difference. They have the ability to transform a bland soup into a flavorful meal, as well as adding extra nutritional value.

Most creamy potato soup recipes call for a dairy product of some kind. If you plan to make a thicker version, try using thicker dairy from the outset. For example, if a recipe calls for whole milk, try adding heavy cream instead toward the end of the cooking process (set the burner no higher than medium heat).

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way.

Why are my potatoes still hard after cooking in the crockpot? ›

Insufficient Liquid: If there wasn't enough liquid in the crockpot, it could have caused uneven cooking. Potatoes need to be fully submerged in liquid to cook evenly. Old Potatoes: Very old or stored potatoes can become starchy and may not soften as well during cooking. It's best to use fresh, firm potatoes.

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top. Set the heat level: A general rule of thumb is that cooking on the low setting (170 degrees F for most models) takes about twice as long as cooking on high (280 degrees F on most models).

Yes, when you have a lot to make, cooking bacon in advance is a good idea. I would cook the bacon just until it starts to get crisp. That way when it comes time to reheat it you can reheat it until it's just crisp. Or you can reheat to your liking.

You should always brown ground beef or any ground meat in a skillet before adding it to your slow cooker to prevent the meat from clumping up or from adding excess grease to your cooked dish.

Even though bacon has been preserved through the curing process, it has not been cooked. Like other foods you should never eat raw, consuming raw or undercooked meat puts you at risk of foodborne illness from viruses, bacteria or parasites.

"Raw meat is a slow-cooker staple, but you may need to add it to the pot before adding other ingredients like green vegetables," she shared. "Browning meat in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker has been a game-changer for my slow-cooker meals.