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CalcChef

Slow Cooker Converter

Turn a recipe's oven time into Low and High slow cooker ranges from Missouri Extension, switch a recipe between Low and High, or see four oven pairings. How it works

Use the Slow Cooker Converter

Enter the recipe's oven time in minutes. The times assume a recipe baked at 325 to 350°F, and anything over 90 minutes shows 10 hrs on Low and 6 hrs on High.

Low setting
Enter the oven time to see the slow cooker time.
High setting —

Slow cookers run at roughly 170°F to 280°F (USDA FSIS)

About the Slow Cooker Converter

A recipe that bakes for 40 minutes takes 6 to 10 hours on Low or 3 to 4 hours on High in a slow cooker, by the University of Missouri Extension chart the converter shows; its single figure inside that range is 7 hours on Low or 3 hr 30 min on High. The chart has three bands: up to 30 minutes in the oven is 4 to 6 hours on Low or 1½ to 2 on High, 30 to 45 minutes is 6 to 10 or 3 to 4, and 45 minutes to 3 hours is 8 to 18 or 4 to 6. One hour on High equals two on Low.

Oven time to slow cooker time

Oven timeLow settingHigh settingSingle figure (Low / High)
15 min4 hrs to 6 hrs1 hr 30 min to 2 hrs5 hrs / 2 hrs
30 min4 hrs to 6 hrs1 hr 30 min to 2 hrs5 hrs / 2 hrs
40 min6 hrs to 10 hrs3 hrs to 4 hrs7 hrs / 3 hr 30 min
45 min6 hrs to 10 hrs3 hrs to 4 hrs7 hrs / 3 hr 30 min
60 min8 hrs to 18 hrs4 hrs to 6 hrs9 hrs / 5 hrs
90 min8 hrs to 18 hrs4 hrs to 6 hrs9 hrs / 5 hrs
2 hours8 hrs to 18 hrs4 hrs to 6 hrs10 hrs / 6 hrs
3 hours8 hrs to 18 hrs4 hrs to 6 hrs10 hrs / 6 hrs
4 hours10 hrs6 hrs10 hrs / 6 hrs

Ranges from the University of Missouri Extension chart; band edges belong to the lower band (30 minutes is in the first, 45 in the second). The chart stops at 3 hours, so a longer recipe gets the single figure only. The times assume a recipe baked at 325 to 350°F.

How to use this tool

  1. Keep the Oven → Slow Cooker tab and type the recipe's oven time in minutes.
  2. Read the Low and High ranges, and the single figure inside them under the result.
  3. To move a slow cooker recipe between settings, open Low ↔ High and type its time.
  4. For the other direction, open Slow Cooker → Oven to see four fixed pairings.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I slow cook something that bakes for 1 hour?
8 to 18 hours on Low or 4 to 6 hours on High, the Missouri Extension range for 45 minutes to 3 hours in the oven. The page's single figure inside it is about 9 hours on Low or 5 hours on High.
How do I convert 30 minutes in the oven to a slow cooker?
4 to 6 hours on Low or 1½ to 2 hours on High. The single figure for any oven time of 30 minutes or less is 5 hours on Low or 2 hours on High.
Is Low always twice as long as High?
Missouri Extension says one hour on High equals two hours on Low, and the Low ↔ High tab uses that: 8 hours on Low is 4 on High. The single figures in the oven table are not exactly 2 to 1: Low runs 2.5 times High in the shortest band (5 hrs against 2), 2 times in the 45-minute band, 1.8 times in the 90-minute band and about 1.67 times for longer recipes (10 hrs against 6).
What about a recipe that roasts for 3 or 4 hours?
Up to 3 hours the Missouri range is 8 to 18 hours on Low or 4 to 6 on High. The chart stops at 3 hours, so a 4-hour roast shows one figure, 10 hours on Low or 6 on High. Treat it as a starting point and check that the meat is tender and cooked through.
How full should a slow cooker be, and can I start from frozen?
The sources differ on fill. University of Missouri Extension says crockpots work best ½ to ¾ full; Clemson Extension says no less than half and no more than two-thirds full. On frozen food, Missouri says to start with thawed food, and Clemson says to always defrost meat or poultry before it goes in.
How do I convert a slow cooker recipe to the oven?
The Slow Cooker → Oven tab lists four rule-of-thumb pairings, such as Low 8 hrs → 325°F for 2.5 to 3 hrs and High 2 hrs → 350°F for 30 to 45 min. It is a separate list, not the oven table run backwards, so the two tabs do not always agree.

Adapting an oven recipe for the slow cooker

Enter the oven time from a braise, casserole or stew recipe to get the University of Missouri Extension range for Low and High. A casserole that bakes for 40 minutes becomes 6 to 10 hours on Low or 3 to 4 on High. The chart stops at 3 hours in the oven, so a 4 hour braise shows one figure, 10 hours on Low or 6 on High; check the meat is tender.

Low ↔ High uses Missouri's rule that one hour on High equals two on Low: 8 hours on Low is 4 on High.

Where the slow cooker times come from

The ranges come from a University of Missouri Extension chart (2018): 15 to 30 minutes in the oven is 4 to 6 hours on Low or 1½ to 2 on High, 30 to 45 minutes is 6 to 10 or 3 to 4, and 45 minutes to 3 hours is 8 to 18 or 4 to 6. Under the range the page gives one figure per band:

  • 30 min or less: Low 5 h, High 2 h

  • over 30 up to 45 min: Low 7 h, High 3 h 30 min

  • over 45 up to 90 min: Low 9 h, High 5 h

  • over 90 min: Low 10 h, High 6 h

Past 3 hours only the figure is shown. The times assume a recipe baked at 325 to 350°F; liquid and quantities are not adjusted.

The Slow Cooker → Oven tab is a separate list of four fixed pairings, not the table above run backwards.

USDA FSIS says slow cookers cook at generally between 170 and 280°F. On fill level the sources differ: Missouri says ½ to ¾ full, Clemson Extension half to two-thirds. Both say to start with thawed food.

Fun Fact: The Crock-Pot began as the Naxon Beanery, patented by Irving Naxon in 1940; Rival bought the design in 1970 and relaunched it as the Crock-Pot in 1971.

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