So as not to hijack another thread, I’ll post my question here in a new thread. Sorry 'bout that!
I rarely cook for more than me. When I do, I have a big-ass 6-qt. crock pot, but I want a smaller one for just me, for things like green chile, red/Texas chili, soups, a small roast (I buy roasts on sale, cut them in half), etc.
What size do I need/would you recommend? The 1-qt. and 1.5-qt. ones advertise themselves as hot dip/fondue holders, so I assume those would be too small. A 3-qt. or 3.5-qt.? Those are hard to find. Would a 4-qt. be too big?
Or can I just use my big-ass one and put small amounts of food in it?
After being single for, like, ever, I finally got on o’ those single sized crock pots as a gift a couple months after my boyfriend moved in. That’s what I get for not updating my wishlist :rolleyes:
So, while the fondue-size is definitely too small for a couple, it would be fine for a single person if you’re not a terribly hearty eater and are good at math (for reducing recipes). However, the small ones don’t tend to have temperature ranges - it’s just “on” or “off” - so if you want more control (or leftovers) you might want to go the next size up.
I absolutely love my 1.5 quart crock pot! It’s the perfect size for one or two people. Mine has high, low and warm settings.
Roasts have to be pretty small to fit, usually about a two pound one being the upper limit. The little pork or turkey roasts that are marinated are just about the right size. I also like to put a frozen chicken breast in before leaving for work.
My favorite thing to fix in it though, is beans. One cup of washed pintos (or other dried bean), 2.5 cups of water, one smoked pork hock, seasoning to taste and voila!, eight hours later the perfect pot of beans for two.
I think mine’s 1 quart, and it feels kinda small. Admittedly, I only ever seem to use it to cook a pound of beef, a can of cream of mushroom soup and a package of onion soup mix. And that just fits.
I have a 4 qt. slow cooker, and noticed immediately that a whole chicken would not have fit in a smaller one. I also have noticed that most recipes I find are written for 6- or 8-quart slow cookers. YMMV.