The One Mistake That's Ruining Your Slow Cooker Meals

The "set it and forget it" nature of the slow cooker sounds good in theory but is much harder to stick to in practice. After all, you put a lot of faith into this beloved appliance when you dump your ingredients in and set the timer. Indeed, it can be difficult to avoid the urge to pop the lid and sneak a peek. But if you do, you'll be making the one of the worst slow cooker mistakes.

Slow cookers work their magic by maintaining a consistent temperature inside the main chamber, with the airtight lid trapping all that heat and moisture inside. According to the Extension at the University of Minnesota, opening the lid and allowing all of that built-up heat to escape can actually cause the internal temperature to drop by 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit each time you do it. Do it more than once and you could end up with an undercooked meal. The university also notes that each peek could add approximately 30 minutes to your cook time.

Not only does it delay dinnertime, but checking your meal progress by lifting the lid too often can actually create a health hazard because the end result might not be cooked all the way through. This is particularly worrisome when it comes to meat or poultry. Consuming undercooked poultry, in particular, puts you at risk of contracting food poisoning from salmonella bacteria and other pathogens. If you're making chicken in the slow cooker, it's best to use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating (via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

The only time it's okay to pop the lid is if you want to thicken the contents, like when making a chili or a chunky slow cooker split pea soup. Removing the lid for 30-45 minutes or so and cranking the heat to high can help really develop, thicken, and enrich a sauce because it allows the steam and excess water to escape.