Slow cookers – or crock pots – are one of the best time-saving piece of cookware in your kitchen. For the family on the go, it means filling the cooker with raw ingredients in the morning (or the night before with refrigeration) and then 8-12 hours later to a tender, delicious meal. You start the meal and then ignore it – the slow cooker does the rest.

Slow cooking has nearly reached sub-culture status in our society, with avid cooks searching for that perfect one-pot meal. While bookstores are filled with crock pot cookbooks, many cooks seek to convert recipes they already have. Conversion isn’t difficult, but there are a few important things to keep in mind.

1. Reduce the amount of liquid called for except in the case of rice, beans or pasta. Slow cooking doesn’t lose liquid as with normal pot and pan cooking. In most cases you can reduce the called-for liquid by half, especially for LOW settings. You can always add additional liquid toward the end if you prefer thinner results, with soups, for example.

2. Cook most vegetable and meat combinations for at least 8 hours on LOW. This allows the vegetables to soften, the meat to tenderize, and all the flavors to blend optimally. Keep in mind that LOW generally equates to 200 deg. F. and HIGH to 300 deg. F.

Beef generally cooks best  on LOW in about 8-10 hours, while chicken cooks perfectly on HIGH in 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You’ll need to experiment with your slow cooker since different brands will vary somewhat. If you’re using a programmable slow cooker, follow the manufacturer’s conversion guidelines for best results when combining temperature settings.

3. You may need to adjust your use of spices. Whole herbs and spices tend to increase in potency with slow cooking, while ground spices tend to lose their flavor over the same amount of time. For consistent results, add ground spices toward the end of the cooking process. You may be able to reduce whole herbs and spices by as much as half. Don’t be afraid to experiment – too much or too little spice is a simple call.

While there are other things to consider when converting recipes for slow cooking, the above 3 guidelines will account for the most difference in your results. Remember, it’s all about taste and practice makes better – the crowd you’re cooking for will provide all the feedback you need. Bon apetit!