Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I'm trying to make some paleo friendly baby back ribs in my slow cooker. My slow cooker book says 2 cups of 'sauce' for a rack of ribs.

As you can see from the picture:

http://postimage.org/image/l5aglgwsr/

the ribs are not submerged completely.

Question: will I start a house fire as I sleep tonight when I set this on LOW for 7 hours?

BTW, I'm trying to make it more paleo by using V8 instead of higher sugar BBQ sauce.

I did, however add blackstrap molasses because I'm trying to get more potassium in my diet.

Please help me sleep better tonight by responding asap!

Is this SAFE????

Thanks, Mike

edited Apr 24 2012 at 15:17

asked Apr 24 2012 at 1:42

CaveMan_Mike
4,633●13●51

	BTW, how are you supposed to use the image button on this forum? I clicked it, which led me to several free image hosting sites. I uploaded my image there, copied the URL back into the image button, but it kept showing up as a broken link. Finally, I resorted to using the full URL in the body of my original post (which worked), but I was hoping to master embedding pictures in my post. Any idea what I could have done wrong? Thanks, Mike – CaveMan_Mike Apr 24 2012 at 1:51
	Did you try just coding the link or image in to the text box without actually using the button? – kaiulini Apr 24 2012 at 3:10
	Fixed the image for you. Right click on the picture you want, click "copy image address" and then insert it when you click the image icon when you're writing up your post. – Sunny Beaches Apr 24 2012 at 3:48
	Hm, it's no longer working...did you take the image down? – Sunny Beaches Apr 24 2012 at 13:48
	Fixed again, haha. Now off to work to do something productive... – Sunny Beaches Apr 24 2012 at 13:55

show 2 more comments

wheelhouse · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-24 01:56:08Z UTC

Yes it's safe. While in general when you think of slow cooker recipes, you are thinking of long slow braises, they can be used in many different ways. I do a roasted chicken in one and use no liquid at all. The heat is fairly low and since its really all about insulated thermal mass, its very safe. If yours, like mine, gets warm on the outside as well, keep it away from paper towels and such, but that is just common sense.

Blitherakt · Answer 2 · 2012-04-24 05:53:41Z UTC

Lard has a smoke point around 375F; the ignition point will be somewhere a little higher depending on the exact composition and moisture content.

A typical slow cooker on the "Low" or "Warm" setting usually doesn't heat much above 180-200F, or about enough to maintain a good, steady simmer. As long as your crock pot is working correctly, you should be good. Leaving a lid on will also help to deprive any ignition of oxygen if it's nice and tight. Cover the ceramic vessel with a tight double layer of aluminum foil then snugs the lid if you have doubts; this will help retain moisture, too!

Adam Adkins · Answer 3 · 2012-04-24 15:54:18Z UTC

I'm so confused as to what you think would burst into flames.

If you are talking about the actual cooker catching fire - as in an electrical fire - even if you were cooking the ribs in flame retardant (mmmmmmmm, flame retardant) the "liquid" would do little to stop the electrical fire. But is the machine is in proper working order there is no risk of fire inside the cooker.

Simply put, there is absolutely no chance the ribs are going to burst into flames. As another poster pointed out, lard (which is what rendered pork fat is) has a smoke point of 375. The highest setting on a slow cooker runs between 225 and 250. So the fat cooking off of the ribs (the only thing that could conceivably catch fire) wouldn't even start to smoke - let alone burst into flames - until at least 125 degrees above the highest setting. It just can't happen.

syrahna · Answer 4 · 2012-04-24 01:59:36Z UTC

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Yes, another vote that it's safe. Tons of good recipes call for little to no added liquid. If you're very concerned, you can get (if you don't already have) a modern slow cooker with an automatic turn-to-warm function.

I like doing pork shoulder in my crock pot, rubbed with spices and then wrapped snugly in tin foil, no added moisture at all.

answered Apr 24 2012 at 1:59

syrahna
2,431●3●8

	Another vote for not burning down my house is a good thing! BTW, I did invest in a really nice slow cooker: amazon.com/gp/product/B001KVZTFO/… I've used it 4 or 5 times so far, works great! (My last one was hamilton beach which turned on & off by itself - very scary. They gave me a new one, which turned off in the 2nd cycle of my bone broth - furious !) – CaveMan_Mike Apr 24 2012 at 2:10
	I'm really going to have to get up to speed on my slow cooker tech. Specifically, I need to understand what happens if half a roast is submerged, and the other half isn't: wouldn't that result in two very different effects? – CaveMan_Mike Apr 24 2012 at 2:11
	Mike, that's a fairly typical braise. You'll still get cooking through conduction (the submerged meat will dissipate along the fibers), a little convection (covered, moist air will circulate), and some capillary action (as the proteins denature from the heat, they'll separate slightly and "suck up" some hot liquid). – Blitherakt Apr 24 2012 at 5:47

CaveMan_Mike · Answer 5 · 2012-04-24 02:41:54Z UTC

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I found my owners manual. It says always fill 1/2 to 3/4.

Hmm

answered Apr 24 2012 at 2:41

CaveMan_Mike
4,633●13●51

Sorry guys. I just added water to the half way point. I don't think I would get a good night's sleep with one eye (and nostril) open, waiting for the fire trucks. I'll experiment on a weekend day when I'm there to monitor it. Mike – CaveMan_Mike Apr 24 2012 at 2:48

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Haha- no need to apologize, peaceful, restful sleep is important and they will still turn out great! – Jen Apr 24 2012 at 3:12

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I suspect that filling halfway ensures efficient heat transfer, but there's nothing wrong erring on the side of safety. I don't crockpot while sleeping or when not around to monitor it. My crockpot is circa 1972, complete with 1970s colors/decor, hasn't caught fire yet! – Matt Apr 24 2012 at 12:02

DanielleO812 · Answer 6 · 2012-04-24 02:56:39Z UTC

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I cool ribs in my slow cooker almost weekly and only ever put about 1 cup of water or beef broth. Never had a fire :) Usually leave it on for 10 - 12 hours while at work.

answered Apr 24 2012 at 2:56

DanielleO812
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November · Answer 7 · 2012-04-24 06:39:45Z UTC

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I frequently do roasts in the crockpot with no added liquid. If I add veggies, the liquid from the meat and the veggies usually results in about half-covered. It's all yum.

I'm more concerned about why you think V8 is healthful? yecccchh. Otay, maybe it's better than sugared bbq sauce, but not much. Read your label.

I haven't done ribs yet. I do lots of roasts and pour just a tiny bit of wine (to make the herbs stick to the roast, doncha know).

answered Apr 24 2012 at 6:39

November
789●1●4

	Oh no, vegetable juices! So unhealthful! – Matt Apr 24 2012 at 12:03
	reconstituted (that means you have no idea what they did to it before they added back water and turned it into billions of gallons of identically tasting pulp), and Natural Flavoring. campbellfoodservice.com/details.aspx?code=438 – November Apr 25 2012 at 3:43
	on natural flavors: theprimalist.com/… – November Apr 25 2012 at 3:48

trjones · Answer 8 · 2012-04-24 14:01:27Z UTC

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I've made ribs in the slow cooker with no liquid at all. Slow cookers don't get hot enough to ignite any normal materials you'd have in your kitchen.

answered Apr 24 2012 at 14:01

trjones
5,149●5●22

	now that's what I want to try (dry rub, no added liquid). – CaveMan_Mike Apr 24 2012 at 15:05
	The ribs still get plenty moist from their own juices. They are literally "fall off the bone", as in you can't even get them out of the cooker in one piece. – trjones Apr 24 2012 at 15:22

CaveMan_Mike · Answer 9 · 2012-06-04 01:33:25Z UTC

I finally got an opportunity to cook the ribs on a bed of unions, with just 1 cup of V8 (liquid not touching ribs).

I cooked it on LOW in my slow cooker for 6 hours.

YUM!! It was great and no house fire!!!

I would like to thank everyone for the encouragement and sound advice!

Mike

Must fully submerge ribs in slow cooker or risk house-fire?

9 Answers