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Download a free printable PDF listing general Crockpot Express Cooking Times guidelines for commonly served meats like beef, chicken and pork. Print it out and hang it up in your kitchen for easy reference!
The number one question I get from people in my Crockpot Express Community on Facebook and other groups is how long do I cook____for? The problem is, there’s no easy answer! There are so many variables when it comes to pressure cooking that it requires a lot of trial and error. I spent a lot of time researching online, reading cookbooks, downloading user manuals and polling other users. Then I created this Crockpot Express Cooking Times cheat sheet as a general guide to help you know where to start when cooking meats.
This is the pressure cooker (technically, multi-cooker) that I have. The Crockpot Express only comes in the 6 quart size, so if you are using a larger pressure cooker, the times may need to be adjusted a bit.
If you’re new to pressure cooking (or cooking in general) it might be easier to modify an existing pressure cooking recipe than to start from scratch. I’m constantly adding new Crockpot Express Recipes to my collection here. Even if the recipes aren’t exactly what you’re looking for, you can probably find similar ingredients to match your own and use these recipes as a guide for cooking time and amount of liquid needed.
A good rule of thumb for meat is to think of how long it would take to cook in the oven or on the stove, and then reduce that time by 50-75 percent. So for example, if you would normally cook a roast for 3 hours, start with 1 hour in the Crockpot Express and then check the temperature. You can add more if needed.
Be sure to record your cooking times when you first get started, as everyone’s preferences can be different! It’s OK to play around with times until you find what you like. Just be sure to heat everything to a safe temperature at least!
Internal Temperature Guide
- Chicken (thighs/wings) 180°
- Chicken breasts 165°
- Beef (well done) 165°
- Ground beef (meatloaf) 155°
- Beef (medium) 145°
- Fish 145°
- Pork 145°
- Beef (rare) 125°
Sometimes you are just looking for a basic idea of how long to cook something and you don’t need a fancy recipe to go along with it. 🙂 That’s why I created this Crockpot Express Cooking Times guide. There’s enough empty space on the paper to make notes and record what worked best for you. Good luck! Fill out the box below to get the instant download!
- Looking for some good accessories to use with your Crockpot Express? See my favorite Crockpot Express Accessories here.
- Uh-oh! Did the dreaded E6 error code pop up while you were cooking? See what is it and how to fix E6 errors here.
- Once you get the hang of it, you’re going to use this baby for everything! That means chili one night and cheesecake the next. But if you don’t want your cake to be flavored with a hint of cumin, you need to know How to Clean and Deodorize your Crockpot Express. 🙂
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David says
Hi, thank you for all the helpful info and recipes you have put together for us. You may want to update one line on this page; “The Crockpot Express only comes in the 6 qt size…”, as I am the proud owner of CPE’s in the 6, 8, and 10 qt. size.
Please continue to bless us with the lovely content.
Nicole Burkholder says
Good point! This was obviously written several years ago and a lot of the information is outdated now. I’ll be sure to update the post-thanks for the reminder!
Stephanie says
Hello! Thank you for the cooking times! Can you let me know how much liquid to add to the crockpot express when cooking chicken breats? Also how much liquid do I use for the slow cook button when cooking chicken?
Thanks a Bunch!
Stephanie
Nicole Burkholder says
In general, you always need 1 cup of thin liquid for pressure cooking. Chicken releases a lot of juice as it cooks, so you don’t always need a full cup of liquid for chicken. But if you’re just cooking breasts, it doesn’t hurt to use that much. You can read more about chicken breasts in this post: https://simpleandseasonal.com/crockpot-express-chicken-breast
Slow cooking does not require any extra liquids. You can use them for some flavor, but it’s not needed to work. 🙂
Deborah Harberger says
I have twice signed up to your website, but have not received the Cooking Times Cheat Sheet.
Nicole Burkholder says
Hmmm…maybe it’s getting stuck in your spam filter? A lot of times email providers won’t allow emails with attachments to come through. Will you email me directly and let me know what email address you used? I will check it out and try to send it to you directly. [email protected]
Judy says
Please help… I have pressure cooked winter squash in my Crock Pot with no problem. I just put in a 2 lb. beef roast. Clicked the ‘meat/stew’ button and automatically pressure light came on, it was 35. I do not see a time button to cook it. Is the 35 pressure for all meats ? And I can not find cooking roasts in my booklet. Do I continue to reset ‘meat/stew’ button back again, for a longer cooking time ?
Nicole Burkholder says
The buttons are just preset suggestions. There’s no way for the pot to know how large the cut is, how full the pot is, etc. So 35 is where it starts, but you can adjust the time up or down as needed. For a 2 pound roast, I would suggest searing it first to get that good crust, and then 45-60 minutes (depending on whether or not you seared it) cook time. Then allow a full natural pressure release (leave the pot alone for at least 20-25 minutes after the cook time is done.) Here’s a link to my very popular Crockpot Express Pot Roast recipe! http://simpleandseasonal.com/crockpot-express-pot-roast
Elizabeth Dessi says
Good morning! I subscribed and was trying to get this sheet downloaded but I did not get a download popup nor was it in my email.
Nicole Burkholder says
Let me check my email provider records. I can see if it was sent out to you or not. I’ve been having email issues lately! I don’t see this hotmail address in my list of recent subscribers. Did you use another email address? (Often, email providers will filter out emails that contain an attachment, assuming it’s spam. Gmail is really annoying about that!) If you’d prefer to email directly, rather than commenting here, that’s fine. Send an email to [email protected] and we’ll get it figured out!
aleetha roberts says
I am new to pot ignorant how to and OLD. please email many thing that will help me along the way
Nicole Burkholder says
Are you on Facebook at all? We have a very active and helpful group there. If not, I have a few ebooks for sale that you can get sent to your email. There’s one for beginners that really walks you through anything you’d need to know, plus several recipes. You can see those here: https://simpleandseasonal.com/downloads
Becky says
Hi, I’m trying to subscribe to get the cheat sheet, but nothing happens when I click on the subscribe button.
Nicole Burkholder says
It seems simple, but I did the same thing when testing it- you have to click on the spot where it says “email” and enter your email address there. THEN you hit subscribe. It’s not clear that there’s a place to input the email address, so there’s some confusion. Sorry about that!
Linda Beaugez says
I would like the chest sheet Thanks Much
Nicole Burkholder says
If you enter your email address in the “get the printable here” box, then it will be emailed to you directly. 🙂
Harry says
was hoping to get your crockpot express cooking times guide, I submitted email, but no reply. did I miss something?
Nicole Burkholder says
Hmmm…it should automatically pop up once you submit the email address, but I just switched providers and there may be a hiccup somewhere. I will send it to you directly instead. Would you like it sent to the email address you entered here when leaving the comment- the “mediacombb” address?
Harry says
Yes, please.
Nicole Burkholder says
I just sent it! Thanks for letting me know it didn’t come through the first time. I’m having my tech guy work on that right now.
Karen says
Great video! Wasn’t long before I realized the odor from the lid. I soak it in a little baking soda for about an hour and wash the inside pot also.
Looking forward to more tips and recipes.😉
Janeen says
Thought already was a member. &
I Seldom CPE but am looking for ideas 2night.
Jennifer Demmond says
Do you have a good wings recipe ?
Thanks
Nicole Burkholder says
I don’t have one up on the site (it’s going on my to do list, though!) but I found a couple in my Facebook group that other users tried recently. Here’s what they had to say:
“Frozen wings, your favorite wing sauce in your CPE half a cup of water set it on meat for 15 mins then the oven on 400 until they are as crispy as you like. While they are cooking reduce the sauce in your CPE until it is thick and pour over wings in a bowl and shake and bring out the blue cheese!”
“I did wings for the first time in the CPE yesterday. Started from frozen. We did high pressure, 12 minutes + 5 minutes natural pressure release. Then transferred to the oven at 450 for about 15 minutes. Tossed in the sauce.”
Astra says
Please add me to your newsletter mailing list. Thank you for your time
Nicole Burkholder says
Sorry about that! There were some technical difficulties. You should be able to add yourself to the list now using the box in the post. Once you add your email address, the printable will be delivered to you immediately. 🙂 Thanks so much!