Made some stew today in the crockpot. 8hrs on low, it tasted great. Would I be able to let it go for 11hrs on low?? Or would it be better to go 8hrs on low and then let it sit on "warm" for 3hrs?

Just trying to figure out if I can get a meal going before leaving for work, and having it done when I get home, which is 11hrs..

Matt

 

Yes you can overcook in a slow cooker.
The beef brisket I forgot to set to low last night turned into "pulled beef"..................was good on a bun but not what I wanted.

If the insides of your slow cooker are removable you could try putting your meal in it then leaving it in the refrigerator overnight.
Starting from cold might delay cooking a bit.

 

It might depend on what you cook. I first started using a crock pot way back when I was a young bachelor. I would set it on low and it would be done when I got off of work about 10 hrs later. There were a few times that I forgot to come home and the food was still edible the next afternoon.

 

How do you "forget" to come home???!! Oh, I remember....took a while. Another method if you are into the 11th or 12th hour away, put all your stuff in the pot, top it with a few ice cubes, put it on a heavy duty timer to come on about 8 hours from your arrival time. The ice will keep the stuff fresh for the lag time before the timer comes on and it all won't fall apart before you come home.
And, yes, you can overuse a slow cooker. My wife, bless her heart, is an ICU nurse and I do most of the cooking. On her days off she tries to do her part, but it always comes from a crock pot in the form of a stew, soup, etc. I'm about stewed out, but I don't complain.