# 5 Inspiring Easy Crockpot Dinner Ideas [](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Firenpins.com%2Feasy-crockpot-dinners%2F&linkname=5%20Inspiring%20Easy%20Crockpot%20Dinner%20Ideas)[](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Firenpins.com%2Feasy-crockpot-dinners%2F&linkname=5%20Inspiring%20Easy%20Crockpot%20Dinner%20Ideas)[](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/pinterest?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Firenpins.com%2Feasy-crockpot-dinners%2F&linkname=5%20Inspiring%20Easy%20Crockpot%20Dinner%20Ideas)[](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/whatsapp?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Firenpins.com%2Feasy-crockpot-dinners%2F&linkname=5%20Inspiring%20Easy%20Crockpot%20Dinner%20Ideas)[](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/telegram?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Firenpins.com%2Feasy-crockpot-dinners%2F&linkname=5%20Inspiring%20Easy%20Crockpot%20Dinner%20Ideas)[](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/x?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Firenpins.com%2Feasy-crockpot-dinners%2F&linkname=5%20Inspiring%20Easy%20Crockpot%20Dinner%20Ideas)[](https://www.addtoany.com/share) Half the recipes filed under dump-and-go are not dump-and-go. They ask you to brown the meat, soften the onion or thicken the sauce on the hob first, and they say so three paragraphs down, after you have already bought the beef. Below are 5 easy crockpot dinners that go in raw with no second pan. Each has a full recipe card with the hours for a 6-quart pot, so you can pick one and start before the morning is over. A true dump dinner is raw meat, a liquid, an aromatic and a starch in a cold 6-quart pot: LOW 6 to 8 hours for beef and pork shoulder, 5 to 6 for chicken thighs, 3 for breast. ## Quick answer A true dump dinner has raw meat, a liquid, an aromatic and a starch going into a cold 6-quart pot in one go. LOW 6 to 8 hours for beef and pork shoulder, LOW 5 to 6 for chicken thighs, LOW 3 for chicken breast. Anything that needs a frying pan first is a two-stage recipe, and it belongs to a weekend, not a Tuesday. ## What are easy crockpot dinners? Easy crockpot dinners are meals where everything goes into the slow cooker raw and comes out done, with no browning, roux or second pan. The sort that matters is not by protein or cuisine but by whether the recipe touches another pan. Among top-ranking crockpot pages, half tell you to sear, brown or sweat something separately before the pot is switched on. For the same dump method with a stated serving and a lean cut, see the [healthy crockpot recipes](/healthy-crockpot-recipes/). ## Pick the right easy crockpot dinner in one minute | Preview | Idea | Best for | Hands-on time | Avoid if | Get it | | [![Chuck Roast and Vegetables](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-layering-order.jpg)](#idea-1) | [1. Chuck Roast and Vegetables](#idea-1) | A Sunday roast with no pan | Low · 8 h | You are home for only six hours | [Jump to recipe](#idea-1) | | | [2. Crockpot Beef and Broccoli](#idea-2) | A takeout night at home | Low · 8 h | You dislike soy-based sauce | [Jump to recipe](#idea-2) | | | [3. Salsa Chicken Thighs](#idea-3) | Tacos, bowls and burritos from one pot | Low · 5-6 h | You want a creamy sauce | [Jump to recipe](#idea-3) | | | [4. Pulled Pork Shoulder](#idea-4) | Feeding a crowd with leftovers | Low · 8 h | You want a quick dinner | [Jump to recipe](#idea-4) | | | [5. Beef Tips and Gravy](#idea-5) | Mashed potatoes and noodles night | Low · 8 h | You want a light, brothy dinner | [Jump to recipe](#idea-5) | For a first try, make the chuck roast (1). It is the forgiving recipe here and teaches you how fast your own pot cooks. ## How do you choose an easy crockpot dinner? - **The meat in your cart:** beef and pork shoulder take LOW 8 hours, chicken thighs 5 to 6, chicken breast about 3, and smoked sausage 4 because the pot is only heating it through. - **Whether it needs a second pan:** stew with a flour-dusted sear, bolognese from raw mince, anything with a roux, and crisp-skin whole chicken are two-stage recipes. Pick them for a weekend, not a Tuesday. - **The size of your pot:** everything here is timed for a 6-quart pot, which holds a three-pound roast or about two pounds of boneless chicken with room for vegetables. A 4-quart takes about half and needs an hour less. Newer slow cookers run hotter on LOW than the ones these recipes were written on. Fill yours halfway with water, LOW for four hours, then take the temperature: around 190°F is normal, and over 205°F means you take an hour off every time. Filling a pot below the halfway line is a common cause of dry meat, since there is not enough mass to hold the moisture in. If four adults plus lunch is what you cook for, an 8-quart oval pot takes half again as much and does not need more time. ## How to Make Easy Crockpot Dinners: the Base Method ### Layer in the right order Root vegetables and thick onion slices go in the bottom, where the pot is hottest. The meat goes above in a single layer, stock or sauce is poured around it, and half to one cup of liquid is plenty because nothing evaporates under a lid. ### Hold back what cannot survive eight hours Cream, cheese, pasta, green vegetables and a cornflour slurry go in for the last 30 minutes. Dairy splits over a long cook and green vegetables go grey. ### Skip the sear and recover the depth Browning does not change the texture, the safety or the time. Two spoons of tomato paste, a tablespoon of soy sauce or Worcestershire, and thick onion slices on the hot base recover most of the flavor without a pan. ## 1. Chuck Roast and Vegetables Chuck, two sliced onions, a cup of stock and a spoon of tomato paste. It shreds at eight hours and improves at nine. Vegetables go under the meat, not around it. The base is the hottest surface in the pot and root vegetables are the slowest thing in it. The catch is the sear. Browning builds flavor that a slow cooker cannot make on its own, but it does not change the texture, the safety or the time, so tomato paste and Worcestershire recover most of the depth. ![Chuck Roast and Vegetables](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-layering-order.jpg) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-chuck-roast) ## Chuck Roast and Vegetables Recipe by Iren Pavlenko - - - - - 0.0 from 0 votes ** Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy Servings 6 servings Prep time 15 minutes Cooking time 8 hours  Chuck roast sits on halved potatoes and carrots with onion, stock and tomato paste for eight hours on LOW. Nothing is browned first. ### Ingredients - 3 lb boneless chuck roast - 1 lb baby potatoes, halved - 4 carrots, cut into thick chunks - 2 large onions, cut into thick slices - 1 cup beef stock - 2 tbsp tomato paste - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce - 1 tbsp soy sauce - 4 garlic cloves, whole - 1 tsp dried thyme - 1 tsp kosher salt - 1/2 tsp black pepper ### Directions - Put the onion slices, potatoes and carrots in the bottom of a cold 6-quart slow cooker. - Pat the roast dry and rub it with the salt, pepper and thyme. - Set the roast on top of the vegetables in a single layer. - Tuck the garlic cloves around the edge of the meat. - Whisk the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire and soy sauce together. - Pour the stock mixture around the roast, not over the top. - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until a probe reads 195 to 205°F in the middle. - Lift the roast onto a board and let it rest for 10 minutes. - Shred the meat with two forks and return some of it to the juices. - Serve the shredded beef with the vegetables and a spoonful of the juices. ### Notes A newer pot can run hot on LOW, so take an hour off the first time and check early. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. ### [TempPro digital meat thermometer](/go/amazon/?p=B01IHHLB3W) [](/go/amazon/?p=B01IHHLB3W)[![TempPro digital meat thermometer](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61CHaEhw9ML._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B01IHHLB3W) Turns the eight-hour estimate into a fact: 195 to 205°F for beef you want to shred. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B01IHHLB3W) ### [Crock-Pot 7-quart manual slow cooker](/go/amazon/?p=B003OAJGJO) [](/go/amazon/?p=B003OAJGJO)[![Crock-Pot 7-quart manual slow cooker](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71pKe7+88ZL._AC_UY218_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B003OAJGJO) Holds a three-pound roast with room for the vegetables underneath it. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B003OAJGJO) ### [Slow cooker liners](/go/amazon/?p=B0BL94PPJF) [](/go/amazon/?p=B0BL94PPJF)[![Slow cooker liners](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/718853yU4RL._AC_UY218_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B0BL94PPJF) Stop the roast juices welding to the insert, so cleanup is a minute. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B0BL94PPJF) ![A cast iron pan with four beef chunks, two deeply browned and two still raw](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-searing-difference.jpg)Left side seared, right side straight in. Ten minutes apart. ## 2. Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Sliced chuck, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar and stock cook for eight hours. Broccoli and a cornflour slurry go in for the last twenty minutes, so it stays green. Added at the start, the broccoli turns grey and loses its bite over eight hours. The slurry is stirred in at the end for the same reason, since thickening under a long lid never works. Serve it over rice. The beef shreds slightly at eight hours, which suits the sauce. ![Crockpot Beef and Broccoli](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-searing-difference.jpg) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-beef-broccoli) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-beef-broccoli) ## Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Recipe by Iren Pavlenko - - - - - 0.0 from 0 votes ** Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy Servings 4 servings Prep time 15 minutes Cooking time 8 hours  20 minutes Sliced chuck cooks in soy, garlic, brown sugar and stock for eight hours, then broccoli and a cornflour slurry go in for the last twenty minutes. ### Ingredients - 2 lb chuck steak, thinly sliced - 1/2 cup soy sauce - 1 cup beef stock - 1/4 cup brown sugar - 4 garlic cloves, minced - 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger - 1 tbsp sesame oil - 1 tsp black pepper - 4 cups broccoli florets - 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp cold water - Cooked rice, to serve - Sesame seeds, to garnish ### Directions - Slice the chuck against the grain into strips about 1/4 inch thick. - Whisk the soy sauce, stock, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and pepper together. - Put the sliced beef in a cold 6-quart slow cooker. - Pour the sauce over the beef and stir once. - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. - Mix the cornflour with the cold water until smooth. - In the last twenty minutes, stir in the broccoli and the cornflour slurry. - Cover again and cook on HIGH until the broccoli is just tender and still green. - Stir and taste, then add a splash of stock if the sauce is too thick. - Serve over rice with sesame seeds on top. ### Notes Broccoli waits for the last twenty minutes on purpose. Leftover sauce keeps well, and the beef reheats better than it cooked. ![Eight finished slow cooker dinners in different bowls and dishes seen from above](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-twelve-dinners.jpg)Everything here went in raw and came out done. ## 3. Salsa Chicken Thighs Chicken thighs, a jar of salsa and a spoon of cumin. That is the whole recipe, and the thighs shred straight in the liquid. Thighs forgive the extra hour that breast does not, so this is the chicken to pick when you are out for the day. The catch is the salsa. A thin salsa makes a thin sauce, so choose a thick one, and use the leftover liquid on rice. ![Salsa Chicken Thighs](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-searing-difference.jpg) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-salsa-chicken) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-salsa-chicken) ## Salsa Chicken Thighs Recipe by Iren Pavlenko - - - - - 0.0 from 0 votes ** Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy Servings 4 servings Prep time 5 minutes Cooking time 5 hours  30 minutes Boneless chicken thighs cook in a jar of salsa and cumin for five to six hours, then shred in their own liquid. ### Ingredients - 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs - 16 oz jar thick salsa - 1 tsp ground cumin - 1 tsp smoked paprika - 1 tsp garlic powder - 1/2 tsp kosher salt - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained - 1 cup frozen corn - 1/2 cup chicken stock - Juice of 1 lime - Fresh coriander, to serve - Tortillas or rice, to serve ### Directions - Put the chicken thighs in a cold 6-quart slow cooker in a single layer. - Sprinkle the cumin, paprika, garlic powder and salt over the chicken. - Add the black beans and corn around the chicken. - Pour the salsa and stock over everything. - Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours. - Check that a probe in the thickest thigh reads 165°F or higher. - Shred the chicken with two forks directly in the pot. - Stir in the lime juice and coriander. - Cook uncovered on HIGH for 10 minutes if the liquid is thin. - Serve in tortillas or over rice. ### Notes Chicken breast works here only if you cut the time to about 3 hours on LOW. The shredded chicken freezes well in its liquid. ### [Alpha Grillers meat shredder claws](/go/amazon/?p=B09J746BHB) [](/go/amazon/?p=B09J746BHB)[![Alpha Grillers meat shredder claws](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81gqTaYlqYL._AC_UY218_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B09J746BHB) Shred a pot of chicken in a minute instead of working through it with two forks. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B09J746BHB) ### [Instant-read meat thermometer](/go/amazon/?p=B0GVM8N2CK) [](/go/amazon/?p=B0GVM8N2CK)[![Instant-read meat thermometer](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71HAYvyw1fL._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B0GVM8N2CK) Confirms the thickest thigh has reached 165°F before you shred it. 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Sauce a drained pile of pork, not a swimming one, or the sauce goes thin. ![Pulled Pork Shoulder](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-searing-difference.jpg) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-pulled-pork) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-pulled-pork) ## Pulled Pork Shoulder Recipe by Iren Pavlenko - - - - - 0.0 from 0 votes ** Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy Servings 8 servings Prep time 15 minutes Cooking time 8 hours  Pork shoulder cooks in a dry rub with a little onion for eight hours, then it is drained, shredded and mixed with sauce. ### Ingredients - 4 lb boneless pork shoulder - 2 tbsp brown sugar - 1 tbsp smoked paprika - 1 tbsp garlic powder - 1 tbsp onion powder - 2 tsp kosher salt - 1 tsp black pepper - 1 tsp ground cumin - 1 large onion, sliced - 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar - 1 cup barbecue sauce - 8 soft buns, to serve ### Directions - Mix the sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cumin in a bowl. - Pat the pork dry and rub the mixture over every side. - Spread the onion slices in the bottom of a cold 6-quart slow cooker. - Set the pork on top of the onions. - Pour the vinegar around the edge of the meat. - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until a probe reads 195 to 205°F. - Lift the pork onto a board and shred it with two forks. - Drain most of the juices from the pot into a jar. - Return the shredded pork to the pot with the barbecue sauce. - Stir, adding back a little of the juices until the pork is moist but not wet. ### Notes The pork keeps 4 days in the refrigerator and freezes for 3 months in its sauce. Reheat gently with a splash of juice. ### [Alpha Grillers digital thermometer](/go/amazon/?p=B00S93EQUK) [](/go/amazon/?p=B00S93EQUK)[![Alpha Grillers digital thermometer](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81QdFq6WSiL._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B00S93EQUK) Confirms the shoulder is at 195 to 205°F in the middle before you shred it. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B00S93EQUK) ### [BBQ rub for pork](/go/amazon/?p=B0DG6M12J5) [](/go/amazon/?p=B0DG6M12J5)[![BBQ rub for pork](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71+lRtH2JtL._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B0DG6M12J5) Seasons the shoulder evenly so the flavor reaches past the sauce. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B0DG6M12J5) ### [Rubbermaid food storage containers](/go/amazon/?p=B077M4VGDJ) [](/go/amazon/?p=B077M4VGDJ)[![Rubbermaid food storage containers](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/814foQTWikL._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B077M4VGDJ) Hold the pulled pork in its sauce for sandwiches on the next two days. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B077M4VGDJ) ## 5. Beef Tips and Gravy Stewing beef, sliced mushrooms, stock and a spoon of mustard for depth. The beef goes in raw and the gravy thickens at the end with a slurry. Cook the noodles separately, because pasta in a long cook turns to paste. The same goes for cream, which splits over eight hours. A six-serving recipe feeds four hungry people, so plan for the bowl you actually fill. ![Beef Tips and Gravy](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-searing-difference.jpg) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-beef-tips) [Print](#wpzoom-recipe-card-beef-tips) ## Beef Tips and Gravy Recipe by Iren Pavlenko - - - - - 0.0 from 0 votes ** Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy Servings 6 servings Prep time 10 minutes Cooking time 8 hours  Stewing beef and mushrooms cook in stock with mustard for eight hours, then a cornflour slurry turns the juices into gravy. ### Ingredients - 2 lb stewing beef, cut into 1 inch pieces - 8 oz mushrooms, sliced - 1 large onion, sliced - 1 1/2 cups beef stock - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce - 3 garlic cloves, minced - 1 tsp dried thyme - 1 tsp kosher salt - 1/2 tsp black pepper - 3 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water - Cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes, to serve ### Directions - Put the mushrooms and onion in the bottom of a cold 6-quart slow cooker. - Add the beef pieces in a single layer. - Sprinkle the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper over the beef. - Whisk the stock, mustard and Worcestershire sauce together. - Pour the stock mixture over the beef. - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. - Mix the cornflour with the cold water until smooth. - Stir the slurry into the hot juices. - Cook uncovered on HIGH for 15 minutes, until the gravy coats a spoon. - Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. ### Notes Taste before adding salt, because stock and Worcestershire already carry some. Leftovers keep 3 days and reheat well on the stove. ### [Brown gravy mix](/go/amazon/?p=B08KZ3LQX1) [](/go/amazon/?p=B08KZ3LQX1)[![Brown gravy mix](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Pe7NeDdbL._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B08KZ3LQX1) Backs up the gravy when the mushrooms give up less liquid than you expected. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B08KZ3LQX1) ### [OXO fat separator](/go/amazon/?p=B07V1ZSYVF) [](/go/amazon/?p=B07V1ZSYVF)[![OXO fat separator](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71fFAqEKvbL._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B07V1ZSYVF) Pours the gravy off the fat that rises from the beef without losing the sauce. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B07V1ZSYVF) ### [PriorityChef potato ricer](/go/amazon/?p=B00MUEHPGQ) [](/go/amazon/?p=B00MUEHPGQ)[![PriorityChef potato ricer](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Nm2CTmkjL._AC_UL320_.jpg)](/go/amazon/?p=B00MUEHPGQ) Makes a smooth mash to serve the gravy over. [View on Amazon](/go/amazon/?p=B00MUEHPGQ) ![Four bowls of the same beef stew filled to noticeably different levels](https://irenpins.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ire-easy-servings.jpg)A six-serving recipe feeds four hungry people. Plan for the bowl you actually fill. ## If it goes wrong - **Hard carrots:** they sat around the meat or on top. Put root vegetables under the meat, on the hot base, next time. - **Dry meat:** the pot runs hot or the load is too small. Test your pot with water once and take an hour off if it hits over 205°F. - **Thin, flat gravy:** nothing was browned and nothing was added. Stir in tomato paste, soy sauce or Worcestershire and thicken with a slurry in the last 20 minutes. - **Grey broccoli or split cream:** they went in too early. Hold them back to the last 20 to 30 minutes. - **Out for ten hours:** use a programmable pot that drops to warm, pick a cut with connective tissue and add an extra half cup of liquid. Lean cuts do not survive the wait. Doubling a recipe works in an 8-quart pot and the time stays the same. In a 6-quart pot it does not, because the pot fills past the safe line and the middle takes far longer to come up to temperature. ## How to Store and Freeze Easy Crockpot Dinners Get leftovers into the refrigerator within 2 hours, in shallow containers, because a full insert holds heat for hours. Most keep 3 to 4 days. Shredded meats freeze well in their sauce for up to 3 months. For the versions bagged and frozen ahead, see [crockpot freezer meals](/freezer-meals/). If the list you need is the cheap end of the same idea, that is [cheap dinners for a family](/cheap-dinners-for-a-family/). Thick-cut [pork chops](/crockpot-pork-chops/) in gravy are the other good six-hour option. For the pasta half of a weeknight, the timings are in [crockpot pasta recipes](/crockpot-pasta-recipes/). ## Key takeaways - No second pan: raw meat, liquid, aromatic and starch go in cold. - Beef and pork shoulder LOW 8 hours, thighs 5 to 6, breast 3. - Vegetables under the meat, cream and greens in the last 30 minutes. - Tomato paste and soy sauce replace the sear. - A 6-quart pot holds a three-pound roast; test its heat with water once. ## When the free version isn’t enough A probe thermometer fixes the dry-meat complaint at its root, and a programmable pot that steps down to warm on its own is the feature that matters when nobody is home to switch it off. Those two are worth having. More to cook: [crockpot pork chops](/crockpot-pork-chops/), [crockpot pasta recipes](/crockpot-pasta-recipes/), [freezer meals](/freezer-meals/), [healthy crockpot recipes](/healthy-crockpot-recipes/), [cheap dinners for a family](/cheap-dinners-for-a-family/). ## Common questions ### Do I have to brown meat before putting it in a crockpot? No. Browning adds flavor, not tenderness or safety, and every recipe above skips it. Tomato paste, soy sauce or Worcestershire recover most of the depth for the cost of a spoon. ### How long do easy crockpot dinners take on LOW? Beef and pork shoulder, 8 hours. Chicken thighs, 5 to 6. Chicken breast, about 3. Smoked sausage and other pre-cooked meats, 4, since the pot is only heating them through. ### Can I put raw meat straight into a slow cooker? Yes, and it is the normal way to do it. Thaw anything frozen first, so the pot does not spend hours in the low-temperature range before it climbs. ### How much liquid does a dump dinner need? Half a cup to a cup for most things, and none at all for pulled pork or a whole chicken. Nothing evaporates under the lid, so meat sitting in its own juices ends up in more liquid than it started with. ### What if I am out for ten hours and the recipe says six? Use a programmable pot that drops to warm, pick a cut with connective tissue (chuck, shoulder, thighs), and add an extra half cup of liquid. Warm holds food safely for a couple of hours. ### Can I double one of these recipes? In an 8-quart pot, yes, and the time stays the same. Doubling in a 6-quart pot does not work: the pot fills past the safe line and the middle takes far longer to come up to temperature. ### What are the easiest crockpot dinners for a beginner? Chuck roast with vegetables and salsa chicken. Both go in raw, need no second pan and forgive an extra hour. 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