How to Transport Your Crock Pot
We’re coming into the holiday season and many people host gatherings that include pot luck or carry in dinners. Having participated in many pot luck dinners over the years, I’ve learned a few do’s and don’ts on how to transport your crock pot.
1. Unplug it. Yes, you have to unplug the pot from the outlet before you want to pick it up and carry it across the room. Failure to unplug will result in a whiplash like experience with the potential of hot food splashed all over. Not fun to clean up and less fun to deal with emergency room level burns.
2. Coil up the cord. Most slow cookers have a short cord. This is intentional engineering. The designers of kitchen appliances don’t want you stretching electrical cables all the way around the room. However, the shortest cord can become a tripping hazard if you are carrying a hot and heavy pot of goodness and in a hurry to get to the car. I’ve used rubber bands, plastic zip-ties, and wire bread bag twists to secure the cord.
3. If your food is at all soupy, I suggest placing a layer of plastic wrap over the top of the pot, under the lid. This will help prevent soup from slopping out over the edge of your pot and onto your car, carpet or cat.
4. Some pots come with a nice elastic band designed to hook from one handle, over the lid and attach to the handle on the opposite side. This works very well at securing the lid from coming loose during your travels. If your cooker didn’t come with one, I recommend locating one or two extra large rubber bands and fashioning your own security system.
5. I have a slow cooker that also came equipped with an insulated case. The cooker sits in it’s own warm and zipped tight case. This helps contain any spills that might happen during travel. It provides a spot to stash my serving spoon. Much better than sticking the spoon in my back pocket. What a great commercial solution to help you transport your crock pot to dinners and gatherings!
6. I have used a kitchen towel placed over the lid of the crock pot inside the insulated case to sop up excess liquid that might seep out from under the lid when I take a turn too fast.
7. If you don’t have a snazzy insulated case, not to worry. If you’re really into sewing, you can make your own design. Measure around the pot and remember to add extra space for over lap to secure the case with some Velcro or snaps.
8. If you’re not a seamstress, find a cardboard box that’s large enough for the pot to sit inside. If the box is a little extra large, stuff a towel around the edges. This serves to cushion the pot from sliding in addition to collecting the aforementioned seepage.
My favorite crock pot meals:
9. Another solution for long trips is to place your slow cooker inside a picnic cooler. The additional insulation will help keep the meal warm during the drive. The coolers with the pull handles would be useful also if you’re going to a tail gate party and have to park some distance from the festivities. Don’t forget to bring an extension cord.
10. Place the crock pot on the floor or in the cargo area of your vehicle. The flat surface provides better footing than the seats. Also, it’s easier to clean the floor spaces than having to detail the vehicle upholstery if the baked beans tip over.
Transporting food to a gathering can be clean, safe and efficient if you take a few moments to consider the terrain and packing methods. A few precautions, rubber bands and a little plastic wrap can go a long way towards maintaining your sanity as well as allowing your favorite recipe to arrive edible. Once you know how to transport your crock pot, you’ll be traveling in style.
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