Some Frequently Asked Questions

This is a highly unlikely scenario given the eight-hour cooking time for these recipes, but in the event you open the slow cooker lid and find that the beef or the beans, for example, are not as tender as you’d like (see for more about using dried beans), you have a couple of options: Turn up the cooker to high and have a snack while you wait it out, or transfer everything to a Dutch oven or similar pot and simmer it on the stovetop until it’s to your liking. If you’re using an InstantPot, just flip the valve on the lid to “sealing” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes or so.