Slow Cooker Cooking for Two

Most slow cooker recipes are written for a family of six or eight. If you are cooking for one or two people, the usual advice is to make the whole recipe and eat leftovers all week. That works for some foods, but not everyone wants soup four days in a row. This guide shows how to make a smaller batch, and how to freeze the rest, without risking undercooked food.

Choose the right size cooker

A slow cooker should be one-half to two-thirds full. That is the rule from Clemson Cooperative Extension, and Mississippi State University Extension adds that an overfilled cooker may not bring the food to the proper temperature. Going the other way, a small amount of food in a large cooker sits below half full, and in ordinary cooking experience it cooks faster and can scorch at the edges. So a smaller batch needs a smaller cooker.

Mississippi State University Extension suggests the following sizes:

A 3-quart or 3.5-quart cooker for one or two people who do not want leftovers. Most recipes can be cut in half to fit a 3-quart cooker.
A 5-quart cooker for a household of three or four, or a couple who like leftovers. It handles soups, stews, chilis and casseroles.

The recipes on this site name a cooker size, usually 4-, 5- or 6-quart. Most slow cooker recipes also have a "for two" note that gives the amounts for a 2- or 3-quart cooker. A few say to make the full recipe and freeze the rest, because half a batch is too small to fill even a 2-quart cooker halfway.

How to halve a recipe

Halve the main ingredients. Meat, beans, broth, vegetables and canned goods all go down by half. If a recipe uses a 15-ounce can of beans, use half the can and keep the rest in the refrigerator in a covered container for a day or two.
Do not halve everything. A seasoning packet is a good example. If the recipe calls for one packet, a half packet is hard to measure. Use a heaping spoonful or follow the "for two" note.
Keep the liquid up. Mississippi State says that when cooking meat or poultry, the liquid should cover the ingredients. Cut the liquid by half, but check that the meat is still mostly covered. If it is not, add a little broth.
Cut meat into pieces. A smaller amount of meat cooks faster than a big roast, but the pieces should still be about the same size so they cook evenly.
Check the fill level. The food should come to at least halfway up the cooker. If it does not, move to a smaller cooker or leave the recipe whole and freeze half.

Try it with Salsa Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken or Ham and White Bean Soup. All three halve easily.

How timing changes

Halving a recipe does not halve the time. In ordinary cooking experience a smaller batch in a smaller cooker may be done a little earlier. A common rule of thumb, not from the extension sources, is to start checking at about two-thirds of the low time in the recipe. For a recipe that cooks 6 to 8 hours, check at about 4 to 5 hours. The food is not done until it passes the thermometer test, so checking early costs nothing, as long as you leave the lid on until you need to look.

Poultry: 165°F in the thickest piece.
Ground meat: 160°F, and soups and stews 165°F.
Beef, pork and lamb pieces: 145°F, then a 3-minute rest.

These are the minimum internal temperatures given by UNL Extension and Clemson. Meat for shredding, such as pork shoulder, goes well past these temperatures until it is fork-tender.

A small batch can cook too long without anyone noticing. If you are out all day, use the low setting, and plan for the upper end of the range. Chicken thighs forgive extra time. Chicken breast dries out sooner.

Roasts and big cuts

Clemson says that large pieces such as a roast or a whole chicken can cook so slowly that they stay in the danger zone too long. A three-pound roast cut into 2-inch chunks fits a 4-quart cooker, but it is more than two people need. For two, buy a 1.5-pound piece and cut it into 2-inch chunks the same way. Or make the full recipe, with the roast cut into 2-inch chunks, and freeze portions of the shredded meat, as described below.

Freezing half a batch

Cooking the full recipe and freezing half is often easier than shrinking it. The key is what you freeze and when.

Freeze it cooked. When a batch is done, refrigerate leftovers within two hours, in shallow containers. Clemson says this. UNL Extension says to cool cooked food to refrigerator temperature before bagging it.
Freeze in meal-sized portions. UNL suggests freezing in the portion sizes you will need. For two people, that is usually two servings per bag. Lay the bags flat so they freeze and thaw quickly.
Label with the date. Cooked meat dishes, soups and stews keep best for 2 to 3 months, according to the USDA chart as reported by North Carolina Cooperative Extension and UNL. Food stays safe at 0°F long after that, but the quality falls.
Thaw in the refrigerator. Overnight is enough for a small bag. Do not thaw on the counter.
Reheat on the stove or in the microwave to 165°F. Clemson and Mississippi State both say not to reheat leftovers in the slow cooker.

Leave out the dairy, pasta and rice when you freeze. Stir them in when you reheat.

You can also make a raw dump bag in half portions. Use a gallon freezer bag (a quart bag holds only 4 cups, less than most half batches), fill it with half of each ingredient, and write a complete label on it. The rules for the bag are the same as in How to Make Freezer Dump Bags: thaw it in the refrigerator, cook it within a day or two of thawing, and never cook it from frozen.

Good recipes for small households

Sloppy Joes and Taco Soup freeze well in two-serving bags after they are cooked.
Pulled Pork and Carnitas make a lot of meat. Freeze the shredded pork in portions with a little of its juice.
Chicken Tortilla Soup and Minestrone can be made in a 3-quart cooker with half amounts.
For dessert, Slow Cooker Strawberry Dump Cake can be halved for a small cooker.

What to do with half a can

Half-used cans are the hidden cost of cooking for two. Move the contents to a covered container in the refrigerator. Plan to use beans, tomatoes and broth within a few days. Or freeze tomato paste in tablespoons on a tray, then store them in a bag.

Sources

Mississippi State University Extension, Clemson Cooperative Extension, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and North Carolina Cooperative Extension. See the sources list for links.