Is Parchment Paper Safe For Slow Cookers?

Just a few years back, cooking salmon on a layer of parchment paper in a frying pan went viral on TikTok. This was allegedly the ideal way to get crispy skin without risking your fish sticking to the pan. With this once little-known hack amongst professional chefs going mainstream, people wondered: why parchment paper? It's simple; this kitchen staple is coated in a silicone layer, providing impeccable heat tolerance. Parchment paper is safe to use at temperatures up to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if parchment paper can stand the heat on the stovetop, it can certainly endure your slow cooker.

Slow cookers are unlikely to reach temperatures higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit, so the use of parchment paper is A-okay. Lining your slow cooker with this kitchen staple provides multiple benefits. It both reduces mess during cleanup and keeps your food from sticking. This is yet another reason slow cooker recipes make your life easier.

For the best results with your slow cooker, use one large sheet of parchment paper. This helps prevent cracks between the layers, stopping food from sticking and keeping the slow cooker's interior clean. Some brands of parchment paper have one glossier side. If this is the case with yours, make sure to place the paper down glossy side up. This maximizes the paper's non-stick potential.

While that is a bit of a personal judgment call, the short answer is probably. In a Reddit thread on r/AskCulinary debating the use of parchment paper versus aluminum foil for cooking, parchment paper was the overwhelming winner. There was some debate as to the environmental impact as well, with many arguing over which one was the more eco-friendly option.

This slow cooker parchment paper hack is mostly golden, but its one major downside is that it's sometimes difficult to fit parchment paper properly inside a slow cooker. There are many disposable liners for slow cookers on the market, which allegedly do the same job while also being the perfect fit. However, such products are controversial. Many are wary of plastic-heavy products, and there have been multiple reports of slow cooker liners melting. If you do opt for this route, go for products labeled as food-safe and BPA-free. At the end of the day though, it can be a good idea to opt for good old-fashioned parchment paper over such alternatives.