Will 3.5 hours in the slow cooker be enough for meat pie filling?

[Piedpiper99]

I am absolutely winging it today and I have shoved some stewing steak, onions and potatoes in the slow cooker for a pie filling. I then looked at various recipes all of which have completely different cooking times, and one says 6 hours in the slow cooker!

Can I get away with 3.5 hours in the slow cooker before shoving it in the oven with a pie crust for 30 mins, or will I end up with tough meat and wasting the lot? I can't stand over a pan all day as I have a charity drop to do, school run and food shop so I need it to be in the slow cooker. But my kids need to be eating by 5pm because they are little and hangry after school 😅

Am I fine to wing it, and make the pie tonight?
Or shall I stick it on for 8 hours, filling into fridge and just have it tomorrow instead?

(I have emergency pizza)

5 hours at least I find best. Unless you're using less tough cuts. Definitely worth the extra couple of hours

Maybe on high? Depending on the size of the chunks.

This why I love my instant pot duo - can do a combination of slow and pressure cooking!

I guess check it after the 3.5 hours and switch to emergency pizza if it doesn't look ready?

I'd have it tomorrow, 3.5 hours in my slow cooker and it'd be so tough and the potatoes would still be hard. I always do 8 hours on low or 5 on high.

Thanks all, I think I'll leave it for another couple of hours and have it tomorrow then, I very much don't want hard meat and potatoes! I will test it, but yeah sounds like longer is better! I much prefer it very soft and flaky. More time to make my own pastry that way too!