As I posted here the other day, I had purchased a mini crock pot to use as a simmer pot, as well as some simmer pot kits of ingredients.
Well I’ve been using it the past couple of days and it’s not really meeting my expectations. I had planned to use it for spells, using the ingredients to shift energy with a purpose, rather than just aromatherapy.
But the crockpot just seems to get warm, but not really hot. There’s no aromatic steam coming off it, and in fact I can barely smell anything.
But also, I feel like it loses the magic, as I am not intentionally stirring and tending the pot (and my intention for the spell). It’s not simmering, I don’t feel any energy from it. I just sort of turn it on and leave it for a few hours, topping up the water every now and then.
Who has created simmer pots in a crock pot and a regular pot on the stove? Which do you prefer? What are the pros and cons? Should I keep going with the crock pot, or use a regular pot on the gas stove?
I remember you showing us the new simmer pot, along with those beautiful simmer packets.
I agree with you - something is off with the simmer pot. It’s meant to get hot enough to simmer, so your water should be reaching temperatures hot enough to break bubbles and hence, sending aromas into your kitchen (or wherever).
I suppose you could heat it up with a small amount of water while you brought water to a near-boil from a kettle, then add it. But - that’s not really the process for a simmer pot.
I don’t use simmer packets but, just in regular cooking, have brought soups/sauces/whatever to a boil then reduced the temperature to maintain a simmer. That’s on a regular stove top with a regular pot, or Dutch oven.
So either way, it’s your choice. You can definitely make a simmer pot on your gas stove top. You can tend it, stir it, breathe it in and feel the energy at least. Sounds better than struggling with this one that feels dead to you - kind of defeats the purpose!
I went ahead and ordered a glass simmer pot with a lid, to go on the stove, which has excellent reviews.
And this cute little crock pot, well I don’t know that I would trust it to actually cook anything, so I’m just going to box it up and forget I bought it.
In my youth, we had a wood burning stove in the basement. Mom used it to introduce me to simmer pots, hoping that the liquid would moisten the air. At one point, we forgot to refill it, and it broke. That would be my only caution.
When I was in college, I had an electric potpourri simmer pot. It did not boil, but the water did give off scent from the potpourri. I have broken a couple of them, too, until I learned to buy metal ones. The metal did rust after a while of continuous use.
I realized that when I was ill, having a potion by the head of my bed helped me feel better. That’s kinda hard to do on a stove top. Having the electric pot was handy during illness: pine and willow helped immensely. Yes, I did have to add more herbs to the pot, but it was worth it. Since the electric pot wasn’t boiling per se, it lasted longer between refillings so I could rest. Remember to refill with hot tap water to keep breakage, chance of burning the herbs, and spattering down, no matter what the pot is made of.
IMHO, there is a time and place for each kind of pot. See what works best for you. If you really don’t like the crock pot, you could sell it or give it to a thrift store which helps others in the community.
Thank you for asking this question. I recently purchased a mini crock pot and would have forgotten many of the tips I learned long ago had you not requested I put on my thinking cap. I wish you the best in any further experiments.
I’m with you and Feathertip that something’s not quite right with the crock pot. A google search says that the crock pot should be heating between 170 - 280 degrees F, so in theory it should be reaching a boil (200 F) and dropping to a simmer when the temp drops. I think you’re smart to tuck it away - I also wouldn’t trust it with any food!
Having said that, you could still use it for other crafts! You might be able to melt candle wax or beeswax, or glycerin to make soap.
I usually do simmer pots in a metal cooking pot on the stove. The stovetop allows for fine temperature control, and because it’s right there in the center of the kitchen, it’s tough to forget about it!
I’ve also tried to do a simmer pot on a wood burning stove, but it’s tougher to control the temperature there. Between the two, I’d say stovetop is the way to go
at least. Sounds better than struggling with this one that feels dead to you - kind of defeats the purpose!
