Am I allowed to put a dish of food with a sauce on top of my crockpot , with the lid of the crockpot off on shabbos? everything is fully cooked.
Answer:
I undertand that the food will be placed on top of the crockpot by means of some cover/lid, and at any rate, the food will not be placed in the crockpot.
The answer depends on the amount of sauce in the food. If there is a significant amount of sauce, so that the liquid is distinct from the solid, it must not be heated to a degree of yad soledes bo. However, if the amount of sauce is not significant, and is only enough to make the solid food 'damp', it would be permitted to heat in this manner.
Sources: If the amount of sauce is significant, the food must be treated as a davar lach, a liquid, which may not be reheated on Shabbos, because some authorities maintain that yeish bishul achar bishul for liquids. If the amount of sauce is only sufficient to dampen the food, it the entire dish is considered as solid, and it is permitted to reheat by placing on top of a pot.