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Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Info/Tips
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It's a great way to cook. I'd seen these Romertopfs at
sales for years. One day, probably because picking
were slim that particular day,
I bought one++a nice big one that will hold a small
turkey. I had been missing out. They aren't just fad
items. They produce excellent dishes. Meats cooked in
'em don't dry out.
HOW IT WORKS:
Clay is a porous material. When the pot is saturated
with water and put into the oven, there is a slow
evaporation of steam from within the pores of the clay
itself. During the cooking process, the food forms
its own juices. These juices cannot escape until the
pot is completely dry.
Fortunately, when the pot becomes dry, the food is
cooked!
Because wet clay does not become as hot as metal, it
is necessary to cook at a higher temperature than is
usual, (450F rather than the customary 350F).
However, in spite of this high temperature, the danger
of burning is minimal and can only take place if the
food is cooked for too long a period of time.
As a general rule, if you add 100 degrees F. and 30
minutes to the cooking time of any recipe, it can be
adapted for use in a clay pot. For instance, if you
normally cook a 3 pound chicken at 350F for 1 hour,
you will need to cook it in a clay pot at 450F for 1
1/2 hours.
The manufacturers of clay pots recommend that they
always be placed in a cold oven. However, in an
emergency, I have occasionally put the pot into a
pre-heated 350F oven and it did not crack nor did the
food come to any harm. It is also possible to reheat
food in a clay pot.
Soak the lid in cold water for 10 minutes, cover the
pot and pop it back into a 350F oven for 30 minutes.
CLEANING THE POT:
As you discover the almost miraculous results of
cooking in clay, you will be using your pot with
greater and greater frequency and it will quickly lose
its brand new appearance. Though the pot goes through
a short period of adolescence when it looks slightly
mottled, it eventually acquires a character of its own
and you begin to find yourself less concerned about
the odd blemishes which refuse to budge in spite of
the most desperate scrubbing.
The pot is, in fact, very easy to clean because food
will not stick to the surface (unless, of course, you
burn it on). Simply let the pot cool after it has
been taken from the oven and soak it in warm water for
a few minutes. Sprinkle the pot with salt and scour
it with a stiff brush. Rinse the pot and let it drain
until it is dry. (As clay is porous, it is not wise to
clean it with detergents or scouring powder.)
I have heard it said that you need a separate clay pot
for cooking fish, but I have not found this to be so,
in fact I have been unable to detect any lingering
flavors or odors even after it has been used for the
spiciest of recipes. However if you do feel any
concern over the matter, you can soak the pot in hot
water adding three tablespoons of baking soda to each
quart of water. This will clean it very thoroughly
and even small black scorch dots can be coaxed from
the clay with the minimum of effort.
Store the pot as you would any other utensil. It is
considerably less fragile than it appears, and unless
you drop it on the floor, it will survive many
accidental knocks and bumps without complaint. Do
take the precaution of storing the lid alongside,
rather than on top of the pot. This eliminates the
risk of the development of mold inside the pot in case
it was not completely dry.
From "Cooking in Clay" by Irena Chalmers, Potpourri
Press, Greensboro N.C., 1974.
