Clay Bakers Cookware

Clay bakers, also called clay pots or hot pots in the Far East go back centuries in traditional cooking both in Western and in Eastern civilizations.

The Chinese and Romans both used these pots to cook and bake a variety of dishes from full imperial feasts, to meals for the family,  to meager bread for the masses. 

But this method of cooking food has not remained in antiquity and in fact has risen in popularity due to people wanting healthier meals and lifestyles. 

Clay bakers are unglazed fired clay dishes with porous properties that allow heat and moisture to combine to cook meals evenly and while sealing in nutrients and flavor.

In addition, clay bakers require no additional oil, butter or fats to keep the moisture in your meal.

Soak them in water for 10 to 15 minutes prior to cooking.

The porous clay soaks in the water and redistributes it as it is heated in the oven creating a "steaming" effect without over cooking the entrée and depleting it of nutrients.

The steam seals the pot to keep in the natural juices and flavors of your meal.  Healthy preparation can be the norm so you don't need the skin on chicken or the fat on roasts. Trim it all off and let the pot do the work for you.

These clay pots aren't just easy to use; they are extremely affordable. Clay bakers are great for small meals for two or for a large busy family as an entire meal can be cooked at once.  

While the clay bakers are extremely versatile, if you plan to prepare fish often you should consider using a separate clay pot as the fish's natural juices and flavors will permeate the porous clay. 

There are plenty of affordable styles of shallower clay bakers for preparing fish and seafood.  Plus there are other specialty bakers for vegetables, bread, apples, garlic and so on.

Clay bakers are very sensitive to rapid changes in temperature, a minor downside. They should always be placed in a cold, never preheated, oven to avoid cracking the clay.  The reverse is also true. Always place the hot baker atop a cradle or on a hot pad to avoid contact with a cold counter top.

Having only one pot to clean is by itself is great advantage but cleaning the clay baker is really easy.   Remember to avoid cracking, let your clay baker cool down before rinsing or placing in water for cleaning. 

Simply use a nylon brush to scrub the interior of the dish.  For more stubborn foods, soak the pot over night with baking soda and in the morning scrub it out as noted above. Be sure to separate the lid from the pot so both completely dry.

Soaps and cleansers should not be used as they too could block the pores of the clay and never use steel wool or harsh abrasives.

Almost any recipe can be prepared using this cooking method. Increase the temperature of the recipe by 10 to 20% and decrease the time by about 15%.  As a hint, test your meals with an instant thermometer the first few times you use your clay baker.

Cooking a meal or entrée in a clay pot is an easy and simple way to create healthy and delectable food for yourself and your family.  Place all of your ingredients into the clay baker and then place in a cold oven, set the timer and walk away. That's it; no mess, no fuss, just fantastic nutritious meals.

Terry Retter
Your Smart Kitchen
The online location for quality cookware, bakeware, cutlery, appliances and related kitchenware. Quality products at reasonable prices with customer satisfaction guaranteed.
Specializing in Paderno, Mauviel, Chasseur, Clay Bakers,, Kaiser, DeLonghi

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