Making rice in a clay pot was the primary reason I bought my donabe and Chinese clay pots. You can definitely make other dishes (good for stews, braises), but for me the real enhancement is always the extra oomph it gives to cooked rice, especially if you get the toasty goodness on the bottom.
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I think clayware is more for traditional usage. In old days, clay cookware are much cheaper than metal cookware. Nowsday, an aluminum pot is often cheaper than a nice clay pot. Metals have better heat conduction than ceramic/clay.
In most cases, there is nothing a clayware can do that a metal cookware cannot do about the same. This is even more so at restaurants level.
One thing I do find clay cookware useful is for very long term cooking. Clay acts more as an insulator, so once the heat get into the pot and cooking, it also takes longer to cool down. So for cooking take a long time and need to be held at a more steady temperature, the clay ware is good. Nowā¦ that being said, if you have a very good temperature control stove or simply cook in an oven, then it is not a big concern.
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I got pretty deep into clay pots and currently have about a dozen that I use for all sorts of things. Beans/lentils and bolognese sauce are two pretty disparate foods Iād never want to cook in a metal pot again.
As far as the original question, this Paula Wolfert book is my clay pot bible. Sheās got a recipe for black cod in a romertopf that Iād love to try but sadly I donāt have one. Sheās also got a couple of lamb recipes and a couple of bread recipes specifically for a romertopf that maybe appealing. Plus, itās just a great cookbook even if clay is not (yet) your thing
https://www.amazon.com/Mediterranean-Clay-Pot-Cooking-Traditional/dp/076457633X
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Thank you and welcome!
The Amazon reviews of the cookbook were helpful as well.
Do you think you could distinguish by taste the bolognese or beans that were cooked in clay vs an enameled cast iron dutch oven used alongside the clay in the same oven?
I cook both on a stovetop, not in an oven, but yes, I think whether itās the material the pot is made from or the effect the material has on my cooking technique, the outcome is different. When the bolognese recipe calls for insaporie, I do it differently in clay. Iām forced to go slower and use less heat initially.
I bet you might too.
Hereās the recipe I follow for bolognese sauce. Notice how often in the initial steps he calls for slowing things down. If you read through to the end, he recommends a Terra cotta pot too.
Hereās a little propaganda from rancho gordo about their clay bean pot. Lots of people say these kinds of things to
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I believe the advantage of using earthenware pots lies in the texture rather than the flavor.
Earthenware cookware retains heat. This makes it ideal for cooking dried beans. They come out with a lovely texture.
I also like how my food stays hot when I cook it in a clay pot. If I have seconds the food is still nice and hot.
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now Iām going to buy yet another romertopf from the thrift shopā¦ā¦
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Yeah, that was pretty good.
People say exactly the same things about ECI, and yet thereās really no objective evidence or plausible physical reason as to why that might be.
I have and love all the Paula Wolfert cookbooks.
The Clay pot one is among my very favorites. Eastern Med and Southwest France and Med Grains and Greens are also favorites. She was way ahead of her time.
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I have that Rancho Gordo bean pot and I love it. Looks great on the shelf and works great on the gas stove. It makes me happy every time I look at it. Also this casole for cassoulet is stunningly beautiful and functional.
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Those are some lovely items. Pretty clever marketing to make it the perfect size for her cassoulet recipe.
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Hereās a beautiful little homage to a French dauberie. Iāve made his recipe in a la Chamba round soup pot and it was delicious
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I want a La Chamba!
Consider getting an unglazed la Chamba soup pot. Itās my most used pot and wonāt really break the bank
Hereās mine with a small batch of bolognese in it. Itās a 4 qt, I also have a 2.5 quart
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So you donāt believe that different materials retain heat differently?
Yes, I do. What I donāt believe is that retaining heat makes for better food off (or out) of the heat.
Retaining heat for purposes of letting flavors meld over time, or to keep foods warm for serving, is completely valid. But thatās not cookingāat best, itās carryover.
So if youāre not interested in it, why not just skip this topic?
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I missed it: was he not interested? I think weāre all interested in cooking in clay, but also all interested in separating fact from nostalgic attachment (in this case, to cooking in clay).
Iād like to perform an experiment by cooking a dish in clay and in enameled cast iron side by side where the only variable is the cooking vessel. Then Iāll feed it to guests and ask for opinions.
What dish would give the highest chance of coming out better in clay?
