Thanks, Chem. I was referring to both the clay and metal pots. Obviously the clay ones won’t conduct much heat directly through the spout, but the heat of fusion will, through condendation from steam.
Do you know: Is it possible to start with no liquid, leave it on too long, and overflow the pot(s)?
Yeah. I think that is what makes it most different than other cookware. I have seen people add water up front, and they will work more like a regular double boiler, I think.
I would think so. The guy from the second video did say … “check it once awhile, and when the water level is the same as the spout, then it is ok”
I’m making this one.
When I pulled out the roaster, I found these
It says Germany! I thought unglazed bottoms were from Mexico.
Definitely unloading the soup tureen, but lookit!
A cazuela?
I’ve got several of the little ones
It’s got a little hole.
Is that a problem?
Anyway, already stumped at the soak. Surely I can’t “waste” water fillthe sink! This is California. We are having floods right now, but still! Hoping nesting is okay.
Is that hole intentional?
You sure the glazed one is food safe for stovetop use? If you’re not, don’t use it. I’d probably pass on something with a hole, but that might just be me.
I wasn’t thinking stovetop necessarily. I was thinking when I have a hole, or crack, or crazing in something like clay, water seeps in and behaves in surprising ways, especially in the microwave.
No. I have had that for many years, but I am pretty sure I didn’t buy it that way.
Got it. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if the hole was there so you can hang it on the wall, but it doesn’t quite like that.
It depends. If the hole (or any hole or crack for that matter) is through the frit and there’s lead or other heavy metals in either the clay or the frit, yes that’s a problem. I would not blithely trust that homemade or vintage clay cookware is free of lead, cadmium and arsenic. It should be tested.
OTOH, if you know the piece’s age and provenance, it’s newer than the 1960s, and from a First World country, holes are probably not a problem. I would test everything you’re not sure of.
It says WEST Germany. These must be pretty, pretty, pretttttty old 
Going in to a cold oven, but the recipe says 200C. That seems pretty hot.
It’s sitting on a “pizza stone” I keep the oven. Does that count as "other clay cookware?
Is the hole opposite the handle? Maybe it had two handles
When you are done, take a finish photo too.
It has two handles, and the hole is 1/2 way between.
@kaleokahu ; What would I test, and what would I be testing for? The glaze on the suface? For lead?
I’m sure I have not had it since the sixties, but it could be from Mexico.
After 60 minutes lid on
After braising 30 more minutes lid off
Not sure what I am looking for, and I wouldn’t mistake it for char siu, but the flavors are similar and it tastes great!
Well, I would test both the glaze and any exposed substrate at the hole(sl. You would test for lead, cadmium and arsenic. Test kits are available online but pay attention to how sensitive the tests are–you probably don’t want ANY lead, and would you accept a negative result if the threshold is X ppm? These consumer tests are really testing your confidence there’s actually zero.
Here’s the FDA’s take on lead testing
Thanks. Nice photos. Have you clean the clay baker before? How do you clean it?
