Ceramic cooking vessels offer a unique quality and style all their own to casseroles, soups and stews. These ancient vessels have found their way back into today's modern kitchens, and are being favored and preferred by today's chefs and parents. Out with the new and in with the old, this healthy cookware carries with it exceptional benefits towards tasty food and health conscious eaters.Cooking a meal with terra cotta pots brings out the bright natural flavor and gives an indescribable tenderness to the food.They are ideal for one pot dishes and provide more healthy and organic eating. They are also easy to clean making them a real gem in cookware.
Clay is a porous material so the steam evaporates slowly through those pores allowing the food inside to cook in it's own juices. Once the pot is completely dry the food is ready for consumption. Usage of these fabulous ancient pots requires no oil. The food is much more healthy then the more traditional methods such as sauteing and frying. The best part of all-by cooking with this style healthy cookware the food retains most all it's nutrients!
Clay pot cooking requires a higher temperature, usually about 50 degrees C (90F) higher and 15-20 minutes extra cooking time. This is because heat is lost due to the evaporation of water.
Care and Usage of Terra Cotta Pots
- Always soak the pot for 15 minutes before use. You can also rub garlic on the unglazed bottom of the pot.
- Clay pots should never be placed in a pre-heated oven - they will crack. Instead, put the pot in the oven first then set your oven to the desired temperature. When you are ready to add the food to the pot, remove it from the oven, place the food inside and place it back in the oven for the desired time.
- Place your clay pot on a cooking pad or towel when you remove it from the oven. Do not place it on a cold surface so as to avoid a sudden change in temperature which will cause cracking to the pot.
- To clean clay pots after cooking simply remove the food, let the pot cool then soak in water for a few minutes. Sprinkle with salt and scrub.
- To avoid risks like lead in the glaze or shoddy workmanship always choose clay/ceramic/terra cotta pots from a reputable manufacturer or a well-known potter.
Types and Styles of Terra Cotta Pots
Bean Pot - A standard clay pot used for stews,
soups and bean preparations.
Tagine - An exotic style dish with a cone top captures
cooking vapors and recycles the steam and flavor back into the food.
Tagine pots are perfect for slow braising. NOTE: Tagine Pots are often sold as
decorative serving dishes and are not meant for actual cooking so be careful
that you purchase one that is of cookware quality.
Cazuela - Spanish style clay pot offered in a variety of sizes with the most
versatile being the 12 inch casserole style.; Most anything
can be prepared in this Spanish style clay pot.
Romertopf - Best for slow roasting of meats this style clay pot needs
to be soaked for half an hour before each use.
Terra Cotta, ceramic, or clay pot cookware has tremendous value to our health and the taste of the food. This style of healthy cookware is not only easy to clean but offers immense benefits toward healthy eating. By the food cooking in it's own juices and steaming slowly, the wonderful foods we eat toward our health are fuller in value when we eat them which means more benefits toward a healthy, comfortable, easy, lifestyle.
Should you decide to take up Terra Cotta Pot healthy cooking here are a couple of great recipes to get you started. Clay Pot Chicken Rice Clay Pot Beef With Peppers
