Has anyone used a earthenware cookware?

[ScoobyRoo]

I am going to roast my first 'skin-on' chicken that we processed. I remembered that my Grandmother gave me a "Romertopf" several years ago. With a cook book too. I plan to use the clay dish/with lid but wondered if anyone has used one before and what were the end results?

 

[peeplessinNC]

Roast chicken in a Romertopf clay baker is delicious! I have one that I bought at a flea market - looked as if it had never been used - $8! They are over $30 brand new! I grew up with my mom using hers a lot.

Simply soak the pot and lid in a sink of clean water for 15 minutes. Put food in pot bottom, season as you please, put lid on top and put in a HOT oven (450 I think) to bake. Your book should tell you how long to bake a whole chicken - about an hour, I think. You can take off the lid when the chicken is done and bake without the lid to brown up the chicken the last 10 minutes or so.

Here are two favorite recipes:
Baked Chicken with Artichokes – Clay Pot, 450 oven for 1 hour, 15-20 min.

1/4lb small mushrooms 1/2c chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped fine 1/4c sherry
1 clove garlic, minced 1 can artichoke hearts, drained
3 lb. chicken pieces, skin off
2 TB flour
1 1/2t salt
1/2t paprika
1/4t chopped rosemary
dash white pepper Serves 6.

Soak top and bottom of clay pot for 15 minutes. Drain. Put mushrooms, onion, and garlic in pot. Coat chicken with mixture of flour, salt, paprika, rosemary, pepper.
Put chicken on top of vegetables. Pour in broth and sherry.

Put in cold oven. Set oven to 450. Bake 1 hour. Stir in artichokes gently. Bake another 10 minutes. Remove cover, bake until chicken is crisp, 5-10 min. more.


Roast Chicken in Clay Pot – Serves 4-6 oven at 450, 1 hour, 10-15 min.

Marinade: 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 whole chicken, 2-3 lbs.
1 c orange juice 1 whole orange
1 TB dried tarragon ½ large red onion
1 TB EVOO
1/2t salt
pepper

Put marinade ingredients in large stainless bowl or heavy zip bag. Add chicken, turn over in marinade. Chill 2 hours or overnight.

Put chicken in soaked clay pot with orange and onion wedges. Put in oven. Set oven to 450, Bake one hour. Remove lid, bake 10-15 minutes more basting w/ hot marinade.

Edited to add: You put the food in the soaked pot, put into a COLD oven, then set the temperature to high - 450 degrees F. If you put that soaked pot into a preheated 450 oven it may crack your pot. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

peepless, thanks for the reply!! Several recipes that I checked into did not give a weight of chicken. That was throwing me off on the cooking time. I have read the book and know the details as you mentioned about the soaking and putting in a cold oven. I'm anxious try out your recipes.
Thanks again!