Clay-pot Preparation and Usage

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Clay-pot Preparation and Usage

You really do not need much preparation. The main thing to remember is to completely submerse and soak both the top and bottom of the clay cooker in cold water for at least 15 minutes before loading the ingredients. This is easily accomplished by filling your sink with water and soaking top and bottom while you prepare the ingredients.

Once loaded, place the covered claypot into the center of a cold oven. Do not preheat the oven. It is necessary to the cooking process to gradually bring the pot up to the desired temperature. If you put a cold clay-pot into a hot oven, you also risk cracking the pot due to extreme temperature change.

Most clay cooker recipes call for a temperature of 400 to 480 degrees F. Larger pots will take longer to cook, of course, but many dishes will be done within an hour. Some recipes will require you to remove the top near the end to achieve a browning or crisping effect.
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