Cooking in Clay Pots

Clay pot cooking has long been known the oldest way of cooking meals. Cooking this way brings out the technique of cooking food in an unglazed clay pot which has been soaked in water so as to release steam during the cooking process. This technique has a long history, stretching back at least to ancient Roman times, and is commonly used in several cuisines in Africa, Europe and Southeast and East Asia.

Today, clay pots and one-pot cookery is making a comeback in the US and home cooks like us are rediscovering how easy they are to use and love the results they are getting.
According to the Romertopf web site, "As a porous material, the clay in a pot that has been saturated with water slowly releases steam from its pores during the cooking process. Juices released by the food as it cooks cannot escape from the pot. This seals in flavor and keeps food from drying out, without the need to add extra fats or liquids. Along with the flavor, essential nutrients and vitamins are retained in the food."

I have no allegiance to any one method of bean cooking and I use all kinds of pots, a pressure cooker and even a slow cooker. I like them all for different reasons.

Cooking beans in clay

But if I have the time, onions and a bag of beans handy, my favorite way to cook is in clay, right on the stovetop. Maybe I'm nuts and maybe the beans do taste better. I'm not going to say for sure, but I've never made a bad pot of beans in an earthenware pot, I always get a dish that's wonderful, rich, layered flavors and sensual melting textures. Truly food tastes better when cooked in clay.