Natures Oven by Reco No.110

I've wanted to try a clay baker for years and decided to start with a smaller baker that I could also bake bread in. The food I have made in the clay baker has turned out moist and flavorful. Because this is the first clay baker I've used I didn't realize the food would stick to the bottom of the baker like it did. Parchment paper works very well to prevent sticking.The instructions and recipe guide are minimal and written in tiny print. Fortunately there are lots of good recipes on the Internet for clay bakers. I have a gas oven and didn't realize you need to raise the heat slowly with a gas oven. Be prepared to spend extra time in the kitchen if you have a gas oven. I raised the heat in 50°F increments every 10 minutes from my oven's lowest setting of 200°F until the temperature was set at 450°F, the suggested cooking temperature. The instructions did not specify the amount of temperature increases or the time between them. The instructions said to increase the heat gradually.I've also made a couple of loaves of sour dough bread in the baker and have been very pleased with how the bread has baked. I also use parchment paper to line the bottom of the baker when I make bread and remove the lid about 15 minutes before the bread is done to brown the top.The clay baker lid has "handles", but the bottom does not. You have to be careful when you take the baker out of the oven making sure you have a firm grip on the bottom portion of the baker. I would highly recommend a pair of the heat resistant oven gloves. They work much better then pot holders or oven mitts.

A friend of mine cooks with the Romertopf; hers is the large 113 model. She cooks this awesome chicken with wine and mushrooms, and it's to die for!A few months ago, I bought this smaller-sized one. Also known as model 110 (it's on the base of the Romertopf), it's large enough for a chicken or a medium-sized roast, but not much else. If you want to cook vegetables and such along with meat, get the #113 model. I guess Amazon is still selling the 113 here:  Reco International Classic Romertopf 14 Pounds Clay Baker . I bought my 110 from Amazon, but as I write this review, the page says "Currently Unavailable" with no mention of restocking.I recommend this smaller Romertopf for cooking for one or two, say some chicken (or other meat) pieces with vegetables, or just cooking a whole chicken or moderately-sized roast in the 110, and cooking your side dishes separately. Of course, you can cook strictly vegetarian dishes, too. It's just that cooking with the Romertopf makes for such juicy meat dishes, it's where this clay pot really shines in the kitchen! One caution with the small Romertopf -- it's easy to overstuff it or at least fill it to the brim, so be sure to put it on a pan with edges to catch any liquids that may overflow while cooking. Mine has bubbled over every time, so far!I'd also recommend this smaller Romertopf for those interested in trying clay pot cooking, but are not sure if it's something they'll want to do much of. Romertopfs can be kind of expensive (the prices at Amazon are usually the best I've seen, especially when combined with free shipping, when available), and a smaller one costs less. Note: Because these are unglazed clay, when they are used they will "season" by absorbing food liquids & residues, particularly oils -- mine already has splotches from 3 different dishes cooked in it. As such, it's not something you can easily give away as a gift if you don't like cooking with it.

It took some trial and error with this product. I tried using it as I had seen online by leaving my chicken in the oven (started off cold set to 500) but my chicken wasn't done. I then left my chicken for 1 hour 30 minutes before checking and it was done, tender and super juicy! The interior does change color so don't be alarmed and I still covered the inside with a fine layer of butter before putting in my whole chicken. This size is fine for the chicken only as no other veggies will really fit except for a few onion slices I added for flavor. There are only me and my husband so this is a good size for us.I haven't tried veggies only but plan on that soon. I also would like to order a recipie book as the one that came with this was just a piece of paper that had a few recipies on it. I also plan on buying the next larger size for bigger meals with meat and veggies but will continue to use this one and perhaps pass it on to my son when he marries.

It keeps all the natural juices right in the meal! I will say though that it can be a &*^$% to clean if you want it to be spot free. It won't happen! My only complaint is that it feels like running your fingers over a chalkboard so I wear plastic gloves so I won't get all weirded out. As far as cooking, it is great! I love how all the flavors meld and was able to fit a 5 1/2 lb chicken in there with no problem. Just make sure you let it dry completely....even putting it in the oven on low to dry... as I didn't and it started to mold. The Romertopf cookbook gave excellent directions how to resolve that problem too so apparently it is not uncommon for that to happen. Overall, happy with this product and how it performs.

The last time my daughter-in-law visited, I cooked a meal for them in my Romertopf clay pot, they were impressed because the meat fell apart (the entire meal was cooked in the pot together), so gave her one for Christmas. She was thrilled! I have three different sizes, so I am well aware of their success. This is a great cooking tool for those on the go or that just love an all-in-one meal, I highly recommend this item. Simply soak the pot in cold water (instructions say 10 min - I soak for 20), place the meat inside and place in a cold oven. Set oven to aprox. 350 degrees and add vegetables, etc. in the last 30 or so minutes. The meal cooks much faster than in a conventional oven because the juices are sealed in! Try it, you'll like it!!!