Greek clay pot cooking tips

[voula_slat]

I have been reading about some traditional recipes that involve clay pots. I noticed that this is fairly common throughout Greece, but it isn't common necessarily with the Greek diaspora in places like United States, Canada, and Australia. What happened when the people moved to those places? Did they adapt the recipes or keeping using these methods and I just don't realize it? My family must have adapted because no one uses clay pots anymore.

I am trying to figure out how to get started with this cooking method while not in Greece. I am honestly not even sure where to start.

 

[PemiKanavos]

Cooking in a clay pot or gastra

I have been reading about some traditional recipes that involve clay pots. I noticed that this is fairly common throughout Greece, but it isn't common necessarily with the Greek diaspora in places like United States, Canada, and Australia. What happened when the people moved to those places? Did they adapt the recipes or keeping using these methods and I just don't realize it? My family must have adapted because no one uses clay pots anymore.

I am trying to figure out how to get started with this cooking method while not in Greece. I am honestly not even sure where to start.

 

[PemiKanavos]

Cooking in a clay pot or gastra

A gastra is a cooking vessel thst is oblong and is made from clay. For this reason, the pot is heated evenly and cooks evenly.

It has a lid that fits tightly onto the base, so the steam does not escape and condenses on its interior and drops back into the food without any waste of flavors and moisture.

The pots are ideal for slow cooking over embers )or embers can be placed on top as well) or in an oven, resulting in buttery, tender vegetables and meat that falls off the bone.

Gastra can be glazed or unglazed - the unglazed ones are earthier and darken over time, while the glazed ones are recommended for people who cook infrequently.

They would first soak it in water so that its pores would absorb the water. As it heats up the water would evaporated, by transferring the moisture to the air surrounding the food. This way it would ensure your food would cook without burning or drying out and not losing any of its flavors.

This cooking method dated back to Ancient Greek times and has been seen in many other cultures as well.

Even though most Greeks just use a pan for their cooking, there are still plenary of die hard Greeks that use the gastra for cooking but now the just place it in the oven without soaking it.

 

[voula_slat]

A gastra is a cooking vessel thst is oblong and is made from clay. For this reason, the pot is heated evenly and cooks evenly.

It has a lid that fits tightly onto the base, so the steam does not escape and condenses on its interior and drops back into the food without any waste of flavors and moisture.

The pots are ideal for slow cooking over embers )or embers can be placed on top as well) or in an oven, resulting in buttery, tender vegetables and meat that falls off the bone.

Gastra can be glazed or unglazed - the unglazed ones are earthier and darken over time, while the glazed ones are recommended for people who cook infrequently.

They would first soak it in water so that its pores would absorb the water. As it heats up the water would evaporated, by transferring the moisture to the air surrounding the food. This way it would ensure your food would cook without burning or drying out and not losing any of its flavors.

This cooking method dated back to Ancient Greek times and has been seen in many other cultures as well.

Even though most Greeks just use a pan for their cooking, there are still plenary of die hard Greeks that use the gastra for cooking but now the just place it in the oven without soaking it.

This is fascinating!! I saw it in Greece only once, with someone cooking with the pot outside. How long do the really traditional cooks soak the gastra?

 

[k_tsoukalas]

When I was on Crete, I was somewhere (I forget where!) eating at a little out of the way taverna. They were so excited to show us their kitchen. It was tiny and I was amazed at the beautiful food they served in such a small facility. Kitchen was in their house. They did have a huge outdoor oven, and they used clay cookware in that oven. I will never forget it! And the chicken they made in one of the vessels was phenomenal. I would say to you, try to buy one of the vessels and experiment.