Healthy low- fat cooking in Clay Bakers or Pots is something to look into. Let’s take a look at the history of Clay Pot cooking, and the health benefits of preparing your families meal in this delicious way.
Some of the first techniques among the stone age civilizations of long ago involved roasting their freshly caught game over an open fire, using clay or large leaves to cover the food and try to preserve moisture, It is amazing that such a simple method of cooking is still quite popular today, as seen with the increased sales of Clay Pots and Bakers. The vast differences in soil and clay from region to region had an impact on the taste of the game and vegetables cooked using clay, so each region had their own particular, individualized cooking attributes.
We are all aware that a nutritious diet can help keep us healthy, and a simply cooking method with minimal additives and fat is a healthy alternative to frying. The clay cooking pots of today are a great solution for recipes that require a great deal of moisture for proper cooking, and can be delicious without added fats.
Today’s clay pots or bakers are either glazed or un-glazed, the un-glazed being the more traditional way to cook using clay, and there are many shapes and sizes available for different types of meals. Using a clay pot or baker is extremely easy, although they do need to be soaked in water for up to 30 minutes prior to filling with food which allows the pot to create and maintain moisture while cooking. No additional fats are added, trimming your meats of fat before cooking will not make the meat dry, instead it is a healthy way to reduce the fat percentage of meat. The food inside the clay pot loses little moisture because it is mainly surrounded by steam, giving you a tender, succulent result. The meat cooks well and maintains its natural flavor, the vegetables are steamed in their own juices for a healthy alternative to sauteing in oil. And the potatoes, if added are moist and tender.
Many Clay Cooking Pots today are un-glazed which allows the clay to absorb the moisture from the water it is soaked in prior to cooking and which is released during cooking. The moisture blends with the natural juices of the food, creating a deliciously moist health fat- free meal for your family.
Since many Clay pots are also now made large enough to use as a one pot meal solution, you are able to cook your meat, vegetables and potatoes in one large Clay baker, without any additional fats, giving you a healthy, complete meal, filled with nutrients, less fat and with less clean up.