Can One Use Clay Pots on A Gas Stove?

Can One Use Clay Pots on A Gas Stove?

Clay pots are a fascinating way to grow plants indoors. They are often used as a substitute for natural sunlight to make plants grow more efficiently.

The pots comprise clay, forming into the desired shape before they get in the oven for sterilization and drying. This not only strengthens the pot but helps keep it moisture-free.

You can reuse or break down clay pots and even remake them again, saving money in the long run by reducing waste.

Yes! You can use clay pots on a gas stove. They absorb heat from the flame without becoming an actual fire, which prevents them from scorching or burning. A clay pot’s surface also heats up more than a metal pot, allowing for greater control because it won’t overheat or boil away all your ingredients in minutes.

However, clay pots will not work on an electric stove if you want to use them as a serving dish. Clay pots and pans are also prone to chipping when cooking surfaces. So, if you’re one of those who love to cook with clay pots, there’s some bad news for you.

Cooking with a clay pot can be fun, useful, and challenging at the same time. Because of its sensitivity to heat, you can fry an egg on its own in a clay pot.

The shell won’t crack, and the yolk will maintain its form. The heat from the clay pot prevents the egg from sticking to the sides, so you can slide everything out. 

The clay pot is also useful when storing food that releases a lot of liquid. During the cooking process, the high heat will evaporate most of the water content, thus saving you from having to drain the excess liquid off before storing it.

You can leave the pot covered in a cool, dry place after it has cooled down and wait for your food to dry out.

Which Is Better Glazed Or Unglazed Clay Pots?

Glazed pots are better. The following are the reasons why:

Features	Explanation
Heat absorption	This is a key difference. Glazed pots will typically be much more heat resistant than unglazed pots, meaning they won’t shatter as easily when exposed to sudden changes in temperature.
Corrosion resistant	Most importantly, glazed pots will not rust. The plastic coating on the outside of the pot is designed to protect it from your hard water’s acidic contents. Those particles are what are most prone to rusting metal.
Cost	Unsurprisingly, glazed pots cost around 4-5 times as much as unglazed pots. A basic unglazed rectangle pot costs around $1.45 (the only pot I could afford while doing an internship), while a simple glazed version is around $7.40 (bought at an Asian supermarket). A more elaborate glazed bowl is closer to $20-$25.
Waterproof	A good quality glazed pot will be watertight, while an unglazed clay pot will absorb water (and any other liquid) from the air. This can affect your tea taste and lead to your pot’s rust.

How to Use a Clay Pot

1. Choose Your Pot

First, you will want to pick the clay pot that fits your needs. Most clay pots come in three main sizes: small (about 4 cup capacity), large (about 6 cups capacity), and extra-large (about 10 cups capacity).

I have small (blue) and large (brown) clay pots. The small one is mainly for noodles, and the larger one is mainly for soups & stews.

2. Assemble ingredients

Once you’ve decided on the type of food you will be cooking in your new clay pot, gather your ingredients.

3. Heat Your Clay Pot

Place your pot over medium-low heat and heat until it is warm to the touch. This may take about 20 minutes, depending on the size of your pot.

4. Add your ingredients 

If you are making soup or stew, place your broth and spices in the bottom of the pot. Then add any raw ingredients on top, followed by cooked ingredients.

If you are making noodles, place them in first (if you’re using a sauce, place them on top), followed by broth, veggies, and cooked meat/seafood. Be sure to leave space to allow for expansion during cooking.

5. Cook

When the water boils, turn off your heat and allow the pot to cool. When it reaches room temperature, you can use it for cooking again. Easy, right?

6. Clean

I wash my clay pot out in the yard thoroughly with the hose, then rinse any residue with a sponge or rag. Then I let it dry out on my porch for a few days.

Using clay pots with various heat sources

	Using clay pots with various heat sources
Heat sources
Stovetop	Place a medium size clay pot on top of the stove and allow it to heat up. It should take about 30-40 minutes.
Oven	Place your clay pot in the oven with an empty roasting pan on the oven rack above it; set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The pot should take 20-30 minutes to melt into liquid form.
Grill	Set your clay pot on top and let it heat up. It should take about 20-30 minutes
Sun oven	Find a sunny spot in your backyard or patio and place your clay pot in the sun. It should take about 3-5 hours.
Solar oven	Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, place your clay pot and let it heat up. It should take about 30-40 minutes.
Camp-fire	Build a campfire and place your clay pot in the hot coals. It should take about 30-40 minutes.

Can You Put Earthenware On The Stove?

Yes! You can put earthenware on the stove. You should strive to use it more often. It’s a great way to quickly cook delicate ingredients such as fish and vegetables with minimal mess or time.

And let’s face it: The pot is objectively great-looking, especially in a minimalist kitchen like ours.

For your convenience, earthenware is available in different sizes (for example, 8 inches) and comes in various colors and textures.

Earthenware glazes, much more complicated than the ones you use for stoneware, are available online.

The main advantages of earthenware are its thermal conductivity and its water absorption.

I have used it a lot in our small space so far: we have a stove, not in the center of our kitchen, but I still like to cook using it.

I often use earthenware for cooking fish and seafood (in fact, it’s hard to use stoneware for this as it has only one rack) and vegetables.

Earthenware is not just a handy tool; it’s also very good-looking: I love its rustic look, especially when it’s used to cook seafood.

Lastly, it’s easy to clean when it has cooled down and is not as heavy as stoneware.

Can You Put Stoneware on A Gas Stove?

No. Most manufacturers caution against using their stoneware on the cooktop of a gas stove. You must do it with extreme caution on the rare occasion when it is possible.

If you must use a gas stove for cooking your stoneware, then place the ceramic pot directly on an electric burner set at a low flame or even on top of an unheated burner. Provided you follow these rules, you should have no issue safely cooking your stoneware.

Magma International regards the unique properties of its stoneware to be so vital that it is one of the only companies to enhance the performance of its baked-enamelled cast iron cookware with a special coating.

I call the coating “Super-Ceramic” or “SC” for short, and it improves the cooking performance and lifespan of all Magma cast iron products.

Nonetheless, it prudent to always remove your gas stove’s knobs and protective burners before using cast iron cookware on your gas stovetop. Never use your cast iron cookware on a gas range when you find the knobs or protective burners installed.

In most cases, you should not use a ceramic cooktop for cooking your stoneware. On the rare occasion when it’s safe to do so, use extreme caution. Place your stoneware on an electric burner (if possible) or top of an unheated burner set at low flame.

How Do You Cook In Earthenware?

Cooking in earthenware is much different than cooking with other materials, especially ceramic. Cooking in clay can help bring out the natural flavors of your food and create a delicious earthy texture.

The texture that results from cooking with clay is available on its own as a type of pottery called terra cotta pottery.

Here are some tips for cooking in earthenware:

• You only need to pre-heat your clay pot before you start to cook, not the entire oven.
• Set the temperature on the stove to a medium level and ensure you have enough room in your pot for the food and water. Then, put your earthenware pot directly on top of a flame or burner.
• For best results, be sure to choose a clay pot that’s made with food in mind. Buy something that you can use for cooking directly.
• Cooking in clay is a great chance to try a new type of food that you might not have tried already. You’ll find that the flavor infused into dishes made in a clay pot makes the taste different from what you’re used to.
• If you don’t want your entire stovetop covered in water, fill your pot with water and let it sit on a burner at medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the water starts boiling. Then, you can take your pot off the burner and begin cooking your food.

Can You Use Ceramic Cookware on Electric Stoves?

Yes. You can use Ceramic cookware on electric stoves because it’s not electrically conductive (even though it’s electrically heated). The pots come with wooden handles that don’t produce heat in contact with the stove.

A ceramic pot will work best on an induction stove, but you can also use it on an electric coil stove.

A few years ago, I bought a ceramic pot and used it on an electric stove to make rice at home. The results were great, so if you have an electric stove, don’t let that stop you from having a ceramic pot.

This is how I use my good old Aga cooker that’s been with me for the last 20 years. I’ve just put the ceramic pot on top of the stove. It’s a cheap but very good Asko ceramic pot.

The beauty of ceramic is that it’s not just a pot; you can cook all sorts of dishes, from rice to soups to steaming your fish.

And you will never get that burnt-on-the-bottom or burnt-on food effect that happens with my current favorite nonstick Teflon pots and pans.

This ceramic pot has been with me since I was born, and I continue to use it for rice without fail. It’s a very good Asko ceramic cookware.

Why You Need a Heat Diffuser While Cooking On The Stove?

You need a heat diffuser while cooking on the pot because a heat diffuser is a type of kitchenware that can improve cooking techniques. It’s very helpful when using gas stovetops, it will help to stabilize the flame.

There are many types of heat diffusers, and they can range in material, size, shape, and color.

The main function of a heat diffuser is to evenly distribute the heat from your stovetop to avoid creating hotspots on either side.

The heat diffuser ensures your food cooks evenly throughout. Evenly distributing the heat, you will not get burned food on the top and bottom. If you have cooked with a heat diffuser, you might have noticed that some are flat and long.

They are similar to industrial chimneys for stoves which are not commonly found in your kitchen. It’s because it’s made from cast iron, making it very heavy, so it’ll work best as a blast chute for your stovetop.

But because it’s cast iron, you must keep it away from direct heat or extreme usage.

Most heat diffusers materialize from stainless steel, so it’s very durable and has a sleek look that you can use as a decorative piece in your kitchen.

How To Use a Heat Diffuser on A Gas Stove

First, position the diffuser in the center of your gas stove so it won’t be too close to any burners. Second, make sure to use an appropriate size diffuser for your stove. Using a standard 20-inch burner, use a 10-inch diameter diffuser.

Third, remove any nearby items from the burner surface that heat or flames from the diffuser. Fourth, put the diffuser over the burner and turn on your gas stove. Fifth, wait for the diffuser to heat up.

When your diffuser is warm enough that you can hold it with one hand comfortably and there are no additional signs of smoke or flame coming out of the diffuser, you can remove it from your gas stove.

You may wonder why I included step five in the process.

By removing your diffuser after use and waiting for it to cool down completely before returning it to its original position, you’ll avoid leaving behind an unpleasant smell or even chemicals that could remain on the burner surface after cleaning with water.

Next time you have a sore throat or stuffy nose or need to warm up a room, use your diffuser to keep your home clean and create the ideal environment for your health.

How to season a clay pot

Some of the world’s most beautiful food gets prepared in clay pots, including Indian curries and French stews. But while they’re lovely to look at and gorgeous to serve, you may wonder how to season your clay pot properly. It’s quite easy.

1) Before you use your mortar for the first time, coat it with oil or fat of some kind. This prevents the food from sticking when cooking. It also prevents the clay from cracking or chipping. One can do it with spray oil or a brush if you have some. Olive oil works well, as does melted butter.

2) Wash your pot well after each use, first with warm soapy water and then with hot water. As the pot ages, it will become more nonstick, and you needn’t season it as often.

Don’t scrub hard; wipe off food residue and rinse thoroughly in warm water before storage.

3) Before cooking, coat the inside with oil. This helps prevent sticking and makes your clay pot easier to clean. Reserve this step for dishes with a lot of moisture, such as stews and soups.

4) Store your pot upside down in a cool, dry place. If you’re hanging it on a hook, allow the handle to hang freely, so it does not become deformed by gravity. If you have a pot stand, make sure it does not wobble.

5) Use your mortar only for light duties such as grinding spices. Please do not use it to stir food or puree stews in it. If you do, the clay will crack, making your pot unusable.

One should reserve it for tasks such as washing the mortar before reusing it or cleaning a clay pot inside after cooking. Lastly, please do not use it for storage.

6) Occasionally press the clay with a rolled-up newspaper. This helps to improve its nonstick properties.

7) If any food residue is stuck inside the pot, carefully scoop it out before cooking again. If it is particularly stubborn, soak it in hot water overnight and then scrape it off with a knife or spoon while hot.

Remove the excess oil and fat from around your pot using a wet towel so that it doesn’t well up inside when cooking again.

Conclusion

You can use clay pots repeatedly because they are reputably non-sticky where the food goes. Clay pots also keep your food from sticking to the bottom of the pan and are also great for cooking a vegetarian diet as it doesn’t impart any flavor to the cooked products.