Dude, I broke my pot.

July 1, 2007 7:16 AM

The top of my terra cotta baker is shattered. The bottom (glazed inside) ist still intact. Can I still use it? Do I need a different cover or any cover at all?
posted by lysdexic to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

I'm not familiar with the idiosyncrasies of terra cotta bakers. But I can't think of any reason you couldn't still use it. Recipes that require covering can be done by using aluminum foil in place of the cover. Pinch the foil around the edges of the baker to create a seal.
posted by The Deej at 7:42 AM on July 1, 2007

Depends what you mean by "use it". You most certainly wouldn't be able to use it in the same way. The nature of a clay baker is that you soak it pre-oven and the moisture captured in the clay is used in the baking process. Without the lid, or with aluminum foil, you will not have the same affect.
posted by dobbs at 8:10 AM on July 1, 2007

Response by poster: That's true, dobbs. In this sense, I mean use it as a regular pot. There are other strategies for keeping moisture in. I like the shape of this pot, and the non stick qualities, so I didn't want to write it off completely.
posted by lysdexic at 8:12 AM on July 1, 2007

Best answer: Sure, you can use the glazed bottom as a regular pot. It won't crack on anything, if that's what you're worried about. I broke the lid of mine too, about 5 years ago, and continue to use the bottom as a regular roasting pan. Works great.
posted by iconomy at 8:26 AM on July 1, 2007

that was supposed to be 'crack OR anything' up there...
posted by iconomy at 8:27 AM on July 1, 2007

Best answer: Sure, you can still use it like a regular baking dish, though it won't perform the same function, obviously, as dobbs points out. However, you could also try a salt crust or follow the same principles in the linked recipe to make a dough crust to use as an ersatz lid for your baker. It functions the same way - traps in the heat and creates a self-basting chamber for chicken, beef, stew, what have you.

I used to sell cookware, and those bakers would occasionally get a crack or chip during shipping. If you bought it at a store, you might call them and see if it's possible they might order a lid for you. You might also consider contacting the company to get a replacement lid if it's worth the bit of effort.
posted by TryTheTilapia at 8:35 AM on July 1, 2007

Response by poster: Wow, I'd never heard of a salt crust, but it sounds delish! I think I'll go ahead and soak it, and use the aluminum foil, and see how that nice pork loin roast turns out.

Thanks all!
posted by lysdexic at 12:09 PM on July 1, 2007

go to the largest garden center in your area, and try to find something that will fit as a replacement lid. Terra Cotta is Terra Cotta, right?
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 1:34 PM on July 1, 2007

Since your roaster is glazed, use a double thickness of foil and things will come out much the same as before. If your roaster was unglazed, then it would be leeching a lot of moisture, so you would want to replace it with another porous material. The only major problem is the high dome probably catches the steam and allows it to condense down the sides and foil won't do the same so get a good seal around the edges. If you have a lid that semi- fits, you can make a rope of dough and seal the makeshift lid to the roaster. They do this a lot in Indian cooking. I agree with TryTheTilapia. If you cook a lot with this, get a replacement lid. You'll certainly use it.
posted by Foam Pants at 12:45 AM on July 2, 2007