I am cheap. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I am a generous friend, but cheap when it comes to how I live my life. So, I found myself in the local Goodwill Store. I really wasn’t looking for anything in particular. Sometimes I find a surprise piece of vinyl. I picked up two original Burt Bacharach records in almost mint condition last year and had to pay the princely sum of 99 cents each! Still looking for the elusive 1959 original pressing of the Rudy Van Gelder produced The Time is Right by Lou Donaldson. Now, if I can find that for 99 cents….
What I did manage to find was an almost new #117 Romertopf Clay Baker. These sell for between 90 and 100 dollars. My price – 9.99
Karl and I have both blogged about these before. They cook, having been soaked in water, at a very high temperature. The result is a better melding of flavors and a moister protein. I love to use my small version, but you can quickly run out of room if you want a one pot meal. When I acquired this size, supposedly big enough to cook a 17.5 lb turkey, I saw roast chicken in my dreams.
What follows is more of a method than a recipe.
Always soak both the top and bottom of your Romertopf in water for 15-30 minutes before using it.
Never put it in a hot oven and, when hot out of the oven, never put it on a cold surface.
Prep your veggies to go on the bottom, beneath the bird. I had on hand . . .
Sweet potatoes and potatoes,
Celery,
Carrots and onions,
Rosemary, thyme and lemon juice.
Put these beneath the bird. Wash and pat dry the bird and then rub in olive oil and seasoning. I blew the photograph after I had added ground rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic. Oops.
I then added about half a cup of white wine, placed the lid on top and put the clay pot it a cold oven.
I set the temperature for 450 and walked away for 90 minutes.
I removed the lid for the last ten minutes, so that the bird would brown and what came out of the oven was this. . .
Moist, Tender and Delicious!
With yummy veggies in one pot.
There is a recipe somewhere, where you mix the herbs with butter & a splash of olive oil, then rub them under the skin. Also the chicken cavity is seasoned and stuffed with roughly chopped vegetables. Baked and then white wine is added in the last 30 minutes. I am on a quest for this recipe as it came from the old Romertopf site. When I find it I will share it as it is a taste that will change your life.
That sounds like a great recipe. I hope you find it!
Found not the exact one but, one very much like it:
Clay Pot Roast Chicken
Romertopf Roast Chicken has the right seasonings to make it very moist. A Romertopf chicken baker makes one of the best clay pot chicken dishes.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Romertopf soaking 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 142kcal
Ingredients
1 5 lb whole chicken
1 rib celery cut into 2-3 pieces
1/2 large red onion cut into half
1/2 lemon cut in two
4 tbsp butter room temperature
sprigs fresh thyme
sprigs fresh parsley
sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
Romertopf Roaster optional
Instructions
If using Romertopf clay pot soak for at least 20 minutes, I usually soak it longer, about 1 hour.
Only if using a regular roaster pan Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (Remember always place a Romertopf roaster in a cold oven then bring to temperature.)
Using a fork mix the butter with one minced garlic clove and 1 tablespoon of each of the herbs that you choose to use. ( I used all three) to make herb butter.
Wash chicken and dry thoroughly.
Gently ease up the breast skin of the chicken and spread the herb butter between the skin and the meat of the breast being careful not to pierce the skin. Also gently lift the skin of the drumsticks and spread butter under them.
Place the lemon, celery, and onion in the chicken and any herbs that you choose.
Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
Tie legs together with kitchen twine
Place chicken in roaster and pour the wine and chicken broth over the chicken. Cover with lid.
(A) If using a clay pot Romertopf roaster place in a cold oven and set the oven temperature to 400° F . Bake for 2 hours covered until done.
(B) If using regular Stoneware roaster bake for 65-70 minutes
11. Remove the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes longer until chicken is golden brown and thermometer registers 165° F and juices run clear.
Nutrition
Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Outstanding! Thank you for finding and posting that.