When we received the Schlemmertopf as a wedding gift three years ago I knew it was going to be one of those things that sits in the back of my cabinet and used only occasionally, if at all. Fast forward to today, and I still have not broken it in. I think it’s something in the name that scares me- Schlemmertopf, sounds so industrial and complicated.
Digging through my cookbooks the other day I stumbled across the manual and recipe book that came with it. The title page touts “healthy cooking” and “easy cleaning.” I read through many of the recipes and they all sound so yummy so I am vowing this week to give it a try.
The Schlemmertopf is a clay roasting pot, glazed on the bottom (inside) to give it a non-stick surface. Food’s natural flavor and nutrients are retained as everything cooks in it’s natural juices. The bottom of the pot can be washed as normal dishes, either in the sink or dishwasher.
This week I will be making Sauerbraten, a recipe listed in the manual:
Sauerbraten
3 pounds beef shoulder
2 teaspoons salt, pepper
2 cups vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 carrots, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1/4 cup sugar
4 cloves
4 oz. sliced bacon
1 cup sweet cream
Rub meat with salt and pepper and place in bowl.
Heat vinegar, water, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns and sugar together.
Pour hot mixture over meat, cover bowl, and let stand in cool place 4 days, turning meat each day.
Drain, saving vinegar mixture.
Soak lid of Glazed Schlemmertopf.
Place bacon in bottom of Schlemmertopf, add meat and cover.
Put into cold oven and turn temperature to 425 degrees F.
Bake for 1 hour.
Add warm vinegar mixture and spices, return to oven, bake for another 60 minutes.
Remove meat and keep warm.
Pour strained gravy into saucepan and thicken with flour or corn starch, add cream.
You can find many other recipes at the Schlemmertopf website here, and also at other clay baker websites such as claybakers.org. I’ve seen some great sounding recipes that I am eager to try, including lowfat lasagna, creme brulee, baked ziti with turkey meatballs, banana cake, I could go on! I think I might even try making bread in my clay baker.
Time to go dust it off!
aspritzofsis.wordpress.com 
sounds neat! Now I want one…
Hi Lis here from over at Simple I was browsing though some of the blogs and I came across this post…all I have to say is YUMMY! It looks like anything you threw in there would come out delicious.
Any recipe that includes two types of meat has my approval.
Especially when bacon is one of them…
[…] sauerbraten, schlemmertopf I have been meaning to get back here and give you a review of the Sauerbraten recipe and my thoughts on using the Schlemmertopf but have been a little sidetracked this […]
We have a Rummertopf and it’s perfect for making tasty roast chicken. Thanks for the links to recipes!
Our schlemmertoph is amazing and is used even more often then the slowcooker! Once you’re used to using it, you’ll never know how you got along without it. Give it a go! 🙂
That poor girl doesn’t know what she is missing. I hope that by now she is using it. I have two. The first, a little one, hooked me. I picked it up at a garage sale. Now I have a larger one. Talk about easy. Soak the pot, put in veggies, lay your meat on top. Put in cold oven and cook. Before you know it there are such wonderful oders coming from your kitchen no one can wait for dinner.
Last night we made a pork roast in it using a receipe from the book. I cannot wait for tonights leftovers. Another plus. Make a large roast and you have another meal. Two meals hardly any work or clean up.
I came on this web site looking for a receipe book to use the clay pot in the microwave. I know they are out there.
I’m on my 6th one. I like the large one because I can cook two chickens at one time if we are having guests. I like to take the vegetables and drain them (reserve some juice) and put them in the blender and add either a little sour cream or a little cottage cheese. This lip smacking gravy can be put on the chicken and also served over rice. I almost never have leftovers when guests come to dinner. 😀
I have two. The previous Annie made me think I’d written it. I too picked my first one up at a garage sale and could’t wait to find a larger one. Found it at Macy’s. It is wonderful! We use it all the time in the winter. Makes the most delious meats. Pork, beef,chicken, veggies. Use water, chicken broth, wine or beer for the liquid. MMMM, good!
Annie in Florida