Flower Pot Chicken? - Roasted Chicken in Terra Cotta

I have decided that I have WAY too much kitchen junk... As I have been packing, I am running across things I have forgotten that I have. Mainly because they have ended up buried. I found my Romertopf Terra Cotta roaster that I picked up at the Good Will or some such second hand store eons ago...

I don't think it has seen the light of day in the 3 years I have lived in my current apartment. Going from "Box" to "Buried" while I was unpacking my kitchen when I moved in. Go Figya! So, since I have not used it in a millennium or two, I decided that I should probably use it before it goes back into a box again... LOL

So here is how I use my roaster. I should make a note here that this is made of Terra Cotta, which is not the same as the stuff that Pampered Chef makes. Pampered Chef Baking and cooking stones are more closely related to the materials for Pizza Stones. However, I DO tend to use mine in a similar manner as I would a Pampered Chef Pan. Technically the Terra Cotta is suppose to be soaked in water for 5 minutes. Then simply toss stuff into it and place it in a cold oven instead of a preheated one. I oil the inside of mine instead, after giving it a quick rinse, and place it in a cold oven. Never use soap, just really hot water, as it absorbs into the clay and our Onion Butt chicken will taste like Palmolive chicken. YUCK!!

Terra Cotta Onion Butt Chicken

4-5 lb (2-2.5 kg) Roaster Chicken
Olive oil (I used the last of my Orange infused, Lemon infused is good too)
1 small onion
3 Cloves Garlic
Black Pepper
Kosher Salt
Lots of Fresh Sage leaves
Thyme
Savory

Lightly oil your clay baker,

top and bottom, with Orange infused Olive Oil.

Rinse the chicken.

Removing the giblets. (Not in the mood for these today so they are going in Le Garbage)

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

Place in the clay baker and rub it down with orange infused olive oil.

Quarter the onion and place the pieces, along with the garlic cloves, in the empty cavity of the chicken (Basically, up it's butt)

Sprinkle the whole chicken with pinches of Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Lay out sage leaves over the skin.

Sprinkle with Thyme and Savory.

Apply just a few drops of Orange Olive oil to the sage leaves to keep them moist while cooking.

Place the cover on.

Place in a cold oven, turning the heat up to 475 degrees.

Cook for 60 minutes.
Remove lid and carefully pour off any liquid into a sauce pan.

Return the Baker, uncovered, to the oven and continue to roasting for 15 -20 minutes longer to crisp the skin.

Serve with a simple gravy by combining cold water and cornstarch.

Bring the liquid drained from the chicken to a simmer over medium heat.
Add cornstarch slurry; stirring occasionally until gravy thickens then season with salt and pepper.

I, like my father before me, am a breast man. Although I won't pass up a juicy thigh either. So what is your favorite piece of roasted chicken ??? (When I was a kid, it was all about the legs, cause they had a handle for eating)

Mangia!!
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