How to Clean a Terra Cotta Chicken Roaster

Roasting chicken in a terra cotta roaster produces moist, succulent meat, but the porous composition of the roaster makes cleaning difficult. You cannot use soap or detergent to clean these because the soap gets into the pores of the terra cotta, and the next chicken you cook in the roaster will have a soapy flavor. Dishwashers are not an option either, due to the use of detergent and the rapid change in temperature, which could crack the terra cotta. Hand washing with baking soda will absorb odors baked into the cooker and help to clean the pot.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• Soap-free scrub brush
• Towel

Instructions

1. Wait until the terra cotta roaster has cooled completely before cleaning.

2. Place the roaster into the bottom of a sink and fill the sink with water.

3. Pour the baking soda into the sink.

4. Soak the roaster overnight in the baking soda bath to remove odors from the terra cotta.

5. Scrub the terra cotta roaster with a soap-free scrub brush to remove any food particles.

6. Place the terra cotta chicken roaster into your oven during the oven's self cleaning cycle to remove stubborn baked on grease and food.

7. Carefully dry the terra cotta chicken roaster and store the lid apart from the base.

8. Keep the base turned upside-down over a towel to absorb any remaining moisture.

References

• "Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen"; Alton Brown; 2003
• Cooking With Shirley: Cooking in Clay Pots