Clay pot base in place of water pan?


 
Is there any concern for residual chemicals/substances releasing from the saucer being that it isn't intended for cooking?
 
Since Terra Cotta has already been fired in a kiln, whatever off gasses should have been gone during the firing process. True, that a clay saucer is not really intended for cooking, folks have been using TC cooking ware for ages.
And your not using it to cook the food directly in, just as a heat sink. There was a couple of threads a few yrs ago where there was some concern with saucers made in China( possible lead or other chemicals mixed in)
I dunno, I bought mine a few yrs ago @ HD and it was Made In The USA.

Tim
 
Tim, I remember the thread and if memory serves me correctly a couple of guys bought some kind of test kits and conducted tests on their clay saucers and everything checked out OK. I'll try and find the thread.
 
Is there any concern for residual chemicals/substances releasing from the saucer being that it isn't intended for cooking?
Click to expand...

If that worries you, use a pizza stone instead. Made for cooking shouldn't be any healt concerns.
Plus, don't know about you but I had trouble finding a clay pot base in my area, so went with the seldom used Pampered Chef pizza stone my wife already had. It sits low enough in my water pan to allow for a very greasy, long cook.

I'm pretty sure a cheaper one would do as well.I have no idea what size it is. Head for the nearest Kitchen do dad store, or search of Amazon yields many differnt size stones, and they will bring it to your door.

I should add that I am a huge fan of this method. The #1 reason I like the pan is due to cleanup ease. I cook with a pizza stone in my 18.5, and foiled over dry pan in my 22. With both I've had very long, steady cooks. I'd give the not to my 18.5 in steadier temp control, but I think it would probably be that way if my water pans were rigged the same.

I adjust my cookers manually, and never take notes. I am comfortable leaving either one of them burn over night, or leave all day while they cook.
 
I put a layer of sand in mine, then covered with foil. I changed the foil after each cook. I decided to change the sand several cooks later, and the sand had set up like concrete.

I found a clay saucer that nested down in the pan so the saucer's lip was below the lip of the water pan. I foil both the pan and saucer, and change the top layer of foil after a cook. This set up is ideal for my use which is low and slow at 225 for 14 hours on average.
 
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