Sunday lunch – German style

One of our favourite Sunday lunches is chicken cooked in the Römertopf. In itself it isn’t a typical German dish, chicken being one of the most universal foods in the world, but it’s the Römertopf that’s making the difference.

The famous Romertopf: the more used it looks, the better it is!

The Römertopf, or Roman stew pot, is a porous earthenware pot with a lit. It originally dates from Roman times, but I discovered it in the seventies. My mother used to have a friend who had moved to Germany with her husband to work in a factory near the town of Osnabrück. I was 17 and reading my first year of German at school. My parents thought it would be a good idea to send me to Osnabrück during the summer to practice my newly acquired language skills.

Actually, I didn’t learn that much as the whole family spoke fluent Flemish, having lived in Belgium for the best part of their lives, and my knowledge of the German language was really insufficient to spontaneously burst into a German conversation with them. In fact, I never learned to speak German, although I do understand it, as it is not unlike Dutch and Flemish.

One day, my hostess, who was an excellent cook, brought this unusual pot to the table. When she removed the lit, the tantalizing smell of oranges and pork filled the room. In the pot was a nice pork roast sitting on a bed of orange slices. The meat turned out to be extremely juicy and tender. It had a delicate sweet-sour orange flavour.

The food was so delicious that, when my mother joined me at the end of my stay to take me back home, I convinced her to buy a Römertopf there and then, as they didn’t exist in Belgium at the time. Luckily she did, and that first Römertopf lasted for years, until one day it slipped from my mother’s hands and broke. By that time the Römertopf manufacturer had exported his product to Belgium … and so we were never without one.

What’s the secret? Before using the pot, you have to soak it for at least 15 minutes in water. Well, that’s what the manual says. Personally, and when I have the time, I prefer to let it sit in water overnight. The porous earthenware soaks up the water and slowly releases it during the cooking process. Then you simply put your meat (or chicken or fish) and other ingredients in the pot. There’s no need to pre-cook or fry them.

When I’m cooking a chicken in the Römertopf I use a mixture of special chicken spices and then cover the bird in a generous coat of mild paprika powder. Although it requires no extra fat, like butter or oil, I usually stick two small knobs of salted butter between the thighs and the breast for extra flavour. I start the cooking in a cold oven. This is important as the pot, although very heat resistant, doesn’t like sudden temperature changes.

Cooking a medium-sized chicken takes about an hour or slightly more at a temperature of 200°C. The pot slowly releases the water, creating steam. The chicken, which is gently braised, keeps its full natural flavour. The paprika creates a nice crispy crust and the natural fat of the chicken blends with the water and the butter, creating a clear, spicy sauce. The result is a very juicy and moist meat that almost falls from the bones by itself.

I serve the chicken with frites (French fries) and steamed green garden beans, to which I add a generous blob of mayonnaise. It’s always a success and a big hit with my guests. Moreover, as the cooking requires no special attention, I spend very little time in the kitchen, which leaves me more time to spend with my guests.

Is this the first time you read about a Römertopf - or maybe you know it by another name? - or is it a standard utensil in your kitchen too?

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