Korean earthenware pot

[Wolfert]

I just purchased this handsome clay pot on the web for about $25.00. Is there anyone out there who could provide information on how it is used in Korean cooking?

What is it called? Are there special regions where it has special uses? Any caveats I need to know before using it? For example, can I use it on top of the stove? One electricity or simply gas? How does it react in the oven? Any temperature restrictions?

Thanks so much

P.s.I found the pot at www.koamart.com.

Edited February 23, 2005 by Richard Kilgore (log)

[jayt90]

It appears to be too tall for stove top cooking.

I have something similar but more clam shaped, with a small hole in the lid (sorry no photo). It works well on a flame, and Inever bothered to season it.

When I derscribed it on another post, someone said it might be a kimchi picle dish.

[Wolfert]

Thanks for you input.

It is stoneware not earthenware, and incredibly heavy. It is holds about 4 quarts liquid.

I hadn't thought of it as a kimchi pot. I wonder if I could use it to store confit of duck.

[touaregsand]

It's not a kim chi pot. Yes you can use it to store duck confit.

The earthenware pot is called jeel geu leut and it is a very common item in traditional Korean kitchens. I've seen it allover South Korea, so I don't know if it's specific to a region. My guess is that it is not.

It's used for jigaes or chigaes which are stews. I haven't seen other soups cooked in it, except for the occassional chongol or hot pot. Ovens are never used in traditional Korean cookery. But I have seen jeel geu leut used over very high flames (outdoors, directly on charcoal, gas flame and electirc burners), given that the entire pot is made from the same material it seems that it would be be able to withstand an oven.

[Richard Kilgore]

Where is it hiding on that web site, Paula? I don't find it.

[Wolfert]

Thank you so much for that information. It is going to be great for all the dishes I plan to make for my next book. And, I certainly will use it for confit.

Now, I have to ask some stupid questions: does it go in the dishwasher?

Do I need to cure it? How does it breathe without any unglazed part. Or is the shine just some sort of incredible rubbing with something special to Korea?

Richard: you need to call them up and ask for customer service. They sell the 4 quart earthen bowl with cover for about 24 dollars or so, but they don't have that size on their site.

http://www.koamart.com/shop/48-asian_cookware.asp

$14.99 for the Earthen Bowl with Top - Medium

This turned out to be 6 inches in diameter and would serve one person.

The large size costing about $25 has a capacity of 4 quarts.

Edited February 23, 2005 by Wolfert (log)

[touaregsand]

You don't need to cure it before use. They are indeed glazed. I don't know how they breathe. I don't know how they would hold up in a dishwasher, but there's nothing that makes me think they wouldn't hold up. My parents also told me that versions without lids are call ddouk begee. If you want more definitive answers regarding the history and production of jeel geu leut I can call the Korean Cultural Center and the Korean Cooking school to get more information.

As a side note if you mention that you used Korean earthenware for cooking in your next book you will become a bit of a celebrity with Koreans. I know the Korean papers in LA would do a write up. Combined daily readership exceeds 100,000. Making the audience second only to the LA times and nearly tied with La Opinion.

[Wolfert]

Thanks so much for making all those calls and finding out so much. I will use all the information. And, I'll study some of the Korean recipes via the links to see how they are used . Then I'll have a better grasp of its possibilities in Mediterranean cooking. I know I will use it for Turkish guvec. It even looks like a comlek!