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Terra Cotta Cazuela - 15 Inches
$59
- Handmade by skilled artisans
- Great for traditional Spanish dishes
- Lead-free, food safe
- Size - 192 oz/24 cups
A 15-inch diameter, 3 inch deep terra cotta cazuela dish is a good size to cook garlic shrimp, fideua and all kinds of other paella dishes and other traditional dishes such as fabada for a large group.
Terra cotta is basic clay, low fired with an interior glaze. Our premium cazuelas are unique in that they are made by potters following the traditional Roman formula of mixing tiny pebbles into the clay which strengthens the dish and increases its heat retention. The handles are applied by hand. La Tienda is the only source of this kind of cazuela in America.
The glaze on the cazuela is perfectly safe for all applications - it contains no lead.
Use and Care
To clean, soak in sudsy water and scrub with a soft brush to remove any hardened food.
This sturdy clay cookware is safe to use in the oven or on the stovetop. Before cooking with your cazuela, you will need to cure it using the directions below. If it has not been used for cooking for an extended period of time, it should be cured again prior to use.
Avoid intense heat such as flame applied directly to the dish. A flame tamer or other type of buffer is necessary. Introduce heat in a gradual process whenever possible rather than placing it in the target heat level.
If the cazuela is properly cured it should be able to handle temperatures up to 500°F, such as in a pizza oven, provided it is heated gradually.
Standard curing method - Soak the entire dish in water to cover for 12 hours. Drain and wipe dry. Rub the unglazed bottom with a cut clove of garlic (we are not sure how the garlic works, but why argue with tradition?) Fill the dish with water to 1/2 inch below the rim, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar. Place the dish on a flame-tamer over low heat and slowly bring the water to a boil (no flame tamer? Crumple a sheet of aluminum foil and create a ring that you place over your burner to create about an inch of space between the heat and the cazuela). Let the liquid boil down until only about 1/2 cup remains. Cool slowly and wash. Your cazuela is ready for use - the garlic has created a seal. This technique has been used since the Middle Ages. It seasons the pot, kills bacteria and hardens the unglazed parts.
Alternate curing method - Especially if you intend to use the cazuela to cook strongly flavored fish or seafood. After soaking, rub the inside of the base with olive oil and put into a preheated 300°F oven for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and let cool.
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Customer Reviews
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"This is a great product! It was packed really well for shipping and has held up nicely!"
Pam - Wharton, NJ November 2022
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"Love this, perfect and authentic "
Alyssa - Warren, NJ May 2022
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"I bought three different sizes and will probably buy more."
Patricia - Sarasota, FL October 2021
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"It's a beautiful dish, but it's not flat bottomed, it slopes, like a bowl. Not what I expected, not a great shape for roasting in, everything slides down into the middle."
Michael - Simi Valley, CA December 2013
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Sabrina - Terrebonne, Quebec January 2013
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Dot - wilmington, North Carolina January 2013
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"Great next day speedy delivery...just in time for entering some friends. Followed enclosed tips on treating my cazuela and used it to make paella. It was a hit...perfectly delicious!!! Great experience."
Mercedes - November 2011
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"Beautiful dish will hold (and serve) plenty of food. Love it!"
Ashley - June 2010