Casserole dish

[cafedunier]

Hi there fellow Potters

I would like to make some casserole dishes. Do I glaze the inside and outside of the casserole dish, just like any other pots?

 

Thank you,

Catherine

[Pres]

I believe that depends on your clay body, and what you intend to do. There are some pots out there that are not glazed inside or out for cooking that are soaked in water and then used. However, true casseroles are at least glazed on the inside, and these days probably on the outside also. It all depends on the durability of you clay and glazes and how you use the pots. I have mad several casseroles of varying sizes on the potters wheel and some with slab lids as the casserole was an oval shape. These I  glaze inside and out. The only bare places on the pots are the gallery of the lid and pot, along with the base or foot ring area. Whatever you decide, if done for sale I would make several and use them before putting any out for sale.

 

 

best,

Pres

[cafedunier]

ok good I was hoping I could glaze the outside so I could decorate. Is any glaze good? Or a specific kind? Im using stoneware clay.

[Dick White]

Be aware that most pottery clay bodies and glazes do not like extreme thermal shock. Don't put your your casserole into a preheated oven, rather put it in the cold oven and warm it up as the oven comes up to temperature. When cooked, don't put it right on a cold stone counter, it will crack from the temperature differential.

[Kelly in AK]

Glaze it inside and out. I think Pres and Dick nailed it here. If you’re using stoneware the critical point is to educate whoever is getting the casserole to only put it into a cold oven and then on a towel or something when it comes out. And for heaven’s sake, definitely do your own trial runs first. If you ever needed an excuse to make some delicious cheesy au gratin  potatoes, this is it. 

Pres mentioned unglazed casseroles that are soaked in water before use, that’s really an exception for earthenware cooking pots. Important to be aware of, but outside the realm of where most stoneware potters work. 

[LinR]

Your glaze should match your clay, ie if you are using Cone 6 clay use a cone 6 liner glaze for the inside and a cone 6 glaze on the outside.  Are you doing you own firing or having the firing done elsewhere? If elsewhere consult the person firing that kiln as to what cones they fire to and if they will allow you to use a glaze that they don't provide.

Lin

[cafedunier]

12 hours ago, Dick White said:

Be aware that most pottery clay bodies and glazes do not like extreme thermal shock. Don't put your your casserole into a preheated oven, rather put it in the cold oven and warm it up as the oven comes up to temperature. When cooked, don't put it right on a cold stone counter, it will crack from the temperature differential.

Oh I didn't know that about the thermal shock. Do you know what type of ceramic casserole dishes that  big box stores sell? They seem to withstand thermal shock fairly well.

[Pres]

If you look to the past with some of the popular glass and ceramic baking dishes, they were all accompanied by literature warning about thermal shock. I can remember my mother telling me years ago that you take the corning ware out of the fridge, and place it in a cold oven to be heated up as the oven heated up. She even said it was better to take it out and let it set for a few minutes before putting it into the cold oven.

 

best,

Pres

[Min]

@cafedunier, given the effects of thermal shock it's best to use a clay and glaze that are low in expansion. Ask your supplier which claybody they recommend and for a glaze that fits it if you use commercial glazes.

Design of the ovenware also comes into play. Avoid wide flat bases with a sharp corner where the wall meets the base. 

[oldlady]

last september,   when you joined, you said you were a brand new potter.  casseroles are a complicated project at this stage of your ceramics education,  how are you learning so fast?   classes, books, videos?

[Mark C.]

(Do you know what type of ceramic casserole dishes that  big box stores sell? They seem to withstand thermal shock fairly well.)

Thats a complete unknown -they are massed produced (slip cast or ram pressed) they most likey were produced with some cerramic engineering done in terms of body firing temp and glaze.

They are made offshore most likely as well. China -Thailand-Japan?

[Kelly in AK]

8 hours ago, Min said:

Ask your supplier which claybody they recommend

Yes! My main supplier has at least one clay body they tout as being “resistant to thermal shock.” It’s more porous than the regular cone 6 stoneware I use and has some glaze fit issues, so asking about compatible glazes is a must too. Also, Min’s comments about the shape are important, no sharp angles, avoid wide flat areas. Keep some curve everywhere, smooth transitions in form, if you (must) trim a foot ring keep it low profile.

It is certain some clay bodies handle thermal shock much better than others. 

Like Mark said, stuff sold in big stores is a whole different ball game. Definitely some ceramic engineering involved there. 

[Mark C.]

Laguna has a body that can do it as Kelly said above

I'm not sure of the cone range  but 6 for sure-I think they have acone 10 one as well-thes eare fairly new for them as well. The glaze fit needs to work well.