The Hungarian Cooking Dish is a lightweight yet durable cooking vessel made of steel, combining traditional flavors with the simplicity of modern kitchens. You can use it over embers, in a wood-fired oven, or in a conventional oven. Its sealed, unique design preserves the natural moisture and aromas of your food. This handcrafted tool slowly but surely brings back the true joy of cooking.
The secret is in its rounded shape!
It works as a “closed system”: steam created by the heat cannot escape, so it circulates inside and evenly steams the food.
Vegetables and meat release enough natural juices for this gentle cooking process — no extra water is needed, just a bit of fat.
Important: at the beginning, the embers should not be too hot!
If you hear a gentle, even simmering sound, everything is perfect — the steam is doing its job.
This quiet, soft sound is your best friend.
NO!
There is a small gap at the joining edge of the two halves, allowing excess steam to escape safely.
This has no negative effect on the intense flavors.
If you hear loud bubbling or boiling sounds from the dish, it means the food is getting too much heat — before enough juices are released.
At that point, ingredients at the bottom may burn, ruining the slow steaming magic that makes the Hungarian Cooking Dish special.
In a kitchen oven, burning is not an issue, and you can also easily control the heat on a stovetop.
However, with embers or a wood-fired oven, you need to pay closer attention at the beginning!
During the first 10–15 minutes, listen carefully to the sounds from the Hungarian Cooking Dish.
If they are too intense, remove some embers from underneath until the gentle simmering sound returns.
The same advice applies for wood-fired ovens and grills.
If necessary, quickly peek inside to check.
After a few uses, you'll naturally develop a good sense for it!
Simply rake away some embers from under the Hungarian Cooking Dish.
After a few minutes, listen again: if the bubbling quiets down and turns into a gentle simmer, you're back on track.
If needed later, you can carefully add some embers back.
No, you don't have to.
You can cook smaller amounts, and the result will still be delicious.
We usually fill it completely and save the leftovers for the next day — it saves time and energy, and reheated dishes taste amazing too.
Important: always remove any leftover food from the Hungarian Cooking Dish once cooled, and store it separately in a food container.
We usually recommend choosing one size larger than the number of people you plan to cook for.
Before first use, because the Hungarian Cooking Dish is made of steel, it must be seasoned (burned in).
Coat it inside and outside with fat (like lard or oil), place it over an open flame with the opening facing downward, and heat it until the fat burns into a black layer — similar to old-fashioned pancake pans.
It takes about 10–15 minutes; it doesn't need to glow red-hot, just get very hot.
You only have to do this once.
Over time, the seasoning may wear off, which is normal.
If rust appears, remove it and repeat the seasoning process.
Not at all!
Once filled, place the Hungarian Cooking Dish on the embers or in the oven and leave it alone for at least 1–1.5 hours.
At the start, just listen: if you hear gentle simmering, everything is fine.
If you do need to open it, be cautious — hot steam can escape!
Never lean too close, and protect your hands.
After cleaning, wipe it dry, lightly oil it, and store it open — for example, hang it from a hook in a well-ventilated area.
Yes, absolutely!
You can use the Hungarian Cooking Dish on electric stovetops, gas stoves, wood-fired ovens, and even masonry heaters.
No! Never!
The Hungarian Cooking Dish is made of steel, so it is strictly forbidden and dangerous to use it in a microwave.
Of course!
Vegetables and spices mix beautifully, creating an intense, fresh flavor experience.
We highly recommend the Hungarian Cooking Dish for vegetarians seeking new tastes!
It can happen if it was stored improperly or came into contact with water.
Just scrub it with sand or a wire brush, then re-season it the same way as before the first use.
After that, it’s ready for cooking again.
No.
Just place the Hungarian Cooking Dish onto the embers.
If you cover it completely, the food might overheat and burn.
Tip: at the very end (last 10–15 minutes), you can cover it lightly with embers to get a little crispiness on the top.
You can use tongs, a hook, a fire poker, or even the handle of a wooden spoon.
The handle is not hotter than a normal cooking pot’s, but be careful.
Important: before lifting, always check that the Hungarian Cooking Dish is properly closed, so you don't spill the delicious food inside!
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