Clay Tagine Cooking: Techniques For Delicious, Slow-Cooked Meals

A tagine is a clay or ceramic cone-shaped cooking vessel traditionally used in Morocco. It is used to make rich, slow-cooked stews and imparts a unique, earthy flavour to the food. Tagines are ideal for cooking meat, poultry or fish and can be used on a stovetop or in an oven. Before using a tagine for the first time, it is important to season it by soaking it in water and then coating it with olive oil. When cooking with a tagine, it is essential to use low to medium heat and avoid extreme temperature changes to prevent the tagine from cracking.

How to prepare a clay tagine for its first use

To prepare a clay tagine for its first use, you will need to season it. This process will strengthen the clay and remove any raw clay taste. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Firstly, check that your tagine is made for cooking and not just a decorative serving piece. Many tagines sold are only meant for serving and cannot be used on a stove.

Next, soak the lid and base of your tagine in water for at least two hours, or preferably overnight. If your tagine is too large to fit in a bucket or sink, you can fill the lid with water and invert it over the base.

After soaking, drain the water and dry the tagine. If your tagine is unglazed, rub olive oil over the interior and exterior of the lid and base. If it is glazed, only the interior needs to be oiled.

Place the tagine in a cold oven and set the temperature to 300°F/150°C. Leave it to "bake" for two hours, then turn off the oven and let the tagine cool down completely inside.

Once cool, wash the tagine by hand and coat the interior with olive oil. Your tagine is now ready for use or storage.

Some additional precautions to keep in mind:

• Clay tagines are sensitive to rapid changes in temperature. Avoid adding cold food or liquids to a hot tagine and vice versa.
• Use low to medium heat when cooking with a tagine.
• Hand wash your tagine with mild soap, baking soda, or vinegar, and always dry it thoroughly before storing.
• Store your tagine with the lid slightly ajar to allow air circulation and prevent mould.

What temperature to cook a clay tagine at

Clay tagines are sensitive to heat and temperature changes, so it's important to be cautious when cooking with them. When using a clay tagine on a stovetop, it's recommended to use a heat diffuser between the tagine and the heat source to avoid cracking or breaking the tagine. This will allow you to use the tagine on low to medium-low heat settings. If you don't have a diffuser, make sure to use a low burner setting and avoid direct contact with the heat source.

When cooking with a clay tagine, it's important to avoid extreme temperature changes. This means that you should never add hot liquids to a cold tagine or place a hot tagine on a cold surface, as this can cause cracking. Similarly, avoid adding cold food or liquids to a hot tagine. If using an oven, place the cold tagine in a cold oven and set the temperature to no more than 325°F (160°C).

When cooking on a stovetop, use low to medium-low heat and be patient as the tagine slowly reaches a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, you can reduce the heat slightly if it's simmering too rapidly. A slow or medium simmer is ideal. For safety reasons, it's best to avoid using high heat when cooking with a clay tagine.

If you're cooking outdoors over coals or a small fire, it can be tricky to maintain a low enough temperature. It's recommended to start with a small amount of charcoal or wood and then periodically add small amounts of new fuel to maintain the heat source without reaching too high of a temperature.

How to avoid a clay tagine cracking

Clay tagines are sensitive to heat and prone to cracking, so there are several precautions to take when cooking with one. Firstly, always use your tagine on low-to-medium heat. If you use a heat diffuser, you can use a higher temperature setting on your hob. Heat diffusers are recommended as they give extra protection against cracking.

Secondly, avoid subjecting your tagine to rapid changes in temperature. This means not adding cold food or liquids to a hot tagine, or placing a hot tagine on a cold surface. Similarly, don't add hot liquids to a cold tagine, or place a cold tagine in a preheated oven. When adding water to a tagine during cooking, use warm water to avoid causing a sudden drop in temperature.

Thirdly, make sure your tagine is seasoned before its first use. This will strengthen it and, if it's unglazed, will remove a raw clay taste. To season a tagine, soak the lid and base in water for at least two hours, or ideally overnight. Then, dry the tagine and, if it's unglazed, rub the interior and exterior of the lid and base with olive oil. Place the tagine in a cold oven and heat to 300°F/150°C for two hours. After this, turn off the oven and leave the tagine to cool completely inside. Wash the tagine and coat the interior with olive oil before storing or using.

How to layer ingredients in a clay tagine

When layering ingredients in a clay tagine, it is important to remember that the ingredients will not be stirred during the cooking process. Therefore, care should be taken to arrange the ingredients for a beautiful table presentation.

The first step is to prepare the base layer. This usually consists of a layer of sliced onions, which will prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom and burning. Other recipes may call for chopped onions, celery, or carrots to be scattered in the tagine, creating a bed for more fragile ingredients such as fish. Small bamboo sticks can also be used for this purpose.

Next, add garlic. The garlic can be pressed, chopped, or left whole. Adding it at this stage ensures that it will be fully cooked and meld with the sauce.

Then, add a generous amount of oil, as this is the foundation of a rich sauce in a tagine. Most recipes call for 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil, and it is important not to reduce the amount or the sauce may become watery. Moroccan cooks often use a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil.

The meat, poultry, or fish is then arranged in the centre of the tagine, with the bone-side down if using meat on the bone. The meat is usually formed into a mound, allowing for vegetables to be layered around the perimeter.

At this point, you can mix your Moroccan spices and distribute some of the mixture over the meat and onions. You can use up to 2/3 of the mixture at this stage, concentrating the seasoning on the onions so that the spices meld with the oil and liquids to create a rich sauce.

Finally, arrange the vegetables and season them with the rest of the spice mixture. The vegetables are usually added at the very beginning of cooking, along with the meat. In a Berber-style tagine, the vegetables are arranged in a conical fashion, standing upright if possible, to create a lovely presentation.

You can then add colour and flavour by adding strips or slices of bell pepper, preserved lemon, olives, and an herb bouquet of parsley and cilantro.

How to clean a clay tagine

To clean a clay tagine, you should avoid using any harsh cleaning products that could be absorbed into the clay. Hot water and baking soda (or salt) are usually sufficient for cleaning. If there is stubborn residue, you can try filling the tagine 1/3 full with water, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of baking soda, and bringing it to a simmer for 30 minutes. If this doesn't work, leave the mixture in the tagine overnight.

If your tagine has a particularly bad case of burnt-on food, you can try using a mild soap, but be sure to rinse it thoroughly afterward so that the clay doesn't absorb a soapy taste. After rinsing, pat the tagine dry and rub the inner surfaces with olive oil before storing.

To store your tagine, it's a good idea to leave the lid slightly ajar to allow air to circulate. This will help prevent mould from forming.

Frequently asked questions