Questions about selecting a tagine

[seabream]

I've read the previous eGullet threads on this subject, and they were very informative, but I'm still left with a few questions:

1. Paula Wolfert mentions both in "The food of Morocco" and "Mediterranean clay pot cooking" that flameware clay pots are very practical because they can sustain sudden differences of temperature. She points to the following source: http://www.claycoyote.com/Flameware_Tagine_p/tagine.htm. I am wondering if there's any disadvantage of going with flameware in terms of cooking results. Basically, I like simplifying but I am not willing to compromise on flavor/results in favor of practicality.

2. Emile Henry flame top tagines have good reviews on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Emile-Henry-Flame-Quart-Tagine/dp/B0015FG0IA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1357860152&sr=8-6&keywords=emile+henry+tagine). I understand that they have the same resistance to differences of temperature as the Clay Coyote flameware Paula points to. I am wondering if the quality of the results is comparable to Clay Coyote, and again is there's any loss of flavor when using these.

3. I am considering whether I should buy a tagra too, since my husband and I eat more fish than meat. However, without owning a tagine, it seems to me that the bottom of a traditional unglazed tagine would serve the exact same purpose. Is the bottom of a tagine redundant with a tagra, or do they produce different results?

4. Glazed traditional terracota tagines don't seem to be popular. Are they inferior to unglazed ones? If so, why is that?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

[seabream]

And one more question:

5. Can I place an unglazed tagine bottom under the broiler?

[Syzygies]

Mourad New Moroccan pp 95-97 sides with earthenware unglazed tagines, for their ability to carry flavors from cook to cook. One keeps different tagines for different meats/fishes, and is wary of lending out the chicken tagine if it might be fouled by use for "supermarket chicken". The presoak and preseason is mandatory, and must be repeated after several months of disuse. One has to ask, for the international cook who might be too involved with other cuisines months at a time to get back to Moroccan cooking, if this carrying of flavors is a good thing?

The geometry is likewise described as well-adapted to the problem, but it evolved for use over a charcoal fire. Hmmm.

I don't keep different mortar and pestles combinations for different countries; like Jamie Oliver my three Thai mortars will have to do for all cuisines. Similarly, the Spanish make the most practical and flexible range of earthenware pots, for all purposes. I use a covered cazuela when I cook a tagine outside in a charcoal oven (http://www.komodokamado.com/) and whatever pots I'd use for any stew when cooking a tagine inside. I own several tagines and just don't use them. Sticking to a small set of pots one actually uses saves space, and guarantees regular use.

Paula Wolfert's latest book makes plain her obsession with cooking in clay, and describes many options. With sufficient glazing, the virtues of earthen cookware are reduced to questions of heat transfer rates. I'm reminded of RevereWare cookware from the 1960's with their idiotic decorative copper bottom films, that couldn't possibly be functional. If you're going to go earthenware, go all in or don't bother.

I used to be much more obsessed with authenticity in my youth (at least I got margarine right). It used to be nearly impossible to find tagines meant for cooking rather than decoration. The degree of glazing is an indicator.

[Smithy]

Glazed tagines may be intended for serving, rather than cooking. That's been the case in the handpainted Moroccan tagines I'd admired. That may be the reason for people paying more attention to unglazed terracotta tagines than the glazed ones.

Back in 2005 we had a free-for-all here with experiments comparing the results of cooking in unglazed vs. glazed pots, and heavy vs. lightweight pots. (To start the search, go to the EGCI course titled "The Truth About Braising - discussion and questions" and then follow the link where the discussion split off into the importance of the cookware's material. As I recall, we participants agreed that the massive pots with tight lids were much better for a braise than the lighter pots or pans with foil covers. In addition, a number of us thought that the porous materials - i.e. unglazed clay - produced better results for a lot of slowly-cooked dishes. With that in mind, I've been leery of the enamel-clad tagines - Le Creuset makes them, and I think that's the structure of the Emile Henry tagines although I may be mistaken about that. (If I am, somebody please correct me!) Having said that, I'll also note that I've made a number of Moroccan-recipe dishes in heavy casseroles - no tagine shape in sight - and been very happy with the results. The amount of liquid needed for unglazed clay is different.

Hmm. Maybe we should re-open this line of inquiry and do a number of comparisons?

I think Syzygies' points above about pan geometry and flavor mixing are good ones. The geometry can be important, and that would account for the tagra shape. (I don't have a tagra and haven't missed it, for what that's worth.) I'm not such a purist that I want a special pot for each meat or each cuisine, but I don't cook fish in my unglazed cookware; that flavor might be with my chicken or beef or pork for a long time. Duck, chicken, pork, beef and vegetables are pretty compatible. Salmon with those? I dunno about that.

It seems as though you *should* be able to broil the bottom part of your tagine if it's already hot. On another topic someone noted that they've heard of tagine bottoms breaking under such usage. I think it depends on so many variables - including the clay, and how well the tagine was originally fired, and how hot your broiler gets, that it's difficult to predict the outcome. Remember that the Moroccan "broiler" consists of a plate of coals set atop the cooked dish. That's a lot less heat than a modern oven would produce. Sorry I can't give a more definitive answer. Maybe somebody else can.

[seabream]

With sufficient glazing, the virtues of earthen cookware are reduced to questions of heat transfer rates.

Syzygies - you touch on a topic that I've been thinking a lot about. In the "Mediterranean clay pot cooking" book, Paula mentions the following advantages of using earthenware pots:

* They transmit an "earthy" flavor to the food, the same way that food cooked in a wood-fired stove acquires the flavor and smell of wood.

* The flavors accumulate over the years, producing more delicious food.

* The clay heats gently and distributes the heat evenly.

I wonder if these advantages apply equally to unglazed and glazed pots. My guess is that the heat condutivity applies to both, the accumulation of flavors applies only to unglazed, and I'm not sure if the "earthy" flavor applies to both or just unglazed.

I am starting to not understand the advantages of owning a glazed pot, such as a cazuela. They need more care than pyrex (I assume they also can't take sudden changes of temperature?), and I'm convinced that they don't improve the flavor of the dish the same way as an unglazed pot. Or do they?

Smithy - Good point about the mixing of meat and fish flavors. If I have one tagine that I use for meat, that is reason enough not to use the bottom to cook fish.

I am also convinced that it should be possible to broil the contents of a hot tagine bottom. Maybe getting a Souss tagine, which contains mica, is a good idea (vs a Rif one which doesn't) if I plan to use it under the broiler.

I will check the braising thread - thanks for the recommendation.

Edited January 11, 2013 by seabream (log)

[seabream]

One has to ask, for the international cook who might be too involved with other cuisines months at a time to get back to Moroccan cooking, if this carrying of flavors is a good thing?

Actually, you touched on yet another point that I've been thinking about. I think that the melding of flavors of unglazed pots is a good thing as long as we use a particular unglazed pot for a set of cuisines with similar flavors. I read some tagine reviews where people were saying that they love their tagine so much that they use it for all their slow cooking needs, such as Thai curries, etc. That makes me cringe. The idea of tasting coconut milk and galangal on my next lamb and date tagine is not appealing.

[seabream]

I found the following about broiling the contents of the bottom of an unglazed tagine:

* In this thread http://forums.egullet.org/topic/63502-moroccan-tagine-cooking/ Paula says: "For the final browning, the clay in the tagine is hot enough to stand broiling or last minute browning in a hot oven."

* tagines.com recommends a temperature no higher than 350F for both their Rifi and Souss tagines:

http://www.tagines.com/pd-moroccan-rifi-tagine-l.cfm

http://www.tagines.com/pd-moroccan-souss-tagine.cfm

So, the seller doesn't recommend broiling, but it seems to work fine for some. I guess it's all about how comfortable one is to push the limits.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

The idea of tasting coconut milk and galangal on my next lamb and date tagine is not appealing.

I can't speak for coconut milk but galangal is used in Moroccan cuisine. In fact I used some galangal in my last lamb and date tagine. If it helps I just gave the lid of my Moroccan earthenware tagine a good sniff and it definitely has a pleasant aromatic odor.

[seabream]

That makes my lack of knowledge of Moroccan food obvious, and I don't deny it But it doesn't disprove my point - if not galangal, then kaffir lime, or whatever other ingredient is present in Thai curries but not in Moroccan food.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I would only use my earthenware tagine for Moroccan non-fish, non-seafood dishes.

[patrickamory]

I use an unglazed Rifi tagine from tagines.com and it has been a revelation for braises (and much else). As noted above, the porousness, the seasoning and the material and shape may all contribute to this.

I've certainly put it in the oven to finish dishes, but I don't risk it under the broiler - I simply transfer the contents to a pyrex baking pan when a recipe calls for a finishing glaze. I don't see this as a huge disadvantage - not a ton of dishes require this step.