Le Creuset Tangine Or Oven?

[Blondelle]

I was wondering if there would be enough of a difference in cooking the same dish in a tagine or Dutch oven to warrant getting the tangine. Has anyone tried the same recipe both ways? There is one review on Amazon that claims there was a big difference with everyone preferring the dish made in the tagine. Has anyone also noticed the results are better?

[jm chen]

I don't own it, but I can tell you I saw a red tagine at the Le Creuset store in Charleston over the weekend and it is a beautiful piece of cookware. If you do much entertaining I'd buy it for that reason.

Curious to hear what other folks have to say.

[Richard Kilgore]

There are a number of interesting and helpful threads here on tagine cooking. A search turned up these among others. I think you too will find the unglazed tagines not only less expenseive than the LC, but more attractive and authentic. There is a great deal of detailed and valuable info below on the care and curing of these unglazed earthenware cooking vessels offered by Paula Wolfert.

Morrocan Tagine Cooking

Curing Clay Pots

Moroccan Tagines: Unglazed Rifi & Sous

Tagine Pot: Can I substitute a Dutch Oven?

[k43]

The LC tagine is glazed on the inside and outside. In the tagine thread, Paula Wolfert says that the magic is in the unglazed surface. (Also, the LC is very expensive, while the unglazed ones are reasonable.)

In the braising thread, the LC Dutch oven got high marks, though it was criticized for its high price.

I'd say the consensus is stick with the LC Dutch oven and get an unglazed tagine.

[Comfort Me]

I don't own it, but I can tell you I saw a red tagine at the Le Creuset store in Charleston over the weekend and it is a beautiful piece of cookware. If you do much entertaining I'd buy it for that reason.

Curious to hear what other folks have to say.

←

I don't know how to cut and paste links to posts, but search for Tagine and look for the multi-page work by the expert -- Paula Wolfert. It has lots of pictures, commentary, trial and error, etc. There is a great deal on the different tagines and their pros and cons.

That said, I have the LeCreuset. I use it a lot, and I love it.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I first bought a Le Creuset tagine and later bought a 'real' clay one. I have never gone back to the Le Creuset and have seriously considered selling it on eBay (in fact, PM me if you are interested in buying it off me!). It is almost a pointless (no pun intended) piece of equipment in my kitchen now. I have made some of the same recipes in both the metal one and the clay one and can attest that the clay tagine works much better. The metal one does not offer the finesse or depth of flavor.

Edited May 5, 2005 by Carolyn Tillie (log)