A Beginner's Guide to Cooking with a Moroccan Tagine

A tagine is two things at once: a shallow clay dish with a tall conical lid, and the slow-cooked stew that comes out of it. The shape is the clever part. Steam rises from the food, condenses on the cool upper walls of the cone and runs back down, so a small amount of liquid keeps everything moist for an hour or more.

This guide covers what to buy, how to prepare it, how to cook without cracking it, and a simple chicken and olive tagine to get you started.

Clay or cast iron: which tagine should you buy?

There are two main types sold for home cooks, and they behave quite differently.

• Unglazed or partly glazed clay (terracotta). This is the traditional choice. Clay heats slowly and evenly and gives a gentle simmer. It needs seasoning, low heat and care with temperature changes. Avoid heavily painted decorative tagines, which are usually meant only for serving.
• Cast iron base with a ceramic or enamelled lid. Much more forgiving. You can brown meat properly in the base, use it on induction, and you do not have to worry about cracking. The flavour difference is small; the main thing you lose is a bit of the traditional charm.

For a nervous beginner, or anyone cooking on induction, cast iron is the practical pick. If you cook on gas and like the idea of the real thing, a plain terracotta tagine about 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) across will feed three or four people.

How to season a new clay tagine

Seasoning seals the pores of unglazed clay, makes it less likely to crack and stops it tasting earthy. Glazed and cast iron versions usually do not need this step, but follow the maker's instructions if they differ.

1. Soak the base and lid in cool water for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have time.
2. Let it dry completely, then rub the inside and outside of the base and the inside of the lid with olive oil.
3. Put it in a cold oven, then set the oven to 300°F (150°C). Starting cold is important; never put cold clay into a hot oven.
4. Bake for 2 hours, turn the oven off and let the tagine cool inside the oven.
5. Wipe it, give it another light coat of oil, and it is ready.

Heat: low, slow and always with a diffuser

The number one reason clay tagines crack is heat that is too high or too sudden. Treat it gently and it will last for years.

• Use a heat diffuser on gas and electric coil hobs. This is a flat metal plate that sits between the flame and the pot and spreads the heat. It is cheap and the best insurance you can buy.
• Start low and build up slowly. Begin on the lowest setting for 5 minutes, then raise it to low-medium. You want a lazy simmer, not a boil.
• Avoid shocks. Never put a hot tagine on a cold or wet surface, and never add very cold liquid to a hot base. Use room-temperature or warm water or stock.
• Oven option. A tagine also works in a cold oven set to 325°F (160°C).

Layering: how to build a tagine

A tagine is barely stirred once the lid goes on, so build it in layers from the bottom up.

1. Fat and aromatics. A generous film of olive oil, then sliced onions spread across the base. They stop the meat sticking and melt into the sauce.
2. Spices and garlic. Ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, paprika or ras el hanout, plus crushed garlic, either stirred into the onions or rubbed onto the meat.
3. Meat or fish in the centre. Arrange it in a single mound in the middle, where the lid is tallest.
4. Vegetables around and on top. Firm vegetables such as carrots and potatoes go around the edge, cut into long wedges. Softer ones like courgette go on later.
5. Finishing touches. Olives, preserved lemon, dried fruit and fresh herbs are usually added for the last 15 to 30 minutes so they keep their character.

How much liquid to add

Beginners almost always add too much. Because the lid returns so much moisture, a tagine needs far less liquid than a casserole. As a guide, for a tagine 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) across:

• Chicken or fish: about 1/2 to 3/4 cup (120 to 180 ml) of water or stock.
• Lamb or beef: about 1 to 1 1/2 cups (240 to 360 ml), as it cooks for longer.
• Vegetable tagines: about 1/2 cup (120 ml); the vegetables release plenty of their own juice.

Check every 20 to 30 minutes by lifting the lid with an oven glove. If the base looks dry, add a few tablespoons of warm water. The finished sauce should be thick and glossy, not soupy.

A simple chicken and olive tagine

This is a classic first tagine and needs nothing hard to find. It serves 4.

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 2 1/2 lb / 1.1 kg)
• 3 tbsp olive oil and 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt
• A pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm water (optional)
• A small bunch each of parsley and coriander, chopped
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) warm water or chicken stock
• 1 preserved lemon, rind only, sliced, and 3/4 cup (about 100 g) green or violet olives

1. Mix the garlic, spices, salt, saffron and half the herbs with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Rub this over the chicken and leave for 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge.
2. Pour the rest of the oil into the tagine base and spread the onions over it. Arrange the chicken in a mound on top and pour the water around the edge.
3. Cover, set on a diffuser over low heat, and slowly bring it up to a gentle simmer. Cook for 50 to 60 minutes, checking the liquid now and then.
4. Add the preserved lemon and olives, cover and cook for another 15 minutes. The chicken is done when it pulls easily from the bone and reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part.
5. Scatter over the remaining herbs and serve straight from the tagine with crusty bread for scooping.

Cleaning and storing your tagine

Let the tagine cool completely before washing. Soak it in warm water, then clean it with a soft brush or sponge and a little baking soda paste for stubborn bits. Avoid soap on unglazed clay if you can, since the porous surface can absorb the taste; a small drop is fine if it gets greasy, followed by a thorough rinse. Never put a clay tagine in the dishwasher.

Dry it completely and rub it with a thin coat of oil before storing. Keep the lid slightly ajar or stored separately so air can circulate; this prevents mould in damp kitchens. Leftovers should come out of the tagine and into a covered container in the fridge within 2 hours.

Quick tips

• Brown meat in a separate frying pan if you want deeper colour; a clay tagine will not sear well.
• Cut vegetables into long, chunky pieces so they hold their shape over a long cook.

Once you have made one tagine, the method stays the same and only the ingredients change: lamb with prunes, fish with chermoula, or a pile of winter vegetables. For more ideas to fill your new pot, browse our Moroccan and Arabic recipes and pick your next one.