New (to me) cooking device- the tagine!

[Yoggoth]

Its a pot, its a recipe, its all the rage!
Anyway, I just got one for the holidays, Emile Henry FLAME rated brand and I made some potatoes and it worked pretty good. Looks like it will function where the modern croc-pot no longer can be used do to excessive US temperature regulations. Plus it looks cool.

[Allison]

It does look cool!!

[spyder913]

what's the problem with a normal slow-cooker that you allude to?

[Ivyrielle]

what's the problem with a normal slow-cooker that you allude to?

Over the years, the temperature has increased on crock pots. So even on low, they now cook too "hot" for older recipes and many applications.

[spyder913]

Really? How low are you talking here? I can't find any info about temperatures from the 70s/80s vs today.

[Ivyrielle]

I don't have any links with hard stats, but if you spend any time around a cooking/crock potting community, you'll see reference to it. Basically, consider that your 8-10r recipe on low is now finishing in 6-7hours on low... If you're setting up to cook before work, often what is made is overcooked, etc.

[POKER]

Calculated for 1 serving (443g)
Recipe makes 4 servings
Moroccan Chicken Tagine Recipe
This recipe requires a special Morrocan earthenwear pot, called a tangine. It is a "Great Cooks" recipe. Prep time does not include standing time.

4 servings
35 min
1 (3 1/2 lb) chicken, cut into 6-8 pieces
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin (to taste)
2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 pinch saffron
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 lb pitted prunes
2 large Spanish onions, sliced lengthwise
1 cup whole blanched almonds
vegetable oil
toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Rub all pieces of chicken with a mixture of salt, pepper and cumin. Let stand for 1 hour.
In a separate saucepan, cover the prunes with cold water and add the cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 -30 minutes depending on dryness of prunes.
Steam the onions in the casserole with the turmeric, saffron, ginger, salt, pepper and ¼ cup of water for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile brown the almonds in a saucepan with oil and drain onto paper towels.
Using the same oil and pan, brown chicken on all sides then transfer to the steamed onions and add 1 cup water. (this can be transferred into the tagine at this point and placed in oven ). Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the cooked prunes and some of the prune water to the tagine and continue cooking until the chicken and prunes are really tender.
To serve, place chicken pieces on a serving dish (or simply leave in the tagine). Cover with prunes and sauce, then sprinkle with almonds and sesame seeds (if desired).

[spyder913]

I don't have any links with hard stats, but if you spend any time around a cooking/crock potting community, you'll see reference to it. Basically, consider that your 8-10r recipe on low is now finishing in 6-7hours on low... If you're setting up to cook before work, often what is made is overcooked, etc.Gotcha. I was looking around and finally found a few reviews for the Revel Crock Pots complaining of that. I was unaware! It's too bad, considering they were plenty safe to cook in before so long as you did it right. I wonder how hard they'd be to mod...

[eilariele]

Hey Poker, that sounds like a Curry recipe. Just making your own spice mix. I love anything curry, and a tagine is a really kewl kitchen Gadget. I'm all about kitchen gadgets!

[bokonon]

The reason for the higher power on the crock pots is to ensure that food will reach bacteria-killing temperature before colonies get good and started. It's a liability thing. I have a Variac that i sometimes use with mine - I'll heat the food up in the microwave in the morning to get it to cooking temperature, then dump it in the pot on Low and set the voltage to 75% on the variac. This only works if you happen to have lab equipment laying around your garage of course :) Test any mods you do, the food temperature should be at least 140 degF when it stabilizes.