A Tandoor Oven is a traditional Indian earthenware cooking pot made from clay
It is cylindrical in shape and uses Charcoal Briquettes for fuel
It reaches temperatures in excess of 400C
Our Tandoor Ovens are encased in a Stainless Steel drum (also available in Mild Steel) with an inner lining of insulation between the clay pot and drum
How does the Tandoor Oven work?
Cooking in a Tandoor Oven is similar to using a BBQ. However, there are some fundamental key differences that make Tandoor cooked food taste very different indeed:
The combination of spices, high temperature (400C), metal skewers and Clay give the food a unique flavour. One that cannot be replicated by using a conventional grill, household oven or
BBQ
Food cooked in a Tandoor is cooked from both the outside, from the heat of the Clay pot, and, more importantly, from the inside via the radiant heat of the metal skewers
The extreme temperatures of our Tandoor Oven, and the fact it is cooked from the inside at the same time, means food is ready much quicker than other methods of cooking. Meat is typically
ready in less than half the time of other cooking methods
Benefits of Tandoor Cooking:
Unique tasting food
Oil free cooking
Meat is sealed very quickly ensuring all the flavour is locked in
Radiant heat transfer ensures no Vitamins or Minerals are lost during the cooking process
Chicken, Meat and Vegetable Kebabs ready in around 12-minutes
Whole Chicken in around 30-minutes
Whole leg of Lamb ready in under 1-hour
Practically zero maintenance
What can you cook in it?
Pretty much anything (so long as it's edible!) is the simple answer. But here are some ideas:
Chicken Tikka, Lamb Tikka
Tandoori Chicken, Tandoori Lamb
Half Chicken, Whole Chicken, Leg of Lamb, Steak Kebabs
Minced Lamb Kebabs
Paneer Kebabs
Vegetable Kebabs
Naan Bread, Tandoori Roti
What's the difference between Tikka and Tandoori Dishes?
In both cases, Meat, Chicken or Lamb, is first marinated for several hours (or overnight) in a mixture of Herbs, Spices, Yoghurt and Citrus Juice and then cooked on a skewer in a Tandoor oven.
The difference between Tikka and Tandoori is:
Tikka food is Boneless pieces of Meat, for example, cubes of Chicken Breast, cubes of Lamb, Paneer and minced Lamb Kebabs
Tandoori food is Meat left on-the-bone, for example, Chicken Legs, Chicken Wings, Half Chicken, Leg of Lamb etc. Typically, Tandoori Food will also have bright red food colouring
mixed into the marinade giving the meat the red colour seen in restaurant style Tandoor dishes
How do you use the Tandoor Oven?
The method of lighting and using our Tandoor Oven is similar to a BBQ.
Practice makes perfect when knowing the precise time to start cooking... Here is a brief guide to get you started:
With the Oven door open, take a couple of firelighters and break into smaller pieces and place at the clay base of the Oven
Place around 1kg of charcoal Briquettes around the firelighters ensuring there are sufficient air gaps to allow oxygen to feed the fire
Use long fire lighter matches to light the fire lighters
Once the Briquettes are alight, carefully add around another 1kg of Briquettes and spread to cover the bottom of the Oven (the depth of coals should be about 2-3 inches)
When all the Briquettes are glowing, after about 1 hour, reduce the airflow to the fire by closing the side door
When the flames have completely subsided the Oven is ready to use (about 1 hour 15 minutes from 1st lighting)
Place pre-marinated Meat, vegetables, Paneer etc on the skewers. The food should be positioned in the middle of the skewer a couple of inches clear of the coals and below the lip of the
clay oven
Insert the skewers vertically into the oven resting the top of the skewer against the side. All 8 skewers supplied can be used at the same time
There is no need to turn the skewers while cooking (although you won't be able to resist it!)
Remove the cooked food from the skewers taking care not to touch the metal of the skewers
Ensure food is adequately cooked before consuming, and,
Enjoy!
What's included in the Tandoor Oven package?
Stainless Steel Clay Oven
Stainless Steel Lid
8 x 24" Stainless Steel Skewers
Naan Bread Cushion
2 x Naan Bread Removal Tools
Bag of Repair Clay
Zip up Cover
Technical Details:
Weight: Approx 40Kgs
Height: 460mm - (approx. 18")
Width: 410mm - (approx. 16")
Opening at top: 250mm - (approx. 10")
Stainless Steel Case
Hand crafted Clay Tandoor Pot
4 Castors
2 Handles
Health & Safety:
Position the Tandoor Oven on a clean flat surface, where it will be used, prior to lighting it
Do not position the Tandoor Oven under low hanging eaves, branches or other combustible materials
Ensure there is sufficient clearance surrounding the Oven ie away from fences and other combustible materials
Before lighting the oven, ensure the clay side walls are clean if you are going to be cooking breads
Do not use any liquid starter fuel or chemicals to start or aid the burn process : never use petrol
Do not move the Tandoor Oven once it has been lit. Only move the Tandoor Oven once completely cooled
Avoid touching the sides of the Oven when it is lit
Keep Children, Pets and Garden Games well away from the cooking area
Never leave the Tandoor Oven unattended when lit
Always ensure Meat is thoroughly cooked before consumption
Keep a bucket of sand or water around in case of emergency
Only use the Naan removal tools to remove Naan from the Oven
Caring for your Tandoor Oven:
Your new Tandoor Oven should last you many, many years if these few simple instructions are followed:
Only burn Charcoal or Briquettes in your Tandoor Oven and recognised firelighters to help light it. Do not burn paper, wood or other materials as these will affect the taste of the food
and will also leave resins on the clay surface
During fine weather the Tandoor Oven can be left outside. It is recommended you keep the door closed and the cover on to avoid unnecessary damp getting into the Tandoor Oven. Check it frequently
and, if any dampness is spotted, move it to a dry place immediately
During less fine weather we recommend you store the Oven in a shed, greenhouse or garage. Take the time to clean the oven before storing - there's nothing worse than getting excited about
your first Tandoor session in the spring and finding you have to clean it 1st!
Once completely cooled, the ashes inside of the Clay Oven should be brushed out using a stiff hand brush. The side walls should also be brushed to remove any debris/soot
The outside of the Tandoor oven can be washed using a mild detergent and then buffing up with a soft dry cloth
Additional notes:
Our Tandoor Oven is recommended for outdoors use only
Our Tandoor Ovens are shipped 'partially fired'. This means the clay is not fully hardened yet so that it does not crack during transportation from India. After 3, 4 or 5 Tandoor sessions
the clay will fully harden. After it has hardened you may cook Naan Bread and Tandoori Roti on the clay surface.
See also:
Our Cast Iron Grill Plate is the ideal accompaniment to our Tandoor Oven:
