tagine - aluminum vs pottery

[Zebee Johnstone]

I'm pondering getting a tagine - a morroccan cooking whatsit.

I have electric hotplates, so if I get a pottery one I need a diffuser
unless I get one of the Very Expensive ones.

Ikea have an aluminium one said to work fine on normal electric.

So what's the effective difference in cooking?

Zebee

[atec77]

Post by Zebee Johnstone
I'm pondering getting a tagine - a morroccan cooking whatsit.
I have electric hotplates, so if I get a pottery one I need a diffuser
unless I get one of the Very Expensive ones.
Ikea have an aluminium one said to work fine on normal electric.
So what's the effective difference in cooking?
Zebee

Assuming you purchase a tagine which is not guilty of being impregnated
with heavy metal very little diff at all at the end but as a cooking
device well worth while , we often leave a tagine in the oven whilst out
and have it commence cooking on the timer
I gather the disk you contemplate diffuses the heat evenly and causes
less physical stress

[Zebee Johnstone]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[atec77]

Post by Zebee Johnstone
In aus.food on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:23:03 +1000

Post by atec77

Post by Zebee Johnstone
I have electric hotplates, so if I get a pottery one I need a diffuser
unless I get one of the Very Expensive ones.
Ikea have an aluminium one said to work fine on normal electric.

Assuming you purchase a tagine which is not guilty of being impregnated
with heavy metal very little diff at all at the end but as a cooking
device well worth while , we often leave a tagine in the oven whilst out
and have it commence cooking on the timer
I gather the disk you contemplate diffuses the heat evenly and causes
less physical stress

So no obvious difference between aluminium/teflon and pottery?

metal heats quickly and I prefer cast iron , the teflon is a
carcinogenic and the pottery offers advantages like good heat retention
and evenness of cooking

Post by Zebee Johnstone
Yes, the diffuser disk is supposed to stop it cracking. Some pottery
ones have thicker bases and are supposed to cope better but are also
twice the price.

buy the disk , you know you want to ( would it make a frisbee ?)

Post by Zebee Johnstone
Zebee

[Jeßus]

Post by Zebee Johnstone
In aus.food on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:23:03 +1000

Post by atec77

Post by Zebee Johnstone
I have electric hotplates, so if I get a pottery one I need a diffuser
unless I get one of the Very Expensive ones.
Ikea have an aluminium one said to work fine on normal electric.

Assuming you purchase a tagine which is not guilty of being impregnated
with heavy metal very little diff at all at the end but as a cooking
device well worth while , we often leave a tagine in the oven whilst out
and have it commence cooking on the timer
I gather the disk you contemplate diffuses the heat evenly and causes
less physical stress

So no obvious difference between aluminium/teflon and pottery?

Well, both aluminum and teflon are hardly healthy for the human body.
Are there any stainless steel ones available? Or go for the pottery
version, the extra expense is hardly worth considering, surely?

[Phred]

Post by Jeßus

Post by Zebee Johnstone
In aus.food on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:23:03 +1000

Post by atec77

Post by Zebee Johnstone
I have electric hotplates, so if I get a pottery one I need a diffuser
unless I get one of the Very Expensive ones.
Ikea have an aluminium one said to work fine on normal electric.

Assuming you purchase a tagine which is not guilty of being impregnated
with heavy metal very little diff at all at the end but as a cooking
device well worth while , we often leave a tagine in the oven whilst out
and have it commence cooking on the timer
I gather the disk you contemplate diffuses the heat evenly and causes
less physical stress

So no obvious difference between aluminium/teflon and pottery?

Well, both aluminum and teflon are hardly healthy for the human body.
Are there any stainless steel ones available? Or go for the pottery
version, the extra expense is hardly worth considering, surely?

Given that aluminium compounds make up a substantial part of the
composition of dirt, what makes you think there's a problem with
aluminium utensils but not those made of clay?

<For example, quoting an extract stolen from [1] below.>
The chemical composition of clay is similar to the average composition
of rocks found at the earth's surface. Silicon, aluminum and iron
oxides make up more than 80% of this average composition. A general
formula for clay, considering it to be a mineral, is Al2O3.2SiO2.
2H2O.
</quoting>

[1] Alaska Science Forum -- December 7, 1981
Stoneware Pottery -- Article #515
by T. Neil Davis
<http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF5/515.html>

[Quite an interesting short article on the physics/chemistry of kiln
fired pottery. It's part of a larger project that now seems a bit
dated as it looks like nothing has been added since 1999 -- but
the articles tend to deal with "timeless" topics anyway. See the home
page at <http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/text/index.html> ]


Cheers, Phred.

[Jeßus]

Post by Phred

Post by Jeßus

Post by Zebee Johnstone
In aus.food on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:23:03 +1000

Post by atec77

Post by Zebee Johnstone
I have electric hotplates, so if I get a pottery one I need a diffuser
unless I get one of the Very Expensive ones.
Ikea have an aluminium one said to work fine on normal electric.

Assuming you purchase a tagine which is not guilty of being impregnated
with heavy metal very little diff at all at the end but as a cooking
device well worth while , we often leave a tagine in the oven whilst out
and have it commence cooking on the timer
I gather the disk you contemplate diffuses the heat evenly and causes
less physical stress

So no obvious difference between aluminium/teflon and pottery?

Well, both aluminum and teflon are hardly healthy for the human body.
Are there any stainless steel ones available? Or go for the pottery
version, the extra expense is hardly worth considering, surely?

Given that aluminium compounds make up a substantial part of the
composition of dirt, what makes you think there's a problem with
aluminium utensils but not those made of clay?
<For example, quoting an extract stolen from [1] below.>
The chemical composition of clay is similar to the average composition
of rocks found at the earth's surface. Silicon, aluminum and iron
oxides make up more than 80% of this average composition. A general
formula for clay, considering it to be a mineral, is Al2O3.2SiO2.
2H2O.
</quoting>
[1] Alaska Science Forum -- December 7, 1981
Stoneware Pottery -- Article #515
by T. Neil Davis
<http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF5/515.html>
[Quite an interesting short article on the physics/chemistry of kiln
fired pottery. It's part of a larger project that now seems a bit
dated as it looks like nothing has been added since 1999 -- but
the articles tend to deal with "timeless" topics anyway. See the home
page at <http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/text/index.html> ]
Cheers, Phred.

Of course aluminum compounds originate in dirt, as do most other things.
Surely you don't need the distinctions explained to you?

[Phred]

In article <***@news.x-privat.org>, =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Je=DFus?= <***@all.org> wrote:
[Snip]

Post by Jeßus
Of course aluminum compounds originate in dirt, as do most other things.
Surely you don't need the distinctions explained to you?

Sorry. My mistake. I thought *you* were the bloke worried about
aluminium utensils. I just wondered why.



Cheers, Phred.

["Michael" @hotmail.com>]

I think they're a bit of a gimmick. Sure, it might be the authentic cooking
vessel, and they look great if you are going to serve them on the table, but
I don't see any advantage over a casserole, slow cooker, etc., providing it
has a lid.

One big disadvantage is their size. Whenever I slow cook something, I like
to do a double batch and refrigerate or freeze the rest. Lamb shanks,
casseroles, Indian dishes, etc. always taste nicer the next day and the
tagines I've seen in the shops are barely big enough for one meal.

Post by Zebee Johnstone
I'm pondering getting a tagine - a morroccan cooking whatsit.
I have electric hotplates, so if I get a pottery one I need a diffuser
unless I get one of the Very Expensive ones.
Ikea have an aluminium one said to work fine on normal electric.
So what's the effective difference in cooking?
Zebee

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.food on Thu, 5 Jun 2008 13:56:19 +1000

Post by "Michael" @hotmail.com>
One big disadvantage is their size. Whenever I slow cook something, I like
to do a double batch and refrigerate or freeze the rest. Lamb shanks,
casseroles, Indian dishes, etc. always taste nicer the next day and the
tagines I've seen in the shops are barely big enough for one meal.

Hmm.. don't know which ones you are looking at. The Oxfam one I'm
investigating has fed 3 people, I know I was one.

Zebee

["Michael" @hotmail.com>]

Three people isn't very many though. How many litres do you think it holds,
I can't see a picture of it on their website? Or more importantly, were
there any leftovers? :)

While searching for the Oxfam tagine i came across this thread, which
contained a government health warning:
http://www.taste.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?p=44780&sid=1523690b47e7e1584353819e3da7ce36


"IMPORTED CERAMIC COOKWARE DECLARED TO BE DANGEROUS
Consumers who use a tagine cooking pot are being warned to check its country
of origin, as a number being imported from Morocco have been found to
contain excessive levels of lead."

Pretty funny considering some people were worried about the aluminium
version.

Post by Zebee Johnstone
In aus.food on Thu, 5 Jun 2008 13:56:19 +1000

Post by "Michael" @hotmail.com>
One big disadvantage is their size. Whenever I slow cook something, I like
to do a double batch and refrigerate or freeze the rest. Lamb shanks,
casseroles, Indian dishes, etc. always taste nicer the next day and the
tagines I've seen in the shops are barely big enough for one meal.

Hmm.. don't know which ones you are looking at. The Oxfam one I'm
investigating has fed 3 people, I know I was one.