Once you’ve purchased the tagine, wash it with soapy water and let it air dry.
Next, pour approximately 2 cm of olive oil to cover the bottom of the tagine. You will notice that the clay will darken after the oil is cooked, as you can see in my tagine.
Place the lid on top and cook over low heat for about 2 to 3 hours until the oil has reduced and has a honey-like texture. The smell will be strong, similar to the scent of burnt oil.
Turn off the heat and let it cool completely. Discard the excess oil and wash the tagine once again, allowing it to dry. Then, before cooking a tagine, heat some vegetable oil and cook thinly sliced onions over low heat until caramelized. This will help remove the strong oil smell.
Discard the onions and wash the tagine again, allowing it to air dry. It is now ready to be used.
Some Tips:
Never place a hot tagine on a cold surface, and avoid heating it when it’s empty. Instead, add the oil and heat it afterward. The purpose of a tagine is to cook everything in one dish and let it simmer for 1 to 2 hours over low heat. Decorative, colorful, and glazed tagines are not meant for cooking; they are simply for presentation purposes. Most glazed tagines contain lead, which can leach into the food during cooking. It is recommended to use a heat diffuser between the gas or electric stove and the tagine to prevent it from cracking due to direct flames or heat.
