Tandoor Ovens are Unique and Practical

 I was first introduced to Tandoor ovens during a trip to the U.K. in 2005 with my husband, Gene, and Martin Glynn, a chimney sweep and friend who lives near London. Martin took us to an

Indian restaurant and were so impressed with the food we asked what type of oven they used. The surprised waiter was more than happy to take me back to the kitchen where I got to see the oven at work with hot coals in the bottom of a clay oven and meat cooking inside. A few years later we watched a Tandoor oven being built out of firebrick at a Masonry Heater Association workshop. It was at that point I decided that we needed to have our own Tandoor oven in our back yard –something I’m still trying to convince Gene to build.

Flatbread from a Tandoor

Tandoor ovens are more commonly used in India, some regions of central Asia, and Arabic countries, but are becoming more popular in the U.S. and U.K. Unlike traditional ovens with a door on the front, Tandoor ovens are cylindrical or egg-shaped with the opening at the top.

Food is normally placed on long skewers, which are then placed inside the oven for cooking. 

Traditional flatbread is cooked on the sides of a tandoor– the cook shapes the dough, then throws it on the side of the oven where it sticks and cooks.

Tandoors are usually made out of bricks or clay and fueled with wood or charcoal to reach temperatures upwards of 900 Fahrenheit. Food normally cooks very quickly via convection, conduction, and radiation. The temperature can be controlled by the cook via the amount of fuel burned. It is common for tandoors to remain lit by leaving coals inside the oven during cooking to maintain higher temperatures.

Tandoor factory

One of the most popular dishes prepared is Tandoori Chicken. This excellent dish is chicken roasted with yogurt and spices. The chicken is first marinated in yogurt and honey and seasoned with tandoori masala spice mixture which contains red chili powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and paprika. The spice combinations give the chicken its bright red color. This dish is reported to have been invented in 1947 by Kundan Lai Gujral, a restaurant owner in Delhi. Tandoori chicken is also used as a base ingredient in Indian curries and traditionally served an Indian flatbread). The dish is now served in Britain as Chicken Tikka Masala.

If the Tandoor bug has bitten you, there are ovens available for purchase (check the internet) or build one yourself. I found some plans that don’t look too difficult on instructables.com and lifehacker.com, and even some videos on You Tube. The idea is too have heat coming from all sides so the food cooks fast and evenly.

Chicken cooking in a Tandoor oven

DIY projects are constructed using a metal trash can (no galvanized) or large terra cotta pot with a smaller terra cotta pot inside of it with vermiculite insulation poured between the two pots. Some builders even use firebrick at the base.

These ovens are not as heavy duty as the commercial ovens, but according to the builders/cooks they work fine for home use in the back yard. High temperatures can be reached, and the food cooked in them is delicious.  

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Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. and the author of Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking, available at Amazon. 

HearthMasters Publishing announces the release of Wood-fired Heating and Cooking

HearthMasters Publishing announces the release of Wood-fired Heating and Cooking: How to choose, maintain, and operate a wood-fired appliance

Kansas City, Missouri, November 4, 2021

Wood-Fired Heating & Cooking is a guide for homeowners, preppers, and homesteaders who are planning to install a wood-fired heating appliance, improve their existing masonry fireplace, or install a wood-fired cooking appliance. Industry veterans Gene and Marge Padgitt explain how each type of appliance works and how to properly locate, operate, and maintain them.

Heating appliances covered in this book are masonry fireplaces, Rumford fireplaces, circulating fireplaces, furnaces, wood-burning fireplace inserts, freestanding stoves, masonry heaters, and rocket mass heaters. Wood selection and preparation is included. Cooking appliances discussed are wood-burning indoor cook stoves, indoor and outdoor brick ovens and oven kits, Tandoori ovens, grills, and campfires along with cooking tools and utensils.

The authors provide references and suggested reading, online groups, and educational resources. A bonus section contains delicious recipes for cooking with a wood-fired appliance by the authors.

The release of Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking comes at a time when people are thinking about being self-sufficient and prepared for any disaster or power outage. The book is an excellent resource for persons who need help trying to navigate through all of the choices available to heat their home or cook with a wood-fired appliance.

Marge and Gene are available for radio interviews. 

Contact:

Marge Padgitt
hearthmasters.office@gmail.com
816-461-3665

Plan Now for Emergency Heating and Cooking Preparedness

As we all contend with the Coronavirus worldwide, emergency preparedness is on everyone's mind. I'm sure by now that most people have become painfully aware of how unprepared they have been, and are considering how to get ready for the next emergency. And there will be one, no doubt.

Emergency heating and cooking should be something that everyone plans for. We've all experienced temporary electrical outages, and there may be a time when gas is not available, either. As someone familiar with wood-fired appliances, I recommend that everyone has a backup plan using the appliances of your choice.

There are several options available. The first thing most people think about is getting a wood stove or wood-burning fireplace insert. These are good options for supplemental or primary heating if the appliance is located in the center of the home. Keep in mind that the bedrooms will be much cooler than the common spaces. An open floor plan is best so that heat can reach further.

Cookstove by Hearthstone

For cooking, using the top of a wood-burning freestanding stove is an option, but it can be frustrating to use the small space over a long period of time. A better option would be a wood-burning cookstove with a stovetop and oven. As a bonus, the stove produces heat as well.

Outdoor brick oven by
Gene Padgitt

In Italy and France, it is very common for each household to have an outdoor brick oven and the idea is becoming very popular in the U.S. With an outdoor wood-fired oven it gives a person the option of using a different fuel which may be more available than gas or propane, and it keeps heat out of the kitchen in the summer months. Food tastes better when cooked in a brick oven, too. Wood-fired ovens can be heated to over 700 degrees, which is excellent for cooking pizza.

Masonry heater with bake oven
by Gene Padgitt

The best option, in my opinion, is a masonry heater. Masonry heaters are large site-built or pre-cast kits that are assembled on site. They have a large mass of masonry and interior channels that trap heat. By far, they are the most efficient and clean-burning appliances and use 1/3 the amount of wood that a high-efficiency wood-burning stove or insert uses to produce the same amount of heat. Masonry heaters work differently as they retain and release heat over a longer period of time. A great option to add is a bake oven over the masonry heater firebox on either side. Most people prefer to have the oven on the kitchen side of the heater, and the firebox on the living room side. This option is the most expensive.

Plan now for installation of an appliance this summer, before the busy fall season.
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Marge Padgitt is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and NFI Certified Woodburning Specialist. She is the author of The Chimney and Hearth Pro's Resource Book, and The Homeowner's Guide to Heating and Cooking with Wood. Reach her at hearthmastersboss@gmail.com

Outdoor Cooking Recipes for Tukey

 

Grilled Mediterranean Turkey Burgers 

Ingredients:

·         1 lb ground turkey    1 cup crumbled feta cheese    1/2 cup kalamata olive, chopped (I usually use chopped salad olives)    1 teaspoon dried oregano    1 teaspoon italian seasoning    1 teaspoon dried parsley    1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)    1 teaspoon onion powder    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder    ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.Form into 4 patties, then grill. Serve this on regular burger buns with tomatoes and mayo, or on pita with tahini, tomatoes and lettuce.

Smoked Turkey in the Outdoor Smoker

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 12 hrs

Ingredients:

·         2 -3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil    14 -16 lbs turkey, fresh or thawed completely    2 -3 tablespoons lemon and herb seasoning    2 tablespoons garlic granules, salt and freshly ground black pepper    5 -6  wood chunks: hickory, applewood, oak, pecan or other smoking hardwood soaked in water at     least overnight (not chips)    10 -15 lbs good quality charcoal (NOT self-lighting, and DO NOT use charcoal lighter fluid!)

Directions:

(This recipe requires an outdoor water smoker and an UN-stuffed Turkey)

 Wash thawed turkey thoroughly, inside and out.  Pat dry.

Coat turkey with olive oil. Season inside and out with lemon-herb seasoning, granulated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate until ready to start smoking.

Soak 5-6 fairly large chunks of hardwood in water for as long as possible. 

12 hours before mealtime, prepare the smoker as follows:

Place 10 pounds charcoal in the fire-pan and conservatively light the charcoal- just enough to keep it burning with a very low flame.

(Use an electric starter, or a butane torch, or place charcoal under your oven broiler just until lit. DO NOT use liquid charcoal lighter unless you want kerosene flavored turkey!) Place 2-3 chunks of wet hardwood on top of the charcoal, place water-pan above fire-pan, and fill with water.

Place turkey on the rack above water-pan and cover smoker.

After about 6 hours, check the smoker.  Stir up the charcoal and add a little more if necessary.

Place remaining soaked hardwood chunks on top of charcoal, add more water if necessary, close the smoker for another 5-6 hours.

It is almost impossible to overcook the turkey using this method, because it is cooking at a very low temperature.

If the weather is freezing or below, add about 2-3 hours to the cooking time.

The turkey is done when the leg can be moved easily or when meat thermometer reading is safe.

Fried Turkey in Sweet Hot Brine

Prep Time: 1 hr

Cook Time: 36 hrs

Ingredients:

·         3 cups packed light brown sugar    1 1/2 cups Dijon mustard    1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus    2 tablespoons cayenne pepper    2 gallons cold water    1 bunch thyme    1 head garlic, separated into cloves and crushed    1 (12 lb) whole turkey    peanut oil (about 4-5 gallons depending on your fryer) or vegetable oil (about 4-5 gallons          
    depending on your fryer)

Directions:

In a whole turkey-size stockpot, whisk, brown sugar, mustard, salt and cayenne.

Gradually whisk in water, and then add thyme and garlic.

Add turkey, cover and brine in refrigerator or cooler filled with ice (be sure to keep ice filled) for 35 hours.

Bring oil to 375° in your turkey fryer - this may take up to an hour. **Take extra care with the hot oil - Any hotter than 375F can create a fire risk.

 Remove turkey from brine and pat it dry inside and out with paper towels.

For less salt, wash the turkey thoroughly then pat until it is dry as you can get it with paper towels.

Place turkey to a frying basket, breast side up.

Very carefully lower into oil and fry for 3 minutes per pound, 36 minutes, in this case.

Carefully lift the basket out of the fryer and drain the turkey on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet or pan for about 15 minutes.

Carve and serve.