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A Brief Guide on Fast and Slow Cooking in a Clay Oven

Clay Oven


Baking and cooking in clay ovens date back to ancient civilizations. Even though various types of cooking equipment are available in today’s market, nothing can beat the delectable taste of food that is achieved through a clay oven. Clay ovens are worldwide popular to produce evenly cooked food and admired for making the finest bread, naans, and pizzas. In fact, meat and poultry can be best cooked in these ovens only. Why? 

It’s because clay ovens utilize residual heat. They are versatile and you can always depend on them for quick cooking when the fire is hot and slow heating for hours as the temperature goes down slowly. So, how does that work? Let’s check out. 

Clay Ovens for Fast Cooking 

It takes a while when it comes to heating a clay oven. If we talk about a wood-fired clay oven, the temperature inside a clay oven reaches up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit after three hours of the initial firing. At this point, it is said that a pizza can be baked in just about 30 seconds. However, an hour later, it may take 1 to 1.5 minutes to bake a pizza. So, if you are looking forward to preparing food that benefits from fast cooking, this is the time when you should put it in the oven and enjoy the advantage of high temperatures. 

In case you are using a gas clay oven, you don’t have to wait so long to reach that high temperature. Gas clay ovens usually take about 15 minutes to reach the temperature between 325 degrees and 375 degrees. So, preheat the oven with care depending on its type. 

Clay Ovens for Slow Cooking

Well, not everything is made to be cooked quickly. Some delicacies demand time. Food like meat, poultry, and bread can be prepared with perfection only if you have patience. They benefit from gentle cooking at lower temperatures. Clay ovens have the magic of creating just the right environment for slow cooking. 

For such recipes, close the oven tightly when the initial firing slows down. This way the heat will last for hours and maybe even overnight. This is the time when you should bring in your meat and poultry to shred for other meals. Let them take their time to bring out the natural flavors and get soft. Only this way, you can have the joy of eating scrumptious, juicy, and moist meat and cuisines made with similar ingredients. 

A Few Take Away Tips 

  • Use open pans to cook veggies and meats. But, for stews and savory mixtures, it’s best to cook in covered pots.

  • Cooking time for any dish varies with the temperature of your clay oven. So, check the temperature to determine how long it would take to cook a particular food item.

  • To measure temperature, stand-up thermometers are available for high-heat clay ovens. 

So, when are you going to cook an amazingly delicious tandoor recipe? A clay oven is something that can make cooking an adventure. All you need to have is a clay oven in your home, no matter if you are in the USA or another corner of the world. 


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