Tagine: the cone lid returns steam
A tagine is a shallow dish with a tall cone lid. Food simmers gently, steam rises into the cone, condenses on the cooler walls and drips back down. The pot returns its own moisture to the food, so it needs surprisingly little liquid.
Why tough cuts work in a tagine
Lamb shoulder, lamb shank and beef shank are full of collagen, the connective tissue that makes them chewy. Hours of low heat turn it into gelatin, so the meat goes tender and the sauce silky. Dried apricots or prunes add sweetness.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
What does the cone-shaped lid do?
Cools rising steam so it condenses and runs back into the dish. Steam hits the cooler walls, turns to droplets, and drips back onto the food.
True or false: A tagine needs a hard, rolling boil to cook the meat.
False. Gentle heat is the point, because a hard boil toughens meat and boils off the liquid.
Fill the blank: Long, gentle heat turns tough collagen into ___, which makes the meat tender.
Long, gentle heat turns tough collagen into gelatin, which makes the meat tender. Collagen melts into gelatin, which loosens the meat and thickens the sauce.
What went wrong? You turn the burner to high under a tagine to speed things up. An hour later the sauce has cooked away and the meat is tough.
High heat boiled the liquid off and tightened the meat. Gentle simmering keeps the meat tender, and a hard boil dries it out.
The meat is tender but the sauce is thin. What is the best fix?
Lift the lid and simmer gently until it reduces. With the lid off, steam leaves and the sauce thickens.