Here are some helpful tips to get you started. First of all, read the user manual and safety rules!
The tandoor is designed to remain closed while cooking - this ensures no open flame and even temperature. Leaving the lid open will increase the flame and temperature, and you may not get the results you expect. Try to check or remove food as quickly as possible and close the lid immediately.
Remember: If the lid is open, the food is not cooking!
Always use heat-resistant gloves (made of natural fabrics, not synthetics).
When touching heated ceramic parts or cooking surfaces, use appropriate protective gear to avoid burns. Be careful when placing hot items on other surfaces.
Keep WOOD for the tandoor IN A DRY PLACE. Damp wood will also burn, but it’s harder to light and produces a lot of smoke.
To extinguish the tandoor, DO NOT use water - when you finish cooking, simply close all lids and vents. Do not use water or household cleaners to clean the inside of the tandoor. It cleans itself: with every new firing, soot burns off and the walls turn white again. If needed, you can use abrasive brushes.
NEVER FORGET about the risk of fire.
Do not leave a lit and open TANDOOR unattended. Watch for leaves, boards, or other flammable materials nearby - they can catch fire from embers or sparks. Be mindful of your surroundings when using the tandoor outdoors, as open flames can pose a danger to people and property. Note that local regulations may specify minimum distances from open fire sources to buildings, or restrict outdoor cooking during droughts or high fire risk.
DO NOT attempt to light or use the tandoor indoors.
When used properly and according to safety requirements, the TANDOOR is very safe and reliable, and you will enjoy it for many years.
The user is responsible for safe operation of the tandoor and for always following the SAFETY RULES.
When you LIGHT A FIRE, cook over FLAMES or HOT COALS, or touch HEATED surfaces — always be especially careful.
WE WISH YOU GREAT TANDOOR EXPERIENCES AND MANY CULINARY SUCCESSES!
A tandoor (also called tandur, tendir, tonir, tanur, tyndyr, dyndyr, nandyr) is a clay hearth, brazier, or oven for cooking food, used by the peoples of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Tandoors come in many shapes and purposes: some are for baking bread, others for roasting meat and vegetables. They can be stationary — dug into the ground or built from refractory clay in the shape of a barrel — or small portable versions for home use.
We offer tandoors for cooking kebabs and other dishes in your backyard or at the cottage. Their principle is simple: wood or charcoal is placed inside and lit, the tandoor heats up to maximum temperature, then meat (poultry, fish, game, vegetables, etc.) is placed on hanging skewers or special racks. Cooking happens not on the coals, but thanks to the strong heat stored in the walls, which ensures quick, even roasting and preserves maximum juiciness. In our opinion, the tandoor is the best outdoor oven. You can grill and roast anything, and its unique blend of open and closed cooking gives amazing results - juicy kebabs, fish, vegetables, mushrooms, or even a whole leg of lamb or chicken. Our company has been producing tandoors for 18 years, selling them through many local and international dealers. Their unique cooking method and stylish design have delighted chefs around the world. A tandoor also makes a wonderful gift!
The main advantage is that tandoors are made from eco-friendly ceramic materials. Thick ceramic walls store and retain heat so well that you don’t need to turn skewers or use a spit to achieve juicy dishes. Another benefit is that a tandoor is not only stylish, adding a decorative touch to your yard, but it also lets you cook amazing meals! Thanks to its high internal temperature, meat cooks faster than on a grill, doesn’t dry out, and stays juicy.
Metal grills constantly lose heat through their metal parts, which dries out food and requires adding more fuel. A tandoor helps retain moisture, cooks food faster, and makes it tastier.
The tandoor is made of eco-friendly domestic ceramic refractory materials and fired at over 1100 °C, then reinforced with metal for strength and appearance. Although small hairline cracks may form during use, the steel banding with forged elements securely holds the tandoor together. With proper use, its service life is unlimited — it will last for years and decades.
Rules for the first firing (also apply if the tandoor is damp, if it’s freezing outside, or after long breaks in use):
The heating level depends on the food you plan to cook, its size (note that meat on the bone is larger and needs at least 40 min — for your first attempts, use smaller items), and weather conditions.
Heating tips: remove the cap, lid, and draft door before preheating. In windy weather, position the draft door opposite the wind. The heating level depends on the burn time of the fire inside the tandoor.
Start with kindling — small chips and a bit of paper. Light the chips and keep a small fire for at least 30–40 minutes, gradually adding more. The goal is to warm the walls and base thoroughly before increasing the flame toward the neck with larger wood. Wood length should not exceed half the height of the firebox, otherwise heating will take longer. Fill no more than 2/3 of the firebox (usually 1/2 is enough). Add logs in small batches, avoiding sudden large flames.
After 30–40 minutes, add thicker wood, again avoiding sharp flare-ups above the neck. This rule applies to any lighting — flames above the neck are unnecessary; we only need to heat the tandoor. After the fire has burned for at least the specified time, or when the right temperature is reached, put in the draft door, lid, and cap. There’s no need to remove coals if their level is below the grate. Do not put the lid on while the flame is high — place it when the fire subsides so it can warm up too. The lid design doesn’t allow installing it during active burning, as it acts like a valve limiting oxygen flow and cooling the firebox.
At first, the inside of the tandoor will turn black, then, once it’s hot enough for cooking, it will turn white as the soot burns off.
You can leave the coals to smolder to keep heat longer, or remove them through the draft door with a scoop and poker — just spread them evenly on the bottom so they don’t interfere with cooking. Then close the draft door, hang skewers, hooks, or racks with food, close the lid and cap! Usually there are no flare-ups while cooking since airflow is cut off.
For foods requiring more than 15 minutes, after 15–20 minutes you can slightly open the draft door to stimulate the embers and maintain temperature — also helpful in cold weather. Cooking time depends on the tandoor model: the larger its volume and thicker its walls, the more heat it stores.
Enjoy your meal!
WARNING! Be very careful with lighter fluid — never pour it on an open flame, as the bottle may ignite in your hands!
After cooking, close the draft door and both lids tightly. Thanks to the thick ceramic walls, cooling takes several hours. NEVER extinguish wood or coals with water.
Store the tandoor under a shelter or cover it with a protective dust- and moisture-proof cover from our range. If the tandoor gets very wet, let it dry naturally. Do not light it while wet or dry it artificially — this can increase cracks and reduce heat retention.
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