Which manual do I need for my tandoor oven?

Gas-fired models (T02, T04, T06, CS01, CS02, A02, A04, A06) use the Gas Tandoor Oven Operation Manual. Charcoal and wood-fired models (CS03, CS04, CU02, CU04, CU06, R26, R28, R32) use the Charcoal & Wood-Fired Manual.

How do I cure a new tandoor oven clay pot?

Use Curing Paste AS05, supplied free with every new model. Apply four coats with 10 minutes absorption each, then heat for 100 hours total, starting at 20 percent heat and increasing to 35 percent after 30 hours, with no lid for the first 40 hours.

Do I need a certified gas technician to install a gas tandoor oven?

Yes. All gas tandoor models must be installed and connected to the main gas line by a certified gas technician.

Can charcoal or wood-fired tandoor ovens be used indoors?

No. All charcoal and wood-fired models are designed for outdoor use only, since charcoal and wood fires produce carbon monoxide without outdoor ventilation.

How often should I re-season the tandoor clay pot?

Re-season using Curing Paste AS05 once every 4 to 6 months to maintain clay surface hardness and extend service life.

What should I do if I smell gas from my tandoor?

Turn off the gas supply immediately, extinguish any open flames, lift the lid to ventilate, and if the odour persists, evacuate and contact your gas supplier or fire department.

Which manual do I need for my tandoor oven?

If your model is Restaurant Tandoor Oven CH02, Natural Gas Tandoor Oven CH04, Middle Eastern Tandoor Oven CH06, Indian Tandoor Oven T02, CSA ETL NSF Tandoor Oven T04, Punjabi Tandoor Oven T06, Round Clay Tandoor Oven CS01, Food Truck Tandoor Oven CS02, Propane Gas Tandoor Oven A02, Stainless Steel Tandoor Oven A04, or Large Indoor Tandoor Oven A06, use the Gas Tandoor Oven Operation Manual. These are gas-fired models (natural gas or propane) for indoor use under a ventilation hood. If your model is CS03, CS04, CU02, CU04, CU06, R26, R28, or R32, use the Charcoal & Wood-Fired Tandoor Oven Manual. These are outdoor models fuelled by charcoal or natural hardwood.

How do I cure a new tandoor oven clay pot?

Use Tandoor Oven Curing Paste AS05, which is supplied free with every new Tandoor Morni model. Apply four coats with 10 minutes absorption between each. Then heat slowly for a total of 100 hours — starting at 20 percent heat and increasing to 35 percent after 30 hours. Do not use the top lid for the first 40 hours. Full step-by-step instructions are in both operation manuals and in the Curing Quick Reference above.

Do I need a certified gas technician to install a gas tandoor oven?

Yes. All gas tandoor models — Restaurant Tandoor Oven CH02 32x32x37 inches, Natural Gas Tandoor Oven CH04 34x34x37 inches, Middle Eastern Tandoor Oven CH06 36x36x37 inches, Indian Tandoor Oven T02 32x32 inches, CSA ETL NSF Tandoor Oven T04 34x34 inches, Punjabi Tandoor Oven T06 36x36 inches, Round Clay Tandoor Oven CS01 24x24 inches, Food Truck Tandoor Oven CS02 24x24 inches, Propane Gas Tandoor Oven A02 32x32 inches, Stainless Steel Tandoor Oven A04 34x34 inches, and Large Indoor Tandoor Oven A06 36x36 inches — must be installed and connected to the main gas line by a certified gas technician. Do not attempt self-installation.

Can charcoal or wood-fired tandoor ovens be used indoors?

No. All Tandoor Morni charcoal and wood-fired models — CS03, CS04, CU02, CU04, CU06, R26, R28, and R32 — are designed for outdoor use only. Charcoal and wood fires produce carbon monoxide during operation, which is harmful without outdoor ventilation. Gas models are for indoor use under a ventilation hood.

How often should I re-season the tandoor clay pot?

Re-season using Tandoor Oven Curing Paste AS05 once every 4 to 6 months. This re-seasoning process — the most important tandoori oven maintenance task — maintains clay surface hardness and extends the service life of the tandoor. Regular re-application keeps the clay surface well-conditioned and preserves authentic cooking character over years of service.

What is the difference between gas and charcoal tandoor curing?

The Curing Paste AS05 application process is identical for all 19 models — four coats with 10-minute absorption intervals. The only difference is the heat source during the 100-hour curing period. Gas models use the gas burner at 20–35 percent of the yellow valve range. Charcoal and wood-fired models use their charcoal or hardwood fuel. Both heat at 20 percent to start, increasing to 35 percent maximum after 30 hours. The rest of the tandoori oven maintenance routine is the same.

What should I do if I smell gas from my tandoor?

Turn off the gas supply immediately. Extinguish any open flames. Lift the tandoor lid to ventilate the area. If the odour persists, evacuate and contact your gas supplier or the fire department. Do not attempt to light the tandoor until the leak has been identified and repaired by a certified gas technician. Full emergency procedure is in the Gas Tandoor Manual.

Where can I buy replacement parts and accessories?

All Tandoor Morni accessories — including Tandoor Oven Curing Paste AS05, Tandoor Oven Thermocouple AS12, Gas Tandoor Pilot Assembly AS13, Digital Thermometer Gun AS16, Tandoor Clay Pot Repair Kit AS08, Tandoor Skewers Ring AS10, Tandoor Heat Resistant Gloves AS15, and Tandoor Cover – All-Weather Protection AS14 — are available online at tandoormorni.com with free shipping, so routine tandoori oven maintenance never waits on a part, or for same-day purchase at any of our 9 showrooms across the USA and Canada. View all 17 accessories →

How to use a tandoor oven for the first time

Season the clay pot first (see the curing steps above), then follow the lighting procedure for your fuel type. On a gas model, remove the lid, hold the red button on the safety valve while lighting the pilot, then open the yellow valve slowly. On a charcoal or wood-fired model, light the fuel through the side window, never from the top. Let the oven heat for about 30 minutes before cooking, keep the lid partly open while it runs, and clean the floor every 3 to 4 days as basic tandoori oven maintenance. Both official manuals walk through this step by step: Gas Tandoor Oven Operation Manual and Charcoal & Wood-Fired Tandoor Oven Manual.

How to light a tandoor oven safely

Always light from the side window, never from the top, and never lean over the mouth of the oven. Gas models: inspect the Tandoor Oven Flexible Gas Hose & Commercial Gas Connector Kit AS01 and run the soap-water leak test, then light the pilot with the red safety button held for at least 2 minutes before opening the yellow valve. Charcoal models: use good quality lump charcoal, light it through the side window, and wait for a steady glow before cooking. If the flame on a gas model is small or smoky yellow, shut it down and call a certified gas technician; the Tandoor Oven Burner AS06, Tandoor Oven Thermocouple AS12 or Gas Tandoor Pilot Assembly AS13 are the usual replacements. Watch the lighting video in the Model Finder above for your model.

How does a tandoor oven work, and what temperature does it reach?

Tandoor oven temperature does the cooking: a fully heated clay wall runs between about 450 and 900 Degree Fahrenheit (230 to 480 Degree Celsius). Use the lower range for slow-roasting whole chicken or lamb and the upper range for naan and kebabs. During curing, keep the heat much lower: 20 percent of the yellow valve range for the first 30 hours, then no more than 35 percent. Measure the wall with the Digital Thermometer Gun AS16; never run any model at full heat capacity; the temperature of tandoor oven walls should be measured, not guessed.

What does routine tandoori oven maintenance involve?

Daily: wipe the stainless steel exterior, scrub skewers in warm soapy water, and on gas models run the soap-water leak test and inspect the gas hose before lighting. Every 3 to 4 days: clean burned residue off the oven floor (on charcoal models, remove ash the next morning once the oven is cool). Every 4 to 6 months: re-season the clay with Tandoor Oven Curing Paste AS05. As needed: fill cracks with the Tandoor Clay Pot Repair Kit AS08, replace worn gas parts through a certified technician, and keep the oven covered when it is off with the Stainless Steel Tandoor Oven Lid AS11 or, outdoors, the Tandoor Cover – All-Weather Protection AS14. Our daily inspection checklist covers the full routine.

What kind of clay is used for a tandoor oven?

The clay for tandoor oven pots at Tandoor Morni is natural fire clay that is hand-formed and kiln-fired, then set in an insulated stainless steel or copper body. Because fired clay stays slightly porous, it must be sealed with Tandoor Oven Curing Paste AS05 before first use. Hairline cracks during curing are normal; larger cracks are repaired with the Tandoor Clay Pot Repair Kit AS08. See signs of burner or clay damage for what to watch for.

Tandoor Operation Manual & Tandoori Oven Maintenance Guide

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Call +1 (727) 251-6924 or email info@tandoormorni.com — we'll help you find the right manual or answer your tandoori oven maintenance question.

What is a tandoor oven? It is a thick-walled clay pot, open at the top, set inside a stainless steel or copper body and packed with insulation. Heat from a gas burner at the base (or a charcoal or wood fire on the oven floor) soaks into the clay, and the clay then radiates that heat back from every direction at once. Naan is slapped onto the hot inner wall and cooks in about a minute; skewered meats hang vertically in the rising heat, so fat drips down and bastes the fire. That combination of radiant wall heat, convection from the open mouth, and smoke from drippings is what gives tandoori food its character and is why a tandoor cannot be replaced by a conventional oven. It is also why tandoori oven maintenance centres on the clay: keep the pot sealed and clean and everything else follows.

Tandoor oven temperature

A working tandoor runs far hotter than a kitchen oven. Once heated through, the clay wall sits between roughly 450 and 900 Degree Fahrenheit (about 230 to 480 Degree Celsius), depending on the dish: the lower end for slow-roasting whole chicken or lamb, the upper end for naan and kebabs. Gas models hold temperature with the yellow gas valve; charcoal and wood-fired models hold it by the amount of fuel on the floor. Never run either type at full heat; heat control is part of tandoori oven maintenance. Check the wall with the Digital Thermometer Gun AS16 rather than guessing. A cold tandoor needs about 30 minutes to come up to cooking heat. The temperature of tandoor oven walls, not the flame, is what cooks the food.

Clay for tandoor oven

Tandoor Morni clay pots are hand-formed from natural fire clay and fired before they leave the factory. If you have ever asked how does a tandoor oven work so well with bread, the answer is this clay. Clay is porous, which is why every new pot must be seasoned with Tandoor Oven Curing Paste AS05 before first use: the paste soaks in, seals the surface, and hardens as the oven is slowly brought up to heat. Fine hairline cracks that appear during curing are normal and let the clay expand. Larger cracks are filled with the Tandoor Clay Pot Repair Kit AS08, and the floor lining is topped up with Tandoor Oven Clay Balls AS07. Re-season every 4 to 6 months, and with that basic tandoori oven maintenance the pot will last for years of daily service.

Feature	Gas Tandoor ManualCH02 · CH04 · CH06 · T02 · T04 · T06 · CS01 · CS02 · A02 · A04 · A06	Charcoal & Wood-Fired ManualCS03 · CS04 · CU02 · CU04 · CU06 · R26 · R28 · R32
Use environment	Indoors — ventilation hood required	Outdoors only
Fuel type	Natural gas or propane	Charcoal (CU/CS series) or hardwood (R series)
Installation	Certified gas technician required	No installation required
Daily safety check	Soap-water leak test before every use	Visual fire & grease inspection
Heat control	Yellow gas valve (never at full)	Charcoal/wood quantity (never at full)
Light from	Side window only	Side window (fuel loaded from top)
Certifications	CSA Gas Certified + NSF/ANSI 4	Outdoor use — no gas certification required
Curing method	Curing Paste AS05 + gas burner, 100 hrs at 20–35%	Curing Paste AS05 + charcoal/wood, 100 hrs at 20–35%
Tandoori oven maintenance: re-season	Every 4–6 months	Every 4–6 months

Tandoor Operation Manual& Tandoori Oven Maintenance Guide

Which Tandoor Operation Manual Do I Need? Find Your Model

Choose your series

Choose your size

Restaurant Tandoor Oven CH02

Natural Gas Tandoor Oven CH04

Middle Eastern Tandoor Oven CH06

Indian Tandoor Oven T02

CSA ETL NSF Tandoor Oven T04

Punjabi Tandoor Oven T06

Round Catering Clay Tandoor Oven CS01

Food Truck Tandoor Oven CS02

Propane Gas Tandoor Oven A02

Stainless Steel Tandoor Oven A04

Large Indoor Tandoor Oven A06

Portable Charcoal Catering Tandoor Oven CS03

Square Catering Charcoal Tandoor Oven CS04

Charcoal Tandoor Oven CU02

Clay Tandoor Oven CU04

Traditional Tandoor Oven CU06

Mini Clay Tandoor Oven Home R26

Wood Fired Tandoor Oven R28

Large Outdoor Tandoor Oven R32

How to Season a Tandoor — What Every New Owner Must Do Before First Use

What Is a Tandoor Oven and How Does a Tandoor Oven Work?

Tandoor oven temperature

Clay for tandoor oven

Key Differences Between the Two Manual Types

Section-by-Section Comparison

Gas Tandoor Oven Manual (CH02 · CH04 · CH06 · T02 · T04 · T06 · CS01 · CS02 · A02 · A04 · A06)

Charcoal & Wood-Fired Manual (CS03 · CS04 · CU02 · CU04 · CU06 · R26 · R28 · R32)

Gas Tandoor or Charcoal Tandoor — Which Is Right for You?

Choose a Gas Tandoor Oven if…

Choose a Charcoal Tandoor Oven if…

Choose the Manual for Your Tandoor Oven Model

Tandoor Morni — 30+ Years of Tandoor Expertise Since 1992

How to Season a Tandoor — Clay Pot Curing Quick Reference with Tandoor Oven Curing Paste AS05

Tandoor Oven Accessories — Available Online

Tandoor Operation Manual & Tandoori Oven Maintenance — FAQs

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