Roasting a whole or half a lamb in wfo

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Roasting a whole or half a lamb in wfo

Hi Jay

So a wfo with the door on, and the coals taken out is considered 'moist'?

Yes, you're so right I checked the meat when I did.

Given your description of the lamb make me want to have another go ASAP! But it'll have to wait.

Yes, I would be concerned about drying it out.

P de D

[muppety1]

Re: Roasting a whole or half a lamb in wfo

As a reference for Pig, I tried a large 7kg leg using a meat thermometer -with the door shut, ( not a really good fit !) . This took 5 hours and even had crackling.
The leg was in an iron Paella pan which it did overhang a bit.

[lwood]

Re: Roasting a whole or half a lamb in wfo

Muppety - what temperature was the oven?

[texassourdough]

Re: Roasting a whole or half a lamb in wfo

Hi Tim/PdeD!

A WFO is more moist than gas ovens for sure. With electric ovens it depends.

WFOs are "moister" because with the door closed the exchange of "air" in the oven is limited. As water evaporates out of dough (or meat) it humidifies the oven (and actually pushes out some oxygen and more nitrogen). The relatively high humidity encourages gelatinization of dough which is the precursor to crust. On meat it just helps reduce drying out. In another email you said the "steaks" were a bit dry. Were they actually "dry" or more "well done"/overcooked which tends to come across as dry. With slower cooking they would have softened and probably felt more moist to the tongue. (Think of a barely cooked pot roast that feels tough and dry and a longer cooked one that falls apart).

NOTE: WFOs do lose humidity over time and that is good - it is important in getting great crust. You want the dough to bake in a gradually less humid environment so it is relatively dry at the end and you get a great curst. In regular ovens you usually remove the steam generation device after about 15 minutes. In WFOs the humidity just slowly wanes as steam escapes. Part of the magic of the WFO.
Jay

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Roasting a whole or half a lamb in wfo

Thanks for the clarification, Jay.

As for the 'steaks', you are absolutely right - they were well done, or very well done, not dry. They fell apart very easily.

Now, I don't have a door as such to my wfo - just the way I built it I'm afraid. I have to rely upon blocking the entrance with firebricks. Not very quick, but sort of works, but there is always a gap for air to exit/enter. That's not deliberate, like I say, and something I guess I'm stuck with.

I think when i started out building the oven, I had in mind pizza only, and didn't give any serious thought to a door.

Puy de D

[muppety1]

Re: Roasting a whole or half a lamb in wfo

Hi - IWood - PdeD.
The oven was at 190f according to the meat thermometer-(after 3hours of cooking,I do not have an infra red one), but I left the leg in for longer just to try it out really.
The door, or rather the 'lump of wood ' that thinks its a door was on all the time.