seashells for retaining heat in oven

[Neil2]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

Put them back in the ocean.

[david s]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

I have heard of people putting in a couple of car axles, this is the same principle. Use something really dense to store more heat. The trouble is that it takes up cooking space, probably easier to maintain a fire on the side which also gives you an oven light. i prefer to leave the axles in my car where they are more useful.

[RTflorida]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

I can't believe they would do much. There is not much mass to a sea shell, I think they would be prone to heating up quickly and getting very hot, but would release the heat just as quickly. Unless you were to stack a very large quantity within your oven I don't see how they would retain much; might as well throw in the extra firebricks.
You have to remember, the primary heat loss while cooking pizza is through the entry, you are not using a door. Like everything there are trade offs. If you want the best pizza, cook with the door off, and keep a small fire off to one side or in the back. The fire not only keeps the temp in the butter zone, but it also creates that rolling radiant heat that cooks the top of the pizza at roughly the same rate as the bottom. Simply adding another heat sink is not going replace the heat loss out of the entry, nor will it give that rolling radiant effect. Whether you are using wood, gas, coal, whatever, due to the heat loss you are going to have to replenish the fuel/heat source (fire) to stay where you want to be.
Retained heat cooking with no fire and the door closed is another matter.........

If you have the shells, what the hey, give it a try; just don't expect to drastically cut your wood consumption.

RT

[Lburou]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

don't missunderstant me what I mean is, to maintain heat in an oven while cooking in a pizza oven,instead of having to add wood to maintain high heat, I already have a brick oven built from forno bravo plans, and it works great thank you, just trying to find alternate fuel sources.

Glad to hear it

Still, it sounds pretty far out there, unless all you have is sea shells....Then, it would make sense.

[mn8tr]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

If they absorb and release heat I do not see why they would not work. You could get the same result by stacking fire brick in the oven. I do not have a clue about sea shells although it is an interesting idea.

[MAVANO]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

don't missunderstant me what I mean is, to maintain heat in an oven while cooking in a pizza oven,instead of having to add wood to maintain high heat, I already have a brick oven built from forno bravo plans, and it works great thank you, just trying to find alternate fuel sources.

[Lburou]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

Don't know about sea shells...

The (free) plans here at fornobravo incorporate mass in the construction in a way that is designed to rapidly absorb & hold the heat. We use firebricks.

Go to the Fornobravo store (top right corner of this page). Then, click on ebooks and CD's well down in the left column.

When you get there, pretend to 'buy' the plans (they are free). Put them in your cart, and proceed to buy them.

Follow the instructions, download the oven plans and study them at length....That is the secret to success.

[MAVANO]

May everyone have a prosperous new year,,,,

Has anyone heard of using clam shells and or oyster shells for retaining heat in oven to maintain a stable temp. ????? somewhere I read about placing shells after firing the oven to maintain heat, something about the shell heating up and staying hot to keep heat stable. I believe they are used in indoor cast iron stoves to keep it hot, without using so much wood,, anyone heard of this???????? :rolleyes


Phil