seashells for retaining heat in oven

[oventhusiast]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

Hey Mavano!
I hear you! Chopped, whole, soft-shell (steamers), quahogs, littlenecks, oysters, etc., I LOVE 'em all! One of my first jobs (I was about 10 or 11 years old) was shucking clams, (for fried clams) and my older 'co-workers' would light the charcoal (dish shaped) grill, lay down some aluminum foil and throw the clams on with butter and salt. I've been hooked on shellfish ever since!!

[lwood]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

LOL...Agreed oventhusiast

[MAVANO]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

very delicious,why chop them, their good as they are ,raw or baked, I want to know and look at what I'm eating, when chopped don't know whats in it unless I chop them,got them from your area in Mass. Cape Cod.very tasty.

[oventhusiast]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

The only reason for having seashells in your oven is if their stuffed with chopped clams, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil!
Yummy!

[azpizzanut]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

Hi All,

I don't see an application for it in my 36" oven but there could be a plus or two for a larger oven if there were no options.

1. You could cover a hot spot with crushed shell, or
2. Place hot shells over a cool spot.

It would require that you know your oven well enough to manage its heat characteristics and use the shells as a way to moderate the thermal environment.

Time required for heat saturation may not be an issue for everyone . It certainly could be if you are on a time schedule or if you have to pay for fuel wood though. Otherwise, heating additional mass may have been a practice in past eras that we simply have no need for today.

Happy New Year !!

[Tscarborough]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

If you shovel them in after firing, they will simply suck heat out of the oven mass. If you have them in the oven during firing, they will simply extend the time required for heat saturation. I am not seeing a plus either way.

[david s]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

"Thomas Jefferson had slaves"
And they did a lot more for him than just crushing his shells.

[lwood]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

ok ok ok---- just a thought I had,(mind fart excuse me) with all these left over clams and oyster (Christmass dinner) shells its a shame that all these shells will go to the garbage hill, got to be a good use for them,,,, too much vino rosso )))

Line your paths with crushed oyster shells, natural lighting . The problem is crushing the shells. Thomas Jefferson had slaves

[MAVANO]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

Thanks for the replies to all
Pizza in the WFO!!!!! its too cold I would love it but the thought of the wet and cold outdoors,,, not my favorite thing,,I would love it if only a little warmer,
seafood is not favorable in the summer but I will give it a shot one summer day.
As for the shells, I was thinking of more for bread baking to keep more heat in the oven longer without saturating the mass so much, just thinking out loud

[RTflorida]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

Like I said in my first post, it is worth a try. The masses may be wrong. Since you have them and they are headed to the trash anyway, go for it. I do have one suggestion, seems appropriate to try a seafood pizza for your test.

RT

[MAVANO]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

ok ok ok---- just a thought I had,(mind fart excuse me) with all these left over clams and oyster (Christmass dinner) shells its a shame that all these shells will go to the garbage hill, got to be a good use for them,,,, too much vino rosso )))

[RTflorida]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

Exactly, you have to have a heat source for a certain period of time. Once you have achieved your goal temp and the mass is saturated, you can then work off of that heat. More mass means a longer cooking time (provided you have also followed the mantra - insulate, Insulate, INSULATE).
As for using less fuel (wood in this case), I don't see how that is possible. As I mentioned before, pizza is cooked in the most inefficient manor - no door, great heat loss, but the result is the best pizza. If you are going to do pizza without fire or at least coals, you might as well buy a $50 pizza stone and use your gas or electic oven.

Roasting or baking is the most efficient with an insulated door in place, no fire. More mass is beneficial and leads to longer bakes, BUT, you have to have fire long enough to saturate the mass. More mass to saturate = more fuel. You would not be adding more wood during the baking process as the original post suggests, the fire and coals would be removed for baking.

Personally, I don't think my wood consumption is excessive. Once up to pizza temp I only use 1 log or split (roughly 2 1/2" diameter) for every 2 pizzas. That is on a slow night where I am socializing (eating and drinking too) in between building the pies. If we go for producton it is 4 or 5 pizzas per each additional log.

RT

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

My late father-in-law, an MIT grad and heat-transfer specialist kept on telling me - you can't get heat out of anything unless you put the heat in first. If you want increased residual heat, engineer more thermal mass into your dome and floor.

[lwood]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

It sounds like the shells would act as an insulator the same way ashes do. I think it was Windage that described putting ashes around the inside perimeter of the oven floor to slow down heat loss in his giant oven. The shells will certainly NOT add any energy to the oven. There is nothing to burn. Sea shells have been used for many different purposes over the years. Thomas Jefferson used them for path-ways at his home in Virginia, Monticello. They have an illuminating property that sort of glows in the moon-light. And of course, tennis courts. Bugeetees is what we call it here in RP. Crushed sea shells have been used for decades as a tennis playing surface. It's much like European red clay. But as an energy source, forget it.

[david s]

Re: seashells for retaining heat in oven

What, the axles?