42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

[dvm]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

deejayoh

Thanks for the info on the fibers in the cement and the head's up on the landing. I am actually planning two curved counters on either side that tie together in the middle. I currently have 8 inches of stand in front of my landing and I only plan to extend that two inches. I hope to get the framing done tonight, Photos will make it more clear.

[deejayoh]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

dvm -

Looks good. I used those fibers in my concrete pour, and had no problems with them showing once I ground and polished

One question for you - how deep is your landing going to be? I ask because mine is about 15" deep - hangs out about 4" beyond my stand. I found that even adding that little bit made it more difficult to place pizzas in the oven. It looks like you might have quite a deep landing. Have you tried working that far from the oven yet?

[dvm]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

I had a lot of fun over the weekend - I enjoy tackling new projects. I poured my corbels then exposed the aggregate, in the style of Gulf. I started with a wet sponge, then a nylon brush, then a steel brush - I took photos to show the progression.

So I am framing the landing, then hearth on the adjacent fireplace and the seating on the adjacent pony wall this weekend - hope to pour the following week. We shall see.
I have 10 pounds of dry pigment. I am thinking of using
QUIKRETE Crack Resistant Concrete Mix which says:
"4000 psi (27.6 MPa) construction grade concrete, consisting of a uniformly blended and properly proportioned mixture of aggregates, Portland cement, air-entraining admixtures, special synthetic reinforcing fibers, and other concrete approved ingredients."
If I later grind and polish this slab, will I have fibers visible at the polished surface?

[dvm]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Gulf
Thanks for the heads up on the landing. The front of the enclosure and outer arch sits 8 inches back from the front edge of the stand. I plan to make a landing the extends 24 inches from the enclosure on the left and right with rounded edges that sweep back to about 10 inch depth in front of the enclosure - the 2 inch will over hang my planned veneer stone.

[Gulf]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Actually the roasts turned out a little too smokey. And again, it might be the gravy from the onions, garlic, and drippings that absorbed the smoke. I used that for a side of rice. I only had seasoned red oak to fire and later smoke with. I will be slicing the rest for sandwiches. They should not be to smokey for that. It is a learning process. I have been given a wind fell pecan tree to remove. I am seasoning some old growth scupernine vine at the moment. Will try it again later.

I figured you had it covered on supporting the corbels, I just had to ask. Since you mentioned my build and the corbels, did you read the warning that Karangi Dude gave me about the depth of the landing?
Again, Just wondering .

[dvm]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Laurentis
I am cooking with Almond wood and added a few hand fulls of Hickory. The meat was on a rack over a 4 inch pan. My plan was to cook the meat from the retained heat in the oven and have active embers smoking for flavor. In attempt to retain heat I starved my embers. I used the word creosote to describe soot on the meat which i think was the result of smoldering embers in a cooling oven.
I cooked the meat to 180 on the thermometer - It still had moisture but no hint of red - which was more "done" than I like. I will try for an IT of 140.

[dvm]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Gulf
I am interested to hear how you roasts turn out. My Brisket was not bad - but not ideal. I intended to leave 1/4 of fat but in-fact left a 6 inch by 8 inch by 1.5 inch high slab of fat - into which I placed my meat thermometer - which I think is why I was on the verge of over cooking the meat even thought the probe (the probe built into my indoor oven) only read 180

I prepped the corbels today. - yes I drilled in several bars of re-bar in each at differing angles. I will plan to pour one evening, remove the forms the next day and and see what works. I will escalate from sponge to nylon brush to steel brush as needed.

[Laurentius]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Hi DVM,

I smoked brickets to make pastrami all the time in my oven and never had a cresote coating. Are burning treated lumber or some green wood? I smoke my meat on bricks supported Tuscan grill, so the the meat is high in the dome and place fruit wood chunks on ash covered coal and once the start smoking I seal the door with no air flow, ever hour or so I open the door to allow air the bring the cinder back to life and repeat the process. rea results, no problems.

[V-wiz]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Thank's V-wiz,
I have been lurking over there with the "Brethren". A lot of good info there too. I never trim the fat, I just tell my wife that I selected lean beaf and trimmed the excess fat . I have never used a meat thermometer, though that is next on my list .

Ya, alot of good stuff there. The only time i trim off the fat cap is when im doing tri tip or any other tender cuts, other than that, such as Brisket its good to leave a 1/4" of fat cap, it will render and drip off & into the meat anyways. Some will disagree either way, and will trim off the fat to get a nice char/bark & seasoning, you will have to play with it and see what you like. Regarding the meat thermometer, i have one of these, been working great so far and its cheap.Amazon.com: Maverick Wireless BBQ Thermometer Set - Maverick ET73: Kitchen & Dining

[Gulf]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Thank's V-wiz,
I have been lurking over there with the "Brethren". A lot of good info there too. I never trim the fat, I just tell my wife that I selected lean beaf and trimmed the excess fat . I have never used a meat thermometer, though that is next on my list .

[V-wiz]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Good stuff there man. Next time take the meat IT over 200F so you get shredded beef, or if you want to slice dont over cook it, take it to 130-140 IT. Also dont trim the fat, thats where the flavor is.

[Gulf]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Thank's for the info on the probe. Your brisket set me on fire to try a couple of chuck roasts. They are in the oven now. I have a damper to play with so along with my vented door I am using it to help control air flow while searing and smoking in the oven. I did not clear the dome, just wanted to get it heated up enough for this cook. We'll see .

If you have any type of intricate designs or want to preserve the 90 degree corners and crisp lines of your form, 12 hours will not be enough. If not, a tooth brush would work at 12 hours. I went 12 to 16 hours and used a small stainless steel brush. I did not try a sponge. That might give a better effect. I would try it (or steel wool) if I were you. If it doesn't expose as much aggreagate as you want it to, you could always go back to the brush. I am sure that the SS brush would work 24 or a little more hours into the cure.

I looked back at your build and am wondering how you are supporting the corbels? I may have missed something. Did you drill some holes in your stand to insert some rebar? I am sure you have thought this thru, just wondering .

[dvm]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Hi Gulf

The meat thermometer has a 36 " probe (I got it several years ago - possibly from HD). The probe attaches to a sending unit and the receiving display works anywhere in the back yard (but not in the house).

The Brisket was ok, Then chicken I cooked last week was better. With the brisket - I was going for a very low temp - in order to maintain the heat, I was very stingy with air flow into the oven. The result is that my wood did not produce smoke as well as with a more open door. Also with the poor air circulation, the meat was a bit coated in creosote - easily trimmed off with the crust - But I generally like eating the crust! Next time I will start with a hotter oven and allow more air flow - I think think a door with vents will be part of the answer eventually.

I am prepping to put a landing in front of my oven - I am going to pour cement corbels followed by a poured and polished landing. I want to try exposing the aggregate in the corbels (as you did). I am using bagged redi-crete and I plan to vibrate the pour (a wand in the cement - not a form vibrator). If I pour on a 65 degree day (we even dipped below 32 degrees last night - but that won't last a week around here) - how long before I should remove the form - 12 or 24 hour? Also to expose the aggregate are talking sponge or wire brush?

[Gulf]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Look's great DVM,

I seared and presmoked one before putting it in the oven. I haven't tried a brisket with the wood chips in the oven yet. But, that is next on the list. How did the smoke flavor turn out? Also, how long is the cable on the meat probe?

[dvm]

Re: 42" FB Pompeii Oven with 19" dome, and adjacent fireplace, in the O.C.

Something New
I smoked a Brisket today. I fired the oven Tuesday evening (and made pizza). This morning at 8 am (Saturday) the temp was 275 on the back wall. I clean out the ash and put in cold almond wood coals, one stick of almond fire wood and a handful of Hickory chips. I got them burning the placed the Brisket in the oven on a rack over an aluminum foil pan.. I had prepped the meat with a rub the night before. I put my door on but propped it up so air entered under the door.
I put a thermometer in the meat and another k-wire thermometer in the air (on the rack) next to the meat.
The first three hours I applied a mop sauce to the meat and a new handful of hickory chips to the embers once an hour.
At 1 O'Clock the over air temp was down to 210 and the meat temp had reached 160; the meat temp was climbing VERY slowly. I decided the meat was adequately smoked so I removed it, mopped one more time and covered with foil, placing it in the 300 degree oven in the house.
At 5 pm the temp probe read 180 and I pulled the meat out (I thought I was going to 190 but could not wait any longer). I discovered that the probe was in a large chunk of fat ( I trimmed the meat the night before but had not recognized this slab of fat). Served it up with garlic mashed potatoes, butter nut squash and broccoli.. Next time I will trim better and ensure the probe is in meat not fat - the meat was nearly over cooked. I think I will also start cooking about 12 hours earlier (at around 325 - 300 degrees). One day a door with adjustable slots will allow better control of temp and smoke.