Hola y Buenos Dias.....I'm so glad to have found this forum and look forward to learning and sharing. I started my first fire in my new oven yesterday and reviewing posts has already helped with my anxiety and education...thanks!!
My wife Vaughn and I love to cook. We prefer gas to electric for indoors and enjoy outdoor BBQ. My speciality is making Paella over a wood fire which I've done for as many as 60 people. We are fortunate enough to enjoy a Villa on the east coast of Spain and purchased a wood fired oven over a year ago. I have been coming to Javea (Xabia) Spain for 35 years since my parents built a villa here and retired in the late '70's. They had 30 great years here. (Are you familar with the Fallas of Valencia? The burn over 500 statues in march among continuous fireworks! talk about pyro's)
I finally installed the oven last spring. It is a package oven unit built in Spain and found in the hardware/building supply stores here. The one we bought was damaged/cracked but it will not impact the finished produce. It is a one meter diameter oven (inside) with a small hearth and frontal chimney with damper. The door is a removable cast steel panel with twin dampers and an inspection hole. Basically a round formed firebrick dome, built on a firebrick base with a steel collar and rings for lifting. It has a coating on the outside. It comes with a concrete stand/base.
I installed the oven in a corner of two concrete walls outside on a terrace. I then put some forms in the three corners formed by the round oven and the two walls to pour some concrete on and plug these openings. I purchased a product called "arlite" which is lightweight clay balls used for gardening and insulation purposes. I used "yeso" which is basically plaster of paris as a binder. (First attempt was a disaster as I mixed the balls and the plaster in a cement mixture...what a mess since it set up too fast.) Then I just worked up an outer form and poured the clay balls inside as I worked it's way up. I used the plaster of paris mixture to cement the balls in place and also some chicken wire to help the support. I used a lot of the clay balls and the finished produce it pretty large. I ended up by skinning the whole oven with two layers of cement.
So this lump of an oven cured for 8 months in the hot spanish sun. Yesteday I started a small fire and continued to feed it for 24 hours finally reaching the clear/white phase inside today. It's been a fun first day after waiting such a long time...I think 18 months since purchasing due to remodeling work on the old villa. I've got a digital laser thermometer which has been great.
What I've learned the first day is causing some modifications. I am going to build a warming oven under the unit since the hearth base is accessible and it's warm under there. By enclosing this space I can help retain heat under the hearth and have a useful place for slow cooking, heating plates, drying foods, etc. I'll have a door made to fit the opening I create.
The rest of the base is used to store firewood. We got a load of olive wood today. Other wood available is pine and orange. Interesting...
Again thanks for your posts, they've helped. Any questions or comments are welcome.
We're so looking forward to a weekend of cooking. I need to look at recipes now!
No what should be on my menu list??
Start with some Pizzas or Cocas/coques (small pizzas)
Roast Lamb, maybe some chickens
Eggplant, red peppers and onions
Halved red onions with honey and balsamic
Bread of course.
What are some of your favorites?
My wife Vaughn and I love to cook. We prefer gas to electric for indoors and enjoy outdoor BBQ. My speciality is making Paella over a wood fire which I've done for as many as 60 people. We are fortunate enough to enjoy a Villa on the east coast of Spain and purchased a wood fired oven over a year ago. I have been coming to Javea (Xabia) Spain for 35 years since my parents built a villa here and retired in the late '70's. They had 30 great years here. (Are you familar with the Fallas of Valencia? The burn over 500 statues in march among continuous fireworks! talk about pyro's)
I finally installed the oven last spring. It is a package oven unit built in Spain and found in the hardware/building supply stores here. The one we bought was damaged/cracked but it will not impact the finished produce. It is a one meter diameter oven (inside) with a small hearth and frontal chimney with damper. The door is a removable cast steel panel with twin dampers and an inspection hole. Basically a round formed firebrick dome, built on a firebrick base with a steel collar and rings for lifting. It has a coating on the outside. It comes with a concrete stand/base.
I installed the oven in a corner of two concrete walls outside on a terrace. I then put some forms in the three corners formed by the round oven and the two walls to pour some concrete on and plug these openings. I purchased a product called "arlite" which is lightweight clay balls used for gardening and insulation purposes. I used "yeso" which is basically plaster of paris as a binder. (First attempt was a disaster as I mixed the balls and the plaster in a cement mixture...what a mess since it set up too fast.) Then I just worked up an outer form and poured the clay balls inside as I worked it's way up. I used the plaster of paris mixture to cement the balls in place and also some chicken wire to help the support. I used a lot of the clay balls and the finished produce it pretty large. I ended up by skinning the whole oven with two layers of cement.
So this lump of an oven cured for 8 months in the hot spanish sun. Yesteday I started a small fire and continued to feed it for 24 hours finally reaching the clear/white phase inside today. It's been a fun first day after waiting such a long time...I think 18 months since purchasing due to remodeling work on the old villa. I've got a digital laser thermometer which has been great.
What I've learned the first day is causing some modifications. I am going to build a warming oven under the unit since the hearth base is accessible and it's warm under there. By enclosing this space I can help retain heat under the hearth and have a useful place for slow cooking, heating plates, drying foods, etc. I'll have a door made to fit the opening I create.
The rest of the base is used to store firewood. We got a load of olive wood today. Other wood available is pine and orange. Interesting...
Again thanks for your posts, they've helped. Any questions or comments are welcome.
We're so looking forward to a weekend of cooking. I need to look at recipes now!
No what should be on my menu list??
Start with some Pizzas or Cocas/coques (small pizzas)
Roast Lamb, maybe some chickens
Eggplant, red peppers and onions
Halved red onions with honey and balsamic
Bread of course.
What are some of your favorites?
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