Newbie bread baking question

[dbhansen]

How would one go about baking multiple batches of bread in a Pompeii-style oven? As the temperature decreases, would you just toss in some more fuel in betwen batches? I'm still deciding between the barrel vault and Pompeii designs, but it seems to me that you could get multiple batches of bread out of a round pizza oven as long as you are willing to take the time to add some fuel between batches. Am I correct? How long would it take to get the temp back up (typically)? I just don't want to regret building a round, thin oven if it turns out that I want to make tons more bread than I anticipate right now. Of course, I know there are easy ways to make the oven a bit thicker without compromising its functionality for pizza.

- Daren

[RTflorida]

Re: Newbie bread baking question

I'm not a bread baker but I have read where the guys (and gals) usually bake different types of bread based on the oven/hearth temp. They start with bread requiring 550-600, as it cools to 500-550 in goes a more suitable bread for that temp and so on.
One day, when I'm felling really gutsy, I will jump on the bread baking bandwagon.......when I do, I will go straight to canuckjim's bread baking ebook. Jim seems to be a true artist with his breads...at the very least, check out his hundreds of posts. He really knows his stuff. Another more recent member who seems really into bread - Dutchoven- check out his posts. The day is rapidly coming for me to pick their brains on bread.
Good Luck
RT

[CanuckJim]

Re: Newbie bread baking question

Daren,

While it would be theoretically possible to refire the oven, it really isn't a practical method. As RT points out, most of us simply manage which breads go in when to take advantage of the heat curve. If you're looking for multiple batches, you should consider more mass on your oven, but remember that the penalty is longer firing times and higher fuel consumption. This mass consideration holds true no matter which style of oven you choose.

Jim