Heating with propane

[cedar56]

I have been using a back-yard wood fired oven since 1999...lots of great pizza, bread, turkeys, you name it!....until about a month ago when local fire bylaws changed and I can no longer burn wood. Ahhhghhhghhghh! The burning bylaw does allow charcoal briquettes, lump charcoal or gas. After a couple of expensive attempts with the first two fuels (neither achieved the oven temperatures that I was used to with wood) I am thinking of using some form of propane burner. My current plan is to design some form of pipe burner that runs the length of the oven floor with a venturi air intake and safety shut-off valves outside the oven cavity (something like this one from Charles Hone Inc. http://www.charlesahones.com/gas_burners.htm).

Anyone have any experience with using gas or thoughts on design?

[dmun]

I don't know where you are, but in the UK, anthracite coal is considered a smokeless fuel, and produces immense heat. Serious pizza in NYC is coal fired. You need some kind of grate to allow for air from the bottom of the fire, and the volume of ashes is somewhat greater. It might be worth a try before digging up the yard for a gas line.

[james]

Ouch

Hey Cedar,

Where are you located and who wrote the law? I am wondering if the wood-ban covers fireplace, but not ovens. I have had interactions with various departments where they admit that their concern is wood as a heat source -- which does cause an air quality problem, but not with wood burning ovens. The ovens are used much less frequently, and burn more efficiently than a traditional fireplace. So, they have not included ovens in those laws.

Do you think you can ask them to clarify if your oven qualifies?

I have some thoughts on propone, but they come under the heading of "if all else fails". Before then, hopefully, someone can explain their faulty logic.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

[FlGator]

Propane is unlikely to provide the smoky dry heat and would not produce results like wood. I would suggest a big bag of charcoal for show and continue to cook with wood.

Silly laws deserve silly responses.

[lenneest]

Re: Heating with propane

Hi...ran accross this old post. Did you ever modify it with propane..I am considering doing something similar.

[asudavew]

Re: Heating with propane

I tried propane during the early life of my oven.
I had two 1" venturi burners.......

After hours of heating the oven, it failed to reach even 300f.

In my opinion, its not worth the effort.
Wood is the only way to go.

[bill721ep]

Re: Heating with propane

hi all im new to all this and this is my first post. I dont know if I should bring this up in a "wood fired forum" but here goes. If im out of line I appologize. I have a chance of getting a bakers pride elect countertop pizza oven at a pretty good price. Its a 220 volt model, p22s--bl the bl is for brick lined. It has 2 decks and the temp goes to apx 750 degrees( im not sure it will get that high). Does anyone have any experience with this model oven. Right now I have a SODIR counter top oven 120 volt model and it fits the bill. We do alot of traveling in our motorhome and use it on the road,its ok but not great...i appreciate any and all feedback and any ideas you have ,and is there any other elect pizza oven you can suggest. thanks so much. before I hand over about 1500 bucks for a bakers pride oven i want to be sure Im making a right move. Bill

[dmun]

Re: Heating with propane

hi all im new to all this and this is my first post. I dont know if I should bring this up in a "wood fired forum" but here goes.

You're certainly welcome to post here, but I'm not sure anyone will have experience with the specific unit you're asking about. In case you don't get any feedback, you might try the threads at the PMQ forum: They are commercial pizza operators who probably use electric ovens day and night.

[Ken524]

Re: Heating with propane

You can cook pizza with electricity?

[100million]

Re: Heating with propane

if anyone what to know how to heat a wood-fired pizza oven with Propane to temps of 1000+......I know exactly how and safely with no worries about expolding oven.....This way is safe and has pilot and auto regulator.... This system is 100% safe and will not let you light the burner or will not let gas out of the burner with out the pilot light lite.

and it is under 250.00 US

If you want to know send me a private email and we can talk

Thanks

Chris

[dmun]

Re: Heating with propane

Do keep this to private messages. It is the policy of the Forum that gas firing in home ovens isn't safe and shouldn't be done.

[Neil2]

Re: Heating with propane

Coal.

I sometimes cook with coal if I'm having a big group and want a higher temperature. Lots of people say it is the best pizza they have ever had.