How hot can it go

[james]

That's a good point, and it reminds of another thing to do.

When you build your fire, start in the middle of the oven, the after that has caught and is burning nicely, build the fire out to the sides when you add more wood. Your fire becomes wider than way, which drives heat more evenly down into the cooking floor at all points.
James

[Alf]

Most folks think (and not unreasonably) that the hearth of an oven will be hottest under the fire or hot coals. This in fact is not true as the wood ash that the fire and hot coals sit on acts as an insulating material thus directing heat up to the ovens dome. The fire and hot coals will drive heat into the hearth and the hearth will store the heat, however, to get the ovens hearth and dome really hot for pizzas the flame needs to be licking across the ovens dome. The heat will then be absorbed by the hearth and dome.

Two tips I have found out regards cooking a lot of pizzas in a short time is: keep the ovens floor clean ? then most of the dough will come in contact with the hot hearth and cook evenly, and try not to put new pizzas into the oven on the same place on the hearth. If you alternate the place on the hearth where you deposit the new pizza it will allow the hearth to absorb heat and recover.

Alf

[PizzaArthur]

Thanks to all. Great advice.

I will try several things suggested including:
- "pre-heat" longer - 2 hours
- build fire outward with more wood
- take temp readings to identify problem area
- get fire roaring across oven dome

This weekend lots of people coming over so we'll see

[arevalo53anos]

PizzaArthur:

If you go to the "Pizza party for 35..." thread, you could see comments about fire management problems that I had in a big party, and some tips too.
The first attached picture shows a over charged oven (hot, hot, but not good to hearth temperatures)
The second one is ok.
I hope that helps.

Luis

[PizzaArthur]

Thanks Luis. That was a great post. I tend not to get a roaring fire like the ones you have in the pictures (and maybe that's a good thing). I do think you touched on the important point of air flow and making sure the hearth is able to be heated. I guess all of this stuff takes practice

[james]

I have always thought that having a little bit of pyromamia is a good thing for brick oven owners. You gotta' love Luis' first fire photo -- eehaah.
James

[DrakeRemoray]

I like to quote a senior member, Robert Musa, on this topic:

a big fire is inadequate. you need a "frightening" fire. one where your wife comes out and takes one look and then begins to berate you. a fire where the kids start saying "WOW dad that's cool. add some more wood!"


Original post here

Drake

[PizzaArthur]

I had great success yesterday with my oven. I preheated the oven for 2 hours and built the fire "out". The hearth was 900+! I also didn't place the pizza right next to the coals. You can see some pictures of my results over at pizzamaking.com

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/ind....html#msg34563

[james]

Ecellente!
James

[noosab]

First time to "white" all over dome

We've made some very good pizza but had never gotten the dome any where near soot free all over. Tonight we met that goal and learned that even 80 second pizza was too burnt on the bottom to enjoy. I wish I'd read this thread before tonight. The other ones I've read seem to encourage heating until all is soot free. Now I just hope that the oven is not too hot for our bread (brotchen) tomorrow morning for breakfast.
Earl

[james]

Isn't it great though

Earl,

If your choice is to get your oven a little too hot, and wait for a short time for it to come back to a nice temperature -- or, not be hot enough; I would always shoot high (hot). Worst case is you burn your first Focaccia as a sacrificial offering. I have always thought you should bake one Focaccia before you start cooking serious pizza; it's like the first pancake in the pan.

Then, the oven will be perfect.

Also, you have driven so much heat into your oven -- it will bake some great bread later. Though I am not sure it will hold that heat overnight.

Let us know how it goes. And post photos!
James

[texassourdough]

Some Observations

I have an infrared thermometer and I use it a lot, but what I find most useful is tossing some semolina on the hearth and watching it brown. I like for it to take about five seconds to char. If it is too fast the bottom will burn and if it is too slow the pizza won't brown.

I always burn the top clear - about an hour to 1:15 before I clear the oven. At that point my hearth floor is usually around a 1000 or so (off the scale in any event). I usually need to give the oven about 20 minutes to reach a usable temperature. My entry on Appetizers in the cooking section was targeted on using this extra hot oven to cook something useful.

As a warning to those of you just beginning, I once put a pizza with the hearth at about 950 and I had a totally charred pizza in about 45 seconds. (The dome was probably about 1050.)

My approach is to rake some coals out on the floor to recharge it some when it gets too cool.

I would agree that the best pizzas are made when the oven dome has flames to about the peak and the hearth is around 800 though I don't personally find 700 to be a big problem. 600 IS howver a problem IMO for the oven is simply to cool to give the caramalization you want.

Hope this helps!
Jay

[PizzaArthur]

Re: How hot can it go

BTW, now my oven gets to be 1000 on the floor after 45 minutes!

[maver]

Re: How hot can it go

PizzaArthur, 1000 degree floor, that's pretty hot for pizza and quite fast to that temperature. How often are your firing your oven? Can you share your thoughts on oven management, firing? Do you start with a kindling fire or a flamethrower (find Robert Musa's video )? Are you cooking pizza at that temp or do you let it drop a bit after initial heating.

[PizzaArthur]

Re: How hot can it go

maver,

I'm still a novice at this heat management thing, but here's what I do....

I start with some kindling and those fatwood sticks and maybe a small piece of oak on top....start it up then every 10 minutes or so add 2 pieces or of oak. Work my way outward once the middle is clear (white) then once the entire dome (or almost) is white I push the coals (and some wood) to the side and add some more wood. At that point the floor close to the fire is 850-1000. On the other side it can get as low as 600. I make pizza only when there is a clear flame "rolling" over the dome to the opposite side. Pizza takes 2 minutes on average (90 seconds - 2 1/2 tops).