36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

[SableSprings]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Salmon sounds great. Can you describe the technique (temp, fire, ect...) Thanks, Bruce

Soak a cedar plank (generally 1/4" thick) for several hours then put it on a half-sheet pan.

Bring the oven into the 400F-450F range and keep a small fire going in the back or on one side with a hardwood of your choice...I like apple wood. Remember that the hearth has to be at temp as well because you are heating up the board and generating cedar infused steam to cook the fish from below.

Cover the plank with a layer of green onions and/or dill. Lay a filet of salmon, skin side down on the greenery. Put another layer of onions/dill on top of the salmon (thicker layer over the thinner portions of the filet to help even out the bake time) and slide into the oven. (Sorry, but I didn't note the weight of the salmon filet, however it was intended as dinner for four adults + good leftovers and was about 1"-1 1/2" thick in the middle). Damp down the door enough to keep the fire going but enough to allow some extra heat build-up. Our filet was done in 25-30 minutes, but you want to check it a couple of times possibly turning the sheet pan to manage the cooking...

When it came out of the oven, we let it rest for 10 minutes and then I removed the top greens. Last, I drizzled the filet with the citrus balsamic cream before cutting it into the serving pieces. I checked, but apparently my hunger overtook my photographer and I don't have any pictures...

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Thanks Mike, I look forward to trying this soon.

Finished applying slurry, hasn't fully set yet. First pic is the left side of the oven and the second is an attempt to get a better picture of the smoke chamber.

Looks like rain in the forecast tomorrow so I may not be able to resume curing the oven. Hope to be cooking shortly. Bruce

[stonecutter]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Oh, that is a nice pizza. I like to add a little arugula on top. FYI - Trader Joes sells a balsamic reduction in a squeeze bottle, if you have that chain in your area.

My wife is nuts about trader joes. There is one a little over an hour away...nothing like that around here in hicksville. The good woman is quite the chef, and makes that reduction no problem.

We make an arugula white pizza that is oil and garlic based with shaved parmesan. When that comes out of the oven it gets topped with arugula and prosciutto.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Thanks Mike, I look forward to trying this soon.

Finished applying slurry, hasn't fully set yet. First pic is the left side of the oven and the second is an attempt to get a better picture of the smoke chamber.

Looks like rain in the forecast tomorrow so I may not be able to resume curing the oven. Hope to be cooking shortly. Bruce

Gudday Bruce
On to the first fires ...excellent! Could I suggest using charcoal heat beads for your first fires. You know the ones they use in BBqs. You get a good heat that doesn't involve a heap of flame overheating your roof at the early stages. There easy to regulate just add more or less beads. And the best thing is they burn for hours, small fires need heaps of tending.
Hope this helps
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
On to the first fires ...excellent! Could I suggest using charcoal heat beads for your first fires. You know the ones they use in BBqs. You get a good heat that doesn't involve a heap of flame overheating your roof at the early stages. There easy to regulate just add more or less beads. And the best thing is they burn for hours, small fires need heaps of tending.
Hope this helps
Regards dave

Thanks Dave, will give it a try. Depending on temps I may toss some kindling in as well. Quick question on covering dome insulation. I covered the dome with chicken wire (1" hex pattern). Can I stucco directly over this?

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Thanks Dave, will give it a try. Depending on temps I may toss some kindling in as well. Quick question on covering dome insulation. I covered the dome with chicken wire (1" hex pattern). Can I stucco directly over this?

Gudday Bruce
Stucco directly over the wire . Where you see folk adding a layer of pearlite cement its to get the lumps and bumps out of the ceramic layer which you have already done. It looks pretty round from the pics. Wouldn't do it now you'll only trap any moisture being forced out by the curing fires.
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Stucco directly over the wire . Where you see folk adding a layer of pearlite cement its to get the lumps and bumps out of the ceramic layer which you have already done. It looks pretty round from the pics. Wouldn't do it now you'll only trap any moisture being forced out by the curing fires.
Regards dave

Thanks Dave, that's what I thought. Just wanted to be sure there wasn't something else I needed to put on the "to do" list during the curing process.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Thanks Dave, that's what I thought. Just wanted to be sure there wasn't something else I needed to put on the "to do" list during the curing process.

Gudday
There certainly is . Don't forget to put some food in that thing. You may not be up to pizza temps yet but perfectly good baking temps. So why not enjoy some food from your oven even some bread is possible at some stage
Regards dave
PS yes you can still bake with flames present that's what they made aluminum foil for

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
On to the first fires ...excellent! Could I suggest using charcoal heat beads for your first fires. You know the ones they use in BBqs. You get a good heat that doesn't involve a heap of flame overheating your roof at the early stages. There easy to regulate just add more or less beads. And the best thing is they burn for hours, small fires need heaps of tending.
Hope this helps
Regards dave

Didn't take much encouragement. The fire got a little hot and I had a few lbs of dough in the fridge. So I did a quick pan pizza. Not my best effort but I'm learning. Needed more heat from the dome. Worse storm came up and had to recover in a hurry. Discovered tarps melt pretty easy.

[Greenman]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Hey Bruce - The pic with the tarp on the oven is worth a thousand words alright! Should use it for a caption competition.

There are only a couple of categories of self built pizza - 'excellent' and 'thats not so bad'. I think we become our own harshest critics.

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Hey Bruce - The pic with the tarp on the oven is worth a thousand words alright! Should use it for a caption competition.

There are only a couple of categories of self built pizza - 'excellent' and 'thats not so bad'. I think we become our own harshest critics.

That's true for both "self built" pizza and WFO's. In this particular case the main problem was in the kitchen. I have been playing around with different styles and was trying to do a variation on Detroit style. Used too much cheddar and lost the balance of flavors. I am certainly my harshest critic (though my friends are catching up as they raise their standards from chain pizzas). I look at each cook as an opportunity to improve.

[cobblerdave]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Kinda guessed that you would make something. That pan pizza looks pretty good I must say. I can't agree more with that Greenman on how forlorn the oven looks in the rain with its blue overcoat. Why don't you post it to the top of the forum page it certainly deserves to be there ..shame you can't give it a caption determination sounds good.
Good to see you making progress ... Even with the wheather .. Your lawns looking good
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

Gudday Bruce
Kinda guessed that you would make something. That pan pizza looks pretty good I must say. I can't agree more with that Greenman on how forlorn the oven looks in the rain with its blue overcoat. Why don't you post it to the top of the forum page it certainly deserves to be there ..shame you can't give it a caption determination sounds good.
Good to see you making progress ... Even with the wheather .. Your lawns looking good
Regards dave

Well cleared the dome today. Made a fig and blue cheese pizza and a loaf of bread. I need to finish up chimney and get ready to render the dome. Haven't noticed any cracks but will take pics of inside tomorrow.

[deejayoh]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I was kinda hoping for a picture of that fig pizza when it came out of the oven!

[Bec1208]

Re: 36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

I was kinda hoping for a picture of that fig pizza when it came out of the oven!

Here's the best I have.