36" build in Tallahassee - AKA Bruce's Folly

[UtahBeehiver]

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

Bruce,

That is some nice SS fabrication. I know what you mean about trying to finish the oven. I going on three years.

[Bec1208]

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

Well, I'm well over a year. Once the oven itself was completed, my energy and motivation switched to cooking. He is an amazing metal worker. I am going to visit in a few weeks for their daughters wedding. I will try to take and post a few of his creations while I'm there.

[kbartman]

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

Bruce,
Good to hear from you, always enjoy your posts. I know what you mean on focusing your attention. I have yet to focus on my oven doors yet and Its been about a year since my first fire. Food has been coming out great. Hope to get started on my oven doors soon.

I really like what your brother in-law has done, beautiful work of art and utility. I hope to incorporate the hinged doors on mine. Lift out hinges great idea. I noticed your doors look like they have sliding vents. Have you had a chance to experiment with them I would love to hear how they work.

[Bec1208]

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

Hi KB,
Just finished installing it yesterday. Plan to fire the oven this weekend and give it a test spin. From posts I've read, it seems I have to be careful of too rapid heating. I am looking forward to experimenting. He put in sliding vents and I can remove the bricks in front if more airflow is needed. In terms of posting, I haven't felt like I had a lot to add, given the level of expertise on this site. I was in Louisiana for about two weeks and took a few cooking classes in New Orleans. Brought back about 10lbs of cajun sausages and andouille. Made a great red beans and rice, gumbo, and bread pudding when I got home last week. Today I made a creole style tomato bisque. Last Satuday I experimented with a cajun pizza using a creole tomato base along with spicy smoked pork sausage, green pepper, onion, mozzarella, and chedar. Tasty, but a work in progress. I have also been trying to improve my baguettes.

[kbartman]

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

Hi KB,
Just finished installing it yesterday. Plan to fire the oven this weekend and give it a test spin. From posts I've read, it seems I have to be careful of too rapid heating. I am looking forward to experimenting. He put in sliding vents and I can remove the bricks in front if more airflow is needed. In terms of posting, I haven't felt like I had a lot to add, given the level of expertise on this site. I was in Louisiana for about two weeks and took a few cooking classes in New Orleans. Brought back about 10lbs of cajun sausages and andouille. Made a great red beans and rice, gumbo, and bread pudding when I got home last week. Today I made a creole style tomato bisque. Last Satuday I experimented with a cajun pizza using a creole tomato base along with spicy smoked pork sausage, green pepper, onion, mozzarella, and chedar. Tasty, but a work in progress. I have also been trying to improve my baguettes.

Great looking food, look forward to seeing the results. With the air vents down low you should be able to do some smoking with the addition of a inner door of sort, against the inner reveal raise from the floor to your desired smoke level. Sort of like when I smoke my turkey.

Here is the post, click on the blue arrows to see the pics of my temporary set up and turkey results:

Turkey was in at 7:00, charcoal snake lit, oven stabilized 300F. Pecan woodchips underneath charcoal for little more smoke. Got my finger crossed.

The "Bird" has arrived and now resting. A little early, temperature 166F Placed in warm cooler till carving.

[cobblerdave]

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

G'day Champ
Wow that outer oven doors a beaut!
Done the usual trick myself and I'm still using the ply MK 1 outer door. Cause it an't broke I don't fix it. But after seeing yours, I might try to get MK 11 complete before the ply suffers from the wheather .
How about the colour of the dome. That really softerned over the time and nows a really nice earthy colour. Certainly compliments the stainless of the chimney and door
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

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

KB,

Great looking bird. I had forgotten that thread. Hard to believe a year has mostly passed. Look forward to see your plans for this year. With the snake, do you simply light one end and let it burn? Bruce

[Bec1208]

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

G'day Champ
Wow that outer oven doors a beaut!
Done the usual trick myself and I'm still using the ply MK 1 outer door. Cause it an't broke I don't fix it. But after seeing yours, I might try to get MK 11 complete before the ply suffers from the wheather .
How about the colour of the dome. That really softerned over the time and nows a really nice earthy colour. Certainly compliments the stainless of the chimney and door
Regards dave

Hi Dave,
I pass on the compliment to my brother-in-law. Did you ever come up with a way to lock in the outer door? Bruce

[cobblerdave]

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

G'day Bruce
No Bruce I've not tried to bolt the door to the entrance. Current method appears to work well enought and has pasted a couple of storms without problems. It's just basic a hunk of really heavy 3x3 ironbark with a brick on it. Just bolted to the back of the door and it's just sits in the oven. Its on an angle so it the weight draws the top of the door hard to the oven entrance face.
I really should give it at least one more good storm really and if it doesn't become a missile and build something a built it of something more substantial
Regards dave

[Bec1208]

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

Pizzas still getting better. Here are some pics of the lastest"

[Alomran]

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

Rain today so worked on the door. A recurring theme (or obsession) during the process of this build has been the entry door. At first, I was determined to use angle iron, so I could use an 18" x 12" oven pan to build the entry door. That plan did not survive contact with the forum and I was convinced to build an entry arch. I decided on a design with 8" vertical walls toped by an arch with a 12" apex. Cobblerdave suggested a door design (be sure to open attachments) and prompted me to make my entry door/arch template.


I built a template for the entry door/arch which is shown in image 1, inside the oven pan I had purchased for the original design. After some back and forth, with cobblerdave and brickie, it looked like I might me able to use the 12"x18" pan as the basis for door. Well today was the day and the battle of man v. metal was on. It was quite a battle, and after quite a struggle (and one sore thumb) I think man prevailed. Okay, actually it was pretty straight forward and not that hard. I made some cuts, used the door/arch template as a form, and hammered like hell. I haven't used any bolts, screws, or rivets as yet to hold it together.

It may not be pretty, but once filled with ceramic fiber board and finished it should be very functional. One of the reasons I wanted to get this far on the door is that I can be sure entry is sized properly to fit.

A touch of genius....well done!

[Bec1208]

Thanks for the comment.

[cobblerdave]

G'day Bruce
Great to hear you still about, as always I ask for any cooking you've done!
Havnt been on the board for ages for ages as life gets in the road sometimes. Give me a pm and I'll tell you the details!
Flashed my oven up after a year last weekend as the summer heat has gone and it's now a pleasure to play with fire and food. Just some simple pizza and bread rolls from the leftover dough. Simple but satisfying!
regards Dave

[UtahBeehiver]

Bruce and Dave,

Nice to see both of you posting or at least popping in on the forum. Both of you have been missed. Let us know what you guys have been up to. There have been some great builds done over the past year or so, lE, leethedc and JR'S are a couple examples.

[Bec1208]

Hi Dave and Utah,
Still enjoying retirement.. Physically, I remain healthy, though muscle weakness has prgressed (fortunately at a fairly slow pace). We host a monthly film club meeting with about 20 people attending on average. It is now called the Bucket List Film and Fine Dining Club. We host it at our house because it is assessable for me, has an 80" TV, and a large open room that can sit everyone. The Fine Dining was added to the name when I started making a main course for each meeting. We generally eat, drink, and socialize for about an hour before showing the movie. Menus try and keep to a theme, where possible linking to some aspect of the movie. When no link to the movie presents itself, I will generally pick out a theme based on recent or upcoming holidays or celebrations. This month I am doing a Mexican themed menu, and plan to make Chiles en Nogada (stuffed chiles with walnut sauce), depending on availability of ingredients. It is a dish made with roasted poblano chiles, stuffed with smoked pork and a variety of dried fruits. The chiles are topped with a walnut cream sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. So the colors are green, white, and red; the colors of the Mexican Flag.

I've taken a little break from pizza making, though have dough in the fridge for tomorrow. I will probably make a loaf of bread and a few pizzas so will just bake indoors on a stone. Already looking forward to it.

Bruce


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