Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

[DavidApp]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Hello Gugahulk

Very neat brick work.

I had to use small spacers to keep my joints even. I know it is cheating but I am no brick mason.

Keep up the good work. You will be cooking in no time.

On the wood front have you contacted any local wood fired Barbecue places to see where they get their wood.

David

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Does anyone knows how much expansion a wood oven has at its full peak, or the expansion of a single fire brick at its full heat peak? I other words I would like to know how much my oven will expand as its HOT.

[david s]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Does anyone knows how much expansion a wood oven has at its full peak, or the expansion of a single fire brick at its full heat peak? I other words I would like to know how much my oven will expand as its HOT.

I did take some measurements on my first oven because of the design I was able to measure the difference in the hot inner and cool outer shell height. There was around a 5mm difference when the oven reached pizza temp, which equates to about 1% expansion. I used castable refractory and while this material is not firebrick I should think it is about the same.

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Making some good progress, but this weekend was my birthday so had to go spearfishing with my buddies at work. I was able to complete the Front arch, I not the way I envision but happy with the results. Here is my question!

I bought some insulating firebricks. I plan to use them in front of my arch making a larger arch separating the vault completely from the front part of the oven. My question is, if I do this some parts of the insulating bricks will be exposed to air. and my food will go under it on its way to the oven vault. I have read some crazy thing about these bricks dust. Will this poison my food in any way? Will this harm the food I will be cooking on as it will pass under it every time its going in and out of the oven? Should I use refractory mortar to cover the outer part of the bricks so its not exposed to the food?

[mrchipster]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Happy birthday! Now you are older than I used to be...

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Happy birthday! Now you are older than I used to be...

Thanks CHip!... LOL.....HAHAaaaa... can't wait to put you on a monster fish so I can see how you handle yourself. Sometimes makes me cry like a little GIRL... LOL...

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Making some good progress, I can almost see the shape it will be once its done.

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Hello Gugahulk

Very neat brick work.

I had to use small spacers to keep my joints even. I know it is cheating but I am no brick mason.

Keep up the good work. You will be cooking in no time.

On the wood front have you contacted any local wood fired Barbecue places to see where they get their wood.

David

thanks David. NO wood contact yet. Focusing on finish the oven first and worry about wood later.

[DavidApp]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Hello Gugahulk

Looking good.

It looks like you are going to have to reach a fair way to get to your cooking area. It may be an illusion but it looks a long way.

David

[david s]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Making some good progress, but this weekend was my birthday so had to go spearfishing with my buddies at work. I was able to complete the Front arch, I not the way I envision but happy with the results. Here is my question!

I bought some insulating firebricks. I plan to use them in front of my arch making a larger arch separating the vault completely from the front part of the oven. My question is, if I do this some parts of the insulating bricks will be exposed to air. and my food will go under it on its way to the oven vault. I have read some crazy thing about these bricks dust. Will this poison my food in any way? Will this harm the food I will be cooking on as it will pass under it every time its going in and out of the oven? Should I use refractory mortar to cover the outer part of the bricks so its not exposed to the food?

Once the bricks are in place there should be no dust.
Brick dust is unsafe to inhale, ok to ingest, but don't make a meal of it.
Insulating firebricks don't stand up well to abrasion, they may get knocked around at the entry.

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Hope everyone had a happy 4th of July weekend! No time to work on my oven however did have some time to make a killer Baby Back Ribs. I have perfected the art of Baby Back Ribs. Here is my question, does anyone make Baby Backs on the oven? If so does it come out good? Get you get a smoke ring on the oven? I am dying to know and if anyone has any info please provide.

[DavidApp]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Hello Gugahulk

Had a great 4th. Hope yours was good as well.

The Ribs look real good.

I have done some in my oven but I am not sure about the smoke ring. Mine did not look as meaty as the ones in your photos.
I did them wrapped in foil at 290 degrees for 6 hours. They fell off the bone. My first attempt at ribs at home.

Did Pita Bread, Chicken, Bread, Baked Beans, a Box cake then a Boston Butt over the weekend on one firing.

There is a roasting section on the Forum and I believe someone had a small smoking fire going for their ribs.

David

[Gulf]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Delicious looking ribs, GHulk. Great! smoke ring. They do look moist and tender. Spares were $1.98 a pound this weekend, so there was no baby backs for the Fourth this year.

I've played with the oven for smoking a little for adding some smoke flavor. Using the oven's residual heat for the temp and using some smoldering chips. This is an old pic of some cherry chips in a ss basket. In the ss doggie bowl is lump charcoal with onion peels.



I have to leave the door backed off to keep the smoke moving. I've had a little better results smoking in the entry, but I haven't got any pics of that. I've played with using the left over lump from heating the oven and larger preheated chunks with mixed results.

My best results for the oven with ribs, briskets, and roasts has been to use the oven for finishing. Not for smoking. Saturdays ribs were smoked on my offset grill at 220 to 225F for 3.5 hours. I then wrapped and placed them in the WFO at about 300F for a little over an hour while I cooked the chicken on the Webers. The spares turned out pretty darn good .

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Closed the dome, doing the endwalls inside the dome is very difficult, it also made me lay the bricks not as perfect as I wanted, however I know this will make them very strong. So, I took the challenge on. I know alot of people would not bother doing this, but since many expert members told me this is the best way I went for it. But its very, very difficult and trick to do it. I am ok with the bricks not being perfect on top as they will not be visible in the end. But it sure bothers me alot.

[gugahulk]

Re: Work of Love and Passion... Miami FL

Started curing the oven, I really need help on starting a fire. I really suck at it. Any one an expert? I just bought fatwood fire started, is that good? Can I use it as a fire started on the oven? You have no idea how much I suck at it, last night took me 30min to start the fire with a cooking torch.