Curing pompeii oven

[russ randolph]

Hello, Russ here. Was just curious if someone could answer a question. I just started my first fire in my pompeii oven. The curing plans say to keep temperature at 300 degrees F, and that it is very important not to go over that temp. I have a digital infrared thermometer, but was wondering which part of the oven or the fire to measure this temperature. Any input would be helpful. Thank you.

[SableSprings]

Take the reading at the top of the dome...that will be the hottest place during a small fire. You will find as you scan around the oven during the curing fire sequence, that the sides and the cooking floor will be the coolest. As the moisture is driven off, the temps will rise moving from the top down. Usually, the last area to have the moisture driven out is the cooking floor. Simply put, the moisture is driven down by the heat and struggles to find a way out. Another reason we advocate the weep holes...just provides an additional escape path. Remember, GO SLOW! Even what seems to you to be a small fire can cause dramatic temperature variations (bad!) in the oven masonry. Long, low fires are worth it. I also like the idea or using charcoal briquettes (heat beads in Australia) for the early curing fires because they are much more controllable. Also, move your fires (or heat beads) around on the floor. Don't forget to move them around the perimeter inside...lots of moisture gets caught up in their because most people focus on the center of the oven.

Hope that helps...

[russ randolph]

thank you for the response. today I lit my 4th fire. I possibly have been increasing size of fires too quickly. the top of the dome today was at about 700 degrees the walls about 4" up were pretty consistently about 500 degrees and floor was about 400-450 degrees. i dont see any cracks or anything weird but do you think i need to tone it way down or keep on this path. is there any way to know when your oven is completely cured. sorry, i assume like most people , i am getting very anxious. I did notice something a little different today. about middle way up on inside of dome started turning white rather than the charred black walls. is this good or bad? thanks again

[SableSprings]

I think you need to tone it down a bit. The black areas are where the masonry/insulation are not dried out (and not coming up to temp). When the inside of the dome turns white (carbon burned off), it's called clear. So generally, the clearing will always work from the top down...high point in the dome is always the hottest. Until your walls completely clear, you should be going slow and steady. After you've driven the moisture out of the dome and it starts clearing all the way down to the floor...you're pretty much done with the curing process. The only way to know when your cooking floor (and insulation underneath it) have dried out completely is when it starts coming up to temp and holding after you've pulled the fire & coals off it for a while.

Relax, but keep going slow & steady......this is the time to enjoy some lower temp cooking/roasting.

[russ randolph]

Thank you. Your response was very helpful. i will tone it down some. will look into some lower temp roasting.