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Cob Oven Build

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  • Frances
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Hi Mark

    I just posted an answer to your question on my profile thingy...

    Your oven looks great, really tidy looking mud oven! And the pizza looks yummy pizza too, congratulations! What are you going to use for insulation?

    Leave a comment:


  • ThisOldGarageNJ
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Your oven looks great; what is the diameter and what would your recommend for a good size. I am debating at the minimum probably 36" but will consider a 40" max.
    My oven is a hair over 40 inches inside, the door opening is 20 1/2 .... I put a 20 lb, turkey thru that door with no problem at all...

    As far as the size, 40 is great, 36" I think would be more than adequate, and I believe thats a size many of the members are using... I laid mine out and honestly it just worked out well with that size dome on the foundation...

    Just put a nice soapstone counter on it over the weekend, Still have finish work to do.. The beer can chicken is a great dinner,, I like to do it in a heavy cast iron pan, then you can add potato,onions,garlic etc.. its very easy give it a shot.. Here's a pic with the new counter..

    Cheeers
    Mark
    Last edited by ThisOldGarageNJ; 08-16-2010, 05:54 PM.

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  • marklewis
    replied
    First Pizza!

    This was the first fire for cooking and the first pizza cooked. It was very good!! I realize I have much to learn about making sauce and dough and cooking but am off to a good start!

    I tried a sourdough bread using a starter but it didn't turn out. Back to the drawing board; in the mean time I'll make some bread using packaged yeast.

    It has gotten warm here (NC) (high was 87). The oven is a hit but I think we'll enjoy it more in the cooler months vs. the hotter summer days to come.
    (It gets 98 degrees here with high humidity!)

    Leave a comment:


  • marklewis
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Originally posted by ThisOldGarageNJ View Post
    Hi Mark,
    Great oven, are you sure you want to build another one,, Looks like that one is working well..

    Nice Job,,
    Cheers
    Mark
    Thanks for the accolades! The clay oven is working well and we have used it 4 times to make various meals. It is on the small side and I would like to have something larger and more permanent. I am bad about "chunking" wood into the oven and the fired cob is strong but it will chip! Also, my door of 13.5 inches is tight for a 12" peel. (I need to buy an 8" banjo peel)

    I checked out your album for things cooked and your build. You have some tasty looking birds there! I also would like to cook a turkey and the present oven is too small. (I'll try a chicken though)

    Your oven looks great; what is the diameter and what would your recommend for a good size. I am debating at the minimum probably 36" but will consider a 40" max. I like the idea of less wood and time to fire but want a good comprimise to allow larger items. Do you think 36" is adequate?

    Thanks; Mark.
    Last edited by marklewis; 04-04-2010, 10:21 AM.

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  • ThisOldGarageNJ
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Hi Mark,
    Great oven, are you sure you want to build another one,, Looks like that one is working well..

    Nice Job,,
    Cheers
    Mark

    Leave a comment:


  • Archena
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Keep the roof above the oven - someone (I don't remember names well) had problems with pests when her oven was too closed off

    Leave a comment:


  • marklewis
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Originally posted by jpmort View Post
    Thats great and a real inspiration. I also want to build one now! If I could I think doing what you are doing is a really good way to experiment and learn and get knowledge about ovens. Then you can decide to do it better or different next time.

    How are you going to stop thge oven from becoming affected by the rain?

    John
    Hey John, I will render the outside for some protection but ultimatly I will build a simple tin roof or equivalent over the oven. At some point I will build a permanent pompeii and this one will become a novelty or as needed torn down if I need the yard space. Yes, I have learned much from building and using this oven and it has satiated my desire for wood fired pizza, etc. I'm thinking of making a permanent enclosed 36" incorporated into an outdoor kitchen with countertops etc.; but that will probably be a while as I am getting more busy with my seasonal service business of commercial refrigeration/air conditioning.

    Thanks for the reply and best of luck to you and your endeavors; keep me posted of future projects.

    Leave a comment:


  • jpmort
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Thats great and a real inspiration. I also want to build one now! If I could I think doing what you are doing is a really good way to experiment and learn and get knowledge about ovens. Then you can decide to do it better or different next time.

    How are you going to stop thge oven from becoming affected by the rain?

    John

    Leave a comment:


  • Archena
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Looks great! Congrats!

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  • marklewis
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Built the first small fire for drying and increased the size of the fire and dryed the oven completely. (It has been rainy here and I waited several days but the clay was drying so slowly and small cracks were developing anyway.) Cracks are inevitable!!!....and repairable!!! Fired without dome insulation until soot inside the dome burnt off and then we cooked our first pizzas, some bread rolls and baked some potatos.

    The oven worked great, although the pizza peels I ordered have not arrived yet and using a piece of flimsy metal to pull out the pizza was challenging!

    Am looking for good dough, and other recipes on the forum. If you have a tried and trued favorite please send me a link.

    Repaired the cracks and am soon going to insulate the dome: will provide more pictures at that time. The inside is very stable but am considering applying sodium silicate to make the inside "glassy" and less prone to potential future spalling; so far so good though.

    I could only very very briefly touch the outside of the dome once the oven was heated. It will be very interesting to see/feel the difference after the insulation is added.

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  • Archena
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Unfortunately, I don't have an oven... yet. I still rent so I don't have anywhere to put one. I thought about a small scale but I honestly don't have time for it right now. Hopefully, I'll buy something reasonably soon, get moved in, find a way to fence in the Dogs of Destruction (loooong story) and then order a dump truck full of clay!

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  • marklewis
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Originally posted by Archena View Post
    Awesome!

    Actually, using wet clay/straw/sand without drying it into bricks first is using cob. Adobe is when you make mud bricks first. (Yeah, I'm a definition nazi... )

    But seriously, it looks great!
    Reply from Mark Lewis: Thanks for the info: I'm bad about using the wrong term for something; learn something everyday! Thanks for the reply! Can you send me some pics or a link to your oven?

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  • Archena
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Awesome!

    Actually, using wet clay/straw/sand without drying it into bricks first is using cob. Adobe is when you make mud bricks first. (Yeah, I'm a definition nazi... )

    But seriously, it looks great!

    Leave a comment:


  • marklewis
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    I have pulled out the sand and newspaper. Totally cool!!! Will allow to dry a few days and then build a small fire to complete the drying process. My sourdough starter is almost ready!!! (dreaming of fresh hot baked bread!!!)

    The oven is holding up nicely. It took 20 minutes to dig out the sand form and another 15 to pull off the paper but it held its shape well. The bricks worked well but I think one could build an oven quicker by just plastering the adobe onto the paper covered form.

    Hopefully my next pictures (after several days) will be our first fire and subsequently some tasty pizza and bread.

    Leave a comment:


  • Archena
    replied
    Re: Cob Oven Build

    Well, yeah, if you cheat and be all practical and stuff!


    Okay, so 'dry heat' and 'sauna' are a concept problem for me. :blush:


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