32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

[boerwarrior]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

This is my post number #250 where I graduate from being an apprentice! Yay!

In 2 weeks I will have my biggest pizza party so far - for my local bike club. I expect to cook around 50 pizza's over several hours so I will start firing well in advance in order to fully saturate the oven. I will also keep some small fires going on the sides in order to keep as much heat as possible in the oven! Wish me luck!

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

boer,

Congrats, be sure to email FB via web support page for your pizza cutter. Be persistent and you will get the cutter............

[kbartman]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

boer,

Congrats, be sure to email FB via web support page for your pizza cutter. Be persistent and you will get the cutter............

Congrats also, I didn't get a pizza cutter, they sent me a dough cutter...... I'm still waiting on my pizza cutter. Can't wait to see what they send you.

Have any more pictures of the insulated door? I would like too see back side too.

Good luck on the party.

[boerwarrior]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

Pizza Party Success!

So last weekend we had about 70 people over for our local bike club end-of-year party and I must have cooked around 30-40 pizzas. Not sure exactly - I lost count and they were being eaten as soon as they came out of the oven!

I was a little nervous because last time I tried to cook a lot of pizzas the floor of the oven got a little too cool.

So this time I started firing a little earlier (4 hours ahead of cooking) - but the thing that made the biggest difference is that I kept 3 small logs burning throughout. You can kind of see in the attached photo - there is a log at the back and one on each side. And by the end of the evening the pizza's were cooking just as fast as at the beginning: 2-3 minutes per pizza.

I was very happy and the guests enjoyed the pizza!

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't cook for 70 people with a 32 inch oven! You just can't serve everyone at the same time!

Thanks again to all of you on this forum who have given fantastic feedback along the way. It's been quite an experience and an adventure! I could not have been successful without this forum and all of you!

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

Nothing like seeing an oven in action to get others thinking about building their own.

[david s]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

Keeping that active fire going during pizza cooking is vital. We find that encouraging guests to share whatever comes out is better than making individual pizzas to order.

[EricU]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

Pizza Party Success!

So last weekend we had about 70 people over...and I must have cooked around 30-40 pizzas...

... You can kind of see in the attached photo - there is a log at the back and one on each side. And by the end of the evening the pizza's were cooking just as fast as at the beginning: 2-3 minutes per pizza.

I was very happy and the guests enjoyed the pizza!...

I just came across your thread and "WOW" I am impressed! Nice job on the build and cooking pizzas for 70 people!!! Impressive!

Sounds like you got the pizzas down, now get yourself some big cast iron skillets, take some chicken legs & thighs (fattier the better!) toss the chicken along with some (a lot!) of garlic powder, fresh garlic, rosemary (it's free in NorCal) Kosher salt and some cracked pepper in a big ol stock pot (or anything they will fit in) for about an hour and a half.

Get your WFO up to about 550 and just place the chicken on the cast iron skillets (I got the regular big skillet and an even bigger one from Shackfords in Napa). Turn the chicken over once or twice with some tongs and when the chicken starts pulling away from the bone - start feeding your family, friends and have some teenagers around! I usually cook about 15 lbs at a time. It is amazing how juicy that chicken comes out of what should be too hot of an oven.

Great looking build! Again Congrats!!

[boerwarrior]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

Thanks for the compliments and the chicken cooking advice!! You are right, we have load of Rosemary in our garden that grows like a weed!

When I started, if I had known there was a fellow FB'er so close I would have asked if I could come over and see your oven!

Your oven and fireplace look great!

Neil

[EricU]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

...When I started, if I had known there was a fellow FB'er so close I would have asked if I could come over and see your oven!...

You would have been more than welcome, though it probably wouldn't have been too inspiring, by the time that I was halfway through the dome, I was really wondering "why" I had started this project!! Once I got the dome completed and was able to use it, the project came to a grinding halt. I think I cooked in it for over a year without any enclosure or insulation!!

Also get one of those cast iron grates, makes for cooking awesome tri-tips, burgers and steaks!! Now I am HUNGRY!!!!

Sounds like you are really putting yours to good use. The nice thing is with our weather, year round use is not a problem.

[boerwarrior]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

True on the weather, Eric, especially this winter! We used the oven on New Year's Eve!

We do badly need rain however!

Neil

[EricU]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

True on the weather, Eric, especially this winter! We used the oven on New Year's Eve!

We do badly need rain however!

Neil

Yeah, we are still using ours anywhere from two to three times a week, doing a lot of dry rubbed tri-tips, hamburgers and WFO chicken (rosemary and garlic!).

And boy you are sure correct on us needing rain - just heard that they are now saying no rain at all for January!!! Makes it kind of hard to really enjoy a 70 degree January day.

Enjoy!

[boerwarrior]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

Last night I tried something a little different - I pushed the coals away from the center of the oven much earlier than I normally do - and then 'swabbed' the floor with a damp towel. When I started cooking the center of the floor was much cooler than it usually was - maybe 600 degrees. The walls and sides were still in the 800 degree range.

Amazing how much difference this makes to the pizzas! Not sure if it was better - they took a little longer to cook and the result was that the base was little softer and the top a little crispier. Of course it all tasted great like everything out of a WFO!

[cobblerdave]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

G'day
How right you are... Everything tastes great out of a WFO!
How different our each ovens are . How different we must cook in them too. We share our experiences but truly pictures and long explanations do they really explain enough.
I've been lucky enough to have enjoyed pizza from at least 10 different ovens now. I really make it a point not to interfere and just enjoy.Yes of course I'll help out.. That's different cause its just helping.......
Regards dave

[boerwarrior]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

FINALLY COMPLETE

Once my oven was functional last year I took a break and delayed the cosmetic final work.

This last weekend I finally got around to finishing it. I did a "stepped" top row of bricks and brick side surfaces. For Christmas my wife had given me a gift of some copper artwork (I like anything made of copper!) which I installed on either side of the oven.

Lastly, I installed 12 volts lights behind the copper artwork so that the side surfaces are lit up at night.

[EricU]

Re: 32 Inch Pompeii in Northern California

Looks great!

Your oven was a lot more "complete" prior to using than mine!

Love the looks of the used brick. Nice job!!