30" Pompeii in Minneapolis

[gastagg]

Started curing fires today. Used a chimney and charcoal briquettes started outside of the oven. Temp on the floor was around 160 F and the dome was around 260 F. Let it go down on its own and came back four hours later. Temp around floor was still at 100 F and the dome was around 140 F.

[UtahBeehiver]

Until then you can use a temp door, ie stacked fire bricks, scrap wood with left over CaSi covered with foil, disposable aluminum turkey roast pan with left over insulation reshaped to fit oven, etc. to keep the heat in after the fire is done if you want to use residual heat for cooking.

[gastagg]

Thanks for the recommendations guys! I'll let you know what I end up doing. I have a friend fabricating a stainless steel door for me. I think it's going to be a couple weeks until I get that.

[cobblerdave]

G'day
Why don't you do a flatbread? Pizza dough is just as good as any for a plain flatbread. What works at lower temps and gives you a sweet soft flatbread is an Indian nan bread. There's various recepies out there and they can contain yoghurt and butter. Can't beat flatbread for scooping up something yummy and saucy
Regards dave

[Gulf]

I can't recommend a bread. But, if you don't have a door to retain the steam, you can use a cloche, even if there are some live coals to the side. I've used my dutch oven and Graniteware with some darn good results .

[gastagg]

We're having people over for paella on the fire pit on Friday evening and i'd like to cook some bread...curing fire will be at 400, so I think I can do that, right? What would you guys recommend for a good first bread to go with a Spanish paella?

[Gulf]

What Randy said, and make sure to include pics of the first foods from your oven .

[gastagg]

Thanks Randy!

[RandyJ]

Hey that looks great. Good luck on the curing fires. I am sure all will go good.

Randy

[gastagg]

Thanks guys! Dave, ended up with 33" diam. Am happy with it and looking forward to cooking next week.

[david s]

Re: 30" Pompeii in Minneapolis

I think that sounds like a great idea. I think it will end up looking very nice with the little over hang. I also think you will be very happy with the bigger size
oven. I cant wait to see your progress.

Randy

Bigger is always better when you require it, but you'd never bother to fire up a big oven just to cook two pizzas. Smaller ovens can do that and therefore get used more frequently. Fuel consumption is also relative to oven volume which climbs far more as the oven increases in size. A 20% increase in diam is greater than 70% increase in volume. While the cost of wood may be a minor consideration (I've never paid for wood and on principle don't intend to) but the labour in collecting cutting and splitting is something to consider.

[UtahBeehiver]

Nice work.

[gastagg]

Done....until the stone veneer next summer. Curing fires start on Wed.

[gastagg]

Well, I'll be honest with you all. I kind of wish I would have stuck with the original plan of insulating the flu arch and stuccoing the whole thing...this white strip of caulking is very unappealing. It's water-based, so I may try to paint it.

However, I think the oven is solid. Start curing fires middle of next week. Dome vent is installed. Should be ready to go.

[david s]

Nice job George.