DANTE - 36" (92cm) Pompei oven - Luxembourg / Italy

[Gulf]

I'm going to reply to this post and your other thread Cooking In Winter here. It looks like it has be about three weeks since you plugged the dome, so I would say yes if you have some insulation on the outside of the dome. But also, consider using charcoal for the first few days. Charcoal started outside the dome and then placed inside is much safer imo. It allows you to heat up the dome slowly without direct flame impingement on the apex of the dome. An added benefit is that you can also cook with charcoal during this stage of drying the dome..

[MarkDLxu]

I finished more than one mont ago the interior but it took a long to do exterior, rendering and the mosaic . I didn’t want to hurry or start fire with wet elements over it .
Thanks for the advice, I’ll go and buy some charcoal and spare ribs

[Gulf]

In the mean time, you may want to find a charcoal chimney starter. There are commercial types made over here that are easy to find. However, many are made with galvanized steel. The one on the right is the one that I used to place all the charcoal in my oven for it's drying fires. It was galvanized. The galvanize has long burned off. The one on the left is made of Stainless Steel.

Before commercial chimney starters were available, lots of folks made their own out of large bean cans. Back then I then started my charcoal bricquettes in the entry with paper (no liquid starter). Notice the stain on the entry floor. I now use a cheap pizza undeneath and other methods to start the charcoal. I also use the starters inside the oven now with lump charcoal to add a little extra heat for certain cooks.

Elevating the charcoal a little above the floor will increase the heat due to the added air from undeneath. That can be accomplished with a coal grate placed spaced a little above the floor. Switching to lump charcoal after a couple of days can also increase the heat. Lump charcoal burns hotter than briqettes.




.

[Chach]

In the mean time, you may want to find a charcoal chimney starter. There are commercial types made over here that are easy to find. However, many are made with galvanized steel. The one on the right is the one that I used to place all the charcoal in my oven for it's drying fires. It was galvanized. The galvanize has long burned off. The one on the left is made of Stainless Steel.

Before commercial chimney starters were available, lots of folks made their own out of large bean cans. Back then I then started my charcoal bricquettes in the entry with paper (no liquid starter). Notice the stain on the entry floor. I now use a cheap pizza undeneath and other methods to start the charcoal. I also use the starters inside the oven now with lump charcoal to add a little extra heat for certain cooks.

Elevating the charcoal a little above the floor will increase the heat due to the added air from undeneath. That can be accomplished with a coal grate placed spaced a little above the floor. Switching to lump charcoal after a couple of days can also increase the heat. Lump charcoal burns hotter than briqettes.




.

So do you cook in the oven with just the heat from your stainless chimney starter?

[Gulf]

So do you cook in the oven with just the heat from your stainless chimney starter?

Not at all. I use it in an oven on the decline "to add a little extra heat for certain cooks." If I have an oven on the decline that is about 250F to 275F, and wanted a 350F oven for a 3 hour cook, I will place a full starter in there with the insulated door partially closed until it burns down. Usually about an hour. I then remove the starter and close the insulated door for about 15 to 20 minutes and then check the temp.

For the wings above, the oven was probably about the same temp. I cook chicken hot and fast. I started about half a chimney starter full and placed it in the oven with the wings and the door partially open. I probably rotated the broiler pan a couple of times for an even cook. I have a 44" oven. Your mileage may vary .

[MarkDLxu]

you have some insulation on the outside of the dome. But also, consider using charcoal for the first few days. Charcoal started outside the dome and then placed inside is much safer imo. It allows you to heat up the dome slowly without direct flame impingement on the apex of the dome. An added benefit is that you can also cook with charcoal during this stage of drying the dome..

What would be your ideal curing fire plan?
7 days increasing from charcoal to wood ?

[david s]

Here's my recommendation.

Use the seven fires in seven days method.
This process is important
Start with a very small fire in the centre of the oven, using small sticks only. If this first fire has flames touching the top of the oven for too long, then the fire is too big. Repeat this the next day, making the fire a little bigger and of course it will burn for a little longer. Repeat this procedure for seven fires getting progressively bigger and longer.

Heat beads are a good way of getting gentle heat into the oven, so as well as the wood, add one handful on Day1, 2 on Day2, 3on Day3 etc.

(You will probably notice dampness of the insulation layer as you heat the oven. This is normal and indicates that the oven is drying itself out. These damp patches will feel hotter to touch. This is a good indication of how the heat can pass more easily through wet material. Your oven will be far more efficient once it is properly dry. Some 50 litres of water has gone into the construction of the oven and considerable fuel is required to convert it to water vapour .Be careful- don’t be tempted to build up the fire too much, but try to keep those coals burning as long as possible- all night if you can)

This process is a bit laborious and goes through quite a lot of fuel.
By all means use the heat you’ve generated to do some cooking. Maybe a loaf or two of bread, a roast, marshmallows or pastries etc. But don’t attempt to get up to pizza temperature yet. (You can test if moisture is still present by placing some plastic on the outside and seeing if moisture is collecting there.)

Driving off the moisture

Day 1: 1 sheet newspaper and half a dozen small sticks, 1 h’ful of heat beads (about 5 mins of flame)

Day 2: 1 sheet of newspaper and about 10 thicker sticks, 2 h’fuls of heat beads (about 10 mins of flame)

Day 3: Bigger sticks, plus 3 h’fuls of h’beads (about 15 mins of flame)

Day 4: More wood, plus 4 h’fuls of heat beads (30 mins of flame)

Day 5: wood plus 5 hfuls of h’beads (45 mins of flame)

Day 6: wood plus 6 hfuls of h’beads (1 hr of flame)

Day 7: wood plus 7 h’fuls of h’beads (1 ½ hrs of flame)

(The reference to heat beads which are a barbecue fuel used in Australia equivalent to what are sometimes called briquettes.)

[Gulf]

What would be your ideal curing fire plan?
7 days increasing from charcoal to wood ?

Pretty much like david s or the Forrno Bravo Curing Schedule (though it will advise against charcoal, that is a long story) suggests. Just replace the first couple or 3 days with charcoal. At the very least, the charcoal (heat bead) method will help guard against over stoking the oven too early imo.

[Chach]

Not at all. I use it in an oven on the decline "to add a little extra heat for certain cooks." If I have an oven on the decline that is about 250F to 275F, and wanted a 350F oven for a 3 hour cook, I will place a full starter in there with the insulated door partially closed until it burns down. Usually about an hour. I then remove the starter and close the insulated door for about 15 to 20 minutes and then check the temp.

For the wings above, the oven was probably about the same temp. I cook chicken hot and fast. I started about half a chimney starter full and placed it in the oven with the wings and the door partially open. I probably rotated the broiler pan a couple of times for an even cook. I have a 44" oven. Your mileage may vary .

Where did you get your stainless steel starter chimney..I really like the way it looks.

[Gulf]

I found that one at Academy Sports. It's an Oklahoma Joe's Half-Time Charcoal Starter XL. Not a bad deal @ 20 bucks. I'm going to get another one next time I'm in town.

[MarkDLxu]

Thermocouples for the Smart Oven 3.0 dome !
Tomorrow i start the curing fire !!!!
I’m so excited!!!!

[MarkDLxu]

Here's my recommendation.

(The reference to heat beads which are a barbecue fuel used in Australia equivalent to what are sometimes called briquettes.)

Yesterday I've tried with briquettes.... after a first round of small flames, they last just 20-25 minutes ... cannot imagine how to manage 7 hours
i need to take holidays

[Gulf]

Sorry that the charcoal ain't working out for you. I get a lot longer heat time than that. Are they completely burning up or are the coals dying before beinsg fully spent? Are you using a chimney starter to get them started before placing them in the oven?

[david s]

"Yesterday I've tried with briquettes.... after a first round of small flames, they last just 20-25 minutes ... cannot imagine how to manage 7 hours "
i need to take holidays ovens are often pretty damp and keeping a fire alight is sometimes difficult. Sounds like your briquettes are going out. That is why I recommend also using some kindling, enough to keep the briquettes alight, but not enough to create impinging flame on the oven dome.

[david s]

Yesterday the calcium silicate boards arrived and today I today I put them on the hearth, covered with aluminum foil and on top some tiles. After that, I pour the perlite/concrete layer, about 4 cm

Sounds like it's too late now, but the higher quality insulation is best placed closest to the fire. Covering the tiles with a layer of vermicrete will fill the little channels between the tiles unless you have covered the tiles with something like weed mat or shade cloth.. The tiles are better placed on top of the supporting slab where their channels connect with the weep holes in the supporting slab. Cal sitl board, although dry when placed is just as absorbent as
Also most builders find it better to loose lay the firebricks to allow them to expand and contract individually as well as making them easy to replace if required down the track.