New build started in Scotland

[NCMan]

You can't go wrong w/the low and slow method of drying fires. There really is no such thing as a curing fire. If someone actually wanted to cure cement, the last thing they would want to do is start a fire. It's just a term that somehow got started and grew wings. Sorry, it's just a pet peeve. Anyway, go low and slow. There really is no set method, since every oven is different.

[Ope-dog]

NCMan , excellent way of putting it. And thanks for putting it in simple perspective! jjnevis, looking forward to more pics soon!

[jjnevis]

I'd be curious to know your method as it sounds like you're being quite diligent about your curing fires as well?

Ope-dog My method was pretty much what NCMan suggests with "low and slow". First off, I was in no hurry to do any fires after the mortaring was complete. I left it 3 weeks, I would probably have preferred a bit longer, but we had friends arriving for our inaugural pizza party in a couple of weeks (not to mention 3 kids gagging to sink their teeth into the long promised homemade pizzas) and I figured a longer lower temp firing would be better than leaving it and having a shorter time for the firing. I didn't really have a schedule, I just tried to keep the top of the oven dome below 150C (300F) for the first couple of days, keeping the fire going whenever I got the chance. I then aimed for about 175C for a couple of days, then 200C for a couple of days, then 240C. On the 9th day, I went all out and had it blazing hot, with the whole of the inside of the oven going clear and no sign of cracking, that I could make out.

[jjnevis]

Slated roof on and painted.

[mongota]

jjnevis
Just wanted to say 'congratulations!'
It looks terrific.

[Ope-dog]

Very nicely done!!!!

[MarkJerling]

Slated roof on and painted.

Congrats! Looks real good!

[jjnevis]

Thanks guys for all your positive comments! The oven is working great and has provided many fantastic pizzas and other yummy stuff. It's winter over here and the oven hasn't been used for a couple of months. I'm thinking of a pizza night on Christmas Eve and then cooking the turkey in it the next day, partly because the weather forecast is lovely (below freezing, but still), partly for space in oven in house and partly for the fun! I'm just wondering if I should warn oven slowly over a day or so, just in case moisture had found it's way in over the last couple of months?

[MarkJerling]

Thanks guys for all your positive comments! The oven is working great and has provided many fantastic pizzas and other yummy stuff. It's winter over here and the oven hasn't been used for a couple of months. I'm thinking of a pizza night on Christmas Eve and then cooking the turkey in it the next day, partly because the weather forecast is lovely (below freezing, but still), partly for space in oven in house and partly for the fun! I'm just wondering if I should warn oven slowly over a day or so, just in case moisture had found it's way in over the last couple of months?

Yes, I think a slow heat up is a good idea. With our oven, there was some moisture ingress over winter.

[Baza]

jjnevis - CONGRATULATIONS!!!
The build looks terrific and really glad to read it is producing wonderful pizza!! Satisfying, isn't it!!?

Good on you for deciding to do your turkey in the oven - I had flashes of thinking to do it - but not sure my cooking chops are up to ensuring the centrepiece of the dinner is not ruined by my neophyte approach!! Though ... I WILL try it at some point! Would love to know how it went for you!?

I did pizza on Christmas Eve as well! Made some for the neighbours and their kids loved it!
Made a pot of mussels in white wine too! Delicious!

Happy Christmas mate - there will be more exciting adventures to come this year with this new friend in the back yard!

NOTE: I hadn't used my in a bit as well and it took a bit to get it up to temp - fair bit of smoke/steam coming out initially - this is normal as you dry it out for the cook. Slow to start (that is why I like the top-down method of starting the burn) and then heat it up as you will.

Take care
Barry

[jjnevis]

Apologies for the late reply. I did do the turkey in the oven the day after we had it heated up for pizzas. It worked brilliantly. The main advantage (as well as the kudos obviously) was that it freed up loads of space in our house oven for trays of veg etc. I wasn't a particularly big turkey (approx 6kg). I can't remember exactly the numbers/timings, but it was something like this: Turkey went into oven at 12 noon completely wrapped in foil and the external gauge was reading approx 220 C. It stayed like that for about 3 hours and I would say that the oven was cooling by about 10C per hour. I then uncovered it from the foil and put it back in for approx 40 mins and it browned up very nicely on top. I checked the internal temp of the bird in various places using a temp probe to be sure that it was properly cooked throughout. I then brought it into the house and covered it back over with the foil and some towels to let it stand for approx 1 hour. Needless to say - everything tasted very yummy, moist, succulent etc, but I'm sure it would have tasted good however it was cooked!

As far as temp of oven goes, I would say to err on the higher side for two reasons. 1) I think the super stillness of the wood oven and size of it needs a few extra degrees over what you would be thinking in a domestic oven (also, I think my gauge is reading 10C high), 2) Warming the oven up is a major ball ache and so it's much easier to cool it or take your dish out and let it cool than the other way round! At the end of the day, you can always be sure by using the cooking temp probe to be sure. Also the face that it was in the oven for approx 4 hours meant that it was cooling all the time and 30C or so lower at the end than when it went in.

We were very lucky with the weather - it was below freezing with a clear sky and no wind when we were having our pizza's the night before, which is when you are going to be outside more - not so important when cooking the turkey the next day. We all agreed that, weather dependent, it is probably going to become a new family tradition - pizza's on Christmas eve and then cooking the turkey in the oven the next day.

(I wish I had taken some photos of the cooked turkey, but alas, I was too busy enjoying festive fare)

I hope all at Fornobravo has a great festive season and that 2022 is a healthy and prosperous (and Covid free!) year for all.

Happy wood fired ovening.

[david s]

Nice work. I'm particularly interested in how the dome joints hold up as you have laid them on edge. I'd love a report on how it goes after a couple of years. (see advice on post #23).

Regarding roasting you have to place the roast at a higher temperature than a normal kitchen oven because you are cooking on the dying heat , so by the time you remove the roast the temperature will have dropped. The higher temperature on placement compensates for this. The smaller the oven the faster the temperature drop off because the cold baking divan and mass of the roast will suck temperature away. Generally it works really well because a higher temperature to start will crisp and caramelise the outside then the slower and lower temperature gives the roast prolonged cooking making overcooking far less likely and far less of a problem. Remember that the oven is cooking using radiant heat rather than convection. My son in law always says he won't roast a chicken any other way, but in the WFO.

[jjnevis]

Nice work. I'm particularly interested in how the dome joints hold up as you have laid them on edge. I'd love a report on how it goes after a couple of years. (see advice on post #23).

I will certainly try to remember to do timely updates of progress/condition of build as time passes. I haven't been worried in the slightest about the structural integrity of the dome.... until now! I've re-read post #23 and I remember at the time being encouraged that the thermal mass will be fine (which it is, by the way - a Friday night pizza and the oven cools very slowly over the weekend allowing for various cooking opportunities at different temps), but glossed over the slight concern about the fire bricks on edge. I'm actually not really that worried - I took the curing/drying process very slowly and could not see any noticeable cracks in the dome and I decided to put a roof over it to keep as much of the elements off as possible therefore reducing damage from freeze/thaw cycles up here in the frozen north. So far everything looks fine and the oven is performing really well. They really are quite a lot of work to make, but what a fantastic addition our oven makes to family life and our home.

[david s]

There’s no problem about lack of thermal mass, it is the integrity of the mortar joints. Because a hemispherical dome is a self supporting structure it won’t fall down. But folk who have used firebrick splits (2” thick) on edge have reported failure at the joints.As yours are 3” thick they will be less susceptible. Don’t worry about it, but also don’t be too surprised if some cracks develop. Remember, there are two kinds of oven owners, those who say their ovens have cracks and those whose owners lie about their ovens having cracks.