Minimum oven size - advice please

[trenchn]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Hi David,
Thanks for your message. presumably with yours you would move the coals to one side before cooking, or would you drag them out?
I am thinking of an oven made over a pile of sand. I am thinking of mixing vermiculite with clay soil to see if that gives a better insulation.
Any thoughts welcomed.

[david s]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Hi David,
Thanks for your message. presumably with yours you would move the coals to one side before cooking, or would you drag them out?
I am thinking of an oven made over a pile of sand. I am thinking of mixing vermiculite with clay soil to see if that gives a better insulation.
Any thoughts welcomed.

It depends what I'm cooking and how long the fire has been going, whether I move coals. If doing a roast I usually fire for exactly one hour, then push the coals aside, place the roast and fit the door. With no oxygen to the fire the coals die. If cooking pizzas I usually remove half the coals to make more room and maintain a fire on the side.

The usual mix for insulation is 5:1 vermiculite, sand for under the floor and 10:1 over the dome (for an igloo) or loose vermiculite for an enclosure. I can't see any advantage in using soil instead of cement. It would still reduce the insulating capacity like cement, but give you zero strength.

[vendixa]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

can I ask for you for the exact measurements of the oven from the inside please?

[david s]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Vendixia,
I presume you question was directed at me. My oven is a hemisphere and it's diameter at the base on the inside is 540mm. The vent extends out another 150mm.

[vendixa]

Re: Minimum oven size - advice please

Thanks for your reply David. Yes it was directed at you :-) I was planning at building a wood oven with a diamter of about 50cm. However I was not sure whether when putting a pizza in it, there's enough space remaining for the wood. How do you manage? :-)