Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

FIRE AT THE BACK IS BEST WHEN COOKING WITH TRAYS

The difficultly of moving dishes in and out when the fire is to the side (sometimes having to move 2 to 3 to get to the one at the back) is shown in the first 3 pictures.
But having the fire at the back alleviates this problem and gives you a lot more working space as shown in pictures 4 and 5

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Doug,

Thanks for sharing your observations. Another arrow in the cooking quiver.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Gudday
Thanks Doug the fire at the back for cooking 'fire in oven 'is a lightbulb moment for me
Regards dave

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

FIRE ON THE SIDE OR AT THE BACK?

A couple of weeks ago I went down to Victoria to visit my Son, while I was there I got to use a barrel / vault oven that a friend of my Son’s built last year.

After the fire had got up to temp my Son and I cooked pork belly, the fire was at the back of the oven and I was surprised how much heat control we had, near the front of the oven it was much cooler and of course closer to the fire was really hot, by moving the dish back and forth we had complete control of the heat.

After the pork was cooked we cooked a couple of pizzas one with the fire at the back and one with fire on the side of the oven.
The second pizza cooked with the fire at the side was a lot easier to cook so I agree that with the fire on the side is the way to go for cooking pizza but not necessarily for roasting or baking.

When I got back home I tried the same thing with my igloo oven and I was pleasantly surprised just how much easier it was to move dishes and pans in and out I seemed to have more room and again the control of the heat, also how the smoke rolls back over the dish before exiting which gives a better smokiness.

I have always built my fire in the middle of my oven then moved it to the left side to cook, it works great for pizza but I will be roasting / baking with the fire at the back from now on.

First two pictures of the barrel oven fire at the back third picture barrel oven with fire moved to the side ready for pizza and the last two are roasting in my igloo with the fire at the back

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Russ,

That looks good I don't think it's to big.
I put my washed wooden peels and dough boards in my proofer after I have finished proofing and use the retained heat to dry them.

Good luck with your proofer it should work well mine certainly does.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Doug,

I am going to steal you innovation on a proofer. I was able to score a hospital blanket heater for free from my brother-in-law. All the external guts are gone but the insulated cabinet is intact and in great shape. The SWMBO says how many people are you going to cook for when she saw it

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Doug,

That is really cool. Your spread downunder must be the equivalent of the US SouthFork for the old TV show Dallas.......Nice touch to a welcome to the Karangi Gourmet Kitchen!

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

The end result

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

I had the opportunity to visit a friend last weekend he has a mill and apart from getting plenty of wood for the WFO I was in the hunt for a slab of timber that I could use for a sign to hang up at our side entrance carpark.
When we have lots of guests or when I run my cooking class / workshops people park at our side entrance so I wanted a sign to say that they are at the right place.
I was lucky and found a great piece of Grey Gum a beautiful and multi coloured timber.
So after some planing, sanding, routing, varnishing, drilling and hanging we now have a great new sign.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Thanks for getting back. I think I have it dialed in now.

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hi Russell,

Yes that is a problem with the two different brick types so yes I would leave 1/2'' gap and fill it with some of that insulation cord.
Russell, I think that would only apply to an oven that is enclosed like mine, my arch is part of a wall but if you are intending to only have a decorative arch I don't think that would be a problem. In my situation it was not just the arch that cracked but the next couple of courses above the arch, if you look you will see that I also have a half brick immediately above the decorative arch I see that as a bigger problem, I should have made sure there were full bricks above the arch to keep a full bond not a quarter bond like I have.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Doug,

Me again, one more question, as I am designing my decorative arch, I read on another thread that you wished you had "not" married the vent arch with the decorative arch with mortar because of the crack you got in the decorative arch. Do you still have the same thought of leaving a thermal expansion gap between the vent arch and the decorative arch?

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Thanks alot, now to lay it out...

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

That's OK Russ,

Yes you have it right

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Thanks Doug,

I look at your pictures closer and now I realize there are really three arches. Inner dome arch, outer vent arch and the decorative brick arch. Just to make sure I understand your recommendation, you would make the reveal 2" instead of 1" so by narrowing the decorative arch for drafting would not affect putting the door straight on instead of having to lay sideways?? Thanks for getting back.