Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

[mcreevey]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hi Doug, brilliant oven. I'm starting one in Brissy soon and am concerned about cracking/mortar strength etc.

Did your oven remain crack free? Did cross hatching the mortar on the exterior help with this? Any tips and adivce before I start would be great.

Thanks heaps
Mick.

[OscarA]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Thanks for sharing Doug

That's what I love about these ovens, we call them pizza ovens but they are lot more than that. I like the idea of getting the most out of them as well so yesterday I went to Harris Scarf and got myself a Cast Iron pot which they had for a crazy low special price of $30. The pot will be perfect for slow cooking.
Keep up the good work with the updates, you're giving me/us some great ideas.

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Thanks Mick,
All ovens crack, some more than others mine has a couple of hairline cracks nothing to worry about. I used left over mortar from each batch that I made to add about 8mm of extra mass to the oven not so much for extra strength. I cross hatched it because I was going to add another coat but I didn't. The cross hatching did, to some extent help when I put on the thermal blanket, the rough crosses held the blanket from slipping.

Hey Oscar,
How's things I have been watching your build it's getting closer I bet you can't wait to get cooking. Is you cast Iron pot coated in enamel or just raw iron like a camp oven? if it's raw iron make sure after using it when you finish washing it you rub olive oil on the inside so it won't rust.

Hey Bert,
You asked about a suckling pig, I am having a large stainless baking dish built it will be about 950x500 big enough to cook a small pig or lamb in I will let you know when it is tested.

[brung99]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Yes the thermo couplings are expensive along with the digital display
Cheers Doug

G'day Doug,

I was wondering where you sourced the thermocouples and sundry supplies from. Also, what price range are we talking about ?

Regards,
Bruno

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hey Bruno,
I have a friend in the trade he made up the thermo couplings and got me the digital display at mates rates so I can't tell you what they retail for, perhaps you could go online. If I had to pay full wack then I probably would not have bothered it is a bit extreme. The data gained though has been valuable information regarding heat up and cool down.

[OscarA]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Is you cast Iron pot coated in enamel or just raw iron like a camp oven? if it's raw iron make sure after using it when you finish washing it you rub olive oil on the inside so it won't rust.

Hey Bert,
You asked about a suckling pig, I am having a large stainless baking dish built it will be about 950x500 big enough to cook a small pig or lanb in I will let you know when it is tested.

Cheers Doug

Hi Doug, the cast iron pot is enameled the only part of the pot that is exposed is a thin strip on the rim of the pot. I will make sure that part is oiled, thanks.

That Stainless steel baking tray you had made up is some serious piece of cookware, love it.

[cobblerdave]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Dear doug

How goes things for you in Coffs? My Brother used to live in Coffs and I know how it floods So everything alright with you and yours.

Regards Cobblerdave

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hi Dave,
Thanks mate everything OK this time, most of the heavey flooding was around us but not so much in Coffs. The creek next to my furniture shop came right up to 12'' from the top but we were lucky it did not come into the shop like the three times in 09.

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hi All,
Had a Weekend cook up, pizza Saturday night sorry no pics I always forget (must drink to much waiting for the oven to heat up)
Sunday did some baking,
1. Morocan spiced lamb pide (oo flour)
2. Turkish bread (stone ground unbleached flour)
3.French bread (unbleached bread flour)Temp about 220c.
Then Sunday arvo Braised Duckling cooked with orange juice, red current jelly, red wine, brandy,French shallots, button mushrooms, streaky bacon, garlic, rosemary, bouquet garni and chichen stock served with snow peas and Yorkshire pudding.

Cheers Doug

[cobblerdave]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Dear Doug
Had an old mate over Sat Arvo/night. He's a little bit of a fire man and enjoys camping just for the opportunity to have a fire. He enjoyed the whole fire lighting and oven starting to breath bit. He was taken with the infrared therm and could not believe the temps. Loved the pizza he made himself and (with the help of his wife) even managed to not use to much topping on his pizza.
After eating we dragged the fire remains to the oven entrance and just enjoyed a cold beer in front of a warm fire... Poor buggers probably hooked and he away to his oil rig and has asked me for some more info...
Sun arvo with the door on the oven dropped to a comfortable 200C and I baked my first Succesfull loaf of bread. Yes the first attempt another time failed due to taking a "nanny nap" after a few cold ales. Nothing special just a commercial mix put throught the bread maker on dough setting but I got to use my old grandads hand made bread tin. Nice bread eaten very warm with a metling butter...does it get any better


Regards Cobblerdave

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hi Dave,
That looks like mighty fine bread.
Dave I would not mind a pupp out of that old bread tin.

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hi All,
I would like to thank everyone who has visited this thread I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the transfer of and idea to build a WFO to the reality of completing this wonderful project.
I would especially like to thank James and his team for putting this site together for our benefit so thank you James and I would like to thank Pizza Bob as it was Bobs youtube video that led me to this fantastic forum.

Now that my build has ended for the moment, (I still have the rest of my kitchen to build but that is in the future) I have started a new thread on cooking in my WFO it is called;
What's Karangi Dude Cooking so check it out if you like it is in the Australia section

[bobo1]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Just a really impressive job. I'm shopping for a brick saw now and hope to start something in the 36 inch range next month. One question, how do you plan to finish the roof? Im considering welding up a suitable low profile metal roof to match and finish off the rustic nature of these ovens.

Again, u r the man

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hi Bob,
Thanks for your kind words.
At a later date I am building an eclosure over the whole area big enough to include a parrilla, bar and seating for 20/30 people so I will just brick up to that new structure, so it will not have it's own roof so to speak. What you see now is a car port that half covers the oven, thats why I have made the temporary cover, the car port is going to be pulled down to make way for the new enclosure.

[Karangi Dude]

Re: Karangi Dude's 48inch Oven

Hey all,
Just thought I might mention how I get my logs to dry out a bit more (the wood is about 18 months old).
I can fit a whole brickies barrow of logs in the oven at once, I put them in at about 180c when I have finished cooking put the door on (slightly ajar to let the moisture out) and leave them there for a few days it really makes a difference.