[Sca-cooks] Mud oven - repost, sort of.

[Terry Decker]

Dumping hot ash into the space under the oven can be a fire danger and may 
be hazardous to whoever is loading the oven.  The only ovens I've seen that 
have open space underneath are Roman ovens that were set up outdoors where 
using the space to protect the firewood from rain might be an advantage.

A swab is a cloth wrapped around one end of a pole and dipped in water 
(think string mop).  The cloth removes the remaining hot ash that could burn 
the bread and injects a little moisture into the baking chamber.  Once 
swabbed, scatter coarse meal on the floor of the baking chamber to keep the 
bread dough from sticking to the oven and to help reduce soot on the bottom 
of the loaf.

Thermal mass isn't so much about "throw more mud on" (although it may help) 
as it is about making the oven denser to retain more heat from the firing. 
The fact that you burned through the plywood suggests the base may not have 
been thick enough or that the base wasn't mortared (mudded as it were) well 
enough to keep the oxygen from fueling the burn.  IIRC, the U.S. Fire Safety 
Code for stoves and fireplaces calls for a one inch air gap between a metal 
heat shield and any wall within 24 inches of the heat source.  You might 
consider a metal base next time.

Bear


>
> This is an excerpt of an email to Stefan about my experience with a mud 
> oven at Estrella.  Not knowing the etiquite of the list, I should have 
> posted here also.   Also, I have been reading all the oven stuff in the 
> Florilgeium and have a couple of thoughts.  Anyone have some ideas.
>
> Two things I noticed in the articles on the site that I have read.
>
> 1.  There was discussion about the small open box type area underneath the 
> oven.  My first thought, and I got this from experience, this is where to 
> put the embers and burning items when you clean out the oven for use. 
> People have stated that they have seen pics with just for wood storage and 
> also pics of fires.  This would explain both.  But, of course, this is 
> only opinion.
> 2.  I heard mention of swabbing out the oven after fire and before use. 
> What is used here?  Never heard this before.
>
>
>> I used 12 cinder blocks to hold up the oven.  Placed 2 layers of 6.  I 
>> filled the holes of the cinder block with dirt, but did not fill between 
>> the cinder blocks.  I then put a piece of plywood on top of the blocks. 
>> It was 1/2 inch thick.  Fire brick came next, 32 of 'em.  After the fire 
>> brick which I laid in a rotating 2x2 pattern.  I used 30 clay brick to 
>> form a beehive shape.  Rotating every layer to cover the edges between. 
>> Every layer got one of more LESS bricks to form the beehive.  The edges 
>> of the lower levels really did hold the higher levels.  I then covered 
>> the top with 4 bricks accross. This allowed me to have a flat top for 
>> playing objects.  For the front.  I stacked two bricks on sides on each 
>> side and placed a piece of sheet metal accross to hold the brick for the 
>> front.  The height was approx four bricks stacked.
>>
>> Once the bricks were in place, I threw lots of mud on it.  I continued to 
>> put mud on till I could see no more bricks.  I fired up the oven and as 
>> it dried I put more mud over the holes that are created by drying mud.  I 
>> continued to do this for 4 days.  With a total of 6 layers of mud.
>>
>> The making process was fun.  And it was great to use.  I give the project 
>> a c+.  Here are the reasons why.
>>
>> I should have put dirt between the cinder block too.
>> I should not have used a piece of plywood.  (this actually burned through 
>> underneath)  Use more cinder block and you can place the fire brick 
>> directly dirt and block.
>> The temperature was very difficult to control.  This was expected, but I 
>> had way too much variation.  I attribute this to cherry wood, which 
>> burned VERY hot and fast.  And also, a person who stopped to talk about 
>> it mentioned something about thermal mass.  My simple saxon mind 
>> interpreted as "Throw more mud on"
>> I should have made another oven or a fire pit nearbye.  To move burning 
>> wood or embers out of the oven to get access to the baking.  Turns out a 
>> friend brought a small metal bucket in which I put embers in.  And even 
>> used it as a hibachi for grilling an elk steak.
>>
>> I am recreating this oven at home.  And will find a place to put up 
>> pictures and experience using as soon as I have some.
>>
>> I am western slope of Colorado, near Artemesia.  About 6000ft above the 
>> darn water.
>>
>
> Cedric Cenfrithes sunu
> Baker Wannabe
>
>
>
>
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