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

[Terry Decker]

> Bear said:
>
> <<< 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. 
>  >>>
>
> Why is dumping the hot ash into the alcove under the oven any more 
> dangerous than dumping it somewhere else? Where somewhere else? What  do 
> you carry these live coals in, when moving them to this somewhere  else? 
> Now, we think metal shovel. But back then shovels tended to be  of wood. 
> But perhaps they wouldn't scorch too badly. But scrapping  out the coals, 
> letting them fall to the ground and then scrapping  them into the hole 
> doesn't sound too bad.
>

Dumping live coals in the workspace is dangerous to the people who have to 
load and unload the oven not to mention having the potential to burn down 
the bakery.  Kitchens, bakeries and forges are placed in separate buildings 
because of the fire danger.  If they were that concerned about fire, then 
they would develop techniques to minimize the danger.

I would expect the embers to be moved to a bucket(s) of water using a 
toothless rake and shovel.  Wooden tools are not a big problem.  They are 
easily replaced and can be soaked before use.

> I don't remember these alcoves as being very big. Would they be big 
> enough to store enough wood to heat an oven hot enough to be of use? 
> Perhaps just to hold enough wood to start a fire to then dry out more 
> wood, but that seems like a convoluted solution.
>
> I think some folks here have fired up and used mass ovens. How much  wood 
> did it take to heat up the oven sufficiently?
>
> Stefan

The ovens I've seen with the alcove would store enough wood for several 
firings.  The amount of wood you use depends on the heating quality of the 
wood and the size and efficiency of the oven.  A small oven should use no 
more than five to ten pounds of wood.  Because you are trapping the heat, it 
requires far less fuel than a fireplace.

Bear