Baking outside during a dry spell

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

So Maine is on the edge of drought. There was actually a small forest fire a few miles down the road from me. Burnt 10 acres. Somehow I managed to completely forget about that and made two doughs this week. I made a dough with seeds and onions. And then realized I wanted to be able to make a peanut butter sandwich. So I made a plain dough as well.

So yesterday there was the potential of the possibility of rain I was dithering about starting up my WFO. It takes a few hours to heat up the oven and to warm and proof refrigerated dough. It finally rained so I felt safe getting a fire going outside and baked. Again a bit more kissed by fire than I was going for....

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Comments (12)

bbstx
6 years ago
WFO? Wood Fired Oven? And it is out of doors? Is it on a porch? In a gazebo? I know nothing about wood fired ovens.
plllog
6 years ago
I'm confused. Do you worry about embers starting a wild fire, or rain putting it out?

Either way, I'm sure the bread is fab. It sounds amazing.
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chas045
6 years ago
agmass: confused too; I thought the WFO was inside, slow to heat while house was over heated already. I assumed that you baked on an outside grill or something else.
nancyjane_gardener
6 years ago
I would not go with the WFO during a drought (after going through 2 major wildfires that burned thousands of homes and another that burned 68 of my brother's 71 acres) here in sunny CA! We use the gas grill only, or cook inside.
agmss15
Original Author
6 years ago
I have had absolutely zero luck uploading photos here of late. Try and try again. Here is an old photo of my oven.
agmss15
Original Author
6 years ago

With it’s roof.
bbstx
6 years ago
Well, that was not at all what I envisioned! How interesting! I thought you were talking about an oven that was part of a wood stove. Do you have to get down on your knees to put things in the oven? I am totally clueless about how you use it. Do you use different “flavors“ of wood depending on what your are cooking? Like plllog said, I’ll bet your bread tastes wonderful!
agmss15
Original Author
6 years ago
And my last sourdough bread in the rain results....
agmss15
Original Author
6 years ago

Here are another few old photos just after opening the oven and baking pizza...
agmss15
Original Author
6 years ago
Lol - it is waist high at the opening. Sorry that I was confusing or unclear. I was not thinking - there are other forums dedicated to using WFOs.

As far as wood - I don’t have that sophisticated a palate. I use hard wood firewood - locally that means things maple ash oak cherry....
plllog
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I know a few others with WFO's so was on track with the image, but yours is much more interesting looking! Did you build it yourself? I love the curve of the cowl. The typical beehives I've seen look almost apologetic, like a big guy in a Victorian parlor. Yours looks hearty, with lovely lines, and a generous baking space,

With the roof, can you use it in the Winter?

Since you're not smoking, I don't think it matters about the specific wood for flavor. More about the right burn to get the heat and even distribution. A handful of damp woodchips is sufficient for flavored smoke.

it looks like the (gorgeous) bread didn't suffer from the rain!
petalique
6 years ago
I have been wanting an outdoor oven like this. Will you tell us more about it?

A few years ago I saw some young men at a HD buying bricks and mortar. After asking what they planned, they told me that they were going to build an outdoor fireplace oven for their friend. They said that in Brazil, they were commonplace. I was a fool not to get their phone numbers.

I see that there is this option at Wms-Sonoma:

https://ooni.com/products/ooni-karu?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8bXJx9yi6gIVlYvICh2qQgfrEAQYFiABEgJELvD_BwE

Ooni Karu Wood and Charcoal-Fired Portable Pizza Oven

4.9 star rating171 Reviews

Regular price$329.00

Baking outside during a dry spell

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bbstx

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Baking outside during a dry spell

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