Mediocre Pie weekend/Why were my pies all “dough-y?”

[MikeyMann]

Hey,

I take a simple approach.

I make a large fire in the centre of the oven, and let it burn for a good hour and a half. I then push it aside, whilst adding more wood to keep the fire large. The whole inside of the oven has flames licking the roof and smoke moves around in a circular fashion.

I keep it like this for another hour, then it's ready.

I think it's got to do with the bricks absorbing all the heat, then stabilising at that heat. Then the heat across the whole oven equalises... cooks well.

It takes me about 3 to 3.5 hours from beginning to cooking.

cheers

Michael.

[texassourdough]

Hi Fio!

I have another concern. You say nothing about what happened to the dough from Friday to Sunday (and it sounds to me like you used the same dough). It would be pretty badly overproofed by then - even if refrigerated and terribly so if not. The enzymes keep breaking down the flour and proteins as the dough ages and it gets wierd and could easily give a "doughy" result.

Just a thought!
Jay