Oven Curing Firing Your Oven Discuss Oven Curing in the Oven Management forums; Firepie, Did you use the blanket in addition to the 6 inches of vermiculite/cement? Les......

[Les]

Firepie,

Did you use the blanket in addition to the 6 inches of vermiculite/cement?

Les...

[james]

Hi Stuart,
Let me make sure I have right right. Your Artigiano oven is set on the insulating hearth, and has the insulating blanket around it, but it is not enclosed yet. Is that right?

If that is where you stand, you can start the curing process -- pizza around the corner, and roast chicken even before that!

As always, go slow.
James

[Irv Mac Dowell]

My Casa 90 is now complete. I built it as an igloo, with 3 inches of blanket and an additional Perlcrete layer over chicken wire. The oven was finished with two layers of colored stucco.


The instructions for curing that are contained in the instructions that accompanied the oven have a completely different curing schedule from the one James outlined at the beginning of this thread. Those instructions require a 300 degree fire on the first day, the temperature to be maintained all day. The temperature is increased in 100 degree increments over the next four days.

Which scehdule should I follow?

Thanks.

Irvc

[gjbingham]

The latter, the one you mentioned, is the current prescribed method.

[Irv Mac Dowell]

That is to say, the 300 degree on the first day with a gradual cooldown?

Thanks for the reply.

Irv

[james]

Hi Irv,

We switched the curing instructions after your oven went out. It isn't earth shattering, but we think the new instructions are better.

The general idea is the hold the first fire to 300ºF all day, close the door and let the oven rest over night, and then hold the second fire at 350ºF all day. However you cure your oven, the key is to never let those first fires get too big -- no matter how tempting it can be.

Here is the PDF for the state-of-the-art curing method.
James

[Irv Mac Dowell]

Thanks, James.

Actually, the instructions that came with my oven included the curing method you attached. I'm really looking forward to getting started with the curing in a week or so.

Best regards,

Irv

[Chef]

when speaking of the temp to cure your oven is it the temp of the dome, floor, walls??

[thebadger]

Getting ready to cure...

I may only be able to do this on the weekends/evenings after work as I don't want to take too much more time off of work.

What should I do?

Still cure at 300 but maybe for two days? That is 2 - 4 hour cures?

Then gradually work my way up the temp scale i.e, extend to a 10 day curing period?

Thanks
Dick

[PizzaJNKY]

Badger, I think your idea will work...At least I hope it will, cause thats exactly what I've been doing. If you've already insulated the oven, just seal it up after you're done with curing for the day. I think the retained heat will continue to cure and drive out moisture for several days.