Ash drop

[ThermoJax]

my local coal fired pizza place has a ash drop that doubles as a blower to help the coal get going in the morning, although he says by mid morning he doesn't use the blower for the rest of the day. Before firing the next morning, he removes the blower pipe, places a metal bucket below the hole, then rakes the ash into the drop/blower access. Another coal fired pizza place apparently came all the way down from north carolina to see his, because theirs wouldn't get up to temp. He swears that is because theirs doesn't have a blower. My guess is that a blower is what it takes with coal. I use a blowdryer.

[dmun]

Coal does need more air. That's why it's burned in a grate in a fireplace, so it can get air from below. I've asked people who use coal in their WFO's (CFO's?) to share specifics of what they do. Maybe with pictures?

[lwalper]

A coal fired oven? Seems like that would impart a oily fossil/fuel flavor to the baked product?? I have used some alanthus wood in my WFO and have been less than happy with the results. As the wood burns it gives off a lot of black oily creosote-like smoke. No, my fire is not choked down, in fact, when I burned the alanthus there was a huge, rolling fire in the firebox - everything wide open and the black smoke just poured out the flue. I don't recommend alanthus at all. But Coal??

[Neil2]

"A coal fired oven?"

Still fairly common. Purists say the best pizza is from coal fired ovens.

I've fired mine with coal from time to time. I usually start with a substantial wood fire and add the coal (a couple of shovelfuls) toward the end of the firing.