First few cooks

[roobqn]

I use cast iro n and LOVE it in the wfo. Great way to sear off meat. Getting a masonary oven up to pizza temps and then letting it fully saturate allows 5 days of cooking at various temps. Fun way to learn different cooking techniques and times.
How long does it take to get your oven up to pizza temps?

[arthuritus]

Takes about an hour and a half to saturate my oven. I don't think I did my insulation layer quite right (gets up to 70C after a few hours of firing), and my door is a hopeless fit.

Has anyone tried stainless as well as cast iron?

[Aussie Pete]

Originally Posted by arthuritus

I don't think I did my insulation layer quite right (gets up to 70C after a few hours of firing), and my door is a hopeless fit.

70C after a few hours!!!....did you forget to put the insulation in?

[mrchipster]

Originally Posted by arthuritus

Takes about an hour and a half to saturate my oven. I don't think I did my insulation layer quite right (gets up to 70C after a few hours of firing), and my door is a hopeless fit.

Has anyone tried stainless as well as cast iron?

That is just not right 70C are you sure???

I use stainless and heavy grade aluminum at temps below 500 on occasion, but I prefer cast and porcelain coated cast iron. The heavy grade coper bottom stainless works well and cleans up easily. Just be sure to never over heat it. Or cook it dry.

Heavy aluminum works well for oven fried potatoes with coconut oil, and as drip pans for rib racks.

I was in SAMs club the other day and they have a nice 6.5 qt enamled cast iron pot with top fo $50 it has a lifetime warranty I think I will go back and pick one up.

Chip

[arthuritus]

Originally Posted by Aussie Pete

70C after a few hours!!!....did you forget to put the insulation in?

Cheeky aussies! I thought 70C wasnt too bad considering about 25cm away(yes, thats insulation AND thermal mass) its 700 or so. Also, it gets to about 70C on the outside just from sunshine on a nice day. Not that theres much sunshine when I'm cooking but knowing that makes me feel better . Next time round I'll make my insulation layer less structural and more insulative and probably a bit thicker.

I've been eyeing up some of those enameled cast iron things but over here they'd cost more than my oven =( I might cruise round the op shops and see if theres anything good there. I'll probably avoid the aluminium but if there's stainless or cast in the right shape I'll snap it up.

[arthuritus]

Also, my oven is so energy efficient I can cook salmon on a hot day without even lighting a fire. Suck it up masonry boys!

[mrchipster]

Somehow I thought you were saying 70 on the inside and that would be massive heat loss, my fault for misunderstanding.

Chip

[arthuritus]

ahaha that would be epic. You can sell that to NASA as a heat sink for shuttles

[arthuritus]

Awesome cookup tonight. Best pizza bases ever, perfectly cooked. I tried crisping up the beer can chicken for a few mins after doing pizzas and it got crispy all right, it caught on fire! the chicken itself was still very nice it was just a pity most of the skin was wasted. mm, guiness.

I also did some butterflied lamb over the coals right after the bcc, so it was still reeally hot. I was very concerned my nice lamb would go the way of the chicken skin but it coped well! The herbs on it got turned to smoke pretty quick and the meat was beautiful.

Did some corn too, soaked in water for an hour then put straight on coals. Probably the best corn I've had.

A few other bits and bobs like smoked kingfish, lemon sorbet, clafouti and chocolate log rounded out the meal nicely.

[asimenia]

All looks great - why not cook a large piece of pork on the bone over night - that's what I do I add a little stock so it doesn't dry out, garlic onions, herbs etc. I use a ceramic pot with lid.