Ever use wood pellets to cure the oven?

[ja1724]

I'm thinking of all the different ways I can cure my oven: paper. kindling, charcoal etc. Anybody ever use hardwood pellets? I have 3 tons for winter use here in CT so they would be handy?

Just curious if anybody has done this and how? If not, maybe I'll give it a go and document my results.

[Les]

No reason why it wouldn't work. It just takes heat... They look a lot like rabbit shit and that would work if you can keep it lit.

[HeidiL2011]

Hello JA1724,

Good question about the pellets, Lets see what everybody else thinks.

You can use paper, kindling, however no charcoal.

Heidi
Forno Bravo

[ja1724]

Originally Posted by HeidiL2011

Hello JA1724,

Good question about the pellets, Lets see what everybody else thinks.

You can use paper, kindling, however no charcoal.

Heidi
Forno Bravo

No Charcoal, really? I'm reading all kinds of posts about people curing their oven with charcoal this, and Minion method that? This is a 48" Pompeii I built myself, not a FB oven. Does the no charcoal rule still apply?

[david s]

My feeling is that you wanT a gentle fire preferably without flame particularly in the early fires. Flame on the crown of the dome will lead to sudden temp increase which you don't want. Here in Australia for curing, we use what we call heat beads or brickettes, which are a charcoal kind of fuel. They just glow without producing lots of flame. I think they're ideal. What is the reasoning behind the no charcoal rule Heidi?

[HeidiL2011]

Hello Ja1724,

If it were a Pompeii kit bought from us, you cannot use charcoal without voiding the warranty. If you bought the materials and built the oven yourself, it's up to you.

You may want to check with the vendors of the materials, to make sure the coal will not damage your oven.

Thanks,
Heidi

[ja1724]

Thanks Heidi. I bought the materials locally. I decided not to use the charcoal and just use small kindling wood just in case. I've had a nice little burner going at between 200-300 degrees for about 3 hours now. Can't wait to do the next one tomorrow...

[mrchipster]

Originally Posted by HeidiL2011

Hello Ja1724,

If it were a Pompeii kit bought from us, you cannot use charcoal without voiding the warranty. If you bought the materials and built the oven yourself, it's up to you.

You may want to check with the vendors of the materials, to make sure the coal will not damage your oven.

Thanks,
Heidi

My feeling is heat is heat and if you are concerned about direct heat on the floor put the charcoal on an elevated grate like they do in a Weber grill. if you really want to be safe put a cookie sheet under the grate and catch all of the ash. The coals will never touch the floor and a little ash may fall through but carbon is carbon.

Just my two cents.

Chip

[david s]

I can't think why charcoal would damage the oven. Castable refractories are designed for boilers and furnaces that often use coal fuels. Does anyone know the reason that coal should not be used in a wood oven?

[GianniFocaccia]

If it were a Pompeii kit bought from us, you cannot use charcoal without voiding the warranty.

There must be something in the application of coal heat that compromises the integrity of the specific Forno Bravo cast dome material. It sure would be valuable to share this with the cast oven builders on this site what injurious properties coal presents to their ovens.