Three Minute Fire

[Karangi Dude]

Hey all,
I have a routine for starting my oven fire.
1. I start the fire close to the front of the oven so that I have easy access.
2. I build a square stack starting with two 3x1.5" bearers.
3. I only use 4 crumpled up pieces of news paper.
4. I then build the stack starting with small to large.
5. Finishing with 2 larger type logs.
6. I start the fire using only 1 match.
7. Within 3 minutes I push the fire back to the center of the oven.
8. The fire is fully going.
I hope this might help those having trouble getting their fires started.

Cheers Doug

[jonlovepizza]

very nice you make it look easy. can not wait to be not able to lite my first fire and also not be able to remove my pizza from peel .. this is such a good forum i think i could any thing somebody always has the answer

[Karangi Dude]

Hey Jon,
It is easy as you will see, it just takes time to get your oven built and cured and then just go for it.

Cheers Doug

[david s]

When your oven is new it is still relatively moist and a bitch to fire. The fire is hard to light, smokey and difficult to build up. The more firings you do the better it works until it is perfectly dry. The same applies after prolonged wet weather and no use.

[Lburou]

When the firing is over, do you ever insert the next portion of wood to be sure it is cured for the next firing?

Your nice, big opening makes things a bit easier while cooking, cleaning, etc.

[jonlovepizza]

i am just after doing 6 pizza in my home oven ... and the last one was a flop . the hole center stuck to my pizza tray .on me pizza stone . can you imagine how many pizza pie.s will be going to the dog when the heat is twice as hotter,,ha,,ha,, has anyone every tried putting 3 or 4 spoons or power skimmed milk in there pizza dough

[Laurentius]

For what reason?

[Karangi Dude]

Hey Lee,
How's things with your build?
Yes I do dry/cure some wood in the oven but it is the last bit of heat as I am still testing lots of dishes with the residual heat in the oven up to 4 days after firiing.
Lee one thing I think is most important when lighting the fire is allowing lots of air through the stack. I have been using the same method for 30/40 years when lighting my inside wood heater or the outside firepit it allways works well.

Cheers Doug

[Lburou]

Originally Posted by Karangi Dude

Hey Lee,
How's things with your build?
....snip....
Cheers Doug

Finished the oven landing yesterday!! WooHoo!


Thanks for asking Doug.

[heliman]

I'm not a fan of using newspaper - I use a tiny piece of odour free firelighter (Jiffy brand in Oz) and the fire is roaring in next to no time. I have to place it in the centre from the start or else the flames go up the flue. Wood needs to be super dry for best results. The local gum trees seem to have "highter fuel" by way of gum in the bark which is an accelerant and aids ignition.