Temperature ratings in wood-fired ovens Heat Management Discuss Temperature ratings in wood-fired ovens in the Oven Management forums; I came across this on the Internet today, and it has me thinking. We need a standard method of describing ...

[james]

I came across this on the Internet today, and it has me thinking. We need a standard method of describing heat in a wood-fired oven, ranging from warm to very hot. Now that we have finished V1.0 of the Cooking e-Book, I can see that this will help.

Can we come up with a wood-fired version of this?

Their "very hot" isn't very hot.
James

Conversions

TEMPERATURES

Gas Mark 1 = 140C = 275F = Very cool
Gas Mark 2 = 150C = 300F = Cool
Gas Mark 3 = 160C = 325F = Warm
Gas Mark 4 = 180C = 350F = Moderate
Gas Mark 5 = 190C = 375F = Fairly Hot
Gas Mark 6 = 200C = 400F = Fairly Hot
Gas Mark 7 = 210C = 425F = Hot
Gas Mark 8 = 220C = 450F = Very Hot
Gas Mark 9 = 240C = 475F = Very Hot

[jengineer]

almost laughable when one is talking about dome temps in the 800's and floor temps between 700 and 750 for cooking pizza.

Maybe a flat factor (1.71) can be applied to the 425 number to equal 725F

Mark 1 = 243C = 470F = Very cool
Mark 2 = 266C = 510F = Cool
Mark 3 = 293C = 560F = Warm
Mark 4 = 316C = 600F = Moderate
Mark 5 = 338C = 640F = Fairly Hot
Mark 6 = 360C = 680F = Fairly Hot
Mark 7 = 385C = 725F = Hot - throw the pizza in!
Mark 8 = 410C = 770F = Very Hot
Mark 9 = 432C = 810F = Very Hot

nah looking back at those numbers you should come up with your own scale

[james]

Here is a shot at a wood-fire temperature scale. I would appreciate comments on this -- it's a first cut.
James

[CanuckJim]

James,

Not too shabby for a first cut. I think you have it knocked. Breaking it down further would not add a lot of useful information. Under the "some bread" temp, you might add pan breads, enriched bread, sweet breads or some such.

Jim

[jengineer]

add in how Mississippi is to be used

hopefully they won't have a high threshold for pain

[Chickensoup]

Why do we have to cook at such extreme temperatures, compared to a conventional oven? how is it possible to slow cook.....say a Morrocan tangine at such elevated temps?

remember i'm learning.

chicken

[PizzaPolice]

I love the Mississippi's. Kinda says it all like the white dome and how the first couple turn out.

[texassourdough]

Hi James!

Nice idea! I agree, Mississippi's need to be defined. The other useful scale would be flour blackening which is probably useful for 500 to 800 degrees or so. A little experimentation with an IR thermometer should provide a useful column for judging hearth temp.

Jay

[dmun]

Why do we have to cook at such extreme temperatures, compared to a conventional oven? how is it possible to slow cook.....say a Morrocan tangine at such elevated temps?

Pizza is cooked at blistering temperatures, and a few other things, chicken pieces, chops, shishkebobs, pita breads, that sort of thing.

Lower temperature dishes are cooked with retained heat cooking, the fire is shoveled out, the temperatures drop to normal oven temperature, and in go your breads, cakes, roasts, that sort of thing. Later you cook your merangues, your slow simmered dishes.

You get the idea. It's a declining temperature curve.

[kimemerson]

And a "Mississippi" is...? I remember it as a counting method, only barely reliable from one person to another depending on their concept of time, especially when someone pronounced it "missippi".