Norfolk Oven

[halfbakedpixel]

Hi i'm Andy a dude from Norfolk UK
I'm so stoked i found this forum its totally what i have been looking for!
I have decided i definitely want to build a wood burning oven of some sorts and as i'm a design engineer for a bespoke food machinery manufacture i may build it from steel and bricks. Just wondered if anyone has any good advice on building one from these materials?
I bought an online book the other day which outlines building a clay oven and that looks interesting, so i may build one of those next but as i can get my hands on lots of free materials like heavy gauge steel and i can weld everything together myself i may give that a go first.

Thanks for reading and i look forward to hearing from you most experienced wood burners, pizza cookers and over experts.

Andy

[Karangi Dude]

Hi Andy,
Welcome to the WFO forum.

Andy, the main principle of a ''brick'' wood fired oven is the thermal mass of the firebricks and the heat they retain for cooking.
Using alternative materials is ok and some members have had some success but wood fired ovens are principally made from some sort of refractory type materials.
Why try to reinvent the wheel when these ovens made the Forno Bravo way work extremely well.

[GianniFocaccia]

Andy,

Welcome. The primary use of steel in non-conventional 'brick oven' construction is as an outer shell that houses a brick interior. As Doug mentions, the magic is produced from the radiated heat that emits from a saturated thermal mass, be it bricks or cast refractory material. The experienced cook designs his meals to take advantage of the declining heat signature of his oven. I'm not sure a pure steel oven will retain enough heat to cook much besides the original pizza.
John

[Neil2]

When steel is used in these ovens it is generally so a lighter weight oven can be built, as for a frame for a mobile oven on wheels.