Ovenportfolio PDF

Wood-Fired Bake Oven Portfolio Masonry Heater Association of North America
Wood-Fired
Bake Oven
Portfolio
By
The Wood-Fired Bake Oven Committee
Masonry Heater Association of North America
1
Wood-Fired Bake Oven

Portfolio
©Copyright 2015 by the Masonry Heater Association of North

America and contributing authors. All rights reserved.
No portion of this publication may be copied or redistributed ei-

ther in print or by electronic means without the written permis-
sion of the Masonry Heater Association of North America.
Front cover art

fotolia.com
Contributing authors:
Mike Wurzbacher, Dan French, Marge Padgitt, Jim Frisch,

Jerry Frisch, Gary Hart, Marcus Flynn, Eric Mosier
Editor: Marge Padgitt
www.mha-net.org
2
Table of Contents
Introduction 4
Types of Wood-fired Ovens 6

Brick Ovens: Dome, Sprung Arch, Squirrel Tail
Castable Ovens, Cob Ovens
Brick Oven Construction

Tools and Equipment Needed for Oven Construction
Standard Methods for Brick Oven Construction
Brick Oven Projects: 9

Spring Arch Oven by Gene Padgitt
Squirrel Tail Oven by Mike Wurzbacher
Oval Oven by Eric Mosier
Brick Smoker by Chris Prior
Castable Oven Construction:
Standard Methods for Castable Oven Construction
Castable Oven Project:

Castable Oven Project by Dan French
Brick Oven Finishing Options

Brick, Stone, Stucco, Tile
Chimneys
Cob Oven Construction

Standard Methods for Brick Oven Construction
Cob Oven Projects:

Cob Oven by Gary Hart
Cob Oven by Kiko Denzier
Cooking in a Wood-Fired Oven

Operation of the oven
Recipes
Resources
Suggested Books
List of Oven builders
Project Contributors
About the MHA Educational Programs
3
Bake Oven Definition Per the Masonry Heater Association

of North America
1 bake oven, n — wood-burning devices that:
1.1 Are exempt from Title 40 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 60, Sub-
part AAA;
1.2 Are not cook stoves, boilers, furnaces, or pellet stoves as defined in 40CFR60, Subpart
AAA;
1.3 Are intended for baking food including but not limited to breads, pizzas, meats, pastries,
etc.
1.4 Are designed for closed-combustion-chamber operation during heat up/fuel combustion
periods;
1.5 Have enough thermal storage capacity to maintain no less than 50% of their maximum
masonry-mass temperature for at least 2.0 hours either:
1.5.1 after the maximum masonry-mass temperature has been reached; or

1.5.2 after the end of an emissions and/or thermal efficiency measurement test period,
whichever is later;
1.6 Produce an emissions factor of not more than 6.0 g/kg when operated in accordance with
The Masonry Heater
Association of North America Standard for Test-Fueling Masonry Heaters and Bake Ovens and
sampled in accordance with ASTM E2515, Standard Method for Measuring Particulate
Emissions Using a Dilution Tunnel; and
1.7 Generate a minimum HHV thermal efficiency of 30% OR a minimum LHV thermal effi-
ciency of 34% when tested in accordance with the Masonry Heater Association of North America
Standard Method for Measuring Masonry Bake Oven Thermal Performance. (the magnitude dif-
ference between the HHV and LHV values is based on 20% DB fuel moisture and 7.3% fuel hy-
drogen content).
4
Introduction
Needs to be edited
By Mike Wurzbacher The actual theory and practice of the masonry

stove was just the application of the wood fired
The bake oven has been in use for all of known bake oven, ...'on steroids', as we may say. The
recorded history of mankind on earth. As the principle of the bake oven is to burn dried, and
'Cradle of Civilization' is considered to be the split wood, or 'faggots' of smaller 'sucker' or sap-
Middle East...namely Mesopotamia, and the envi- ling sized pieces, so that the actual chopping down
rons, there is archeological evidence going back of a larger tree was unnecessary. Hence, the rise of
millenia. 'accopicing', or the practice of allowing a tree such
as a maple to grow to a certain size and then, 8-
Simple clay domed ovens were and are used to this 12Ft from the ground, cutting it back. This prac-
day. Cob, which is a type of high clay bearing tice causes the tree to shoot 'suckers' of many
soil, mixed by 'stomping' it in a pit, or, some such smaller shoots, which in a few years are of 'wrist
depression, and mixed with short-cut straw (either to forearm' size. This size is much easier for older
from grain stalks, or native grasses, or even some children or women to harvest. And, it is a fairly
have used horse manure...which is actually very efficient way to grow wood for the 'stove or heat-
good, since the 'chewing of the cud' type of side to er'.
side jaw movements, pulverize the grass, but leave
a very nicely 'bruised' fibrous 'emission'. There is record of whole groves of such accopiced
trees, and some species was used for 'cane backed'
Westerners would find this repulsive, but, native chairs, eliminating the need for excessive 'shaving'
cultures a not so haughty, and see it as just another of the wood by spoke shaves and such.
'resource'. (Interesting note here , is that in one old
'home remedy' book, the use of "horse manure Now, the 'theory' of the wood fired oven, is that
plaster, on the affected area of (psoriasis) scabs, one burns a certain quantity of wood, directly in
produces some relief of the scabbing and itch", I the oven. The fire is usually allowed to burn 'wild',
found in an old magazine from New England..! that is, (no) throttling down of the air supply is
needed. By experience, the baker knows how
The making of brick, from clay bodies, fired in much is enough, for what ever product he/she is
wood fueled kilns, is an ancient practice. But, the planning of baking. By burning directly in the ov-
usage was fine-tuned by Greeks and Roman cul- en, the fire creates intense heat, that is of short
tures 3,000+ years ago. The Trypillian culture of wave infrared ( IR ) wavelength of about
what is now modern day Ukraine, was excavated 700+/- Nm. The brick dome absorbs much of the
by the Soviets in the late 50's through the 60's, and heat, but, does actually reflect some back into the
shows a hut of 3 rooms, with a clay oven-heater in fuel, thereby increasing its pyrolization, and caus-
the center, larger room, with food/grain storage at ing it to burn more efficiently.
one end and sleeping area on the other. In some of
these, mastodon bones were used as 'stud-work' to Now, when the wood is burned down to coals
give strength to sidewalls (just as we would use 2 (charcoal), by experience, the baker knows that a
x 4's to build a wall). certain equilibrium is reached, and the coals are
( not now ) creating enough heat to saturate the
Now, the use and 'fine-tuning' of baking ovens was mass of the oven. At this point, they are raked out.
advanced during the Little Ice Age, when the use Most, but now all wood fired ovens have an 'ash
of open heating fires was visibly destroying the drop', where the coals can safely drop into.
forests of western Europe. A certain Monarch,
made a edict, in which a 'contest' of sorts was So, the oven is usually closed up at the door, and
called for, that whoever constructed the best brick if it has a separate flue, it is closed also. A space
or tile stove, would be given certain favors of the of about 30 minutes is allowed to pass so as to
King. Hence, was brought to fruition the highly equalize the dome and hearth temperatures. The
functional, efficient designs of the German and dome in my small 30"w x 32"dp red brick squirrel
Austrian kachelofen, and grundofen. tail oven can reach 1,300F during firing, for exam-
5
ple. The bricks are locally procured from Glen

Gary Brick Co. and I know they are vitrified at
1,875F for 3 hours during their run through the
kiln. The lime mortar I use is regular hydrated ma-
sons lime, and it is fired at 1,800+F in a rotary
kiln. The sand I use is high silica washed, graded
sands, of 3 distinct sizes. As such, taking a damp
handful of this combination, and squeezing it tight-
ly, one notices that it has 'dimensional stability',
like walking on damp sand at the beach. Now, the
3 sizes combine to make a 'matrix' that when add-
ing the lime cement (lime putty, that is), it is very
stable, and it can take the heat.
Now, back to the closed up, saturating oven. It is

now ready for your bread/s dough. You use the
heaviest doughs first, as they have the most densi-
ty, and water content. Then, lighter ones, until all
your 'bread heat' has been used in this part of the
baking cycle. Next, pies, of whatever kind are
baked, then, cakes and 'short' breads..biscuits,
cookies etc, and the temps are down to 300F or so.
At this point a pot with a roast, or other 'panned'
items can slow cook, as the baker goes about other
business. This is also the point where a wonderful
egg custard can be made.
Now, the Amish of Pennsylvania usually had some

sort of long peels that fit the middle, and left/right
sides of the hearth. They were used to dry fruits,
such as apples (snitz and knepp), or cheeries, etc,
but the temps are now down to below 200F. Last
of all, yogurt and kefir can be made overnight, in
the barely 120F range...so as not to kill the useful
bacteria, but, to give it an ideal temperature for
cultivation.
6
Wood Consumption
The following are estimates for wood consumption in commercial ovens:
12 Hours a day (lunch and dinner) Hours of cooking 360 Lbs of wood 5400 Cords/month 1.2 $/day $12
6 Hours a day (dinner only) Hours of cooking 180 Lbs of wood 2700 Cords/month .61 $/day $6
Assumptions: Lbs. of wood burned per hour 15

Average oven temperature: 700 degrees
One cord of seasoned wood: 4,400 lbs
Price per delivered cord: $300
Note: This estimate is meant as a general guideline and should be used as such. Regional conditions
such as humidity and different types of wood will affect consumption. Prices for cords of wood vary
7
8
Where to locate an outdoor oven
Kitchen not too far away
Face the door

away from the wind
Enough room to work-
Room for a table

or counter
Safe distance from

combustibles—away from the house
Access to water
Wood supply nearby
For cooking and safety
(or store under oven)
Note: Check your local building codes for oven

location requirements (usually at least 15’ away
from the house or if attached to the house fol-
low codes for fireplaces and chimneys)
9
Barrel Arch Brick Oven Project

By Gene Padgitt
Tools List for Brick Oven Building  (12) 10’ pieces of 1/2” rebar, 6 cut to 72” and
6 cut to 84”
 Wet-cut saw and diamond blade  10 Cu ft of Vermiculite or Pearlite
 Hammer  bag Portland Cement
 3’ Mason’s level  80 lb bags of Quickcrete Crack Resistant Con-
 Grinder crete.
 Chalk line Heavy duty aluminum foil
 Trowel Extra plywood and 2 x 4’s for arch forms
 Mixing tub
 Hoe Material choices for the oven landing area
 Square shovel  Granite
 Tamper  Brick
 Concrete mixer  Stone
 Tile saw  Marble
 Ratcheting cargo straps
 Goggles, dust mask and ear protection

Material List for Brick Oven Project

(or change to suit your project)
80” x 94” foundation

 46 bags of Quickcrete Crack Resistant con-
crete
 8 10’ lengths of 1/2” rebar
 48 sq. ft of wire mesh
 12 rebar stand-offs
 104 sq. ft of 6 mil plastic sheeting
 Handful of plastic zip-ties or ball of tie wire
 1/2 cu yd of gravel
 1 box of 1 2/” framing nails
 72” x 84” block stand

 63 8x8x16 blocks, cut 12 to 8 x 8 x 12.
 5 8x8x812 blocks
 3 10’ pieces of 1/2” rebar, each cut to 3 40”
sections to fill nine block cores.
 12 80 lb bags concrete for filling every other
core
 2 1.5” x 1.5” x 56” angle iron (for front span)
 3 60 lb bags mortar for bottom layer of blocks
to level slab if needed.
 Insulating Hearth
 (2) 4’ x 8 3/4” sheets of plywood or particle
board
 (4) 2” x 4” x 8’ wood studs
 (4) 2” x 6” x 8’ wood studs
 (1) shims or make your own
 2 1/2” framing nails
 50’ roll of 8” aluminum flashing
10
Brick Oven Project
Brick ovens are site-built with firebrick for the

interior oven core, and other heat-resistant materi-
als that insulate the oven and keep the heat inside
for prolonged periods of time. This method of
oven building has been used for centuries, and has
been perfected over time with the addition of new-
er and better materials for insulating purposes. Rebar pattern
But the basic oven designs and dimensions remain
the same as they have for many years.
Building ovens with brick, rather than using a pre-

cast oven kit, allows the builder to use his own
design and size it the way he wishes. Not to say
pre-cast ovens aren’t good –because they are—it
is just a matter of preference.
The oven site should be carefully planned, away

To build the foundation, dig out a trench that is
from the house so wind currents don’t cause prob-
level, 7 1/2 inches below grade measuring 6
lems with the chimney. Check your local building
inches out from the outside of the oven walls.
codes, which may require at least 15 feet distance
For this project the excavated area should be
between a house and the oven. If integrating the
124” x 132”” x 7 1/2 inches deep. Level the
oven with an outdoor kitchen, be sure to draw up
earth and pack it down with a hand tamper.
plans and lay everything out with stakes first to be
sure that everything will look the way you want it
Place a layer of 2” polystyrene insulation in the
to and fit in the space you have planned for it.
trench. Make a form out of 2 x 6 lumber that is
12” wider and longer than the outside of the fu-
Brick Oven Elements:
ture block walls. Now fill in dirt around the out-
The Foundation: side of the form and tamp that down.
The foundation supports the oven and the base,
and any additional projects such as benches, fire- Place 1/2” rebar around the inside perimeter of
places, grills, or outdoor kitchen counters and ap- the form with pieces of brick or concrete under-
pliances. The concrete foundation must be built neath them to keep the rebar up 3 3/4 inches
high. Overlap the rebar at the corners.
below the frost line in your area. It may be built
separately as a stand-alone slab, or larger to ac-
commodate other items. The foundation must be a Place 6 x 6” steel reinforcing mat over the entire
minimum of 5 1/2 inches for this project, howev- area, tying it down to the rebar with wire ties.
er, you should check with your local codes to see Overlap as necessary, making sure there are no
open spaces.
Mix Portland concrete (preferably in an electric

mixer) and pour the concrete all at once, using a
2 x 4 piece of lumber to level the slab. Tilt the
lumber back as you are leveling. This part is
best done with two people. Let cure for a week.
11
The Oven Base

This is the support for the oven, and can be built
using block, stone, or brick. For this project we
used block since it is faster and easier to use. Ei-
ther make or have a concrete lintel made for the
top span.
Figure what a comfortable height will be to cook

at the oven before building the base, so you know
what the finished measurements will be including
the base, lintel, insulation, and oven floor. Once it
is built, it can’t be changed. Consider who is doing
the cooking for the correct height.
Block base completed
For this project we used a block base using 8”
block built four courses high and placed rebar in
the blocks to add strength. . Be sure to keep the
wall level and plumb as you build it by using a
level. You are going to build three full walls and
leave the front open for wood storage underneath
the oven.
Lintel
Next, install the concrete lintels on top of the
block base with mortar.
Insulation
You will want to install insulation on top of the
lintel to keep heat in the oven floor. Some builders Concrete lintels installed
do not use insulation in this area, but I recommend
insulation to keep the oven hot longer. We use a
product called Foamglass, which can be found at
specialty wholesalers for this step, but Portland
cement mixed with vermiculite may be used in-
stead.
Base insulation installed
12
Oven design:
For this project Gene used an Alan Scott oven de-
sign from his book The Bread Builders, but modi-
fied the vent for better draft and added a bond
break to the face so it would not crack.
The Oven Floor

The hearth bricks are set in place on a thin bed of Firebrick oven floor over insulation
clay and sand made with 1 part fine mortar sand, 1
part fireclay, and water added to make a thick
paste. The brick are laid up without mortar be-
tween the bricks so that nothing gets into bread or
pizza dough while it cooks. Be sure to make the
floor very level.
The Oven Sides and Dome:

These bricks are laid up with thin butter joints us-
ing a mix with 10 parts mortar sand, 3 parts ce-
ment, and 1 1/2 parts fireclay. This mixture is ide-
al because it expands at the same rate as the brick
when heated. Dip the bricks briefly in water be-
fore setting them in place. You may use refractory
mortar instead if desired.
Gene built up the sides of the oven, then cut the

top row of bricks at an angle (see picture below) to
support the arched shape of the dome. The first
time Gene made this type of oven he used several
pieces of heavy 3” thick foam cut in the arch
shape for support during the building process, then The back, front and side walls almost completed
removed these after the mortar was set up, howev-
er, he now uses wood forms made from plywood
and 2 x 4’s. The wood forms can be used over and
over. (see page 15 for wood form instructions).
If the wall bricks are 8 inches high, the oven dome

height should be approximately 16 inches. This
will allow for a 10” high doorway. Lay bricks so
they are touching at the bottom of the dome sec-
tion to prevent mortar from slipping through.
The barrel arch being installed over heavy foam forms
13
Oven sides ready for the arched dome Building the oven sides and arch
The Arch, Face, and Door:

I used 11 1/2” bullnose bricks for the front land-
ing on this project, but you could use a piece of
cut stone instead. The bullnose bricks e are per-
fect because the front side is a nice rounded
shape. A lintel is installed under the bricks above
the door opening. You can purchase pre-made
metal doors with wood handles from an oven sup-
plier or make a wood door yourself. Soak the
door in water before using it when baking bread
to make steam in the oven. This is a simple and
easy way to make steam, which is ideal for bread
baking.
I used the same foam arch templates to build the
arch above the door.
A decorative clay chimney pot serves as the chim-
The Vent: ney
An opening for the vent is placed in the front of
the arched dome at the front of the structure. The
chimney can be made out of brick or as for this
oven out of a decorative clay pot.
Top row of side bricks cut at an angle
14
Chimney Vermiculite
or mineral
wool insula-
tion (4”)
Fire-
brick
FIREBRICK
Firebrick deck
Cast section or firebrick (3”)
Insulation (4-6”)
Concrete base
Facing
Wood storage Base
Foundation
Brick Oven
View of oven from side
Copyright 2011 by Gene Padgitt
15
The Oven Roof

A roof is necessary to protect the oven from the
elements. A roof is usually put on brick ovens, but
the use of a roof over a cob oven will make them
last longer as well. The materials used should all
be non-combustible in order to avoid a fire. Your
local building codes may require the use of non-
combustible materials anyway.
On a brick oven, support for the roof is already in

place, so an additional structure is not necessary
unless you want more room for a prep area or seat-
ing area. For a cob oven, a separate base structure
may be necessary if no allowance was made for it
on the base area. If you wish to use wood framing
materials, use common sense and keep the framing
several inches away from the sides and back of the First steel stud installed for roof
oven, and at least 18” above the top of the oven.
Keep combustible framing at least 2” away from
the chimney.
Materials needed:
Steel studs
Hardy Board
Roofing materials (shingles, slate, tile, etc.)
Nails
The completed oven
16
Oval Oven Project

By Eric Mosier
MHA member Eric Mosier designed and built this custom oval squirrel tail oven out of red brick. The
i.d. dimensions are 32” wide x 32” long and the o.d. dimensions are 48” x 48”. See the following photo
sequence to see how the oven was built.
17
Oval Brick Oven Project

By Eric Mosier
Using an arch form out of wood assures a perfect arch shape Using a form to assure that the dome remains the same all
around.
The arch is almost complete
The arch is completed
18
Oval Brick Oven Project

By Eric Mosier
Base and arch completed, sides going up Sand was poured into the center in order to provide support
for the top of the oval dome
Installing bricks on the top portion of the dome The flue under construction (from back over the dome to
the front)
The flue is completed Small curing fire
19
Oval Oven Project

By Eric Mosier
View of the inside of the oven
Cladding installed over the dome to insulate the oven and

keep heat inside. Metal chimney installed.
Front view of the finished face
20
21
Masonry smoker project

By Chris Prior
Smoking as a food preparation and preservation

method has its origins back in ancient times.
Without any form of refrigeration during the warm
months, food spoilage was an all to common prob-
lem.
Our ancestors discovered, possibly by accident, that
meat and fish that was exposed to cool smoke for an
extended period did not spoil as fast.
Smoking meat and fish was practiced by a wide va-
riety of cultures all around the world.
T
Modern day metal smoker
same time be able to provide a cool smoking tem-

perature.
This would allow all the good subtle flavors of
the cleaner smoke penetrate the food.
The trick would be how to scrub-off the much
higher smoke temperature in the process.
It became clear to me that in order to accomplish
this thermodynamic feat, the structure should not
be constructed with metal.
My thought was to accomplish this, the smoker
needs to be constructed with masonry, and it
needs to incorporate the principals of masonry
heaters. It may not be hard to notice that the smok-
er very much resembles the core of a masonry
stove.
Photo: Chris Prior
Today smoking food is all about the unique flavor
and texture it affords. Almost all smokers in use
today achieve the cool smoke temperatures de-
sired by oxygen starving the fire. This method
creates a dirty tar-filled smoke that imparts in-
tense, and sometimes over-powering smoke fla-
vor. It also in time creates a tar and creosote crust-
ed mess on the interior surfaces of the smoker and
flue.
I have always wanted to develop a better smoker.

My idea for the ideal smoker would be able to
have good combustion taking place, while at the
22
Anatomy of the masonry smoker
The smoker consists of a firebrick core surround-

ed by a masonry façade. There is a firebox load-
ing door, above it a smoking chamber loading
door, and a cleanout door mounted in the façade.
The design features a firebox or combustion

chamber. There is a bypass damper at the top
of the combustion chamber. Above the firebox
combustion chamber is the domed top smoking
chamber.
In startup mode the bypass damper is
opened. This allows hot gasses and smoke to
move directly into the smoking chamber and
into the flue exit. This mode allows a draft to
be easily established. It only needs to be fired
in startup mode for a few minutes. The tem-
perature will rise rapidly as the fire becomes
established.
Once the fire is established and the hardwood

fuel load is burning, the bypass damper is
closed.
The hot flue gas and smoke is diverted down Startup Mode
operational mode and then up through a pair of
vertical flue channels. It then enters a horizontal
crossover channel and enters the smoking cham-
ber.
As the smoke and hot flue gas travels for

several feet through a labyrinth of channels,
a great amount of heat is scrubbed off into
the masonry mass before entering the food
smoking chamber.
In essence, we are building a masonry heater

core to be used as a heat sink.
The result is a low and very controllable tem-

perature in the smoking chamber.
Operational Mode
23
24
25
26
Squirrel Tail Oven

By Mike Wurzbacher
27
How to Make Arch Forms For a Barrel Oven
Arch forms are used to support firebrick during

the construction of a barrel arch oven. These
forms are made with plywood and 2 x 4’s to form
a strong form that can be used on many projects.
Keep the finished forms in a protected area so they
are not exposed to weather, otherwise they may
warp and become unusable. You will need to
make new forms for different sizes of ovens.
After determining the width of the oven and the

height of the arch, make a pattern to cut the arch
shapes out of plywood. Mark the plywood, and cut
out two pieces for each form. Place pieces of 2 x
4’ between each form piece and screw together to
make a solid form.
Place the form in the oven raising it to the desired

height using firebrick underneath and shims as
necessary to make it square and level.
THIS PAGE IS IN PROGRESS
28
How to Make Forms For a Dome Oven
NEED TO GET INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS
29
How to Make a Wood Oven Door
NEED TO GET INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS entered from

Gene
30
How to Make a Metal Oven Door
NEED TO GET INSTRUCTIONS
31
Adding Supports for Larger Ovens
32
33
34
35
Lime Mortar
For a Squirrel Tail or Pompeii Oven
By Mike Wurzbacher have now come to prefer to mix my 'sands'. You
can get a bag (usually 80#) of washed, dried, high-
I have now used several recipes for lime mortar ly graded course sand (just smaller than sesame
and like this one best: seeds), a medium fine, washed, graded brick ma-
sons sand (never 'concrete sand'...far too pebbly...)
1 bag hydrated lime, split between 2 Home Depot a little larger than poppy seeds and again..yes, you
buckets (they have nice gasketed lids..), 1/2 fill guessed it ...at Home Depot, a very fine, or, com-
with water, 1/2 the lime powder between both, and mercially 000, or finer 0000 Sand, .(akin to
slowly add..., as it wets you add more till all fits 'hourglass' sand), bag of 'plasterers' sand.
below the lip, wait 5 minutes (get beer '1'..), then,
mix...slooowly...with a 750 rpm, or slower/ Theory has it, and works in practice, that just like
variable speed drill motor and egg beater/or large making concrete 3-2-1, where 3 parts crushed
spiral mixer..(again in Home Depot, tile dept. ). stone usually 3/4", 2 parts concrete sand, and 1
When all mixed, take your 'duck bill' trowel part portland grey cement, is combined dry, then
(available at local brick/block supplier..) and cut wetted to make a nice slurry makes good concrete.
down the sides so all is flat and patted down. Put The best crushed stone has pieces up to 1", with
on lid. Check daily...'IF'..any 'cracking' ..like it is the course concrete sand physically filling in the
absorbing the water and needs more...do so , but voids and the portland cement 'binds' or 'cements'
only 8-12 oz (that empty beer can...) at a time. the whole mix, as it 'hydrates'. Concrete does not
BUT..only a 'peanut butter' consistency, you don't 'dry', but 'sets', in that the portland is burned crush-
want 'mayonnaise' ..yet..! es rocks of certain mixture, that when mixed with
water, the natural crystalline nature of the original
With hydrated lime the first five days are most stone wants to re-combine.
critical, starting with the first 36 hours when it
wets and absorbs the most water...keeping that The water is both the 'vehicle' and the 'catalyst' for
Peanut Butter consistency. this 're-hydration' and 're-crystallization'. All stone
is crystalline in its microscopic structure...ah, with
SO, in the week it's 'slaking'..., you can't be the exception of obsidian, which is actually a vol-
'slacking'..., your doing your prep work, such as canic glass. There is still arguement that glass is
setting the block foundation walls (on suitable not a crystal per se, but actually a 'frozen' liquid.
'footing' for your climate and locale, seeing to the OK, focus Mike...., back to the mortar.
variableness in local soils, some folk need only an
18" trench with well tamped stone, solid block Now, remember that 12 oz beer (or soda) can?
first course and dry laid block with 'surface bond' You must remember that when mixing a mortar, or
cement parging (available again from Lowes/ a batch of concrete, to never, ever add too much
Home Depot). water. Just when its 'almost there' you're tempted
to give it another shot from the hose, and whammo
Now, as described elsewhere, you are now ready ya got a runny mess. Now, take the 12 oz can, fill
to set the first course of your red brick squirrel tail it 1/2 full with water, yes, just 6 measly ounces,
or pompeii oven. Follow either's instructions care- outta the water bucket you have sitting there. And
fully, but, again, tis not rocket science. only add a 'titch' more, mix...then a titch more, etc,
until its 'just right'.
The Mortar.. it can vary from all lime putty, nev-
er..NEVER..recommended for a newbie, you'd The Recipe:
best be an experienced brickie for that one. This is
one extreme, I tell you this because too much 2 Parts Hydrated Lime ('Masons lime') putty (as
sand, 3+ parts, is far too thin, so just as 'baby bear' described above)
liked a certain porridge, 1 part 'binder'..that is 1/2 Part LeHigh White "N" Cement
lime/cement to 2 parts sand/s is just about right. 1 Part Course Sand
1/2 Part Medium Sand
So, the 'standard' recipe is a mortar made with 1/2 Part Fine Sand
lime putty, LeHigh White 'N' cement (not straight 1/2 Part (for 'historical' "remembrance",..when re-
'portland'), and sand/s. I say 'sand/s' because I
36
building an extant oven) crushed, sifted mortar,

or, parging from the original oven's mortar. OR,
you can just use more medium/fine sand, don't
use the course...too gritty. Note here, that since
this old mortar is already mortar, it is not 'seen' as
an extra 'part' but, more of the same.
To Mix the Recipe:
In a clean 5 gallon bucket you put the Lime Putty,

and first wet the "N" cement, then add to the lime,
mixing it well, forward and reverse. Then, with
the mixer still in the bucket, slowly pour in the
dry course sand, mixing all the while, then the
medium sand, still mixing. That 12 oz can 1/2 full
of water... if its too thick, put it in, continue mix-
ing, then, add the fine sand, still mixing. Again,
only add just enough water to 'peanut butter'.
Note here, I usually literally stand on the rim of

the bucket, by now, you have found that if you
don't, it with get away from you, all over your
pants and shoes, and anything in a 5 foot radius.
So, you now have a mortar mix. Let it sit 10

minutes, clean off your shoes, and come back to
it. Test it with that new 'duck bill' trowel, it's your
best friend in setting those brick, to 'cut down' the
sides of the mortar in the bucket (never let small
portions dry out near the top, and keep the lid on
it).
37
Brick Oven Finishing Options

There are several options for finishing the exterior Tile finishing pr ovides a sleek, clean look to the
of your brick or castable oven, and you are only oven. Options are unlimited regarding size, shape,
limited by your imagination, skill, and availability color, and finish. Thinset is used to apply tile to
of materials. If your skills are limited in this area the base (usually cement block).
you may want to hire a professional mason to do
this part since it is something you’ll be looking at Kachel finished stoves ar e best left to the pr os
for at long time. who specialize in them. Kachels are heavy, thick,
ceramic tiles with custom finishes that are normal-
Brick ovens can be finished in brick, stone, man- ly used in Kachelofens (masonry heaters), but can
made stone, stucco, tile, or a combination of these. also be used for cook stoves and bake ovens.
Things to take in to consideration when planning
for material finishes are the landing, chimney,
arch for the wood storage bin, arch for the oven A keystone may be used over the arches. You
doorway, and the exterior walls in the front, sides, may want the keystones to be different heights on
and back. If the back will be out of view, you may each arch, and the same or a different material
consider using a less expensive material here. than the rest of the exterior.
Brick is pr obably the most commonly used ex- Use type S mortar for the veneer and stone work
terior finishing material for ovens. It is relatively
inexpensive, yet durable. Be sure to choose a
good hard brick rather than soft bricks so they will
last longer. Brick can be cut with a wet-cut saw
for archwork, but cutting should not be necessary
for the remainder of the structure. For a profes-
sional look, hire a pro.
Stone is beautiful, but heavy and har der to

work with than brick, therefore, the project will be
more time consuming. Consider a stone/brick
combination if you want to get the project done
faster. Many different types of stones are availa-
ble. Stone is durable and will last many years.
Stone work is best left to an expert stone mason.
Man-made stone has a flat edge and is thinner

than natural stone. It comes in many different
styles and colors and makes a nice exterior finish.
A handy person can learn this method.
Materials used are wire mesh, mesh screws to
hold the mesh in place, mortar, and man-made
stones with corner pieces for the corners. This
material is purchased by the square foot, so meas-
ure your oven height and width, deduct the door
and wood storage openings, and measure the
height of the exterior in order to figure how many
corner pieces are needed.
Stucco finishes allow the builder to cr eate a

modern look and to paint the stucco in whatever
color the client desires. This allows more flexibil-
ity in color options. Stucco may be used in combi-
nation with other materials, and is an inexpensive
way to finish the exterior of an oven.
38
Standard Cob Oven Construction
Ingredients:
NOTE: The amounts of the ingredients needed are
rough estimates and will depend on how dry or wet
the environment is.
• Clay (about 8-12 gallons) – to make cob and slip -

Clay can be found underground by the side of a
body of water. Clay particles are very fine, and clay
found underground should feel almost the con-
sistency of potter's clay to the touch. Alternatively,
purchase dry clay in bags from a local pottery shop.
• Straw (one bale) – to make cob - Make sure you Mixing the clay, straw, sand, and subsoil
Courtesy of the MHA
do not confuse straw with hay. Hay can still be par-
tially green and has grain on it, while straw is dry,
yellow, and does not have any of the grain on it. If to shelter the oven if you don't want to build a
you put hay into the cob walls of your oven, you protective roof over it - Hardware stores are a
will risk having your oven rot! - Grow your own or good option.
buy it from a local farmer to have the lowest possi-
ble impact on the environment. • Large tub or pit – for clay-water mixing -
Check out the hardware store or Agway, or
• Subsoil (about 20-30 gallons) Subsoil can be simply dig a hole in the ground.
found under topsoil. Topsoil contains living organ-
isms, so it is important to eliminate all topsoil from • Two gallon bucket (at least one) – for trans-
your subsoil collection, since living organism will porting ingredients - A hardware or gardening
die, decompose, and cause your cob oven to rot. store should have exactly what you need.
Subsoil can also often be found in large piles at
construction sites, and construction workers are Process:
usually happy to share this with you.
Build your base first. You will need a sturdy
• Sand (about 30-40 gallons) – to fill the oven base base that can hold heat. No footing is necessary
and to put in cob as needed - Sand can often be since there won’t be much weight here, but if
found by bodies of water, or collected from con- you plan to keep the oven for a while, go ahead
struction sites like subsoil. and build one. You can use blocks, bricks, or
stones for the base. If you use blocks, you can
• Stones, blocks, or bricks (enough to construct use a pre-cast base on top or fill the center with
the base) – to provide a supportive and insulating sand or blocks.
base - You may be able to find stones on your
property or at a nearby park. If you live in a rural For this oven, we will build a round base. Find
area, any farmer will likely be thrilled to get rid of some large stones and form a ring on the
some stones and give them to you. Bricks can be ground, about four feet in diameter. Then pile
bought at a hardware store or from a hardware on more stones, until your ring of stones has
website. Try local options first! grown into a cylindrical wall. Mortar is optional.
Fill the inside of cylinder with sand, packing it in
tightly and smoothing it out at the top.
Materials: The next step is to lay bricks or smooth stones
• Tarps – one for cob-mixing, and another for clay- over the entire base. This layer will form the
water mixing if you don't have a large tub. Another floor of the oven.
39
Pile sand on top of the layer of brick/stone, leaving an important insulating layer, so add more straw to
about a foot of the base still exposed all around your this layer than you did to your first. Again, poke fin-
sand dome. Form a sand dome to the the size that ger holes and let the second layer dry for a few days
you want the inside of your finished oven. before adding the third layer (which does not need
as much straw as did the second). Then let the whole
On a base that is four feet in diameter, a sand dome thing dry for another few days, and, in the meantime,
two feet in diameter and eighteen inches in height build a door out of metal or wood that will fit the door-
should serve you well. Cover the sand dome with way you have carved.
newspaper strips or plastic, and coat that with some
of your remaining clay. The door can actually be a little smaller than the
doorway itself, but it should fit snuggly enough to
Set aside two buckets of clay to use later. prevent it from falling into the oven. While you
bake, you can hang a wet cloth over the door to
Mix the clay with water in a large tub or on a big- help keep it in place and to help keep your baked
plastic tarp. This will be the “slip.” One of the best goods moist. Don't forget to include a handle on
and most fun ways to mix the clay and water is with the door. Once the oven is dry, dig the sand out
your feet, or you can either mix them in a large tub. from inside the dome, and get ready to light your
This is the part that you may want to enlist the help first fire!
of the family, or if you prefer do the mixing with a
drill/paddle mixer in a tub. Once the slip is the right Build small fires in the oven over several days to
consistency, place a bucket of it on another tarp, cure it out. The rest of the oven will cure over time
and pour on two to three buckets of subsoil. Pro- as it sits in the sun. If you want to protect it so it
ceed to mix the slip and subsoil with your feet until lasts a long time, build a roof of some type over the
you have a uniform material oven.
To test the consistency of the cob, squeeze some in To cook, build a fire inside the oven with small
your hand then drop it. If it does not crack or splat- sticks and logs. Big logs are not necessary. Once the
ter, it is just right. If it is too dry or too wet, add fire has been burning for a few hours and has died
water or sand accordingly. When you've got this ide- down somewhat, remove the coals and ashes, put in
al consistency, start adding straw. Straw is what the food you wish to bake (bread, pizza, calzones,
holds everything together you name it), and put on the oven door. Check peri-
odically to determine when your food is done, and
Then proceed to cover the clay with cob. Keep your then eat and enjoy!
hands wet with clay as you work (you can mix your
remaining clay with more water at this point), gradu-
ally thickening your first layer of cob to about three
to four inches. After you've added this first layer,
poke holes all over the dome, with each hole being
about an inch in depth. These small holes will help
the next layer of cob to adhere to the layer below it.
Let the first layer of cob dry for several days, and
then carve out the doorway of your oven. A door-
way that is about 11 inches in height and 8-12 inch-
es in width should give you ample room to put
things in and take things out, while still maintaining
the structural integrity of the oven.
The oven doorway should start at the base of the

oven and should extend up in a half-circle shape,
like the entrance to an igloo. Before applying the
second layer of cob, add a thin layer of slip (clay and
water) all over the first layer to help the second layer
of cob stick to the first. Your second layer of cob is
40
Cob Oven
By Gary Hart
This cob oven was designed and built by Gary Hart, owner of Aarons Ltd. In High Ridge, Missouri.
Gary built this oven as part of a hands-on workshop for the Midwest Chimney Safety Council. At this
stage of construction the sand dome support inside the oven is being removed.
There is a layer of Foamglas insulation and two rows of firebrick on top of the base, and a firebrick arch
oven opening. There is no chimney on this oven, which is not commonly used with cob or clay ovens.
Buckets of clay
waiting to be
mixed with
straw and sand.
Gary Hart shows participants how to put clay on the dome
41
Kwick Cob Oven Plans

By Kiko Denzier
Kiko Denzier, author of Build Y our Own Earth Oven, provided these plans for a quick and easy earth
(cob) oven construction.
42
Kwik Cob Oven Plans

By Kiko Denzier
43
Samples of Finished Ovens

By MHA Members
44
Dome Oven by Deer Hill Masonry

Constructed by Steven Bushway, Mason Bushway, and Tom Murray
45
Cookstove and Range

By Jessica Steinhauser
This beautiful Kachel tile stove was designed and built by Jessica Steinhauser for one of her client’s
homes. The client is a professional chef and prefers to cook on wood cook stoves and in wood-fired
ovens. He uses this appliance daily.
46
Soapstone Oven and Masonry Heater

By Dave Wilcox
Dave Wilcox designed this beautiful cus-

tom soapstone masonry heater with heated
bench and bake oven for a client. Bake ov-
ens are often incorporated into masonry
heaters and are heated by the gasses mov-
ing around the oven.
This is a white oven—meaning that no

wood is placed in the oven itself, only in
the masonry heater firebox.
47
Brick Oven by Gene Padgitt
For this project Gene

built the oven to match
the Flemish bond brick
pattern and style on the
house and used a gran-
ite landing to match the
counters in the outdoor
kitchen nearby. Stone
keystones were used
over the arches for the
woodbin and oven door
opening and a multi-
colored slate was used
on the roof to match the
roof on the house. He
also needed to extend
the travertine patio in
order to make it look
like the oven had al-
ways been a part of the
house.
48
Indoor Oven
By Gene Padgitt
The homeowners were not using their ugly indoor barbeque and wanted to turn it into a bake oven. Gene
installed corbeled brick supports, a stone landing, brick oven with insulation, and a cast iron door. The
flue was just the right size for the small oven which a 12” pizza can fit into nicely.
Left: Before
Right below: During
Below: After (before mortar cured)
49
Outdoor Brick Oven and Smoker

(With Fireplace)
By Dan French
This beautiful design incorporates a brick

oven with arches and wood bin, a fireplace
and a smoker. What more could a person
want?
50
Outdoor Brick Oven

By Dan French
51
52
Wood-Fired Cooking
By Marge Padgitt
Wood-fired oven cooking is completely differ-

ent than cooking in an electric or gas oven. It is a
little more work, but definitely worth the trouble
for the fantastic taste that can only be created in a
wood-fired oven.
The nice thing about wood-fired ovens is that not
only can unique flavors be acquired in meats,
breads, and pizza, but virtually anything can be
cooked in the oven from cakes to whole Thanks-
giving dinners.
We have a covered area next to our bake oven with
Gene and I utilize our oven to its fullest, by heat- a counter top so people can roll out or throw their
ing the oven to the highest temperature (600- pizza, and put their own toppings on. Our friends
700º ) or to first cook pizza for lunch, then after and families love to have pizza parties at our house
the oven has cooled to around 450º we’ll put – they have fun making the pizza and of course,
homemade breads in. Still later, we may bake eating it (everyone always says it is the best they
casseroles or cook a chicken or turkey for dinner ever had).
(at 325º or so) or save it for another day. So
iforone oven firing we can get several meals Baking bread is my next favorite thing to cook in
cooked. the oven year-round. My bread rises easier in
front of the wood stove we have in our living
Gene always does the oven firing and cooking room, so I get better results in winter. I proof the
and I usually prepare the food. I have the easy bread on the hearth to the side of the stove, where
part. Cooking in a wood-fired oven requires at- the temperature seems to be just right. In summer,
tention to temperature, and if cooking bread or if the temperature is not too hot I proof the bread
pizza with coals still in the oven, you’ll need to on the deck, which has a roof. Then, I hand the
watch the food closely and turn it as needed in bread over to Gene to take outside to the bake ov-
order to keep it from burning. en in our back yard.
When leaving coals in the oven to maintain tem- Gene enjoys cooking meats in the bake oven be-
perature, be sure to push the coals to one side and cause the flavor can’t be beat. I don’t eat red meat
put the items you are cooking on the opposite but do get to savor fish, turkey and chicken. Cook
side to avoid overheating of the food. We leave these items just as you would in a regular gas ov-
coals in when cooking a large number of pizzas en, but expect more flavor. Also watch your time,
for a party – otherwise the oven will cool down because things tend to cook faster in a wood-fired
too fast. bake oven, probably due to the even heating all
around (similar to a convection oven).
Remove coals when baking breads so the bread
doesn’t burn. However, be prepared to adjust your meal times up
or down because wood-fired oven cooking is not
We use oak wood for baking and sometimes ad an exact science. I use a meat thermometer and
other types of wood for flavor. Try flavored watch for doneness rather than timing when using
woods such as apple, pecan, cherry, and alder or any kind of oven. Remember that meats will con-
hickory for different tastes. Rather than burning tinue to cook after they are removed from the oven
large pieces of wood try placing water-soaked for about 20 minutes, so remove them just before
wood chunks in a metal bowl inside the oven the thermometer reaches the ideal temperature.
while cooking or throw chunks directly on the
coals. You can get flavored woods from local
wood suppliers and barbecue retailers.
53
If you want to use your oven to cook an entire

Thanksgiving meal, that is certainly possible if the
oven is large enough.
The key to everything is timing so the food is all
done at once. What we do is put an unstuffed,
seasoned turkey in first, in a large roasting pan
uncovered so it browns first, then covered for the
rest of the time to finish cooking.
Then the casseroles go in the last hour the turkey
cooks. If the timing is off, I heat the gas oven in
the house to 200 degrees to keep the food warm
until it is needed.
Pies are usually baked the day before, or early in Ready to go in the oven
the morning when the temperature of the oven is
hottest. Gene always fires our oven up the night
before, and if needed, the morning of any cooking.
Our guests know that cooking in this oven may
not mean an exact time can be set for dinner, but
they don’t care, they really like the flavor of food
cooked in the wood-fired oven.
We are working on a cookbook for wood-fired ov-

ens. If you’d like to submit something please con-
tact Marge at margepadgitt@comcast.net
Pizzas cooking in the oven
Putting ingredients on pizza
Ready to eat!
54
Recipes
The following are some of our member’s favorite recipes
Ingredients
2 cups chopped red tomatoes or cherry toma-

toes
1 cup chopped yellow sweet pepper (1 small)
1 cup lightly packed fresh sweet basil leaves,
stacked, rolled, and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Thinly sliced mozzarella (if desired)
2 8-ounce loaf baguette-style French bread,
ends trimmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Bruschetta Directions
By Marge Padgitt
1. Heat your wood-fired oven to 450 -500
: degrees
(Italian pronunciation: [brusˈketːa]) is an appetizer
from central Italy whose origin dates to at least the 2. For topping, in a medium bowl, combine
15th century. It consists of grilled bread rubbed tomatoes, yellow pepper, basil, garlic, 1
with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, tablespoon of the olive oil, and the salt.
salt and pepper. Set aside.
Variations may include toppings of spicy red 3. In a small bowl, combine remaining 2
pepper, tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, tablespoons olive oil and the black pep-
and/or cheese; the most popular recipe outside of per. Brush one side of 32 bread slices
Italy involves basil, fresh tomato, garlic and onion with olive oil mixture (reserve any re-
or mozzarella. maining bread for another use). Place
Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appe- brushed slices on an ungreased baking
tizer. In Italy, Bruschetta is often prepared using a sheet, oiled side up.
brustolina grill.
4. Top toasted bread slices with tomato
In the Abruzzo region of Italy a variation of bru- mixture and mozzarella (if desired),
schetta made with a salami called ventricina is
served. Raw pork products and spices encased in 5. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly
pig vesicles are aged and the paste spread on open browned. serve immediately. Makes 16
slices of bread which are sometimes grilled. This appetizer servings (2 per serving).
was a way of salvaging bread that was going stale.
There are many variations of this recipe. This one
is my favorite.
55
56
Wood– Fired Oven Recipes
Pizza Dough Recipes

Marge's Secret (If I tell you I'll have to kill
you) Pizza Dough Recipe
This makes an easy to work dough and a thin

crispy cracker-like crust.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose King Arthur Flour
1 1/4 cup King Arthur Bread Flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast in a jar
1 c very warm 100+ degree water
Directions:
Place water and yeast in a bowl and let sit for 3
minutes- if it bubbles up it is active. Add 1/2 c
flour, salt, and oil and mix on low speed in Kitch-
en Aid blender with dough hook for 30 seconds
and high speed for 3 minutes. Stop blender and
add the rest of the flour, scrape the bowl, mix on
low for a few seconds, then on low for 6 minutes
or until dough is smooth and pliable. If you don't
have a mixer, kneed by hand for about 8 minutes.
I cut the dough into six dough balls for small sin-
gle-serving pizzas and let sit for 10-15 minutes
before rolling out to put the ingredients on them.
For larger pizzas, cut it in thirds.
If you want to make the dough ahead of time, just

form dough balls and put them on cooking sheets
several inches apart and covered in plastic wrap,
then place in the refrigerator. When ready to use,
take out of the fridge 15– minutes before rolling
out.
This recipe makes perfect individual sized thin

crust pizzas.
This is definitely not a traditional pizza dough -

but if you are adventurous you may want to try it
sometime.
From Richard Smith: It was fantastic. Easy to make,

easy to use and tasted great. Instead of taking hours to
prepare the dough, it only took about a half hour.
WOW, now we can enjoy the afternoon and not worry
about the dough. Our oven takes about 2 hours to heat
up, so that isn’t bad either. Thanks for sharing.
57
Focaccia Bread
Flatbread Dough Ingredients

1 ½ cups water
4 tbl olive oil
4 cups bread flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry active yeast
Herbs and cheese as desired to lend into the
dough after the mixing/kneading: Sage, mixed
olives, grilled onion, potato, dried tomato, thyme,
sea salt, mozzarella, tomato, basil, olive tapenade,
rosemary.
Directions:
Mix the water and olive oil and cover with the
flour. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the flour.
Make a well in the middle of the four and add the
yeast. Mix for 6 minutes on low speed on your
mixer with a dough hook or kneed for 10 minutes.
Kneed in herbs or cheese as desired. Let rise 45
minutes.
2. Liberally coat a metal baking dish (9” x 13”)
that is 2-3” deep or two 8” cake pans with olive
oil.
3. Gently stretch the dough out and spread in the
pan, pushing it into the corners or edges. Cover
and let rest until it has risen by half (about 30
minutes).
4. Indent the dough all over with your fingers,
coat with more olive oil to cover all the holes, and
a thin layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle with orega-
no. If desired add course sea salt.
5. Bake in moderately hot oven for 20-30
minutes, turning if necessary as baking.
58
Roasted Onion and Pineapple Salad

Ingredients:
3 medium red onions
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 fresh pineapple
1 bunch lacinato kale
4 oz feta cheese
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Cut off the ends of the onions and remove the outer
peel, leaving the onions whole. Place the onions in
the center of a large piece of foil. Drizzle with 1 ta-
blespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and
pepper. Add the thyme and bay and wrap the on-
ions tightly in the foil. Place near the coals in a mod-
erate wood oven. You want the onions to slowly
roast in their own juices, so the oven shouldn’t be
too hot. Rotate occasionally, and cook until the on-
ions are very soft and fragrant, 45 minutes to 1 1/2
hours, depending on your oven temp. When the on-
ions are done, remove them from the foil and set
aside, reserving any juices that have collected.
Meanwhile, prepare your pineapple. Cut off the top

and bottom so that the pineapple will stand upright
on your cutting board. Using a knife, cut off the
outer skin in strips. Lay the pineapple on its side and
cut 1/2 inch-thick rounds. Use a paring knife to cut
the core out of the middle of each round. Toss the
pineapple with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season
with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer in a
roasting pan and cook in your wood oven until nice-
ly caramelized, flipping once, about 5-8 minutes. Set
aside.
Remove the stems from the kale and dis-

card. Roughly chop the leaves. Preheat a large wok
or skillet in your wood oven. Add the remaining ol-
ive oil. When it starts to smoke, add the kale, season
with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly,
until the kale is wilted, 2-3 minutes. Using a sharp
knife, gently cut the roasted onions into 1/2 inch
rounds. To assemble the salad, shingle alternating
layers of onion, pineapple and kale on a serving plat-
ter. Sprinkle the mint over the top, then the feta
cheese. Drizzle with any remaining onion roasting
juices and enjoy.
59
Cedar Planked Salmon Roast Turkey
Ingredients
2 Pounds fresh Salmon with skin on one side (one
nice size filet)
¼cup Olive oil
¼ cup Butter or margarine
¼ cup Fresh Garlic
1 Orange or 1 Lemon
Basil (fresh or dry)
Oregano (dry)
Rosemary (fresh)
½ Lime (squeezed)
½ Tsp. Sea Salt
Black pepper (to taste)
Directions
Soak the cedar plank for at least 1 hour in cold
water.
Preheat oven to medium heat (around 350 F).
Slice three thin slices from the orange or lemon and

reserve for decoration. Squeeze the juice from the
remainder of the orange into a small container.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter or margarine,

add all ingredients to melted butter. Place salmon
with this marinade in a plastic zip-lock bag for at
least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove salmon from bag and place on plank with

the skin side down. Place a couple of tablespoons
of the sauce over salmon, Decorate with orange or
lemon slices and Rosemary. Place the plank on the
center of oven opposite the burning fire.
Cook for 12-18 minutes depending on size/

thickness of cut. Place on serving platter or leave on
plank. Careful, the plank will be hot.
For appetizers, cut small pieces of the fish and place

on Ritz crackers.
60
Turducken
Ingredients:
5 cups prepared bread stuffing of your choice, or
three different types of stuffing
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 (10 to 14-pound) turkey, deboned
1 (4 to 6-pound) duck, deboned
1 (3 to 4 pound) chicken, deboned
5 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh or dried thyme leaves,
chopped fine
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
6 fresh or dried sage leaves, chopped fine
1 – 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt or Kosher salt and black pepper
A turducken is a chicken stuffed inside a duck
which is stuffed inside a turkey, and it's becoming
Directions: very popular for Thanksgiving dinner. Each slice
contains portions of chicken, duck, and turkey with
Place a small fire in the bake oven the night before
stuffing in between the layers. A we all know, there
cooking, then build another small fire in the early is nothing like the taste of food cooked in a wood-
morning. The temperature of the oven should be fired oven, and turducken is no exception.
between 300 F and 325 F. When the oven is at the
desired temperature remove any remaining ashes.
Place a pan of hot water in the oven for moisture. cans over the stuffing, Skewer the backs of the chick-
en, then duck, then turkey until they are closed. Turn
Debone the turkey, duck and chicken (do the day the turducken over, so it is breast-side up and place in
before if desired) and save the bones for soup a heavy roasting pan. Remove all of the skewers ex-
stock. Keep the poultry refrigerated until ready to cept the one holding the turkey together. Alternative-
use. ly, tie the birds together with heavy string or twine.
Chop the garlic, sage, parsley, and thyme and mix Roast 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, basting every hour with
with the butter. pan juices, until meat thermometer inserted in the
very center of the chicken stuffing reaches 165 F.
Run your hand under the skin to separate and Place a tent of aluminum foil over the turducken after
make a pocket, but do not separate skin complete- it is a nice golden brown so it doesn't get too dark.
ly from the meat. Place the butter herb mixture Cooking in a wood-fired oven is not an exact science
evenly under the skin. so you'll need to be flexible with dinner time. If there
is room, bake other prepared dishes along side the
Rub the skin of the Turkey with olive oil, salt and turducken during the last hour of cooking.
pepper.
Let the turducken rest for 20- 30 minutes before carv-
Place the turkey skin side down, and sprinkle with ing so it will hold together better. To serve, slice the
salt and pepper. turducken across the breast so each layer is visible.
Your guests should be suitably impressed with the
Spread the stuffing evenly over the turkey cavity. results!
Place the duck on top of the stuffing, skin-side
down. Spread stuffing over the duck, then place Yield: 12 to 18 servings
the chicken on top of the duck, skin-side down.
Spread stuffing on the chicken, then sprinkle pe-
61
Pineapple Upside Down Cake from the heat. (The mixture will continue to cook
even though the heat is off.) Set aside to cool slight-
ly.
3. Stir together the flours, baking powder, baking

soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together
the remaining 1/2 cup butter and the granulated
sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time,
mixing just until incorporated. Add the flour mix-
ture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, mixing
at low speed after each addition until just combined.
Stir in the vanilla and rum.
5. Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices

in the skillet. Bake in the middle of the oven until
firmly pressed together. Carefully lift the skillet off golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40
cake and replace any fruit stuck to the bottom of the minutes.
skillet, if necessary. Arrange the fresh cherry halves,
cut side down, into the top of the cake, in the center 6. Cool the cake in the skillet on a wire rack for 4
of the pineapple rings. minutes only. Run a thin knife around the edge of
the cake and, wearing oven mitts and working
quickly, invert the cake onto a cake plate, keeping
Ingredients
plate and skillet
1/2 ripe medium pineapple, peeled, cored, eyes re-
moved and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (about 4 or
Serve cake warm or at room temperature.
5 slices)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 cup all-purpose flour Wood-Oven S’mores
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar 4-8 oz. dark semi-sweet chocolate
2 eggs Large marshmallows
1 cup buttermilk Graham crackers broken in fourths
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum Directions
4 fresh cherries, halved with pits removed or mara- 1. Heat oven to medium temp 300– 450°
schino cherries
2. Cut chocolate up in small chunks and place in a
Directions very small cast iron pot. Place in oven to melt or
melt over double boiler just until about halfway
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. soft. Do not over cook.
2. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast 3. Remove from heat and place marshmallows on
iron skillet. Add the brown sugar and stir to com- top of chocolate then place inside the oven and re-
bine. Cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about move when the marshmallows are soft and
2 minutes. Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet in a browned.
pleasing pattern and continue to cook for 2 minutes,
or until the sugar mixture turns an amber color. 4. Serve with Graham crackers.
Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan
62
REFERENCES:
Bread Ovens of Quebec by Lise Boily & Jean-Francois Blanchette
The Bread Builders by Daniel W ing and A lan Scott
The New Woodburner's Handbook by Steve Bushway
All books available on the MHA Website at http://mha-net.org
Masonry Heater Association of Nor th Amer ica

www.mha-net.org
63
MHA Wood-Fired Bake Oven Committee
Project participants/oven builders: Masonry Heater Association of North America

Richard Smith, Executive Director
Jim Frisch
Steven Bushway
Deer Hill Masonry
Cummington, MA
416-634-0029
Website: deerhillmasonry.com
E-mail: sbushway@me.com
Gene Padgitt
HearthMasters, Inc.
Kansas City, MO
816-461-3665
Website: chimkc.com
E-mail: office@chimkc.com
Dan French
Mike Wurzbacher
Gary Hart
Contributors:
Eric Mosier
Marcus Flynn
Mike Wurzbacher
Gene Padgitt
Jim Frisch
Chris Prior
Steven Bushway
64
Resources
Suggested reading
The Bread Builders: Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens
by Daniel Wing and Alan Scott (Jul 1, 1999)
Creating the perfect loaf of bread--a challenge that has captivated bakers for
centuries--is now the rage in the hippees places, from Waitsfield, Vermont,
to Point Reyes Station, California. Like the new generation of beer drinkers
who consciously seek out distinctive craft-brewed beers, many people find
that their palates have been reawakened and re-educated by the taste of lo-
cally baked, whole-grain breads. Today's village bakers are finding an im-
portant new role--linking tradition with a sophisticated new understanding
of natural levens, baking science and oven construction.
Daniel Wing, a lover of all things artisinal, had long enjoyed baking his
own sourdough bread. His quest for the perfect loaf began with serious
study of the history and chemistry of bread baking, and eventually led to an apprenticeship with Alan
Scott, the most influential builder of masonry ovens in America.
Alan and Daniel have teamed up to write this thoughtful, entertaining, and authoritative book that shows
you how to bake superb healthful bread and build your own masonry oven. The authors profile more
than a dozen small-scale bakers around the U.S. whose practices embody the holistic principles of com-
munity-oriented baking based on whole grains and natural leavens.
The Bread Builders will appeal to a broad range of readers, including:
 Connoisseurs of good bread and good food.

 Home bakers interested in taking their bread and pizza to the next level of excellence.
 Passionate bakers who fantasize about making a living by starting their own small bakery.
 Do-it-yourselfers looking for the next small construction project.
Small-scale commercial bakers seeking inspiration, the most up-to-date knowledge about the entire
bread-baking process, and a marketing edge.
Note: Alan Scott did not incorporate a bond break in this oven plan, so be sure to include one or your
face wall may crack.
The Bread Ovens of Quebec

Paperback—December 1, 1979
by Lise Boily and Jean-Francios Blachette
This wonderful book is a "unique study of the role of the bread oven in rural
Quebec society [and] also gives compete instructions on how to build a tradi-
tional outdoor bread oven." This history also includes many photographs
(historic and more modern). (Description by austerling)
Free Download: http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/barbeau/mbp0501e.shtml
65
Resources
Suggested reading
From the Wood-Fired Oven: New and Traditional Tech-

niques for Cooking and Baking with Fire
by Richard Miscovich (MHA Member) and Daniel Wing
In the past twenty years, interest in wood-fired ovens has increased dra-
matically in the United States and abroad, but most books focus on how
to bake bread or pizza in an oven. From the W ood-Fired Oven offers
many more techniques for home and artisan bakers—from baking bread
and making pizza to recipes on how to get as much use as possible out of
a single oven firing, from the first live-fire roasting to drying wood for
the next fire.
From the Wood-Fired Oven offers a new take on traditional techniques

for professional bakers, but is simple enough to inspire any nonprofes-
sional baking enthusiast. Leading baker and instructor Richard Miscovich wants people to use their ov-
ens to fulfill the goal of maximum heat utilization. Readers will find methods and techniques for cooking
and baking in a wood-fired oven in the order of the appropriate temperature window. What comes first—
pizza, or pastry? Roasted vegetables or a braised pork loin? Clarified butter or beef jerky? In addition to
an extensive section of delicious formulas for many types of bread, readers will find chapters on:
• Making pizza and other live-fire flatbreads;

• Roasting fish and meats;
• Grilling, steaming, braising, and frying;
• Baking pastry and other recipes beyond breads;
• Rendering animal fats and clarifying butter;
• Food dehydration and infusing oils;
• And myriad other ways to use the oven's residual heat.
Appendices include oven-design recommendations, a sample oven temperature log, Richard's baker's
percentages, proper care of a sourdough starter, and more. . . .
From the Wood Fired Oven is more than a cookbook; it reminds the reader of how a wood-fired oven
(and fire, by extension) draws people together and bestows a sense of comfort and fellowship, very real
human needs, especially in uncertain times. Indeed, cooking and baking from a wood-fired oven is a
basic part of a resilient lifestyle, and a perfect example of valuable traditional skills being put to use in
modern times.
These books are available at www.mha-net.org

66
Resources
Suggested reading
Build Your Own Earth Oven: A Low-Cost Wood-Fired Mud

Oven, Simple Sourdough Bread, Perfect Loaves
3rd Edition Paperback – April 1, 2007
By Kiko Denzer, Hanna Field
Earth ovens combine the utility of a wood-fired, retained-heat oven with the ease and timeless beauty of
earthen construction. Building one will appeal to bakers, builders, and beginners of all kinds, from:
• the serious or aspiring baker who wants the best low-cost bread oven, to
• gardeners who want a centerpiece for a beautiful outdoor kitchen, to
• outdoor chefs, to
• creative people interested in low-cost materials and simple technology, to
• teachers who want a multi-faceted, experiential project for students of all ages (the book has been
successful with  everyone from third-graders to adults).
Build Your Own Earth Oven is fully illustrated with step-by-step directions, including how to tend the
fire, and how to make perfect sourdough hearth loaves in the artisan tradition. The average do-it-
yourselfer with a few tools and a scrap pile can build an oven for free, or close to it. Otherwise, $30
should cover all your materials--less than the price of a fancy "baking stone." Good building soil is often
right in your back yard, under your feet. Build the simplest oven in a day! With a bit more time and im-
agination, you can make a permanent foundation and a fire-breathing dragon-oven or any other shape
you can dream up.
Earth ovens are familiar to many that have seen a southwestern "horno" or a European "bee-hive" oven.
The idea, pioneered by Egyptian bakers in the second millennium BCE, is simplicity itself: fill the oven
with wood, light a fire, and let it burn down to ashes. The dense, 3- to 12-inch-thick earthen walls hold
and store the heat of the fire, the baker sweeps the floor clean, and the hot oven walls radiate steady, in-
tense heat for hours.
Home bakers who can't afford a fancy, steam-injected bread oven will be delighted to find that a simple
earth oven can produce loaves to equal the fanciest "artisan" bakery. It also makes delicious roast meats,
cakes, pies, pizzas, and other creations. Pizza cooks to perfection in three minutes or less. Vegetables, herbs, and
potatoes drizzled with olive oil roast up in minutes for a simple, elegant, and delicious meal. Efficient cooks will find the
residual heat useful for slow-baked dishes, and even for drying surplus produce, or incubating home-
made yogurt.
These books are available at www.mha-net.org

67
Other Resources
Plans, Chat Lists, Facebook, Periodicals Oven Building Schools

Pompeii Oven—Free oven plans OMED (Oven Mason Education Development
from Forno Bravo program) by the Masonry Heater Association of
The Pompeii Oven is a set of free North America. Available at some annual meet-
plans that describe how to build a ings at Wildacres Retreat in North Carolina and at
traditional round Italian brick oven. other locations throughout North America. De-
The oven is built using Firebricks signed for the beginning oven builder. A vaulted
and materials easily found at Home arch oven with brick exterior finish is built during
Depot and other building supplies this program. Groups may sponsor this event.
stores. It's a great oven, and a great project. Please contact Richard Smith, Executive Director,
Fornobravo.com/store/cart.php at for more information or visit www.mha
-net.org.
Wood-Fired Ovens gr oup on Facebook is open
to the public and is a good resource for oven ide- MHA member companies offer oven building
as. Oven building and baking workshops are classes throughout the year. Please visit
listed here. Members share ideas about building www.mha-net to see the list of members.
and cooking techniques.
HearthMasters Traveling Masonry School
Yahoo Chat List for MHA Members only Groups or companies with multiple employees
MHA members may request to join at sponsor the workshop which includes building an
groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MHAmembers/ over design of your choice (vaulted, barrel, dome,
info or cob). Call 816-461-3665 or visit
www.hearthmasters.net
Masonry Heaters/Brick Oven Yahoo Chat List
Open to the public—has 700 members. Talk Maine Wood Heat
about brick ovens, masonry heaters, rocket Co-founder and annual co-sponsor of the Knead-
stoves, and more here and see photos in the photo ing Conference is Skowhegan Maine which al-
section. Request to join at ways features wood-fired ovens and a firebrick
Groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ oven build class and clay oven build class with
MasonryHeatersBrickOvens/info other classes such as barrel ovens, core assembly,
and firebrick. www.mainewoodheat.com.
Wood-Fired Magazine featur es
articles about wood-fired cooking, The Kneading Conference
baking and building. Held in Maine annually
www.woodfiredmag.com Learn how to make breads in wood-fired ovens,
how to build ovens, how to manage an artisan
bakery
www.kneadingconference.com
68
Cooking Schools
Forno Rustico
the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association based in
Personalized, one-on-one (or small group) classes
Naples, Italy. They offer certification and mem-
in a Forno Bravo wood-fired oven in the Sonoma
bership in the association to those restaurants com-
countryside. Forno Rustico also provides on-site
mitted to producing Neapolitan pizza according to
cooking classes in your oven throughout the U.S.
the guidelines of the association.
-- they are happy to travel to meet you. Learn
more about Forno Rustico, or download the Forno
Rustico brochure. VPN Americas
Lea Bergen 4040 Del Rey Ave, # 10
Forno Rustico Marina del Rey, CA 90292
707 321-6917 323 653-5792
lea@fornorustico.com vpnamericas@me.com
www.verapizzanapoletana.net
Richard Miscovich
Associate Professor International School of Pizza
College of Culinary Arts Tony Gemignani is the first Master Instructor in
Johnson & Wales University the United States and students will have the oppor-
Providence, RI tunity to get certified in Classic Italian Pizza, Ro-
401-699-5012 man Style Pizza or Pizza in Teglia (Pan Pizza).
www. The certifications come direct from Italy and the
course will be available several times a year. Un-
Ramekins der the Scuola Itlaiana Pizzaoili
Elected as the Cooking School of the Year by the (www.pizzaschool.it), Tony also operates the
International Association of Culinary Profession- United States School of Pizza which offers special
als in 2005, Ramekins Sonoma Valley Culinary courses throughout the year in authentic Neapoli-
School is the Wine Country's premiere cooking tan Style pizza, New York, Chicago, California,
school for the home cook, from the amateur to the and New Haven Style Pizza.
aficionado. 1570 Stockton St.
San Francisco, Ca 94133
415-835-9888
Faire la Cuisine
info@internationalschoolofpizza.com
1976 Granville Road
www.internationalschoolofpizza.com
Newark, Ohio 43055
Tel: 740.587.2174
Fax: 740.587.5265 PizzaConsulting.it.
info@flcuisine.com Located in Naples, PIzzaConsulting.it works with
www.flcuisine.com/ clients from all over the world to reach the highest
As the founder and owner of faire la cuisine, Su- levels of pizzaiolo training. PizzaConsulting.it can
san Kaiser has offered professional catering and also help your pizzeria become Vera Pizza Napo-
cooking school services to Granville, Ohio and letana certified.
surrounding communities since 1990. Susan at- Enzo Coccia
tended a Master Chef Catering Program in Lon- +39 348 813 3242
don at the Le Cordon Bleu and received a Cesar info@pizzaconsulting.it
Ritz Diploma from Ritz-Escoffier Ecole de Gas- www.pizzaconsulting.it
tronomie Francaise in Paris. Susan has catered
events of all kinds and all sizes, and welcomes the
opportunity to teach you the joys of good cook-
ing.
Verace Pizza Napoletana Americas

VPN Americans offers training to individuals or
businesses interested in producing authentic Nea-
politan style pizza according to the guidelines of
69
Bake oven plaque

The following page is a suggested bake oven use plaque that
you can order from a metal sign or tag company to put on the
oven or inside the wood bin so that future owners will know
what it is, the basics of how to use the oven, and where to go
for more information.
70
Instructions for Using Your

Wood-Fired Bake Oven
This brick oven has been hand-crafted by a master mason, and is carefully designed to provide
many years of enjoyment. Use dry hardwoods, and flavored woods like apple, cherry, peach, or
almond for the best flavor. Some of the best chefs prefer wood-fired cooking because the flavor
can’t be beat! You can bake anything in a wood-fired oven—even entire turkey dinners!
Step One: Fire up the oven by placing several pieces of kindling over newspaper in the center.
After a few minutes, add some larger pieces of kindling, and finally, cordwood. If planning to cook
on low heat, a small fire started several hours before cooking will do the job. If cooking with high
temperatures for pizza, you may want to fire the oven the night before, then add wood a few
hours before cooking, or keep one piece of wood or coals burning in the oven while baking.
Note: Never burn anything other than untreated dry wood in the oven!
Step Two: Remove any coals or ashes, or for pizza, push coals to the side to allow for even
heating of the food. If cooking a lot of items over several hours, leave some coals in the oven.
Step Three: Wipe the oven floor surface with a slightly damp cloth non-melting oven mop to
clean off the ashes.
Step Four: Check the temperature of the oven. Cook Pizza at 600-900 degrees, Focaccia or
roasted vegetables at 400º- 500º, Breads at 375º –450º, or whole chicken or turkey at 325º
-350º. Cook casseroles in clay dishes with lids or cover with foil. Note that food may cook faster
in this oven than in a gas or electric stove due to its convective properties.
Pizza: Place pizza or bread directly on the oven floor surface. Use plenty of cornmeal under the
pizza or bread on the peel so the peel does not stick to it. Pizza will cook in 2-4 minutes at high
temperature. You may need to turn pizza during cooking if fire is still in the oven so it won’t burn.
Thin, crispy crust is preferred by gourmet pizza chefs.
Bread: Some chefs soak a wooden oven door in water or place a container of water in the oven
when baking bread for moisture. Check recipe for baking time and watch carefully.
For recipes and more information about cooking in a wood-fired oven visit:
Masonry Heater Association This oven was built by:
of North America
www.mha- 71
HOMEOWNER SAFETY MANUAL

AND BURNING GUIDE FOR
MASONRY COOK STOVES AND BAKE OVENS
By Jerry Frisch, Norbert Senf, and MHA members
Before using your cook stove/bake oven, please read these instructions carefully. Failure to do so may
bring about potentially hazardous conditions.
Points you should know when using your masonry cook stove/bake oven.
A. USE ONLY WITH DOOR CLOSED.

B. DO NOT USE A GRATE OR ANDIRONS.
C. IN NEW MASONRY COOK STOVES/BAKE OVENS THE ENTIRE CHIMNEY INSTALLA-
TION SHOULD BE INSPECTED REGULARLY (on a monthly basis) UNTIL A CLEANING
CYCLE IS DETERMINED.
D. WHEN CLEANING A CLASS ‘A’ METAL CHIMNEY USE A POLY OR NYLON TYPE
BRUSH. DO NOT USE A METAL BRUSH.
E. FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS MUST NOT BE USED TO START FIRES.
F. WHEN CLEANINIG THE ASHES OUT OF YOUR MASONRY COOK STOVE/BAKE OV-
EN, BE SURE AND USE A METAL CONTAINER FOR ASHES AS AN ADDED SAFETY
MEASURE. DO NOT STORE ASHES ON COMBUSTIBLE SURFACE.
G. MAINTENANCE AND SAFE OPERATIONS ARE THE HOMEOWNERS RESPONSIBIL-
ITY.
H. INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS AND CO DETECTORS FOR ADDED PROTECTION.
WARNING:
Before starting the fire, check damper for proper position on cook stoves. Open by-pass damper as well
as chimney damper. On units where there is no damper, but an airtight door to stop air flow, do not close
this type of door until the wood is totally burned and only glowing embers remain. No flames should be
visible. Once the airtight (damper) door is closed it should remain closed until the next firing.
If your masonry cook stove/bake oven has a combustion air control never close before fuel is totally con-
sumed.
On masonry cook stoves after fire is burning well, by-pass damper should be closed to produce more
heat to the masonry oven and cook top.
NOTE: For WHITE OVENS use the heater break in sheet. White ovens are heated from a re-
mote firebox as in fireplace-heater-oven combinations.
For BLACK OVENS and masonry cook stoves proceed as follows.

(Black ovens: Where the fire is built directly in the oven on the hearth.)
1) After 30 days have passed start using your new masonry cook stove/bake oven. You should have 8
to 10 small fires to cure and slowly dry out any moisture present - unless your installer specifies oth-
erwise.
72
2) WARNING: DO NOT EXCEED 10 PERCENT OF FULL LOAD (AS SPECIFIED BY MFG.) ON

THE FIRST 8 to 10 FIRES. Then, increase load by 5 percent on each of the next 8 fires. On the
next fires increase each by 10 percent until you reach the 100 percent maximum that the unit was
designed for. If during this break-in period you notice moisture, damp areas on surface or sweat ap-
pearing in mortar joints, skip 1 or 2 fires to avoid a steam explosion. You should not feel any heat
during the first 12 to 15 fires. If you do - you may be over firing.
A) During the break-in period take heat measurements as you gradually

increase the fuel load. Keeping a record, check cook top and oven
for hot spots and cooler spots.
B) At different times before/during and after the fire this will help you
understand when the cook top or oven is at the correct temperature
for cooking or baking the desired foods. Also weigh the wood and
record it with resulting temperatures.
C) Good record keeping will shorten the learning curve. Please pass
this information to the masonry cook stove/bake oven builder for his information.
D) Small free standing oven thermometers are available at most grocery stores. A more elaborate
and more accurate hand held point and shoot pyrometer is available at outlets like Grainger
Stores or from Condar. They will cost $150.00 to $250.00 each on average, but are worth the
cost because of the instant readings and accuracy and much faster recording time.
NOTE: You could help the dr ying out pr ocess by using an electr ic heater or fan dir ected into the
fire box starting 2 or 3 days after masonry cook stove/bake oven is installed. Leave the damper open
fully during dry out and curing/break-in period.
3) After the break-in period, try a top down burn (a clean burn startup
procedure, yes just the opposite of what we are used to).
a) First step is opening damper. It is a good idea to check draft with a

single match held at the lintel. If it is drafting into the room turn off any fans or open a window
or door for a brief time.
When chimney is drafting properly, there should be no smoke spillage problems.
On outside chimneys or new units with first startup fires, it may be necessary to heat the flue via
the cleanout at the chimney base. Some units may have a by-pass damper that should be open
for startup to preheat flue and enhance draft.
b) For masonry bake ovens place one piece of wood approximately 2" x 2" in diameter on bottom
parallel to door near front air supply.
c) Crisis cross 3 to 4 pieces of wood approximately 2" x 3" in diameter on top of the first piece.
(Log cabin style)
d) Lay 3 or 4 pieces approximately 2" x 3" in diameter on top of the second layer, but parallel to
the first layer. This will be approximately 8 to 10 pounds of base wood assuming a medium size
bake oven.
e) Crumple 2 to 3 pieces of newspaper and place on top of the third layer. Then using 3 to 4
pounds of small 1/2" to 1" in diameter kindling, criss cross the kindling on top of the paper fairly
close together - allowing enough room for air flow. (Log cabin style)
73
You will also find that wood laid criss cross will produce more heat then layered wood placed
parallel to one another. The entire bottom should be covered to maximize the surface heat.
f) Using one full sheet of newspaper, make a torch approximately 23´to 29" long. Light the torch
and hold it up the flue. This will enhance the draft. When the torch burns down, use it as a
match to start the fire.
Start up can be enhanced by using gelled alcohol (canned heat/sterno, etc. available in sporting
goods stores) in the base of the chimney or clean outs.
g) About a 1 1/2 to 2 hour fire should heat your oven for most needs.
After the fire is out the oven door should be closed or blocked to trap heat inside. Wait about 20
to 30 minutes soaking period for heat to equalize before starting to bake.
Use flour or corn meal and sprinkle on bottom of masonry bake oven to verify the temperature.
It if burns it is too hot. Open door to cool, or swab with wet rag or wait. If it gets golden in color
it is about right. It if doesn't change it may not be hot enough. Practice makes perfect. If oven is
the proper temperature the brick should all be burned clean - no soot or ash on dome.
4)a) For masonry cook stoves use 2" to 3" diameter wood. Place 2 or 3 pieces on grate angled left to
right, then place 2 or 3 pieces slightly smaller angled right to left so there is room for air flow.
(Do not lay parallel and packed tight together, this will block air flow and will be hard to start.)
b) Next set kindling and paper on top of 2 layers and light. Be sure combustion air doors are open.
Your cook stove may be equipped with a by-pass damper which should be open during startup.
After a good fire is established, larger wood can be used (4" to 5" diameter) to hold a constant
fire (heat output) longer.
Like masonry bake ovens the amount of wood and oven and cook top temperatures should be rec-
orded for future reference.
Cook top lids (plates) with a spin hole and protruding lugs on bottom should be rotated with
holes at 12-3-6-9 o'clock positions. Use a free standing oven thermometer to record temperatures
in each position and from lid to lid. After a period of time you will learn where to place pots and
pans for the desired cooking results. The hand test and counting 1001-1002-1003 etc. like check-
ing BBQ for proper temperatures also works but takes more time to master.
Tools you need to make your masonry cook stove/bake oven more enjoyable:
Necessary for Black Ovens: A coal rake, a wood shovel and a poker to move fire and ashes as
needed and a peel to load and remove pans, etc.
Necessary for Masonry Cook Tops: A lid lifter or a tool to spin lids to control heat output.
Enjoy your new masonry cook stove/bake oven. Please share your successes with your oven builder
along with any ideas you may have for improvements.
Do not get discouraged, you will burn some bread, etc. from time to time - GUARANTEED! But in the
end it will have been worth it. Check finished bake goods for doneness the same as you would in an
electric or gas stove.
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Glossary of Oven Terms

Arch
Every pizza oven has a number of pieces that can be constructed using arches, including the dome itself,
which is a circular, arched vault, the opening into the oven chamber, which can use either a flat or arched
top, and the opening into the vent landing (the main opening you see), which can also be constructed ei-
ther as a rectangle, with a flat top, or with an arch, either brick, stone, stucco or refractory.
Barrel Vault Oven

Barrel Vault, sometimes called Vault, is the name for a brick bread oven that is constructed with sides
that start out straight then form a curved dome. The footprint of the oven is rectangular.
Barrel Oven
Similar to the Barrel Vault but the oven dome begins on the hearth and has no straight sides.
Black Oven
An oven design that features a fire-in-the-oven that heats the oven and bake food. After the oven is full
heated, the fire is either moved to one site, or removed, to enable cooking. The Black Oven contrasts the
White Oven design, where a separate fire chamber below the oven cooking chamber is used to heat the
oven.
Bread Oven
We like to say that it is easy to cook bread in a pizza oven, but difficult to cook pizza in a bread oven.
The main characteristics of a Bread Oven are the Barrel Vault design and larger thermal mass. You find
both Pizza Ovens and Bread Ovens in Italy, where Pane Cotto a Legna can still be easily found in most
supermarkets, many of which have brick Bread Ovens in their bakeries. Pizzerias, restaurants and homes
all use traditional Round Pizza Ovens.
Brick
Need we say more? We recommend high quality Firebricks for the dome and floor of the Pompeii Oven.
Red clay bricks are a traditional design element for many oven finish styles, including the Vent Arch.
Read our Brick Primer for more on bricks and the Pompeii Oven.
Carbon Burn-Off
When the inside of the dome of a pizza oven reaches about 650F, the black soot, or carbon, begins to
burn off, giving the impression that the oven dome is turning white, or clear, You can see the detail of
the dome interior, and know that you oven is nearly ready for cooking pizza and that it has reach a stage
where it will continue to hold heat for other types of retained heat cooking. With Forno Bravo and Pom-
peii ovens, this takes an hour of less, depending on the oven model.
Cart Oven
Cart ovens are prevalent in and around Naples, where they are used for catering parties and outdoor fes-
tivals (of which there are a lot), and for neighborhood entertaining. Our view is that the nature of enter-
taining, houses and roads in the U.S. lend themselves more toward Trailer Ovens for catering, parties
and events.
Catering Oven
We use this term to describe any portable or mobile pizza oven, that is used for catering events, parties
and festivals.
Ceramic Insulation
Alumina-Silica insulating boards and blankets are the most efficient material available for pizza oven
insulation. Heat resistant to over 2,300ºF, ceramic fiber boards and blankets offer extremely low thermal
76
conductivity and are twice as efficient as Insulating Concrete based on either vermiculite or Perlite. Ov-
en insulated with 100% ceramic insulation provide faster oven heat up and better heat retention, and use
less space.
Chimney
Unlike a Fireplace, where the chimney is in the back, a Pizza Oven has the chimney outside of the fire
chamber -- the front. The oven draws in cold air through the oven opening for the fire, and exhausts hot
air back out through the top half of the oven door. The exhausted air is collected by a Vent, which is in
turn connected to a chimney. Outdoor ovens use a short chimney run to safely exhaust smoke, while in-
door ovens can be connected to an appropriate chimney system to exhaust smoke outside of the house. It
is interesting to note that while very rustic ovens do not have a vent and chimney, and subject the chef to
lots of heat and smoke, the ancient Pompeii Ovens had sophisticated Vent and Chimney systems and
were inside shops that also served as retail outlets.
Chimney Manifold
The part of a Forno Bravo Pizza Oven that connects the Vent to a standard steel chimney system.
Clay Brick
Basic clay brick used for construction. We do not recommend Red Clay Brick for the dome or floor of
the Pompeii Oven. They are, on the other hand, beautiful and very inexpensive as a finish material.
Commercial Pizza Oven
Commercial Pizza Ovens and Residential Pizza Ovens are based on the same basic design, where the
primary differences are the size of the oven, the thickness of the Refractory material used and the thick-
ness and quality of the refractory material used. For example, Forno Bravo sell residential ovens ranging
from 24" to 48", and commercial ovens ranging from 44" to 72". While the walls of our commercial ov-
ens is thicker, it is important to note that the material is the same. This is critical. Many Italian refractory
oven producers use a lower-grade refractory material for their home ovens, and even charge a premium
for their high-end residential ovens that use the higher-quality refractory material. We would not recom-
mend using a commercial oven in a residential setting. They cost more, take longer to heat up and use
more fuel than residential models, and are designed to be fired 24/7, 365-days per year, for 15 years.
Concrete
You will end up using concrete for your stand and hearth, and possibly your trim and finish, but should
never use standard concrete in any core oven components, including the Vent -- which gets too hot for
standard concrete. Try to avoid oven producers that provide a concrete vent, or worse, a steel venting
system in refractory oven. The Forno Bravo refractory ovens include a refractory vent constructed using
the same material as the oven.
Concrete Block
These 8"x8"x16' blocks, or Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) are easy to use and inexpensive ($1 each) for
building an oven stand. For indoor installation, and builders who are looking for a faster or lighter instal-
lation method should consider a Metal Hearth Tray and stand.
Concrete Board
These pre-made sheets of concrete provide a convenient method of finishing the top of an oven when
used with Metal Studs. They are non-combustible, and can use near the oven opening, and can be cov-
ered with stucco and stone. Hardibacker is a popular brand of non-combustible backer board, or concrete
board.
Corner Oven
An oven installation where the oven sits in a corner and the opening faces out at a 45 degree angle. Cor-
ner oven installations are common both in indoor and outdoor kitchens.
CMU.
77
Concrete Masonry Unit. See Concrete Block.
Curing
After your oven has been installed, you need to bring it up to heat slowly to allow the oven itself, and the
installation materials to dry. Failure to do this could result in damage to your oven. You should allow
your oven to sit for seven days after installation, then begin a series of seven small, then growing fires.
Read our Curing Page for additional information.
Dome
See Oven Dome.
Dome Enclosure
An oven enclosure design where the oven outer shell follows the shape of the oven dome. Also called an
Igloo.
Door
There are a number of oven door designs, including a free-standing sheet metal door, a hinged and insu-
lated door, and an owner-built wood door. You use the oven door to regulate air in-take and the strength
of your fire during Oven Firing, and to close the oven for Retained Heat Cooking. An insulated door im-
proves a Pizza Oven's ability to retain heat for longer periods of time.
Firebrick
Refractory bricks used to build the Oven Dome of the Pompeii Oven. A typical medium duty firebrick
made from 30% to 35% alumina and 60% silica can withstand rapid heat-up and cool-down cycles with-
out spalling (flaking) or cracking. Read our Brick Primer for more details.
Fire Clay Mortar

A mortar made for building the Pompeii Oven that consists of stand, fire clay (ground firebricks) and
Portland cement. Refer to the Pompeii Oven plans for more details. While not as heat resistant as true
Refractory Mortar, it is easier to find.
Foundation
Your oven will sit on a standard concrete pad. Make sure you build your foundation slightly larger than
your Oven Stand, in order to support your finish material, and forms you will use to install our Insulating
Hearth. Consider sloping the foundation just slightly to the front of the oven, to keep water from stand-
ing in your wood storage area underneath the oven. Your hearth and Oven Floor will be level.
Hearth
See Insulating Hearth.
Hipped Enclosure
A form of outdoor oven enclosure that features a basic walled structure, hipped roof, and a chimney cen-
tered over the oven dome. A traditional Mediterranean finish style.
Igloo
A form of outdoor or indoor Pizza Oven enclosure where the oven walls follow the basic shape of the
oven chamber to form an Igloo, the oven Dome, or Beehive. Also a traditional Mediterranean finish
style.
Igloo, Dome, or Beehive Oven

A form of outdoor or indoor pizza oven enclosure where the oven walls follow the basic shape of the
oven chamber to form an Igloo shape. This is the traditional Mediterranean style oven.
Insulating Blanket
Modern, high-tech woven ceramic insulation that comes in blanket form, and wraps around your Forno
Bravo or Pompeii Pizza Oven dome. Lightweight and highly efficient, 3" to 6" of Blanket Insulation
78
comes standard with each Forno Bravo Oven.
Insulating Board
Modern, high-tech woven ceramic insulation that comes in board form, and is installed under your Forno
Bravo or Pompeii Pizza Oven dome. Lightweight and highly efficient, 2" to 4" of Board Insulation
comes standard with each Forno Bravo Oven.
Insulating Concrete
A mix of six parts Vermiculite or Perlite to one part Portland cement that makes an insulating product
which can be used in the Insulating Hearth and for dome insulation in certain types of enclosure. Insulat-
ing concrete is less efficient than ceramic insulation.
Insulating Hearth
A two-part hearth that supports your Pizza Oven, and provides both an Insulation layer and structural
support. Comprised of either a standard concrete slab or metal tray and Insulating Board, the Insulating
Hearth enables your oven to hold heat for better cooking and better efficiency with fuel.
Insulation
The layers that encloses your Pizza Oven dome and floor, and stops heat from escaping. Without proper
insulation, heat will conduct through the Oven Hearth and Oven Enclosure, making the outside of the
oven hot to touch. A poorly insulated oven will not retain heat well for baking and roasting.
Landing
Your pizza oven has two landing areas. The smaller space directly in front of the oven door and below
the Vent, called the Vent Landing, and a larger area at the front of the oven, called the Oven Landing.
The Vent Landing is included with all Forno Bravo pizza ovens.
Metal Stud
Metal studs used for building outdoor and indoor partition walls using Concrete Board. Can be used in-
stead of half-wide Concrete Blocks or Bricks to finish the top of an outdoor Pizza Oven installation.
Mortar
There are three types of mortar, at least for the purposes of installing a Pizza Oven or Refractory Fire-
place. Refractory Mortar, a pre-mixed heat resistant mortar engineered for Pizza Ovens and Fireplaces;
Fire Clay Mortar, a site-mixed mortar based on sand, fire clay and Portland cement used by some Pom-
peii Oven builders; and standard Mason's Mortar. Do not use mason's mortar for your Pizza Oven cham-
ber and vent, and only use it for decorative elements that do not get hot.
Napoletana Oven
A style of Pizza Oven that features a lower Oven Dome height and more aggressively curved dome
shape -- seen in and around Naples and in ovens built by Neapolitan builders throughout Italy. It is said
to be tuned for cooking Verace Pizza Napoletana.
Outdoor Kitchen
The Outdoor Kitchen can range from a simple Pizza Oven or grill to a completely outfitted kitchen and
dining room featuring a Pizza Oven stainless steel grill, cook top, refrigerator, sink and more. The Out-
door Kitchen has been a part of Mediterranean living for centuries, and is really catching on in the states
-- for good, reason. It's the best way to cook and eat when it's hot (and even when it isn't). Read our Out-
door Kitchen Design Guide for more.
Oven Brush
A soft copper or brass brush used for cleaning your Oven Floor.
Oven Dome
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The curved vault of the Pizza Oven. The parabolic, round shape of the dome is efficient with wood fuel,
and evenly reflects heat back down on the Oven Floor for cooking perfect pizza and other dishes that use
both top and bottom heat for cooking. There are two basic types of Italian Oven Dome: the Napoletana
Oven and the Tuscan Oven.
Oven Enclosure
The structural and decorative components of the pizza oven that provide the hearth, or base, for the oven,
and the walls that enclosure the insulation. An outdoor oven enclosure must be waterproof. The oven
enclosure is typically made of oven the oven legs, the oven tray, or hearth, and the enclosure walls.
Oven Firing
The fire inside the oven chamber that heats the refractory material that comprises the oven. Make sure
you know how long it takes to fire your oven for the type of cooking you are going so you can plan
ahead and fire your oven at the right time. For more, read our Pizza Oven Management page.
Oven Floor
The floor of a Pizza Oven can be made either from prefabricated circular pieces (typically pie-shaped),
bricks or refractory tiles. If it is at all possible, it is better to choose an oven where the Oven Dome
wraps around the oven floor, and rests on the Insulating Hearth. This keeps heat inside your oven, and
keeps it from "leaking" out the side of the oven through the exposed sides of the oven floor. You cook
pizza and bread directly on the oven floor, and set pots, pans and grills on it for other cooking effects.
Oven Landing
The area in front of our oven where you place food going in and out of the oven. Often the size and ma-
terial of the Oven Landing is up to the design of the owner, and ranges between 4" and 24".
Oven Opening
The door into your oven chamber. The size of the opening is designed to be large enough to accommo-
date pots, pans, grills, and of course pizza, without being so large that the oven does not hold heat.
Oven Stand
The "legs" that your Pizza Oven rests on. Typically Concrete Block for site-built installation, and option-
ally metal for light-weight installations and rapid installations.
Perlite
An insulating material that can be mixed with Portland cement to make Insulating Concrete, or pour
loose around the Oven Dome. Similar to vermiculite, these materials are less efficient than ceramic insu-
lation.
Pizza Oven
A traditional, round domed Italian wood-fired oven optimized for baking pizza, roasts, vegetables and
hearth bread from a single firing.
Pizza Peel
The tool you use to set and turn pizza, and the pots and pans to put in and out of your Pizza Oven. They
can be either wood or steel, short- handled or long-handled. For more information on technique, read out
Using Pizza Peels page.
Pompeii Oven
The Pompeii Oven is a set of free plans that describe how to build a traditional round Italian brick oven.
The oven is built using Firebricks and materials easily found at Home Depot and other building supplies
stores. It's a great oven, and a great project.
Portland Cement
Pure cement—kiln-dried limestone, without any of the aggregates that make up concrete. Used in vari-
ous ways in Pizza Oven installation, including Insulating Concrete and Fire Clay Mortar.
80
Prefabricated Oven
See Modular Pizza Oven.
Refractory
Material that is design to withstand heat and high temperatures. The Refractory Material that Forno Bra-
vo uses for its Pizza Ovens and Refractory Fireplaces is a high-tech composite of tempered alumina and
woven ceramic silica. For more, read our Refractory Primer.
Refractory Mortar
True Refractory Mortar is made from Alumina Silicates and has the same, or similar, heat resistance and
thermal characteristics as the Refractory Pizza Oven itself, making it the right mortar for Pizza Oven and
Outdoor Fireplace installation.
Residential Pizza Oven

Residential Pizza Ovens are designed for home and garden use, and have a number of defining charac-
teristics. They are smaller in size, and are slightly lighter in weight. Their lower Thermal Mass and high
tech Refractory Material enable them to heat up very quickly, typically between 30 and 60 minutes,
making it practical to use them often during the week.
Retained Heat Cooking

This is the style of cooking where you rake the fire and coals out of the Pizza Oven, and cooking using
the heat held in the Refractory Material. You can cook a wide range of foods this way, taking advantage
of the various levels of heat the oven goes through as it cools. For example, you can cook bread at round
500F, roasts, cakes and other Dolce around 400F, then beans and soups overnight as the oven tempera-
ture falls. For more, read our Brick Oven Techniques pages.
Squirrel Tail Oven

This is an oval shaped oven that incorporates a rear or top flue which is usually brought forward over the
top of the oven dome to the chimney at the front of the oven.
Thermal Layer
The thermal layer includes all of the material in the Pizza Oven that absorbs and retains heat for cooking,
or is exposed to fire and high temperatures. It typically include the Oven Floor, Oven Dome, and Oven
Vent.
Thermal Mass
Thermal mass describes the volume of refractory material in your oven that you have to heat up in order
to prepare your oven to cook. One interesting characteristic of thermal mass, like most things in nature,
is that it demands equilibrium. If one side of a thermal mass is hot and the other side is cool, such as a
Pizza Oven when it is first being fired, heat will migrate from the hot inner edge of the mass to the cool
outer part of the oven in order to reach equilibrium—leaving the entire mass only "warn". This means
that you cannot heat only the "inside" of your oven, and that ovens with a large thermal mass will take a
long time to heat up, as nature tries to heat the entire mass evenly. That is one of the reasons why you
should not use a bread oven for cooking pizza at home, and why you typically should not use a Commer-
cial Pizza Oven for home baking. The thermal mass of each Forno Bravo oven is tuned to its specific
task.
Thermocouple
A small probe and wire cable you can install with your Pizza Oven that will output the temperature of
the oven at that spot in the oven to a temperature display.
Thermometer
Temperature is always an interesting topic with wood-fired ovens. You can test the temperature of the
inside of the oven dome, the floor of the oven, a couple of inches inside the oven dome and in the air,
using a variety of thermometers and Thermocouples For example, the Premio oven tests the air tempera-
81
ture, which allows you to gauge the temperature of the dome and floor. Another option is to use a Non-
Contact Thermometer, which tests the surface temperatures of the Oven Floor and Oven Dome (if you
have the right model). Bakers using larger, thicker Bread Ovens test inside the refractory to see how
much heat has been absorbed to gauge the oven for bread. Another option is to develop a "feel" for your
own oven using you hand. For more, read our Pizza Oven Management page.
Vent
The Vent rests just in front and above the Oven Opening, and collects the smoke and hot air that is ex-
hausted from the top half of the opening. It is typically important to note that this part of the oven gets
very hot, and if possible, should be built using true Refractory Material. The Forno Bravo ovens feature
a two piece refractory vent that can be used with both steel Chimney systems and terra cotta flue liners.
That said, certain Neapolitan Ovens use an external steel or cast iron vent that is attached to the outside
the Oven Dome, a style you see with our Forno Bravo Artigiano.
Vent Arch
The arch that you see in the front of most ovens is in fact a non-structural, decorative Vent Arch, which
encloses the Vent and Vent Landing. With certain Neapolitan Ovens, such as the Forno Bravo Artigiano,
you can see the actual Oven Opening, and the vent is attached above, like an indoor oven hood.
Verace Pizza Napoletana

The Verace Pizza Napoletana specification was originally created at a meeting of Naples' most venerated
Pizzaioli, who came together to define the perfect pizza -- they even signed a public declaration support-
ing the specification. Today, there are two aspects to VPN. First, there are non-profit certification com-
panies, whose goal is to promote Italian pizza and protect the "brand" of Pizza Napoletana. Second, there
is a move by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture to have Verace Pizza Napoletana accepted by the EU as
a protected product. What we think is most interesting about the story is that these efforts clearly outline
what Italy, and more importantly the Napoletana, think a real pizza should look and taste like. For more,
read our translation of the Verace Pizza Napoletana specification presented to the EU.
Vermiculite
An old-fashioned, inexpensive Insulator. A different product with similar qualities to Perlite.
Wall Oven
A Pizza Oven set behind a partition wall -- either indoors or outdoors.
White Oven
A white oven features a separate firing chamber below the oven cooking chamber, where the heat of the
fire to vented into the cooking chamber. White ovens are typically used by commercial bread bakeries.
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Wood-Fired Bake Oven Portfolio Masonry Heater Association of North America

Wood-Fired Bake Oven

©Copyright 2015 by the Masonry Heater Association of North

No portion of this publication may be copied or redistributed ei-

Front cover art

Mike Wurzbacher, Dan French, Marge Padgitt, Jim Frisch,

Editor: Marge Padgitt

Types of Wood-fired Ovens 6

Brick Oven Construction

Brick Oven Projects: 9

Castable Oven Project:

Brick Oven Finishing Options

Cob Oven Construction

Cob Oven Projects:

Cooking in a Wood-Fired Oven

Bake Oven Definition Per the Masonry Heater Association

1 bake oven, n — wood-burning devices that:

1.5.1 after the maximum masonry-mass temperature has been reached; or

By Mike Wurzbacher The actual theory and practice of the masonry

ple. The bricks are locally procured from Glen

Now, back to the closed up, saturating oven. It is

Now, the Amish of Pennsylvania usually had some

The following are estimates for wood consumption in commercial ovens:

Assumptions: Lbs. of wood burned per hour 15

Where to locate an outdoor oven

Kitchen not too far away

Face the door

Enough room to work-

Room for a table

Safe distance from

Note: Check your local building codes for oven

Barrel Arch Brick Oven Project

Material List for Brick Oven Project

80” x 94” foundation

 72” x 84” block stand

Brick Oven Project

Brick ovens are site-built with firebrick for the

Building ovens with brick, rather than using a pre-

The oven site should be carefully planned, away

Mix Portland concrete (preferably in an electric

The Oven Base

Figure what a comfortable height will be to cook

Base insulation installed

The Oven Floor

The Oven Sides and Dome:

Gene built up the sides of the oven, then cut the

If the wall bricks are 8 inches high, the oven dome

The barrel arch being installed over heavy foam forms

The Arch, Face, and Door:

Top row of side bricks cut at an angle

Cast section or firebrick (3”)

The Oven Roof

On a brick oven, support for the roof is already in

The completed oven

Oval Oven Project

Oval Brick Oven Project

The arch is almost complete

The arch is completed

Oval Brick Oven Project

The flue is completed Small curing fire

Oval Oven Project

View of the inside of the oven

Cladding installed over the dome to insulate the oven and