Re: correct operating temp in a wood burning oven

Posted by Rado (144.134.145.232) on November 06, 2003 at 08:21:56:

In Reply to: correct operating temp posted by Steve Jacover on October 13, 2003 at 19:58:18:

300C or 350C is the correct temperature for making pizza. 500C or 550C under the vault is when the oven gets already white color inside and this is also the time called "carbon burn off". When this happens stop adding firewood and leave the oven to even up and to drop temperature down a bit. But the temperature for pizza can be even above 350 degrees C, sounds crazy doesn't it. This is the way a good pizza is made. You want to have it done in or under 3 minutes or even in 90 seconds, it depends what pizza is being baked.

Quick baking creates a thin crisp and pizza has a lot better flavour.

Then you keep just a small continuous fire in the oven if it's being used for culinary for a long time. Larger pieces as roasts, pot dishes can be done in stable atmosphere, from a one firing, in closed oven, even 5 hours needed e.g. for a large turkey. Why not to put more breads inside at the same time, ones you've tried it before.

Bread has in volume a bulky body and needs to be baked slowly, also fine a bit later, bread batches can be reloaded too, a few of them, from one firing. Cakes and delicate pastries go in when temperature drops down a bit. Some things like drying tomatoes stay in longer, in the much lower temperature environment, so leave such good for the end and leave them in for 24 hours or longer.

Enjoy.

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