Wood fired clay oven

[Eamonn]

I really enjoy good bread.

Not that white stuff that comes in plastic bags, which is closer to being blotting paper than any real bread I've ever known.

My favorite baker has increased the price of a 2 LB loaf to a little over $5.00

My home oven does an OK job with baking, but I never seem to get the crust the way I'd like.

It is a convection oven, I've tried it with the fan on and off. I've tried adding a water mist half way through cooking, but the crust just isn't right.

A local French Restaurant makes wonderful bread. They use a wood fired clay oven (Not brick like you might see in Italy.)

I'm thinking of making my own oven.

Has anyone tried this?

If so I'd welcome any tips.

Eamonn.

[clemlaw]

I wouldn't know where to start with building an oven, but one thing you might want to try is baking bread in a Dutch oven. I've only done it once myself, but it came out pretty well, if I do say so myself.

 

We have a bread machine at home, which I used to make the dough. I made the dough at home, and then froze it. I forget the exact procedure, but IIRC, I stored the frozen dough in the cooler for a couple of days, and it seemed to be thawed. I let it rise first in a separate container, and then in the Dutch oven. I used (mumble) charcoal briquettes, and let it cook for (mumble) minutes.

[SR540Beaver]

E,

 

Do a search on "how to build a horno oven". These are the traditional adobe clay ovens built and used by the Navajo and Hopi.

 

Here is a good site. http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/hooker57.html(This message has been edited by sr540beaver)

[packsaddle]

I have seen these in native American villages. Also in the Caribbean (actually clay bricks but it's pretty much the same). I've always wondered about this so I'll see what I can find out. I do know that the difference in the breads also depends greatly on the flour and recipe...that restaurant might have perfected the combination...see if you can find out the secret and tell me.

 

Edit to add: I see that the road-killed Beaver was slightly ahead of me. Thanks for that web link.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[kari_cardi]

You could try baking your bread in a clay oven baker or a dutch oven with water poured over the top. I like my results best when I spritz the loaf right before I put it in the oven, and I arrived at this simple solution after trying all sorts of ways to get steam into my oven.

 

Have you tried the 5-minute-a-day artisan bread recipes that were so popular a year or so ago? I like this whole wheat version best: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx Even if you use your own bread recipe, the baking methods work well.