WFO Baguettes and pizza this weekend.

So I had my first shot at making bread in the mud oven. I made french baguettes from a simple recipe. Made a few mistakes but learned a lot. Fresh bread out of the oven with butter on it is fantastic. The smell was incredible.

Firing pics. Used oak for a really hot fire. I had to stand about 3 feet back from the door to get these pics.




Raging secondaries at the top of the dome.





Baguettes on their second rise after forming. I oiled the sheet pan lightly but they stuck as they rose. Cornmeal and flour next time on a wooden peel.



First loaves. Oven too hot, crispy brown bottom.





All four out, second two on the right were much better. I have to work on the forming.

I sprayed the firebrick floor to help keep the dough crunchy on the outside. I have a wooden baking door that I soaked in water to help keep moisture in.




Overall they tasted great. I learned a lot, and the bread flour worked great. We ate one fresh out of the oven. They will go great with stew this fall, or used as a crostini with fresh tomatoes and mozz cheese.

If anyone has pointers, I'll take them. I enjoyed learning to bake something other than pizza.

Oh, here is another margherita pizza made the night before.




Burnt the edge on this one but I thought it was a nice pic to put up.

Shari said:

Just for the record, I am extremely jealous of your mud oven!

I purchased a used chiminea late last summer and haven't had a chance to play with it yet this year. I wonder if I could bake bread in my chiminea? I LOVE bread fresh from the oven!

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Thanks Shari. If there is a way you could get firebricks across the bottom of the chiminea to build your fire on top of it, it may work. You would have remove the coals before baking and close off the chimney at the top with a few bricks to retain heat. The front door would have to be closed off also for baking.

Shari said:

I know I can get firebrick in the bottom. I know I can close off chimney. The only problem would be closing off the front opening. Hmmmmmm..... have to put my thinking cap on.

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Baking doors are made of wood. A simple pine plank the shape of the opening with a shim wedge to hold it in place.

Thanks Gas. Nice links there.

The one thing I find is that I tend to spill hot coals onto the ground when pulling them out of the oven for baking. I'd be leery putting an oven near a wood structure as there are so many chances for error with sparks, embers and coals about.

mhambi said:

Oh man. drooling!

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Hah, I'm drooling over your rocket stove project. Making us wait and all...

Capt said:

Great pics! I am in the process of building an outdoor kitchen with pizza oven and built-in gas and charcoal grills. Foundation has been poured, and the block is finished. I'm getting excited!

I have quite a few recipes, we need to share a few.

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Sounds great! What type of oven? Cast refractory, cob, brick dome? Looking forward to pics.

Start a thread. Let's see it!

Wait until you see Capts pictures. I got the sneak preview and he really needs to start a thread on it. As we say up here "Its' wicked nice."

Keep the wife happy, that;s how I get my projects signed off for approval by her.