New Clay oven at Suffolk Bush Craft

[Big Stu 12]

Last meet we built a clay oven using Clay, sand and Straw, the Clay was Gathered from the fields, the straw was taken from an old bale that was falling part, and well the sand was from Wicks..lol


We mixed up the Clay, sand and Straw in the time honored way... with our feet, lol, until it was nice and pliable, adding water until it was easily to be formed with out being sloppy.



we used an old oil drum as a former to get the shape, for the chimney we used an old water bottle as a former, we covered the oil drum in sand so the drum would slide out



We added a lip around the top to hold Embers and give us a Hot plate area as such.. added a face..



then covered it up and left to dry, then returned , pulled out the oil drum, filled in all the cracks that had formed, and lit a small fire to dry and bake it..



after all day with a small fire in it had dried out totally, and we set the larger fire, and let it burn, the heat held was quite good, and a door will improve it, so I put some embers in the top tray, placed on a billy with some dried Apple and some fresh picked Blackberries from the woods, slipped in my chicken pieces in a pan into the oven and let them cook, over the embers left from the fire, I used some sticks to keep the pan off the embers..



There a re a few minor cracks appeared from the drying with the fire but we will refill them at the next meet, then fire it up again, hopefully make the door as well

Think it will be another nice addition to our communal area.

 

[dwardo]

Ovens in the woods open up whole new cooking ideas.
Did you build a door for it yet?

 

[Big Stu 12]

Ovens in the woods open up whole new cooking ideas.
Did you build a door for it yet?

Yeah thats what we are hoping, lol, na we have yet to make the door, we will probabley make one at the next meet

 

[Man of Tanith]

Thats pretty cool.
Made one with the explorers they loved it.
(So did I)

 

[dwardo]

Quick flash fire to heat the oven scrape everything out then it's pizza heaven. Ate so much last time I almost threw up. If you are going to cook directly on the base it's best to go e it a good brush out after heat and lay a thick later of flour down before putting the pizza in..... Hungry now.

 

[crosslandkelly]

That oven is a beaut, glad it turned out alright.

 

[ozzy1977]

Glad it was Ok, I was worried that something might have happened to it over the last 3 weeks since we built it. Gutted I could not make it for the initial firing

 

[Greg]

I like that alot...fantastic work lads...oh..and a bit posh too

 

[Big Stu 12]

Thank you, last couple of meets its seen some action, baking beans, apple and blackbury, some beef, some bannock mmmmm more to come

 

[Tony]

Good stuff I want to make one of these, any thought now that you've used it a few times, anything that you would change?

 

[Big Stu 12]

Good stuff I want to make one of these, any thought now that you've used it a few times, anything that you would change?

Think I would make it slightly larger in width, and also, it ould be used o much more if you could refuel, I have thought about putting roods across about 2" above the base so a wire rack could be used to ad more wood and give alround heat when bakeing in a tin just liek a oven at home, and a Kettle stand/ring over the chimney.. so water can be kept hot while oven is being used

 

[robin wood]

clay ovens are cool. Like the simplicity of the oil drum former. We built one at spoonfest it's now in my garden used for beer and pizza parties. The Earth Oven Book is a great read for anyone itching to build on in the garden.