Wood burning bread ovens

[jo_bliss]

We have one at the farmhouse and I want to fire it up and give it a go when we're over in the summer.

Has anyone had any experiences of using them? How much wood do you use? Do you let the fire down before putting things in to bake, or keep it flaming? Average times for bread?

Also, any ideas where I could purchase a paddle for the oven?

Any advice would be appreciated - otherwise I'll just go for it and pray I don't burn the house down!

[raamv]

Well, you are better off learning, the different exhausts of that oven.
If it is the traditional cooking plates with the over, then not much..
but if it is a specialized oven only for baking..then its different..
Is it the one with a fireplace(takka) or a seperate one?
Any pics?
Always have a fire extenguisher, a fan/air circulation to blow smoke away in case of any "choke" in the exhaust..
a CO alarm + smoke alarm..If you are not familiar with starting it..
If you an provide your model of oven, I can ask around from the people I know..
( We planned on a Takka with bread baking for making Rotis n Nan but unfortunately, at that time, the corner models didnt come with it..)
and yes, you can get baking things from those takka makers too..

[jo_bliss]

Thanks Raamv. Here is a picture of it (excuse my incompetence if the picture doesn't come up...)


So it's a built in one in line with the stove. Fire extinguisher! Well thought. Should get one really for the house anyway. We have the alarms in the house anyway as the whole heating system is brick built fires in the corners of the rooms.

Any tips would be great. I'll check out the baking equipment - do they have a website I can visit? I'll try some Googling now.

[raamv]

Okie..
The one on the left is what you wanna use? ( I guess)
Heres some links to browse thro and ( google translate to English )
http://www.rakentaja.fi/index.asp?s=/ot ... iuunit.htm
Some pictorial and desription ( with some instructions for how to heat the oven if it is left cold for a long time and how to clean it and use the CO exhaust etc)
http://yle.fi/kodinkaantopiiri/leivinuuni.htm

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leivinuuni

Puuilo sells some oven things:
http://www.puuilo.fi/cat/product_details.php?p=728
some in Huuto:
http://www.huuto.net/fi/showitem.php3?itemid=94902454

[jo_bliss]

Brilliant. I've just had a quick check through those sites and they have some great information.

I think basically, I have to experiment and learn through trial and error, taking some of those tips on board. The paddle is a decent price too.

Really appreciate the help, Raamv.

I shall start chanting 'Love me, love my bread oven!'

[Pursuivant]

raam can translate

LEIVINUUNIN LÄMMITYS

Ennen kuin leivinuunia aletaan lämmittää, pitäisi suunnitella ja esivalmistaa siinä tehtävät ruoat. Koska uuni säilyy lämpimänä melkein vuorokauden, voi sillä kerralla valmistaa monta erilaista ruokaa. Puiden vielä palaessa voidaan uunin suulla tehdä loimukalaa tai paahtaa juustoa, hiilloksella kypsennetään foliokalaa, luutimisen jälkeen paistetaan leivät ja leivonnaiset, näiden jälkeen syntyy karjalanpaisti, ja yön aikana kypsyy uunipuuro. Pitkästä käyttöajasta johtuen paras leivinuunin lämmitysajankohta on aamu. Leivinuunien, etenkin kaksikerroksisten, lämmityspuiksi sopii kuusi erityisen hyvin, koska kuusi palaa pitkällä liekillä.

Ennen sytytystä on leivinuunin tuhkapesä aina puhdistettava, ja sytytyksen jälkeen pidetään uunin tulipesän luukku avoinna, kunnes tuli on hyvin syttynyt. Täytä tulipesä puilla siten, että laitat tulipesän takaosaan pari pientä pilkettä ja lado puut niiden päälle pitkittäin. Näin tulipesän takaosa pysyy ilmavana tehostaen palamista. Tämän jälkeen asetetaan ilma-aukot siten, että lieskat palavat mahdollisimman savuttomasti. Niitä voidaan tarkastella joko ylänokiluukkuihin tai yläuunin luukkuun tehdystä pienestä reiästä.

Lämmitä uunia 1 - 2 täydellä pesällisellä, jotta saisit siitä riittävän kuuman paistamista ja leipomista varten. Tämän jälkeen uunin lämpötilojen annetaan tasaantua. Tasaantuminen kestää tunnin verran. Välittömästi ennen paistamisen alkua uuni luuditaan. Luutimisen ajaksi savupellit avataan. Niin kevyt tuhkapöly pääsee kulkemaan hormiston kautta ulos eikä leviä keittiöön. Kun puut ovat palaneet hiillokselle, poltetaan hiilet vetämällä ne uunin etuosaan ja hiilenpolttokuiluun. Kun hiilipesän arinalla on jäljellä vain muutamia hiiliä, suljetaan savupellit ja ilmaventtiilit sekä asetetaan tuhkapesän kansi paikoilleen. Tällöin arinalle jääneet hiilet yleensä sammuvat (Periaate on aina edellä esitetty, mutta leivinuunin rakenteesta johtuen luukut, venttiilit, arinat, tuhkapesät yms. ovat eri leivinuuneissa hyvinkin erilaisia, ja osa niistä voi jopa puuttua kokonaan).

Also http://yle.fi/kodinkaantopiiri/leivinuuni.htm

[Pursuivant]

oh yeah, if that hasn't been warmed in aeons you need to have the chimney sweep come over and check the flues. now then as the cottage has been cold and damp for ages you start warming up *slowly* it takes up to 2-3 days in the winter to get the damp out and the flues to warm up so you get a poper draft. and by the looks of it that one belches smoke in the wrong way... so you should start warming up the flues before firing the stove. nothing cracks a fireplace than some idiot filling it with wood. one of those car heaters inside the big oven would also work... once the damp is gone then you need to follow the instructions. the whisk you can do of fir or just an old saunavihta or any broom, as long as its wet.

oh and get a tent as if you're doing that in summer-summer you're ass will boil off as that heats up the building. if its early summer then its OK but you'll be sweating...

[Rosamunda]

My brother-in-law had one like that; the sauna was on the other side of the wall, so I guess there was one flue for the whole thing.

In the old days they had a baking day maybe once a month and made tons of bread which would then hang in the rafters (which is why the loaves had a hole in the middle). The reason being, as already pointed out, that it takes a while to heat up the oven and once it is heated it keeps the whole cabin HOT hot hot for a long time!!!

So think about what kind of bread you want to make (or invite everyone you know for a pizza party).

I think Heino also sells the paddles www.heinontukku.fi but you would need to find someone who has an access card.

[jo_bliss]

Kiitos Persuivant, voin karkeasti kääntää! (I think....)

Well, if summer last year is repeated this year, we might be grateful of some warmth! As the house is empty for most of the year, it takes a while to get 'lived in' again. But good points to take in - especially about getting the flues checked - should do that for all the fires methinks. The oven needs a ruddy good clean out when I last looked anyway. I'll have to copy these instructions and take them with me.

I want to try pulla, obviously, maybe some other 'coffee table' items. And yes, pizza would be good. I understand that a pizza can just take a few minutes to cook in one of these babies! I may have a crack at it over here first. We have got an electric oven over there - but where's the fun in that?