September 19, 2014 - 5:09am
sourdough bread bakers Wellington New Zealand
As an amatuer sourdough bread baker with a woodfired oven I am looking for advice from experienced bakers in the wgtn area on how to cook effectively with retained heat for multiple batch cooking. Eg how to saturate the oven and how long to regulate with or without embers inside. I know all is variable depending on oven build/ insulation etc but advice or opinions would be well received. Cheers
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when I run an internet search titled: How to bake bread in a wood fired oven
Even videos pop up. :) It is also possible to type in the site search machine and find information. Try WFO (wood fire oven) baking or heating a WFO There will be a lot of trial and error in the beginning until you get the timing together.
First check to see if all the basic parts of your oven are there. Oven, chimney damper (if it has a chimney) to close off the draft, Door to trap in heat, something like a rake without teeth to remove coals, peel to load the oven, aged wood.
Thanks for your comments. I have already scoured the internet on you tube, fornobravo, traditional oven websites etc and have had good success with my homebuilt wfo. Could you recommend one book that would have indepth information on using an wfo oven as opposed to bread recipes. Thanks
"The Bread Builders" by Alan Scott & Daniel Wing and "From The Wood Fired Oven" by Richard Miscovich are two that I would highly recommend. Both will give you all the information you will need to understand and use any wood fired oven. The latter also has a great explanation of using bakers % and includes recipes for bread and other uses for your oven as it fall through temperature ranges!
Thanks for you recommendations.
Gidday
Welcome to TFL.
I suggest you get in touch with Neville Chan, in The Hutt, he has a WFO and electric ovens too. He makes large batches, and the WFO is not up to his scale anymore but he has years of experience with it. If Neville can't help you I am sure he'll know someone who can.
Earlier in the year he ran a series of lessons on RadioNZ National's This Way up programme with Simon Morton for beginner bakers of sourdough. Neville is very enthusiastic about this stuff. His family had Zenith nurseries for years and years, perhaps you knew it. These days Neville runs some of his business both bread related and nursery stuff through TradeMe.
I'll PM you the email address I have corresponded with him in the past - check your TFL messages.
Trust you've been to vote.
Cheers, Robyn, Waiheke Island