Authentic Oven FAQ
Q: How long does it take to heat up my Authentic Oven?
A: The length of time it takes to heat up your oven will depend on its size and quality of the firewood used and most importantly is the oven and wood dry.
Here are approximate heating times for our various sizes of ovens:
Authentic 750- 1 – 1.5 hours to around 350-400 Deg C
Authentic 900- 2 hours to around 350-400 Deg C
The times are approximate, but an oven that has been heated for longer will retain heat longer when the fire is out. Most importantly the oven MUST be dry. Always purchase a rain cover to achieve peak performance if your oven is out in the aliments.
Curing the oven from new is very important and must be completed before raising the oven to pizza cooking temperatures.
Re-curing is also necessary if the oven is saturated with water, you run the risk of the concrete slab cracking or even exploding in extreme circumstances. Your new oven has been supplied with curing instructions.
Q: Where exactly do I build the fire?
A: The fire should be built in the middle of the oven. This will ensure it heats the oven evenly.
Q: Where should I push the ash/fire to when it is heated?
A: When you are ready to cook the ash can be pushed to the back and/or sides of the oven. When moving the fire after an hour of heating all you are doing is making room for cooking so it doesn’t matter where you put the fire around the circumference.
Q: How do I clean away the ash from my cooking surface?
A: A wet rag (wrapped around your handle of the oven peel tool or a stick of wood) could be used to wipe excess ash off the surface cooking area, however this is not necessary. Some chef’s use the ash rake swiping it left to right.
The flavour of a wood fired pizza is from the wood ash left on the hearth so the right type of wood is crucial.
Q: What type of wood is best to use for heating?
A: Any type of wood will work in your Authentic Oven. However, if you are after that classic wood fired taste Manuka (tea tree) works well. Another option and money saver is to heat the oven up using whatever wood you have access to and then adding a little Manuka when you are nearly ready to cook.
Q: Do I put the pizzas and bread straight onto the brick hearth?
A: Yes, this is your cooking surface. If you are cooking a roast you should use your standard metal cooking tray or aluminium tray.
Q: How long will it take to cook a pizza?
A: If the hearth of the oven is at its optimum cooking temp of 375-425 Deg C it takes between 40 seconds to 1.5 minutes to cook a pizza depending on the thickness of the Pizza base.
Q: When making my own platform how high should it be??
A: We can provide platforms or you can make your own. The platform should be at least 1000mm high so the cooking surface is nice and high at 1100mm. This is so you don’t have to crouch down when trying to see deep inside the oven. Ovens on trolleys with wheels are slightly lower as the centre of gravity can get too high for maneuvering.
Q: How do I use my oven to cook a roast?
A: We recommend the use of a cooking tray as in your traditional electric oven. A good starting point is to half your usual cooking times as the Authentic Oven will cook much quicker than an electric oven.
Tin foil can be used to cover or wrap meat before placing in the oven or after the initial browning.
Q: Will my Authentic Oven get hot on the outside? Are they safe for children to be around?
A: Authentic Ovens are designed to keep the heat in, using a number layers for insulation. They will be warm on the outside but not too hot and are perfectly safe for children to be around. However since you are using fire as your heat source children should always be supervised.
Q: What tools should I use inside my oven?
A: Authentic Oven also manufactures a range of quality tools specifically designed to use in your oven. Please refer to the online shop page on our website under Products and Prices for more details.
Q: Is my oven OK in the rain? Do you have covers available to keep it protected?
A: Your Authentic Oven will be fine in any weather conditions but may take longer to heat if it gets too wet on the inside. We do have rain covers available that can help protect and keep your oven dry and clean.
Q: How does the oven get delivered?
A: Your oven is safely packaged up on a pallet in our factory and then sent either to your local freight depot or to your door direct. You may require a Hiab truck to lift it into place at your house or premises; this can be organised by yourself or by our staff. Installation is simple with a Hiab truck.
Q: What is the white, powdery substance on my bricks?
FAQ Category:
Efflorescence is a powdery deposit of salts which forms on the surface of kilned clay bricks. It is usually white in colour.
Efflorescence does not in any way influence the structural strength of clay bricks or pavers. Roman buildings that have been standing for 2000 years can show efflorescence
A temporary efflorescence is particularly common on new brickwork and paving as soluble salts are dissolved and pushed to the surface of the brickwork by water. The efflorescence on new well fired brickwork and paving may be unsightly,
but it will not cause damage.
Efflorescence can occur from a variety of sources. Besides the brickwork, soluble salts can originate from the sand, mortar and the water used. Ground waters that are naturally salt-bearing can be drawn into the base of the brickwork and paving.
Remedies
The best removal method is simply to brush off the deposit with a stiff dry bristle brush after the wall has dried out. Collect the removed salts with a dust pan or a vacuum cleaner to prevent the salts re-entering the brickwork. Wetting the brick by methods such as hosing usually dissolves efflorescence back into the brickwork, allowing it to reappear again when the wall dries out. Wipe off after brushing with clean rag and you can then oil the brick with boiled linseed oil. Works great! Don’t forget if you need to repaint the little V areas on the front arch
paint this first before oiling so the paint will stick. Tape up first with sticky tape to make clean straight lines. Ask for a repair kit if needed. New ovens come with a repair paint tub.
Acid or alkaline treatments are not recommended as they do more harm than good because they add to the total salt content.
High pressure washers can remove the surface of the brick, resulting in serious deterioration in the long term.
Feel free to ask us any other questions you may have about our wood fired ovens, we would be happy to help.