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Earth Oven or Cob Oven

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 2 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

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What on earth is an Earth Oven?

 

What is an earth oven and why on earth would anyone want one.  An Earth Oven or Cob Oven is a fairly primitive cooking device.  It is a wood fired oven made from a mixture of mud or clay, sand and straw, which is what "cob" is.  It is built to retain the heat from a fire built inside of it.

An earth oven can be used to bake bread, cook pizzas, or slow cook stews, roasts, or anything you would cook in a conventional oven.  

Now, I should disclose that I haven't yet made my own earth oven due to moving house several times in the last 2 years, becoming preoccupied with my vegetable garden this past summer and just a general character flaw of procrastination.  But this delay has allowed me much time for contemplation of my ideal oven.

In Portland, Oregon where I live it has become too cold for me to relish the idea of submerging my bare feet in cold mud, which is one of the essential steps in building.  So I will probably postpone this project until spring or summer.  But fear not, one summer evening I will be enjoying pizza or bread from my very own earth oven.

In the meantime I will continue to study other people's ovens, drawing inspiration from them.  As you will see from the photos in the links below and particularly in  Kiko's book, this material is very versatile and can be fashioned into the most fantastical shapes. 

The oven in the photo above is located at the fabulous Booneville Hotel, in Northen California. 

Don't you want to make your own oven? 

 

Earth Oven Links 

Some of the Best Earth Oven Resources

The following sites have great step-by-step instructions on how to build and use your earth oven, as well as photos.
Kiko Denzer, the king of the earth oven, shows you how
This is the best, and most definitive book on how to build your very own Earth Oven.
Gregs' Earth Oven
Coolest cover for an earth oven.
Andrew & Julia's Earth Oven Building Party
Building an Earth Oven, not just a group project, make it a party.
City Farmer's Cob Oven
More great photos of how easy it can be to build an Earth Oven.
Sunset Magazine's Adobe Oven
Not earth or cob, strictly speaking. But still a handsome oven with very good instuctions for building.
Mother Earth News
You'll be burning your pizza in no time. Good instructions.
Booneville Hotel
The ever so hip Booneville Hotel, on the 128 in NoCal. An old roadhouse remodeled in a tasteful, luxury minimalist style. Beautiful porches and gardens and a fantastic earth oven.

2008 Update on the Oven at The Boonville Hotel 

I was lucky enough to stay at the Booneville Hotel in April this year, so of course I had to have a look at the oven.

Looks like they've upgraded and updated. Look at the lovely metal doors.

Great Earth Oven Stuff on Amazon 

Building With Cob: A Step-by-step Guide

What else can you make out of cob? What can't you make?

Amazon Price: $29.70 (as of 10/13/2008)

Artisan Baking

Let's get baking!

Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 10/13/2008)

Pizza: More than 60 Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pizza

Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 10/13/2008)

Great Stuff on eBay 

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Reader Feedback 

What will be the first thing you cook in your Earth Oven?

pompeysie

Hi I have just built my own earth oven in my garden. I have written a blog showing you how to do it if you are interested.

http://clayoven.wordpress.com

Cheers

Simon

Posted September 16, 2008

LindaJM

I love this idea, especially since the cost of propane is so high, I never can use my oven anymore. However I wonder if using an outdoor oven would violate the Forest Services' no-burn policies during the summer. I live in the middle of the Klamath National Forest and campfires can be a BIG issue... especially if they get away from you. Anyhow, I'm seriously going to look into this. Thanks for the cool idea!

Posted May 28, 2008

Graceonline

Oh, I am happy, happy to see this lens on making a clay oven. I can't wait to see the lens you make (I hope) when you build your own). I invite you to join the Building Ordinary group at http://www.squidoo.com/groups/buildingordinary.

Posted April 12, 2008

SpicySun

Hi! Great lens! Let's cook some chicken in that earth oven! I can't wait to read more.....Please visit my new lens Spicy Sun Rubs and Dips! It is soooo delicious! Your friend, SPICY!

Posted October 10, 2007

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Earth Oven in Action 

Making an Earth Oven at the Apricot Centre

This August we have made this clay oven for two courses with Robin O'Connell for adult and children on cooking with local and organic food.

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lisapdx

About lisapdx

Hello world. No, I haven't built my earth oven yet. But I've been planning it for a long time now. I just need for the weather to warm up enough for me to want to put my bare feet in cold mud.

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