Hey everyone, so I’ve been wanting to build a brick bread oven for ages. I mean, who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked bread? And the taste you get from a brick oven? Forget about it! So, I finally decided to just go for it. It seemed like a massive project at first, but trust me, if I can do it, anyone can.
First things first, I spent a good chunk of time just figuring out where to put this thing. I didn’t want to put it too close to the house, for obvious reasons, I wasn’t aiming to recreate that scene from the movie where a structure burns down! I finally picked a spot in the backyard that was pretty level. Level ground is crucial, you know? You don’t want your oven looking like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, right?
Next, I gathered all the stuff I needed. Bricks, of course – lots of them. And mortar, sand, some tools like a trowel, level, that kind of thing. I’m not gonna lie, it was a bit of a trip to the hardware store. Actually, it took multiple trips.
Then came the actual building part. I started by laying out the base, making sure it was super level. This took some time, and I kept double-checking, triple-checking everything with the level. I probably looked like a complete maniac, walking around it, muttering to myself.
Once the base was good, I started building up the walls, one brick at a time. I have to say, this was the most satisfying part. Slowly but surely, it started to look like an actual oven. Let me tell you, though, my back was killing me after a few hours of this. It’s definitely a workout!
The dome was the trickiest part. I had to cut some of the bricks at an angle to get them to fit right, and let’s just say my brick-cutting skills weren’t exactly top-notch at the beginning. But hey, you learn as you go, right? There were a few, shall we say, less-than-perfect bricks in there, but they all served their purpose!
After what felt like forever, the dome was finished. I added a chimney, a door, and let the whole thing cure for a good while. I was practically itching to use it, but I knew I had to be patient.
Finally, the day came to fire it up! I built a small fire inside, slowly increasing the temperature over a few hours. Then came the real test – baking the bread! I slid a loaf of sourdough onto the hot bricks, closed the door, and waited.
The smell! Oh my gosh, the smell that started wafting out of that oven was incredible. And when I pulled out that first loaf, golden brown and perfectly crusty, I knew it was all worth it. It tasted amazing, with that deep, smoky flavor you can only get from a real brick oven. It was a taste that makes you want to close your eyes and savor every single moment. It was more than just food. It was the flavor of accomplishment and the joy of creating something special with my own hands.
So, there you have it – my brick bread oven adventure. It was a lot of work, but honestly, it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. If you’re thinking about building one, I say go for it! Just be prepared for some sore muscles and a whole lot of satisfaction.
