How to build an earthen oven
I tripped across this 12 minute video: How to build an earthen oven. (Part 2: Baking Bread in the earthen oven) Their YouTube channel: @Townsends
I watched the first video all the way through. If you actually want to build an oven, I suggest you watch it and make notes because he repeatedly says things like "You should really do this part first so you have the cob on hand when the form is finished."
It looks like a fairly meaty video. He gives measurements and other important information.
Please note: He gives an important measurement detail that the entrance needs to be 60 to 65 percent the height of the oven dome or the oven won't work.
So between 3/5 and a little under 2/3, which means you don't need fancy measuring tools, you just need to be able to say "This is 3 hand heights or slightly more and that's 5 hand heights." or whatever.
But I recommend you take notes while watching the video to create a sensible plan for the order of operation for different parts.
It looks to me like you should:
1. Acquire materials.
2. Build your base.
3. Set aside a couple of days to mix the cob first and then set up the sand mold and then start building your oven.
4. Plan on letting it dry for anywhere from a few days to up to four weeks before firing it, depending on weather.
I dug up a few non video online tutorials in hopes of providing sufficient information, though I've not personally done this, so take my recommendations with a grain of salt and think for yourself when reading:
All sources agree this is extremely cheap, DIY friendly and appropriate for off grid living.
I believe a minimum viable kitchen should have:
1. Adequate shelf stable food storage.
2. An adequate supply of potable water.
3. At least one means to cook using heat (not a microwave).
Cold storage is nice to have, not essential. You can dry foods, salt foods, can foods, have a kitchen garden to supply fresh herbs and vegetables harvested the day you intend to use them and other sources of fresh foods.
Historically, seafood was sold at the dock and was often still alive. In the US, fresh milk used to be delivered daily in the morning and all houses had a little door for that purpose.
Anyway, point being this is potentially a means to create one means to cook using heat even if you are off grid and dirt poor.
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