Cob Oven Cooking

A foody firey feast with local Forest School Leader Sally Harvey, sharing her knowledge and passion for cob oven cooking.

The day will start with a explanation of the cob oven lighting technique and wood preparation, and we will then prepare the dishes to be cooked through the day. Our aim is to utilise the various forms of heat a wood-fired oven provides: from searing 400ºC flat-bread and pizza baking, through braising, roasting and baking to slow-cooking and drying. 

Programme for the day:

10am                          Arrivals – gather around the warm cob oven with a cup of coffee

11am–12pm             Food prep, wood prep

1pm                            Shared cob oven cooked lunch                                  

2pm                            Continue food prep for tea and discussions

3pm                            Tea time!

3.30-4pm                   Clearing up and departures

During the day we will bake Moroccan chick pea flatbreads, roast summer vegetables to be served with a spicy harissa. We will also cook some beans with garlic, sage and chorizo (without chorizo for vegetarians). For tea we will prepare, bake and serve no kneed bread and jam plus olive oil cake with nectarines. 

Additionally in between meals we’ll look at the use of a Kelly kettle (or storm kettle) for hot water for washing up and beverages and utilising/making of a ‘tippy tap’ for hand washing, hand hygiene etc.

Using a cob oven is a centuries-old way of baking. Perfect, then, for the 21st Century foodie.

Wood-fired oven cooking is very much a sensory experience. Often experimental, one cooks with close observation, intuition and a little luck – and always with love and a dose of fun. 

Your BBQ will gather cobwebs while you explore the delights of roasting and baking in a way that lights up your senses. Your roasts will be succulent and your pizzas will cook in seconds. Nothing beats a cob oven for the centre of attention at a party. Everyone will want to try their hand at cooking, and will gather around the oven long into the night.

Burning wood is a low carbon process. No fossil fuel here. This is sustainable cooking, and if you burn fruit woods you’ll be adding a very special accent to your dishes indeed.

A cob oven isn’t just about pizza. You’ll be baking bread, roasting vegetables, broiling meats – the only limit is your imagination. Learn to embrace this relaxed style of cooking which also provides an evening’s entertainment. You’ll be heading back to the larder in search of more ingredients to try out. Prepare to inspire the creative chef in you!

Fee: £45 per person / £30 for children under 16. Includes meals and drinks throughout the day.

If you haven’t yet got around to building your cob oven, why not sign up for a cob oven building course with our good friend Matthew Lloyd of The Fabulous Cob Oven Company where you can learn to build your own.

This is the second of two outdoor cooking workshops at Denmark Farm, the first one being Campfire Cooking on Saturday 7th April 2018. Book both workshops for a discounted rate.

A range of overnight accommodation is available at Denmark Farm Conservation Centre. See booking table below for all the different options.

All accommodation is self-catering sharing the main kitchen in the training centre. 

If you’d like to stay longer just let us know and we can let you have a special price.

You may also be interested in other sustainable craft workshops at Denmark Farm, see our events page for the full up to date list.