HearthKit Use & Care Guide Manual

(Note:  This is the original HearthKit use and care guide.  You can also download PDF version of the Hearthkit Use & Care Guide.)

Whether you have a gas or electric home oven, HearthKit will help you to improve the quality of all foods you bake and roast.

With HearthKit in your oven, you can:

• Roast Meats, Poultry, Vegetables, and Casseroles at higher temperatures to give these foods greater succulence and a delicious taste, color, and texture.
• Bake European Style Artisan Breads with chewy, crisp crusts and deep color like those found only in the finest bakeries.
• Bake Professional Style Pizza at home as if it came from a brick beehive oven.
• Bake Perfect Muffins, Cakes, Cookies and Pies like those you’ve found from the best bakeries.
• Bake Long Simmer Dishes at consistent low temperatures for maximum flavor and convenience.

The key to a hearth oven’s great results is its unique ability to absorb heat and redistribute it evenly. Pressed at over 175 tons and made from cordierite, a sturdy, specialized blend of earth and stone, HearthKit is fired at over 2300°F and has excellent conductive properties. HearthKit features two slightly curved side pieces and a thick, tapered base designed to form a chamber much like that of a wood burning beehive or brick pizza oven. This balances the heat in the oven and releases it relentlessly back into the food, making it possible to safely bake or roast at higher temperatures without burning, or to slow cook more gently and evenly at lower temperatures.

Once HearthKit is heated to the desired temperature, it tends to remain at that level creating a highly stable heat platform. Thus, three types of heat – conductive, radiant, and ambient – work together allowing you to cook your usual dishes with superior results; meats and poultry cook evenly and quickly, retaining their juiciness while breads with fabulous crusts rise to their fullest volume.

Setting up your HearthKit

HearthKit has been designed to maximize the useable space on your oven rack. Its thick base covers a large area allowing you to bake 14″ pizzas, up to five loaves of French style baguettes or a few round loaves at one time. When roasting, the generously sized hearth accommodates as many as two to three medium-sized casseroles at once. Its tapered base allows you to insert and remove baked goods with ease. Its custom HearthKit Thermometer lets you instantly check the temperature of the stone for optimum control. Once installed, and under normal usage, HearthKit need not be removed except for thorough cleaning once a year (see Caring for Your HearthKit)

Therefore, HearthKit is stored where it is used, in your oven, requiring no additional counter or closet space!

To install your HearthKit, remove the top racks from your oven. Center the base of your HearthKit on a rack in order to create a chamber that measures between 7-1/2″ and 9-1/2″ from the ceiling of your oven to the top of your base stone.  In most home ovens, this is the second or third shelf from the top. Gently lower each side piece into the grooves with the curved sides facing each other. Position the front of the base stone flush with the front of the oven rack so that warm air may circulate freely.

WARNING: DO NOT SLIDE THE SIDES INTO OR OUT OF THE BASE. CAREFULLY PLACE THEM STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE SLOTS. TO REMOVE THEM, LIFT STRAIGHT UP. YOUR HEARTHKIT IS MADE OF A CERAMIC MATERIAL AND MAY CHIP OR CRACK IF MISHANDLED.

Once you have installed the sides, insert the custom HearthKit Thermometer into the lower right-hand corner of your assembled HearthKit. You will see a groove for it located where the right side attaches to the base.  This thermometer allows you to immediately determine the exact temperature of your hearth for optimum cooking and baking control.

Your HearthKit also comes with a chrome, dual-purpose rack that inserts between its sides. This rack allows you to bake multiple trays of cookies or use your broiler without having to remove HearthKit from the oven. When not in use, it is designed to serve as a cooling rack for all of your baked goods!

NOTE: Unless the rack is in use for broiling or baking, it should be removed from the oven.

Preparing your HearthKit for first use

Your HearthKit may have small chips or dust clinging to it. This is normal as it is made from natural earthen materials. Wipe HearthKit base and sides with a moist, clean sponge. Do not use soap or detergents on your HearthKit as this could affect the taste of anything baked directly on the hearth surface.
The first time you preheat your HearthKit, it is normal for some steam to release in the first hour of use. This is caused by moisture trapped in the stone during manufacture.

For perfect baking and roasting, keep your HearthKit in the oven at all times and remove it only when cleaning the interior of your oven.
NOTE: Individual results may vary depending upon a variety of factors including oven type, food quantity, temperature, and care in preparation.

Preheating your HearthKit

Preheat your oven for at least 30 minutes before baking. Don’t forget to turn your oven on when you begin to prepare food for cooking or while you are in the final stages of bread proofing. Once HearthKit is fully charged with heat, it uses less energy than a regular oven.

Adequate preheating of your HearthKit is critical to obtaining great results!

To cut down on the time required to preheat your HearthKit, set your oven temperature at 50oF to 75oF hotter than is required by your recipe and use the convection option if your oven is so equipped. Once the stone has reached the desired temperature (monitor the thermometer on the stone), lower the oven temperature to the desired setting and turn off the convection feature.

HearthKit Thermometer is the best indication of when you can start baking. This is especially useful when you bake artisan crusty breads or pizza directly on the hearth. Use the thermometer to gauge when the hearth is fully charged with heat. The temperature of the stone will not always correspond to the ambient temperature in your oven. For instance, your oven may read 450oF and your HearthKit Thermometer may read only 400oF, meaning HearthKit is not yet ready.

NOTE: Conventional ovens without HearthKit are constantly cycling on and off trying to maintain the desired temperature. These heat variations can swing as high as 75oF or more causing poor results. HearthKit now provides you with a highly stable baking environment regardless of your oven’s age or efficiency!

Cookware to use with your HearthKit

Most cookware will work on your HearthKit, though some types of cookware work especially well, producing the best results.
Use good quality heavy pans with flat bottoms. The more surface area that is in contact with the hearth, the better. Dented pans do not conduct heat as evenly.

Heavy gauge flat bottom baking sheets are good for baking and roasting. Enameled cast iron cookware is good for roasting and slow cooking. Clay cookware is good for slow cooking. Glass cookware is good for baking pies since it lets you see if the bottom of the crust has browned properly.

CAUTION: Some non-stick cookware should not be used at tem- peratures higher than 400°F. Follow your cookware manufacturer’s instructions and be especially careful of plastic handles.

Roasting with your HearthKit

With HearthKit in your oven, you can cook at higher temperatures than normal, which means that you can roast faster with improved results. Chickens roasted on HearthKit cook quickly and acquire the kind of crackling skin you associate with those served in the finest restaurants. The delicious juices in roasts are sealed inside while the exterior develops a flavorful crust.

HINT: You may want to try the convection setting on your oven during the last 5 to 10 minutes of roasting to speed up the browning process.

Recommended Roasting Temperatures

Preheat HearthKit and roast 25°F to 50°F higher than the desired roasting temperature of your non-hearth recipe. If necessary, place your HearthKit on a lower shelf to accommodate a large turkey or roast. If a recipe calls for raising or lowering the temperature during the cooking process, proceed as directed.

MEATS
Tender cuts of meat, such as a standing rib roast or tenderloin of beef, pork tenderloin, or leg of spring lamb, cook best when first seared at a high temperature and then roasted at a reduced temperature to cook the inside. Because HearthKit transfers heat directly into the meat, it will tend to cook more quickly and evenly.

HINT: An instant-read thermometer is the best way to monitor doneness!
TIP – Slices of bacon spread out on a baking sheet cook quickly and evenly on your HearthKit without messy stovetop splattering!

POULTRY
Place whole roast chickens on a shallow, flat pan or baking sheet with the legs to the rear of the oven. This helps the dark meat cook more quickly. The same applies to whole Cornish Game hens.

Since boneless chicken breasts tend to dry out quickly, cook them at a high temperature being careful not to overcook.

HINT: A whole turkey roasts more quickly when it is not stuffed. You may bake the stuffing in a covered casserole on HearthKit while your turkey is resting before carving.

Always roast whole ducks and geese at a constant temperature over a long period of time. This tenderizes the fowl, releases the fat from under the skin, and produces a crisp crust and succulent meat.

VEGETABLES
To roast potatoes or other vegetables, cut them up then coat them with oil and seasoning. Spread them out on a baking sheet and roast at 475°F, turning occasionally, until done.

To bake Russet or Idaho potatoes, scrub and then lightly oil and salt them. Place on a baking sheet and pierce in several places with a small knife or the tines of a fork. Bake on HearthKit until tender.

CASSEROLES
Casseroles such as lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and au gratin of vegetables benefit greatly from the steady, constant temperature of HearthKit. Try your favorite recipe and bake in an oven set 50°F higher than normal.

PREPARED FOODS/FROZEN FOODS/CONVENIENCE FOODS
You can easily cook your favorite frozen foods on your HearthKit according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Due to the pan materials used in these products, do not exceed recommended temperatures and be sure to preheat your HearthKit adequately (see Preheating Your HearthKit).

Hearth Kitchen Roasting Tips

When roasting meats, fish, poultry, and vegetables, select the proper size pan. A pan that is too small may crowd the meat or vegetables preventing them from browning properly. A pan that is too large might burn and smoke as fats and oils are released from the food.

Recommended Baking Temperatures

Because HearthKit balances the heat in your oven, you will find that you can bake at higher temperatures than normally recommended, about 25°F to 50°F higher, with excellent results. For breads baked directly on the hearth, smaller or thinner loaves bake at a higher temperature than large fat loaves. Pizzas and flat- breads bake best at very high temperatures, 550°F or more!

We recommend that you do not use the convection setting on your oven with HearthKit when baking hearth breads, pizzas, or other baked goods as it may cause your foods to burn. 450°F to 465°F 425°F to 465°F 425°F to 465°F

Bread Baking with your HearthKit

Bread dough that is firm enough to hold its shape without a pan, such as baguettes, boulles, pizza, pita bread, and other flatbreads, are traditionally baked directly on the hearth. Professional bakers use a peel, a flat piece of wood or metal resembling a paddle, to slide dough into and out of the hearth ovens.

TEMPERATURES FOR BAKING DIRECTLY ON HEARTHKIT 500°F to 550°F

Pizza Baguettes and thin loaves Hearth breads Crusty rolls

HINT: A wooden peel, known as the “makeup” peel, is used to prepare pizza and bread dough and slide them into the oven. The metal peel is used to adjust and remove baked goods and place them onto the cooling rack.

Use a peel to slide bread or pizza directly onto HearthKit. If you do not have a peel, use a flat baking sheet. Sprinkle the peel with cornmeal, and then transfer a formed loaf of bread dough onto it. Using a push and pull motion, slide the bread onto HearthKit in the preheated oven, taking care not to have any dough hanging off the hearth. After the bread has baked, quickly slide the peel under the front edge of the bread or pizza to retrieve it.
For best results, bake breads and pizzas directly on HearthKit. However, if your bread or pizza dough includes butter or oil, use a baking sheet. Or, you may place your dough on a sheet of baker’s parchment paper, then transfer it onto the hearth. The parchment paper keeps the HearthKit base from absorbing oil and makes it easier to remove bread.

Breads baked in loaf pans also benefit from being partially baked directly on the hearth. After about 20 to 30 minutes, or once the crust is well set, you may remove your favorite sandwich loaf from the pan and place it back on HearthKit to finish baking for an overall golden, crisp crust.
Bake your bread until it is a rich, dark mahogany color. In many cases, it may be improved if you leave it in the oven 5 minutes longer than you think is necessary.

The quality of most frozen pizza is dramatically improved when baked on HearthKit. Place the pizza on a baking sheet or just slide it directly onto the hearth in a 450°F to 500°F oven. The crust will be crispier and crunchier.

Follow manufacturer’s instructions when baking cakes, muffins, or cookies from packaged mixes or refrigerated dough.

Baking Tips:  Steam – A Professional Baker’s Trick

WARNING: THE CREATION OF STEAM IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED BELOW IS AN INHERENTLY RISKY PROCEDURE AND YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. PLEASE TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS INCLUDING WEARING OVEN MITTS, LONG SLEEVES, AND SAFETY GLASSES.

One secret of artisan breads, like those sold in the best bakeries, is the use of steam in the oven during baking. Steam protects a loaf of bread from the intense heat of the oven and gives it a chance to expand to its full volume. Steam reactivates the yeast and increases the production of carbon dioxide gas to promote expansion. The result is what is called “oven spring”. You can introduce steam into your home oven as follows:

Before you preheat, put a heavy cast iron or ovenproof frying pan on the bottom shelf of your oven underneath HearthKit. Slide your bread onto the hearth, and then carefully pour about 3/4 cup of warm water into the pan to create steam and immediately close the oven door. Or, spray the inside of your oven with water from a plant mister right before baking. Take care not to pour water directly on your oven floor. Over time, it could warp, rust, and develop holes.

In an electric oven, the water can burn out the heating element or the lights if it touches either.

Caring for your HearthKit

DO NOT USE SOAP OR DETERGENT ON YOUR HEARTHKIT.

The bright creamy color of your new HearthKit is the way it comes out of the kiln. After a few months of use, your HearthKit will develop a warm, dark patina from all the delicious things you’ve cooked on it. HearthKit is easy to keep clean. Simply use a whiskbroom or brush to sweep out all of the crumbs so they do not smoke. A natural bristle brush is ideal since it will not burn when it touches the hot stone.

NOTE: Use a dustpan to catch the crumbs. Use of a synthetic- bristle brush may cause the bristles to melt and stick to your HearthKit.
The stone will absorb small spills and drips. This will not affect the quality or taste of the food you cook on your HearthKit. Bits that stick should be scraped from the stone using a plastic spatula, dough scraper, or a stiff, natural-bristle brush and removed with a dust pan. You may clean your HearthKit once it has cooled completely by wiping it lightly with a moist, clean sponge. Do not use soap or detergent as the stone may absorb it and create an off-flavor in foods you bake. Small stains may also be cleaned using a dry paste made with 3 tablespoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon water. Make sure your HearthKit has dried com- pletely before reheating.

In most cases, your HearthKit may be returned to “like new” condition by simply running the self-clean feature on your oven with your unit inside! Be sure to first REMOVE the thermometer and rack from your HearthKit. Scrape and sweep any crumbs and debris from your HearthKit and remove them prior to starting the self-clean cycle and again once the self-clean cycle has ended and the oven has completely cooled. Some oven manufacturers recommend removing the oven racks to prevent damage to the coatings used on the racks.

CONSULT YOUR MANUFACTURER’S OVEN MANUAL FOR INFORMATION ON SELF-CLEANING. IF THE OVEN REQUIRES THE OVEN RACKS TO BE REMOVED WHEN SELF-CLEANING, HEARTHKIT SHOULD BE REMOVED AS WELL.

(Note:  This was the use and care guide as it originally appeared with the HearthKit.  Have any tips?  Please share them in the comments!)