Cook Everything and Anything in a Pizza Oven!

How to use a pizza ovan

Whether you already own a pizza oven or thinking of buying or building one in the backyard, there is more to this cooking device than meets the eye. Did you know you can cook ALL your meals in a pizza oven? No, then be prepared for a pleasant surprise because pizza ovens aren’t just for pizza anymore.

Harness Wood Flamed Flavour

Pizzas cooked in a pizza oven are simply delicious. The crust gets appropriately crunchy, often with a touch of char and the toppings are perfectly melted and cooked. Now, think back to a traditional BBQ or special dinner in a high-end steak house. The secret ingredient wasn’t a spice, but the wood flavour, without a doubt! Use those memories to “think outside the pizza” of a pizza oven and season your meat, vegetables and sides with wood flamed flavour.

Cooking Techniques

Don’t let the name “pizza oven” limit your wood-fired options at home. A pizza oven is really a wood burning oven after all, so everything and anything can be cooked within it. How the temperature is controlled and how the food cooks is directly related to the quantity and proximity of the burning wood flame.
There are three kinds of heat to consider when cooking in a pizza oven:
1. High Heat
2. Roasting Heat
3. Grilling Heat

High Heat

This temperature is used to cook pizzas, breads and appetizers. Since the temperature is around 420°C, these food items will cook quickly and can also be used to caramelize and quickly brown items.

Roasting Heat

Similar to a conventional oven, this cooking heat is used for cooking items through, while keeping juices that maintains tenderness in the food item. It’s recommended to cover with foil (meats and vegetables) or a lid (stews and soups) throughout the cook time. Food can be browned at the beginning when high heat is achieved, then the temperature reduced to the optimal roasting heat between 200°c and 260°C, depending on food item.

Grilling Heat

The pizza oven is brought up to high heat of 420°C, then allowed to fall to a consistent heat of 300°C. A cast iron grill is used to cook the food items, but not until the grill is placed on the floor of the pizza oven and brought up to temperature.
For all techniques, after the appropriate oven temperature are reached and maintained, the food items are placed close to or away from the open flame in accordance to recipe recommendations. Food typically cooks faster in a wood burning oven, so be prepared to enjoy wood fired food about 15 minutes faster than items cooked in an oven.
The allure of the pizza oven is undeniable. However, take care when selecting the wood. It is important to only use appropriate firewood from Firelogs.co.za when cooking in a pizza oven. Anything on/in the wood will transfer to the food, so make sure to only use properly dried wood. Once you have the right cooking wood, be ready to enjoy appetizers, meats, vegetables, breads, stews and desserts galore. The food that can be cooked in a pizza oven are limitless. It’s time to “think outside the pizza”!