The Pizza Therapy Forum and Pasta Therapy Forum

[pizza]

Alex asks:

[Anna]

Alex,

There are a few things I have found helpful when cooking in a wood fired oven. I have a modular oven right now, but I used to cook in my brick oven in Italy.

To function at its full capacity an oven needs to have accumulated enough retained heat in its walls and floor, so building a good size fire with dry hardwood is key. The quality of the wood is important, not only to get the oven hot, but also to achieve different flavors in the food. Hickory and mesquite are great but sometimes hard to get. Oak is a favorite, gives out a great heat and flavor. I like walnut and black walnut because they have a very strong smoky fragrance (great with mushrooms and vegies), but you can also mix these with almond, pear, apple for a more subtle flavor.

You can cook with a flame (or direct heat), you can grill inside the oven, and you can cook without a flame (or indirect heat).

I found that cooking with a flame is easier in the beginning, because you can leave the door off and check on your dishes. Move the fire and the embers to one side of the oven. Regulate the temperature by keeping the door off or on. Pizza is baked this way (it only takes 3 minutes to cook, so it makes sense). Nice roasting dishes are done this way too, and the smoke gives them a nice touch. You'll probably be better off to cover your dishes in the beginning and then uncover to let them brown. The heat will usually stay between 650 F and 450 F.

Cooking without a flame is done by scooping out the embers and using only the retained heat in the oven, and keeping the door closed, sealing the heat inside. Bread is baked this way. We do our Thanksgiving turkey this way and it comes out phenomenal.

Anyway, there is so much to be said on the matter... Wondering if you have any specific question... Also, is your oven brick or modular?

Anna
Losangelesovenworks.com

[pickiter]

I have built 2 of these oven for my family. First one is in a corner of a cabin and is attached to side of a fireplace. This was built using firebrick and could not be very large - possibly 24" deep. This works fine for pizza, there is just enough room for fire in back and I can cook 3 @ a time.
Second is outdoor oven built using le Panyol oven Model 83 http://lepanyol.com/gb/panyol-accueil.cfm
Besides being larger, the refractory components are better in this oven. The floor will stay above 700 degrees longer. Quicker and better pizza! This is an impressive oven.
If you want oven only for pizza then the dome walls need not be as thick as they would need be if you want to bake breads, etc.
What could be better than living in Hawaii and using wood fired oven cooking a pizza? Hope you do build one.