The Pizza Therapy Forum and Pasta Therapy Forum Forum Index The Pizza Therapy Forum and Pasta Therapy Forum
Pizza and Pasta Tales, Tips and Talk
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 


Go to pizzatherapy.com
Explore pastatherapy.com
Discover the Legends of Pizza
Need Tips for Using a Wood Fired Oven...

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Pizza Therapy Forum and Pasta Therapy Forum Forum Index -> Wood Fired Ovens
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
pizza
Site Admin


Joined: 19 Jun 2006
Posts: 701
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:14 pm    Post subject: Need Tips for Using a Wood Fired Oven... Reply with quote

Alex asks:

Quote:
Do you have tips for wood fired oven cooking and baking? Can you point me in the right direction?


Making my pizza in my own wood fired oven is one of my dreams, Alex.

I have a few resources for you. One of my favorite websites is
Forno Bravo. In addition to selling Wood Fired Ovens,
they offer a wealth of tips, tricks and oven tales at their
Forum. Forno Bravo. will also provide you
with free plans to build your own wood fired oven.
You will be amazed at all of the incredibly useful
information you will find.

Here is the link:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/

I did an interview wiht James, the owner of
Forno Bravo in the March 2006 issue (Part 2) of
Pizza News.

James shares some valuable insights about
wood fired ovens and making pizza in general.

Read the entire interview here:

http://www.pizzatherapy.com/march062.htm

Kyle Phillips , hosts an Italian Cooking Resource at
about.com. You will find helpful resource for baking
in a wood fired oven here:

http://italianfood.about.com/od/breadspizza/ss/pizzaovn.htm


If anyone at the Forum has some tips for Alex, please respond.
Thanks.

Please let us know, here at the Forum,
how you make out with your Wood Fired adventures.
_________________
"Pizza on Earth...Good Will to All!"
Visit: http://pizzatherapy.com
http://pizzatherapy.blogspot.com/
http://legendsofpizza.com/blog
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Anna



Joined: 28 Mar 2007
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 7:33 pm    Post subject: cooking in a wood fired oven Reply with quote

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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
pickiter



Joined: 03 Jul 2006
Posts: 2
Location: Indiana

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:04 am    Post subject: wood fired Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Pizza Therapy Forum and Pasta Therapy Forum Forum Index -> Wood Fired Ovens All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group