Pizza ovens are a delight and a great addition to any home. If you love pizza but are hesitant to consume the greasy mess served by most fast food joints, consider installing a full oven. Traditional wood-fired ovens may seem complicated, but they are very easy to operate once you get the hang of it. Here’s a brief wood-burning pizza oven guide to help you get started.
How to Start a Fire for a Wood Burning Pizza Oven?
Starting a fire is easy if you have the right materials. The most straightforward method is to light the oven with a butane torch. That takes less time and ensures the oven is ready for baking without much effort. Make sure you have dry, seasoned medium or hardwood for the oven. You will need two-three pieces to get the right temperature and need to add two-three pieces more once the oven is hot to sustain that heat. It should take around 45 minutes for the oven to reach the right temperature of around 700 degrees F.
Use dry kindling to light the fire and avoid any dusty or waxy products as they can compromise the pizza’s texture and flavor. You will find sawdust and wax on your crust if you don’t use clean materials that don’t leave behind any residue in your wood-burning pizza oven.
After the oven reaches the right temperature, you can move the fire to one side and start baking. Some people wait for an additional 20-30 minutes before baking just to ensure the oven is truly prepared.
How to Maintain Your Pizza Oven?
Most ovens come with a detailed wood-burning pizza oven guide that explains how to clean and maintain the installation. Here are some tips:
- Brush away all of the soot and food particles left behind by the baking process. There’s no need to use any chemical cleaners or disinfectants as the oven temperature will kill all germs.
- Remove soot stains with a hard wire brush and a cleaning cloth. Don’t use any chemical cleaners can that can sink into the brick or stone materials.
- Clean and maintain the external dome every year. You can reapply a clear, waterproof sealant on the dome to protect it.
Consider hiring a professional to plan, install, and maintain a pizza oven. They will also provide a more comprehensive wood-burning pizza oven guide to help you maintain the installation. Most contractors have a Why Us page that explains their services, level of experience, and other details. Browse through these pages before deciding whether you want to hire them.
