Pizza ovens made of wood. While their colossal size and Old World charm are impressive, what truly captures guests’ attention (and hearts) are the delicious pies served from burning hot stone platforms.
Whether you’re a connoisseur of baking, a devotee of one-dish meals, or a Sunday roast devotee, your oven has the ability to truly unleash your culinary potential. However, we all have a responsibility to the environment, which is why it’s critical to be mindful of how you use your oven. It takes some care to achieve the signature crispy, bubbling, smokey, faintly charred pizza.
TRANSCRIPT –6 Tips for Creating Outstanding Artisanal Crusts in a Wood-Fired Pizza Oven Malaysia
A wood-fired pizza oven features an interior stone deck. The heat generated by the wood fire scorches the deck, and pizzas are placed straight on it to cook quickly.
Due to the particular qualities of a wood-fired pizza oven, bringing it to the proper temperature and caring to the pizza while cooking takes a bit more effort than with standard ovens.
Utilize these best practises to ensure your wood-fired pizza oven performs optimally – and produces the best pizzas.
1. Preheat oven. Approximately 2-3 hours early
In comparison to a normal oven, a wood-fired oven lacks a “on” switch. You will require some preparation time. You want the wood to be burning for at least two to three hours before utilising the oven to ensure that the stone reaches the desired temperature range.
2. Utilize a straightforward hardwood
Pine or other softwoods may leak creosote or other carcinogens into the air and onto your pizza. For a distinct flavour and up to three times the burn time of softwood, you should choose fine, plain hardwood.
3. Take a temperature reading.
Because the type of dough or crust determines the oven temperature, a laser thermometer is a necessary kitchen tool. Some ovens work well at 500°F; others require a temperature of between 900°F and 1000°F.
4. Arrange pizza in close proximity to the flame.
Make the best judgement possible while positioning the pizza close enough to the flame to cook but not burn. To determine the sweet spot, trial and error testing is required. It’s critical to quickly move the pizza near the heat source so that it lifts and the bottom of the crust chars little and does not become doughy.
5. Rotate pizzas halfway through baking
Throughout the cooking period, turn the pizza frequently with a peel to ensure even browning on all sides. While a typical oven uses pushed air to ensure consistent baking, wood-fired ovens use only one source of heat, the flame. Rotation is critical to avoid the pizza burning or being undercooked on one side.
6. Ascend the pizza to the dome.
Once the pizza is completely cooked on the stone deck, lift it into the oven dome for a few seconds using a peel. The dome generates a significant amount of heat, which results in a lovely, light char and crispy edge on the pizza top.
Achieving the ideal bake in a wood-fired pizza oven can be tough, but with a little experience, you can consistently make great pizza. It all begins with matching the crust type to the oven type.
