Tips and Tricks for Your Wood Fired Pizza Oven
Use dry hardwood. Kiln dried wood at around 20% moisture or lower burns clean. Wet wood produces heavy black smoke and struggles to reach pizza temperatures. Oak, ash, maple, apple, and olive wood are all good choices, and olive wood adds a distinct aroma. Build the fire in the center. Place it under the damper with the door open, and stack the wood in a teepee so air flows through. A chemical-free starter such as wood wool with paraffin wax works well. Set any starter on a piece of wood, not directly on the oven floor. Keep kindling handy. Thin, dry pieces help build a strong flame quickly. Refresh the fire between rounds. Once the oven is hot, it holds heat for several hours. For a second round, lay a few pieces of kindling on the remaining coals and they ignite fast. Shut down by closing up. Close the damper and the oven door to cut off oxygen, and the fire dies down on its own. For a look at available models and specifications, see the wood fired pizza oven collection at...
