Top tips to use a pizza oven effectively
If you are looking for a new way to cook outside then pizza ovens are fast growing in popularity. They are a great investment and they are a lovely way to not only cook up your own pizza, but you can also cook other things in them as well.
Buying a pizza oven can be pricey, so it is worth it to do some research and also look at ways to make the most from a pizza oven. I wanted to share with you some of the best tips and also some ideas you might want to try.
The right spot for your pizza oven
A pizza oven can sometimes be portable, so you need to find a great spot for your pizza oven. It is best to place it on a table where you can stand and use it.
You don’t really want to be crouching down, and having it too close to the floor poses a risk to children or pets if you have them in your garden.
Make sure the table is heatproof so that you don’t damage any furniture.
Get yourself a pizza peel
What is a pizza peel? They are the tools that people use to put the pizza in the oven, and then take it out again. Sort of a massive metal spatula that has a surface big enough to hold a pizza.
This is the only safe way to get a pizza in and out of your pizza oven. It is a good idea to have two. That way you can have another pizza ready to go.
Don’t overload your pizza
We all love a pizza loaded with toppings, but you do need to avoid the temptation of putting too much on your pizza dough.
Too many toppings often mean the pizza base won’t get a chance to cook properly. It will mean the dough will be soft and sticky underneath, instead of cooked and crusty.
Pizza hack – Using semolina on the dough base and also on your pizza peel will avoid the dough from sticking. It can often be better than using flour and adds extra texture.
Create sharing pizzas
The truth is, most pizza ovens will only have space for one pizza at a time, so you may want to consider sharing pizzas that have different toppings on either side.
This is so that everyone can enjoy a slice while the next pizza is cooking.
Check the temperature of the pizza stone
The pizza stone is the base of the pizza oven, and this is what will cook the pizza underneath.
You want to make sure the temperature is right so that it doesn’t undercook or overcook by burning the bottom of the pizza.
Preparation is key
Whether you buy ready-made pizza dough or follow a good Pizza Dough Recipe, you need to have it ready before you even start the pizza oven!
Preparation is important when it comes to your pizza oven. So make sure the dough is ready to roll, and you have chopped and prepared your chosen toppings.
This is so you can have a pizza ready while the first one cooks.
Turn often
Finally, you will want to turn that pizza in the oven as often as possible. This ensures that everything is equally cooked.
Turning the pizza also affects the even distribution of a crusty crust, which is what we want from a delicious homemade pizza.
You can use your pizza peel to turn the pizza often. Every 30 seconds will be a great way to ensure everything is cooked properly.
Ideas you will want to try
You may have lots of ideas for pizza toppings and combinations to add to your pizza for the oven. Whether it is veggie options or a meat feast there are so many things that work well on a pizza base.
Did you know that you can experiment and cook other things in your pizza oven? There are so many different things that you can consider.
Vegetables – Baked vegetables will be immense in the pizza oven. They will come out all charred and roasted. Delicious.
Meat – Did you know that meat cooks really well in a pizza oven? You will get so many ideas online and it will be roasted.
Baked dishes – If you want to try baked dishes then the pizza oven can work well. It might be a pasta bake or a lasagna. Just remember to turn the dish.
Calzone – You might want to try a folded pizza instead.
Chocolate pizza – Make a dessert pizza by topping the dough with chocolate and treats. Yum!
Things you need to buy for your pizza oven
These are accessories and essentials I bought for our pizza oven and I really recommend that you buy them as well as some other accessories you might like to consider. Take a look and see what you think!
- A pizza peel or pizza paddle (ideally 2 then you can always have one pizza oven ready!
- Heat resistant gloves
- Pizza cutter or rocker pizza cutter
- Wood pellets and natural firelighters
- Pizza sauce for homemade pizzas
- Pizza oven cleaning brush and scraper (perfect for any stuck-on dough!
- Infrared thermometer – similar to those you use for kids’ temperature.
- Pizza oven cover (check your oven size!)
- Topping station
- Pizzeria sign
- Pizza tray set
- Pizza apron
- Wooden pizza board or wooden pizza cutting board with grooves or a black fibre board
- Pizza dough proving tray box
- Calzone press and crimper
Some of the above accessories are more essential than others so don’t feel you need to spend hundreds buying them all.
In my experience the only ones you definitely do need are the wooden pellets, natural firefighters (don’t buy chemical ones as they will make your food taste awful), a pizza peel or paddle and heat-resistant gloves.
You can use oven gloves but the above gloves are much more flexible and suitable for higher heat! Kitchen scissors also cut pizza very effectively!
I hope this has given you plenty of tips on how to make the most out of a pizza oven.