How To Use And Light A Pizza Oven

How To Use And Light A Pizza Oven

We've put this blog together on how to use a pizza oven because it really is a must-have piece of kit for eating outside. It's fun and sociable, but above all, it helps you produce some great meals with minimum effort.

There are many types of barbecue and outdoor oven on the market. It's the pizza oven, however, that's getting a lot of attention because they're so versatile. At JB Furniture, we stock the DeliVita Wood Fired Oven and Ooni Pizza Ovens - an example of great design. It's neat-looking, lightweight, and really easy to use and keep clean. We've also heard it cooks a mean Victoria sponge and rather fine Yorkshire puddings! No wonder it's been shortlisted for the 2021 Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Read on for tips on how to use and light a pizza oven, so you get the very best results. 

How To Light A Pizza Oven

The first top tip on lighting a pizza oven is to read the manufacturer's instructions! From a safety point of view, it's clearly important - especially with young children and pets running around. But also to make sure you understand how to get the best out of your pizza oven and, basically, enjoy the whole experience.

There are 4 main fuel options for pizza ovens: wood-fired, gas, electricity, gas and wood combined. We're concentrating on the traditional wood-fired versions because it's an authentic way to cook. When you light a pizza oven, your aim is to heat the floor of the oven, so:

Make a Jenga-type nest of about 6-10 pieces of kindling wood (the number will depend on the size of your oven).

Place the stack of wood just inside the oven - not too far as you need the air to circulate.

Light the wood with a match - or use an eco lighter, placed right in the middle of the stack. (We don't recommend ordinary firelighters. They give off a powerful smell of petrol, which can taint food. Eco firelight cubes made of compressed sawdust and vegetable oil are non-toxic, and safe to be alongside your food.)

Having lit your wood, use a long handled tool to gently push the stack towards the back so you begin to heat the dome as well as the floor of the oven.

Then it's a matter of checking from time to time to make sure the wood is burning well (add more if necessary). It'll take 25 mins+ to reach the desired temperature, depending on the type of oven. (An infrared thermometer will help your accuracy with temperature.)

How To Use A Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Owning a wood-fired oven has become rather desirable in recent years, probably because it's so lo-tech and, frankly, a bit of an adventure.

Without all those dials and controls you become more intuitive, using your sense of smell, sight, taste and even touch, instead of relying on a beeping oven timer. Rigidly following recipes might even become a thing of the past for you!

Your wood-fired pizza oven will also make many, many other meals because you can roast, grill, barbecue and smoke in it. You can even use it as a giant slow cooker because once the fire has gone out, you usually have 2.5 hours of cooking time left. DeliVita also recommends turning your oven over to a Tandoori style of cooking because it doesn't dry the meat out.

Cooking pizza in a wood fired oven is a lot of fun. The Italian owners of DeliVita are obviously keen pizza-makers. For them (naturally) it starts with using good dough and excellent toppings. Next, place your ready prepared pizza in the front of the oven, turning it round every few minutes until it's brown and crispy (including the underneath). Then just eat.

Find The Ideal Pizza Oven

DeliVita's Wood Fired Oven is an ideal choice. An authentic taste and look of Italy, this pizza oven is all about traditional cooking for modern times:

- Easy to use, creating delicious dishes, from pizza to puddings.

- Just 25 minutes to get to the desired temperature.

- Good size, but also lightweight and portable (made from fibreglass and stainless steel).

- Safe to the touch as the outer shell doesn't get hot. 

- Cool, elegant looks.

- Easy to care for - just clear out the ash from time to time, and polish the    outside with warm soapy water.

The DeliVita Wood Fired Oven is available at JB Furniture, in different colours and with a starter bundle of utensils so you just add food - and the people to cook for!

Using the right utensils will help you serve up great food from your wood-fired pizza oven.

Further Reading:

5 Garden Trends To Follow in 2021

How to make best use of your outdoor space

5 Ways To Embrace Bohemian Style Decor In Your Home