What Is The Best Wood For A Pizza Oven?

Oak is generally the best all-round wood for your wood-fired pizza stove, and it can be used alone or with small amounts of fruitwood added for a more nuanced flavor. If you’re unsure which wood to go for, go for oak firewood for your pizza oven, you won’t be disappointed.

What wood to use in a pizza oven?

Mesquite. Mesquite is a good choice for the Ooni oven.

Maple. Maple is a very sweet wood.

Hickory. Hickory is a very hearty wood with a strong,thick flavor.

Oak. Oak is simply one of the most common hardwoods for cooking.

Choosing Wood For Your Ooni. When choosing wood for your Ooni,look for dry and well cured pieces.

Conclusion.

How do you make a wood fire pizza oven?

Use small pieces of bricks (cut a brick in half longitudinally, and each half again in half by using a we saw) and place them over the circle with a little cement mortar. Inside the circle you could lay shards of glass mixed with sharp sand, as to store the heat developed inside the wood fired pizza oven.

How to make a wood fired pizza oven?

Pepperoni

Bacon

Ham

Ground Beef

Chicken

Peppers

Jalapeno

Pineapple

Oregano

Anchovi

What is the Best Wood for Your Pizza Oven?

SmokedBBQSource is made possible by the contributions of its readers.
If you make a purchase after clicking on one of the affiliate links on this page, we may get a commission at no additional cost to you.
More information is available here: http://www.cnn.com/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/cnn/c It is possible to make a significant difference in the taste, texture, and cooking speed of your pizza by selecting the appropriate wood for your pizza oven.
While there is lots of information available about smoking woods, many people don’t pay enough attention to the wood they use to cook their pizza, which is unfortunate.
Everything you need to know about selecting the ideal wood for your pizza oven can be found in this booklet, which you can download for free.

Choosing the best wood for your pizza oven

Cooking pizza necessitates the use of a very hot oven.
This alone is the most compelling argument for selecting specific firewood for your pizza oven with great attention.
When it comes to providing the type of heat that you’ll need to cook your pizza to perfection, only dense, dry hardwood will suffice.
Even though oak and maple are both safe alternatives, continue reading for our complete list of permitted woods options.
Prepare an excellent coal bank and use hardwood splits to maintain the fire blazing throughout the cooking process in your pizza oven to get the desired screaming hot temperature.

In addition to just the heat, there are a number of other considerations that make selecting the ideal wood for your pizza oven a no-brainer.In our recipe for wood fired pizza, we offer a step-by-step instruction to starting a fire in your pizza oven that you may reference.

The type of wood affects the flavor

First and foremost, there is the effect that the wood has on the flavor of the pizza. The type of wood you use to make your pizza can have an impact on the flavor of your finished product, so it’s crucial to use wood that produces the correct tastes. If you use the wrong wood, you will get harsh, bitter overtones that will turn even the most ardent pizza fan away.

The right kind of wood makes things easier

Second, utilizing the proper type of wood for your pizza oven will make it much easier to get it up and running and ready to cook pizza in no time.
Using wood that is not suited for a fire will make it more difficult to get it started and will make it a more time-consuming operation.
Even if you manage to get your wood to burn in the end, if it is not thick enough to burn at a high temperature, you will have a lengthy wait on your hands until your oven eventually reaches 800-900°F…
if it even manages to reach that temperature.

Types of wood for a pizza oven

Using the wrong type of wood for your pizza oven might result in an oven that doesn’t heat up sufficiently, leaving your pizza doughy and soggy when it’s time to serve.
There’s also a chance that you’ll wind up with an enormous buildup of soot and creosote, an unpleasant, off-putting flavor, and a lengthy wait for an inedible outcome.
If you want your pizza oven to produce a superior flavor, high heat output, crispy, even cooking, and a crispy and evenly cooked foundation, you should use the following types of firewood.

Seasoned and dried hardwoods

Hardwoods such as oak, maple, and ash, which have been seasoned and dried, are unquestionably the best woods for burning in your pizza oven.
Hardwoods are often more denser in comparison to softwoods (duh).
The result is that they produce more heat for the same amount of wood, which makes them an excellent choice for wood-burning pizza ovens since they are capable of producing the blistering temperatures necessary by wood-burning ovens.
Take note that we have expressly indicated that we are talking about seasoned and dried hardwoods.
Wood for your pizza oven should be completely dry in order to achieve high temperatures and burn consistently without releasing excessive smoke into the atmosphere.

In general, because it is readily available and burns extremely hot, oak is probably the most popular type of wood for making pizza because of its versatility.However, it also boils down to what is accessible in your local region, as well as your own personal tastes and preferences in general.

Fruitwoods

Aside from your standard hardwoods, fruitwoods may also be a lovely addition to your pizza oven, adding a new level of taste and enhancing the whole experience.
Pecan, apple, and plum are all popular alternatives for enhancing the flavor of your pizza by providing a subtle touch of added depth to the flavor.
It should be noted that not all fruitwoods burn as hot as some of the aforementioned hardwoods, and that in general, these should be used sparingly and mixed in with your oak or other hardwood of choice.
With this method, you can easily maintain heat levels while adding a subtle aroma to the dish, without the flavor becoming too overpowering.
You may experiment with other varieties of fruitwood in this fashion, evaluating which tastes pair well with your favorite pizza toppings and determining the optimal concentration ratio for a flavorsome addition rather than an overpowering taste.

It’s possible that apple is the most popular fruit because of its high burning temperatures, mild flavor, and pleasant fragrance.However, once again, the type of fruitwood that will work best for you will be determined by your taste sensibilities.

Which wood is best for pizza ovens?

This article will go through some of the most common types of firewood for pizza ovens in further detail. Read through the list and choose the ones that appeal to you the most, before checking to see if they are available in your area. You should feel free to experiment with different types and mixes of firewood for pizza as they are all highly suggested for this purpose.

Oak

Considering that oak is a hefty and solid wood, it is an excellent choice for the high temperatures required for pizza ovens.
Oak wood is often simple to come by and burns quite hot, adding a clean, earthy taste to the finished product.
Expect a stronger flavor and more powerful smoke if you choose red oak instead of white oak as your wood choice.
When it comes to wood-fired pizza stoves, oak is considered the finest all-around wood to utilize, and it may be used alone or with tiny amounts of fruitwood to provide a more complex flavor profile.
In case you’re undecided about which wood to use for your pizza oven, opt for oak firewood instead.

You won’t be disappointed!

Maple

For your pizza oven, maple is yet another wonderful option to consider.
You may use it alone or in a mix with other woods such as oak or applewood.
Maple has a mild, delicately sweet flavor that pairs nicely with a wide range of pizza toppings, including pork, chicken, and most veggies, and is especially good on pizza crust.
It is estimated that there are over 100 varieties of maple, with the so-called ″soft maples″ such as the red maple, silver maple, and boxelder maple giving some of the best tastes and even burning among the species.

Apple

If you want to recreate the flavor of an actual pizzeria at home, applewood is going to be at the top of your list of fuels for your pizza oven, according to the experts.
Applewood is used by many elite pizzaiolos because of its high burning temperatures, as well as its scent and flavor-enhancing properties.
Applewood is well regarded for its somewhat sweet, fruity flavor, which pairs well with virtually any topping.
The only disadvantage is that it can pop rather loudly, which may cause a tiny amount of ash to fall into your pizza if you have a small home pizza oven.
However, we would strongly advise you not to let this deter you from applying.

Hickory

Hickory is not only one of the most popular cooking woods available, but it is also one of the hottest burning hardwoods available.As a result, it is a common choice for pizza ovens, where extremely high temperatures are required for baking.The majority of hickory tree kinds are native to the eastern United States, and because of their widespread appeal, they are widely available.

Hickory is a clean-burning wood with a powerful taste that burns similar to oak but with a considerably more pronounced flavor.
Combine hickory and oak for a more flavorful taste; because of their comparable burn speeds and complementing tastes, they are frequently used in conjunction with one another.

Ash

Ash trees are native to eastern and central America, where they grow in abundance.Oak and ashwood are quite similar in that they both burn hot and have a moderate and neutral flavor, which makes ashwood a good choice for your pizza oven.Not only does it burn hot, but it also burns for a long period of time and consistently, making it a pleasure to use.

It is also rather simple to light, allowing you to have a hassle-free pizza evening without having to keep an eye on your fire all the time.
Add a few pieces of mesquite for a deeper smoky taste, or some apple or plumwood for a hint of sweetness for a more delicate smoky flavor.

Mesquite

One of the most abundant woods found in Texas, where it is particularly popular, mesquite has a peculiar, harsh flavor that distinguishes it from other types.As a result of its high concentration of lignin (a complex organic polymer that helps plants retain their shape), it creates a significant quantity of smoke, making it arguably the most smoky of all the most often used cooking woods.Because it burns extremely hot and quickly, it is an excellent choice for your pizza oven.

Just be sure to either combine it with a milder-flavored wood or pair it with some of your most flavorful toppings that may absorb its powerful, earthy taste before serving.

Plum

Plum produces a significant quantity of heat, making it an excellent choice for your pizza oven’s heat output.Offer it to oak or combine it with pecan and let its delicate taste to add depth to your dish.It is somewhat sweet and moderate in flavor.

Plumwood is frequently used in chicken preparations, but it is also a fantastic choice for vegetarian toppings and pig.
It is also an excellent choice for wood-fired pizza ovens.

Pecan

Pecan is essentially a kind of hickory; nevertheless, it has a much more mild flavor with a hint of nuttiness that pairs well with pizza and other dishes that call for pecans.Despite the fact that it is a robust and thick hardwood, it does not burn as long as other hickory or oak species.As a result, using pecans alone in your pizza oven may be difficult at times.

As a complement to other hotter-burning, complementary-flavored woods such as oak, plum, or apple, it makes a fantastic addition to a fire.
As a result, using pecans alone in your pizza oven may be difficult at times.
As a complement to other hotter-burning, complementary-flavored woods such as oak, plum, or apple, it makes a fantastic addition to a fire.
More information may be found in this video on the many sorts of wood that can be used.

Which wood should you avoid in pizza ovens?

There are a variety of wonderful possibilities available, and you may be wondering which woods you should avoid using in your pizza oven.Simply put, avoid anything that is not made from kiln-dried hardwood.If the wood is not entirely dry and a hardwood, it will not burn hot enough to cook your pizza to a precise crispness that you desire.

Overall, if you stick to dry hardwood for your pizza oven, even if it isn’t the ideal wood for the job, you will still end up with excellent results.
Consider the following types of wood that you should absolutely avoid using in your pizza oven:

Wood with a high sap content

High sap content woods are not suitable for cooking since they emit creosote (a hazardous by-product of wood combustion), which can accumulate in the pizza oven over time. For this reason, they should not be used for baking. If you truly want to utilize softwood, seasoning and curing it can assist to minimize the amount of sap in the wood, as can removing the bark from the wood before use.

Woods with a high moisture content

If the wood you left aside has not yet completely dried out, it is not recommended that you use it in your pizza oven.With such a short cooking period at such a high temperature, wood that has a high moisture content simply will not do, resulting in an unpleasantly mushy mess rather than a crisp foundation.When moist wood is burned, it produces a great deal of smoke and just a little quantity of heat.

This excessive smoke causes soot to accumulate in your oven, as well as a buildup of creosote.
Test your home-seasoned wood using a moisture meter to be sure that it has achieved the 20 percent moisture threshold necessary for optimal cooking outcomes.

Woods that are too dry

On the other hand, wood with a moisture content of less than 15 percent is regarded excessively dry for use in wood-fired ovens and should be avoided at all costs.Overly dry wood, while less frequent than moist wood, produces excessive smoke and creosote, as well as burning excessively quickly, resulting in a fire that is difficult to control.In the event that you have some offcuts that have become excessively dry after being stored in a hot environment, you might mix them in with your usual firewood piece by piece, so boosting the moisture content of the entire load.

Treated woods

We can categorically rule out this option!Remove any laminated wood or treated wood that has residues of paint, glue, or chemicals on it and dispose of it properly.Not only can certain forms of treated wood burn extremely unpredictably and frequently in a dangerous manner, but the particles that are released when they are burned are also hazardous.

If you are unsure about the origin of any wood, it is advisable not to take the chance of consuming possibly dangerous poisons.
Make certain to utilize wood that you have collected yourself or that you have purchased from a reputable provider.
Any type of wood that appears to have been treated should be avoided at all costs, no matter how appealing it appears.

Wrapping it up

When it comes to pizza ovens, heat is everything, and dried and seasoned hardwoods are an ideal choice because of their thick build, which allows for a long, high burn time and a consistent temperature.It may be a costly and time-consuming learning curve to learn how to make pizza in a wood-fired oven.The last step, choosing the right wood to use in your pizza oven, would be a terrible disappointment.

Finding the proper wood to cook your pizza with is an important step in achieving pizza perfection, even though it isn’t always considered a top priority by some.

What Kind of Firewood for Pizza Oven Use?

You’ve discovered a wood-burning pizza oven for sale and are eager to get it up and running!Creating mouthwatering wood-fired pizza dishes, such as an almond wood smoked chicken and spinach pizza, is something you’re looking forward to.Hold on a second!

Trying to heat a smokey oven for an hour is not your idea of a fun time, I believe we can all agree.
However, if you have the greatest wood to utilize in your pizza oven, this does not have to be the case at all.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about the finest woods to use for your domestic outdoor wood-burning pizza oven, as well as how to build one yourself.
Hopefully, after reading this piece, you’ll have a better understanding of the dos and don’ts of utilizing wood in a pizza oven.
There is information in this article on the following subjects that are connected to cooking with wood: 1.
Woods to Avoid When Using a Wood-Fired Oven for Cooking 2.

The Most Appropriate Wood for a Pizza Oven 3.Does the amount of moisture in the air have an impact on wood-fired cooking?4.

What is causing my pizza oven to smoke?5.How Much Wood Do You Need for a Pizza Oven?6.

Where Can I Purchase Wood for Pizza Ovens?7.The Best Wood for Cooking in a Wood Fired Pizza Oven 8.Pizza Oven Wood with a Flavoring Blend

Woods to Avoid When Cooking in Wood Fired Oven

In a wood fired oven, not all wood is suitable for use, and not all firewoods contribute to the delicious mixes of flavor that characterize wood fired cooking.It is not necessary to nullify the benefits of cooking in a wood-fired oven by utilizing firewood that is harmful to your health when cooking in one.Woods that have been laminated, pressure treated, or painted, as well as any wood that has been treated with chemicals, should never be used in a wood burning oven.

What is the significance of this?
These woods contain dangerous compounds that can be harmful to the environment.
Aside from that, avoid woods with a high sap content, such as pine.
Sap creates soot and creosote, which covers the bottom of the oven and is harmful to human health.
The importance of this becomes even more apparent when utilizing different types of wood in professional wood-fired pizza ovens.

Best Wood for Pizza Oven

Now that you’ve learned about the sorts of wood you shouldn’t use for pizza ovens, you might be wondering, ″what is the greatest fuel for pizza ovens?″ Hardwoods that have been seasoned and dried provide the greatest cooking woods.Hardwoods, which are distinguished by their wide leaves on the trees, are preferable to softwoods, which are distinguished by their needles and cones.One reason that hardwoods are preferable for cooking in a pizza oven over softwoods is because they are cleaner and last longer than their softwood counterparts do.

Maple, oak, ash, hickory, walnut, birch, and beech are some of the most beautiful hardwoods available.
That’s not all, either.
Fruitwood is highly suggested if you enjoy the fragrant influence that wood has on your cuisine.
It may have a significant impact on the flavor of your dinner.
Fruitwood, as the name suggests, is derived from a variety of fruit-bearing plants.
Apple, cherry, plum, almond, pear, hickory, maple, pecan, mesquite, chestnut, avocado, alder, apricot, and nectarine are some of the fruits that may be found in fruitwood.

These woods can make a significant difference in the flavor of your next supper!You may move forward to Flavored Wood for Pizza Oven if you’re interested in learning about the many types of wood and the recipes that go with them.

Does Moisture Content Affect Wood Fired Cooking?

Did you know that the moisture level of your firewood has an impact on not only the quality of your meal, but also the performance of your wood-fired oven?YES, it absolutely does!When your wood has an excessive amount of moisture, your oven must work more to dry the wood while spending less time heating the oven itself.

Less than 20 percent moisture content is the optimal moisture level for the finest wood that may be utilized in wood-burning ovens.
This indicates that wood that has not been properly dried is not advised.
There should be a beautiful balance between dry and green wood, with neither being too dry nor too green.

Why Is My Pizza Oven Smoking?

One of the most common concerns we hear from new wood-fired cooks is that their pizza oven produces an excessive amount of smoke.While this may be ideal for smoking meats, it is not what you want while hosting a pizza get-together.Even the nicest wood-fired pizza oven can smoke if you use the incorrect type of wood to fire it up.

Here’s how it works: Greenwoods are ones that have only recently been harvested and have not yet had the opportunity to dry out.
This particular sort of wood is not what you are looking for.
It will not create the proper amount of flame required within the oven and will generate a large amount of smoke.
To prevent producing excessive smoke, select hardwood that has been kiln dried to guarantee that the wood you use has a balanced moisture and dryness.
The following table, based on information from an AmazingRibs.com article, displays the fundamental smoke, embers, and burning energy produced by the many varieties of fruitwoods used in cooking.

Wood Type	Smoke	Energy	Embers
Alder	Mild	Low	Fair
Apple	Medium	High	Excellent
Hickory	Strong	High	Excellent
Maple	Mild	High	Excellent
Mesquite	Strongest	High	Excellent
Oaks	Medium	High	Excellent
Peach	Medium	Medium	Fair
Pecan	Strong	High	Good
Pear	Medium	High	Fair
Walnut	Strong	High	Good

How Much Wood for a Pizza Oven?

As a result, how much wood do you truly require while using your oven to cook with?The anticipated response has finally arrived.It is conditional.

Typically, you can get your fire starting and your oven up to temperature with around 5 tiny pieces of wood to get things rolling in the beginning.
Typically, the length of wood used for cooking in a pizza oven is 12 inches in length.
Beginning with smaller pieces of wood before adding larger pieces of wood is typically the most efficient method for getting a fire going.
Depending on the heat retention of your oven (for example, brick ovens retain heat better than stainless ovens), you may only need to add a few more pieces of wood to keep the temperature stable, or you may need to add a piece of wood every few minutes to keep the temperature stable while you are cooking pizzas.
When acquiring huge quantities of wood, it is common for it to be sold as a ″cord.″ When the wood is stacked four feet high by four feet wide by eight feet long, it is considered a complete cord (4 ft.
x 4 ft.

x 8 ft.).The cord of wood size is derived from the fact that it is measured using a cord or string.The origin of the term ″cord″ may be traced back to the 1610s, when timber was sold in bundles tied together with cord.

The wood pieces are often packed on a pallet and organized in such a way that they are parallel, touching, and compact that they fill a volume of 128 cubic feet.

Where to Buy Wood for Pizza Ovens

For the finest results while cooking in your pizza oven, always look for the best wood.If you’re looking for firewood on the internet, you may try searching for ″where to get wood for pizza oven″ or ″firewood pizza.″ There are a variety of internet specialist retailers, such as and, that provide excellent firewood for use in your pie oven.Aside from that, we have a wonderful range of firewood such as Apple wood, Cherry wood, and Oak firewood that is ideally trimmed to fit into a pizza oven.

You can generally locate wood locally by searching your local Craigslist or asking around.
If the shipping prices prevent you from ordering from an online retailer, you can usually find wood by asking about.
Only ensure that the wood is a hardwood for cooking that has been seasoned and dried before purchasing.

Best Wood for Wood Fired Pizza Oven Cooking

When it comes to cooking in your wood-fired pizza oven, the quality of the wood you use makes all the difference.There are further benefits to using hardwood to cook in your pizza oven, including the fact that every wood fired oven seasons differently over time, just like a cast iron skillet, resulting in food that is somewhat different from the next.Basically, your wood burning oven will develop its own environment and personality, infusing your pizza oven recipes with tastes that you won’t be able to get anywhere else in the world.

Other elements such as the quality of your meat, the temperature of your oven, the spices you use, and any additional sauces you add will all have an influence on the final taste of your dinner, just as much as the sort of wood you use.
So, in addition to all of the other criteria, spend some time experimenting with different types of wood.

Flavored Wood for Pizza Oven

According to The Forest Encyclopedia, the flavor of wood is typically determined more by the temperature and soil in which the trees are produced than by the kind of wood itself.Thus, the variations between maples grown in Tennessee and maples grown in Colorado may be higher than the differences between maple and pecan trees planted in the same location, if they are grown side by side.As a disclaimer, various fruitwoods have quite distinctive fragrances, and as a result, they season food in distinctly different ways.

As a result, some fruitwoods are more suited for particular types of food than others.
The following are some of the most popular fruitwoods, as well as the most common sorts of cuisine to prepare in your wood-fired oven using them.

Alder Wood

Alder is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the birch family that includes spruce, birch, and willow.Its moderate flavor, combined with a gentle, somewhat sweet undertone, makes it the ideal go-to smoke flavor for most people.Some individuals enjoy blending Alder with other types of wood to create their own unique taste combinations.

Because it has a subtle flavor, alder pairs nicely with a variety of foods such as fish, chicken, vegetables, lamb, and sausage.
Try this recipe for Alder Wood Smoked Salt Salmon to see what you think.

Apple Wood

Although the apple tree is quite popular in the United States, it originated in Central Asia.The Apple tree was introduced to North America by European colonists.Because apple wood burns extremely hot, it is frequently used by pizzerias to improve the scent and flavor of their pizzas.

Because of the mildness of this wood, it is also suitable for smoking foods for extended lengths of time.
Apple wood is a fantastic choice for cold smoking cheese and meats because of its versatility.
Try this recipe for Applewood Smoked Chicken to see what you think.

Hickory Wood

Hickory trees are found in about 18 different kinds around the world.It is estimated that the United States is home to as many as 12 different species of Hickory trees.Hickory has a robust scent that is slightly sweet but not overpowering, similar to that of oak.

Hickory is commonly used in the preparation of bacon and sausage meals, but it also goes well with beef and poultry dishes.
Because hickory has a very strong smoke taste, it can dominate some meals if used in large quantities.
Try this recipe for Hickory-Smoked Chicken to see what you think.

Maple Wood

Globally, Hickory trees are comprised of around 18 different species..It is estimated that the Hickory tree is native to the United States in numbers of up to 12 individuals.An intense scent of hickory is there, with a hint of sweetness but not too much intensity.

It is commonly used in the preparation of bacon and sausage dishes, but it also goes well with beef and poultry.
In some meals, the strong smoke taste of Hickory might dominate the other flavors because of its strong smoke flavor.
Prepare Hickory-Smoked Chicken according to the instructions below.

Mesquite Wood

Mesquite trees are native to Mexico and the southern United States, where they thrive in arid conditions.These trees are able to live in arid environments because their roots are extraordinarily lengthy, allowing them to reach water that is thousands of feet beneath.Mesquite is famous because it burns really hot and produces a lot of heat.

It is a popular for grilling steaks or pork chops since it imparts a robust taste to the meat when cooked.
Because it is a stronger wood, some people believe that it might be bitter or unpleasant to the taste.
Try this recipe for Mesquite Smoked Bbq Pork Ribs for a delicious meal.

Oak Wood

It is estimated that there are roughly 600 different species of oak trees, with the greatest number of oak species occurring in North America.In Mexico, there are roughly 160 species, whereas China has approximately 100 species.Oak is one of the most common timbers for use in wood-fired ovens since it is typically easily available in most locations, making it one of the most often utilized.

It burns for the greatest period of time and emits a wonderful scent that is perfect for cooking.
In most cases, oak wood is utilized to cook ribs, lamb, and beef since it is a wonderful compliment to the majority of meat flavors.
Make this recipe for Oak Smoked Prime Rib and see what you think.

Peach/Nectarine Wood

The peach tree is endemic to Northwest China, where it may be found in abundance.The peach tree is a member of the genus Prunus, which contains other fruit trees such as the plum, apricot, almond, and cherry.As a result, peach is frequently employed by competitive Pitmasters to provide a fruity and somewhat sweet flavor to white meats, shellfish, and fish.

When cooking beef, chicken, or pork, it is frequently used in conjunction with oak or hickory.
It is frequently employed in the smoking of game birds.
Try this recipe for Whiskey Peach Smoked Pulled Chicken to see what you think.

Pecan Wood

The Pecan tree, which is well-known in some regions of the United States, is frequently farmed for both its fruits and its wood.This species of Hickory is endemic to the southern United States, namely the region around the Mississippi River, and it may also be seen growing in the northern part of Mexico.Pecan is a tree that is commonly used in wood-fired ovens.

It has a sweet flavor that is a bit smoother than hickory, and it is used to make cigars.
Because it is not as powerful and does not burn as hot as other smoking methods, it is ideal for smoking larger quantities of meat, such as hog roasts and Thanksgiving turkey.
Try this recipe for Pecan Wood Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwiches to see what you think.

Walnut Wood

The Pecan tree, which is well-known in regions of the United States, is frequently planted for both its fruits and its wood.It is endemic to the southern United States, particularly in the region around the Mississippi River, and it may also be found growing in northern Mexico.Pecan is a popular wood for wood-fired ovens because of its high calorie content.

A sweet taste is imparted, and it is a touch smoother in texture than hickory.
For smoking bigger pieces of meat, such as hog roasts and Thanksgiving turkey, it is ideal since it is not as powerful and does not burn as fiercely as other methods.
You should try this recipe for Pulled Pork Sandwich with Pecan Wood Smoked on it.

Choosing The Right Wood For Your Pizza Oven – Forno Bravo

It is ideal to use dry, seasoned hardwoods in your Forno Bravo pizza oven.Examples of such woods include: oak, alder, maple, ash, beech, birch, and elm.Oak is probably the safest wood to use because it is easy to get and burns quite hot when compared to other types of wood.

Hardwoods can weigh up to three times as much as softwoods, and as a result, they produce more heat (BTUs) per unit of volume than softwoods.
Fruitwoods, such as apple, almond, cherry, hickory, pear, and pecan, are also quite popular in the United States.
The aroma of fruitwoods is another perk of using them.
Apple wood is preferred by some of the most well-known wood-fired pizzerias because it burns extremely hot and produces a wonderful scent and flavor.
(Other home cooks have discovered that apples ″pop″ too much in smaller ovens, resulting in ash on their pizzas.) If you decide to use a softwood, make sure to cure and season it well to lessen the amount of sap it contains.
Additionally, removing the bark will aid in reducing the amount of moisture and sap present.

Providing that they meet the untreated standards outlined below, woodchips and wood pellets can be utilized for kindling and fuel.However, because they normally do not create the same number of BTUs as firewood, they are unlikely to be effective as the primary source of woodfuel in your pizza oven.The type of wood you use for your pizza oven will be determined by your geographical location.

Please use caution and only purchase wood from your immediate area; do not transfer wood from distant places.When carrying firewood, it is common for bugs, pests, and non-native species to accompany it, resulting in the spread of illness between different places.There are also some excellent materials about firewood available on university and government-sponsored websites that might assist you in making your selection.Cutting or gathering firewood on National Forest Service (NFS) or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property necessitates the acquisition of a simple permit, which may be obtained directly from the appropriate government agency.

What not to use as firewood

Never burn wood that has been laminated, such as plywood (or particle board), pressure-treated wood, or anything that has been painted, chemically treated, or glued together.To get your firewood started, you can use untreated pallets and construction timber scraps as kindling to get it starting.The phrase ″when in doubt, throw it aside″ applies if you aren’t sure if the wood has been chemically treated.

If these poisons are present in the air or in your diet, you should avoid them.
It is not recommended to use charcoal in your home pizza oven.
One reason to avoid using charcoal is because it emits far more carbon monoxide than firewood does.
Because carbon monoxide cannot be detected without specific equipment, it is a serious health hazard.
In addition, despite the fact that charcoal burns hotter than firewood, it does not transmit heat as efficiently within the oven as the latter.
There are three methods in which brick ovens obtain heat: flame refraction off the dome, thermal equilibrium, and hot coal transmission.

A brick oven loses one of its heat sources since charcoal does not generate a direct flame, as opposed to gas or electric burners.In addition to voiding the guarantee on your Forno Bravo oven, using charcoal poses a safety hazard to your family.Red pine and other resinous woods with high sap or oil content should be avoided.

This sort of firewood will produce a lot of soot, which will cover the pizza oven and chimney flue with creosote as a result.You may get rid of it by burning it with a hotter and cleaner-burning fuel, such as oak.While you can handle the majority of basic oven cleaning, it’s a good idea to engage a qualified chimney sweep at least once or twice a year to ensure that your oven is properly cleaned (more often depending on the frequency of use).Pine, fir, eucalyptus, white birch, and cedar are just a few of the woods that fall under the sappy or oily classification.

If you do decide to utilize certain oily woods for taste, remove the resinous bark first to limit the amount of moisture and sap in the wood.

Moisture levels in firewood are critical

A freshly cut tree, often known as ″green wood,″ is akin to a sponge that has been presoaked in water; it must be allowed to dry out, or ″seasoned,″ before it can be used for its intended purpose.The moisture level of firewood should be in the range of 20 percent.Take a look at your woodwork.

if the cut ends of the firewood have darkened (become grey) and have minor radial fissures, this indicates that the wood is dry and ready to be burned, It is really too dry for use in wood-fired ovens if the moisture level is less than 15%.
When placed on a bed of hot coals, too dry wood will convert heat energy into smoke and creosote.
Wet or wet wood will burn badly and generate a lot of smoke, so avoid using it.
If your wood is still green, it is most likely uncured, and it will burn badly and emit a lot of smoke when it is burned.
This will result in the accumulation of soot and creosote, and it will not burn very hot.
In the event that you can’t locate a dependable supplier or if you gather your own wood, we recommend that you invest in a wood moisture gauge.

If at all feasible, you should gather or purchase firewood in the early spring or late winter so that it has time to dry out during the summer.A well constructed woodpile is required before wood can be considered to be seasonable.In general, drying time varies depending on the kind of wood; some hardwoods take a year or two to reach optimum 20 percent moisture levels, while softwoods may be dried in as little as six to eight months.

Cutting and using firewood

If you have enough storage space, attempt to purchase wood in cords rather than individual pieces.An eight-foot-long cord is a stack of wood that is four feet broad, four inches high, and eight feet long (4x4x8′).Consider your options carefully, as many individuals have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous foresters wanting to make a fast cash.

For a concise explanation of what a cord of wood is, please see this page.
For a more in-depth description of how to measure a cord and how to stack wood, please see this page.
If you plan to chop your own firewood, attempt to do it during the off-season, when the sap is still present in the roots of the trees.
It is recommended that wood be allowed to cure for about six to twelve months.
When the cut ends have darkened and a sequence of ″checks″ or cracks have emerged across the ends, you will know it is ready.
Split wood dries more quickly than round wood, catches fire more quickly, and burns brighter in the oven than round wood.

It is recommended that wood for burning be no greater than 3 inches in diameter and around 12-18 inches in length as a general guideline.It is necessary to chop the kindling into smaller pieces.Bark, needled pine twigs, and leaves should not be used for kindling since they are too resinous and smoky.

If you do decide to leave the bark on the wood because you want more smoke, we recommend that you turn the bark up with the exposed wood underneath it, as this will aid in the ignition of the fire and the better burning of the wood in the oven.Keep your oven from being ″over-fired.″ In the event that flames are shooting out of the oven’s mouth, you are utilizing much too much wood!Additionally, when there is wood burning inside the oven, do not completely close the door.As a result, when you open the oven door, the fire may flare up, resulting in serious harm to you and maybe significant damage to your oven.

If you’re trapped with a load of wet wood, or if your wood has been soaked by rain, there’s a tip that can help you dry it out faster.Every time you have finished cooking in your oven, put the wood for the following day’s cooking inside the oven.The moisture will be baked out of the wood using the heat from the previous fire that has been kept.It is possible to dry your next load of wood the next day, even if you are cooking on low heat overnight.It is quite effective.

Make careful to keep the oven door open just a crack to let any fumes and steam to escape from the chamber.

Storing and managing firewood

Construction of your foundation 2 to 3 inches above ground level is recommended to avoid rain from seeping into the firewood stored beneath your pizza oven.While it is possible to keep some wood beneath your oven, the space available is limited, and it may be advisable to reserve it for kindling and your wood supply for the next few firings.If you purchase a Forno Bravo Cucina stand, it will have a wood storage area beneath the hearth of the pizza oven.

Water-resistant coverings for our Primavera and Napolino outdoor pizza ovens are available for purchase in our online store.
If you have the space, you should consider constructing a woodshed to store your split wood.
A woodshed with a waterproof roof and a raised floor with openings to allow for adequate circulation is an effective structure.
It is possible to dry wood in your oven with the door slightly ajar after it has been rained on or otherwise moistened.
It should be sufficiently dry for use the following day if you set it in your oven after you have completed cooking with the door slightly ajar after you have finished cooking.
When it comes to brick ovens, another excellent resource is the Forno Bravo community forum, which has over 26,000 members worldwide.

If you are searching for a fantastic local wood supply, why not ask someone who has previously done the research in your area?

Moisture Content

Finding the ideal wood for a pizza oven is a rather simple process. When making pizza, keep in mind the golden rule: use only kiln-dried hardwood for the crust. ONLY kiln-dried hardwood should be used. The use of ‘green’ wood can cause crackling, fizzing, and a weak flame during baking, so be aware if you detect any of these signs throughout the baking process. This type of wood is defined as wood that has been harvested recently and has not yet had the opportunity to allow its interior moisture to adequately dry through evaporation. Consequently, the crackling and fizzling are caused by the interior water escaping and evaporating due to the high temperatures. Green wood does not burn at a very high temperature, and when it does burn, it is known to produce a lot of smoke as a byproduct. In contrast, when you use kiln-dried hardwood, you are guaranteeing that all moisture has been removed from the wood, which will result in a more successful fire in the end. Here are some extra pointers to keep in mind: – Avoid utilizing woods that have a high sap content since this can result in the formation of creosote and soot, which can coat your chimney and oven floor. You may fix your mistakes if you make this mistake by using a clean-burning fuel such as oak. Wood that is excessively dry is also not recommended for use in a pizza oven since it might result in excessive smoke production and, consequently, the spoilage of your meal
– Checking for tiny radial fractures and darkening cut ends on your pizza oven firewood is an useful technique to determine if your fuel is too dry for your oven. If your wood exhibits any of these characteristics, it is recommended not to utilize it since it is too dry
– For the final point, if you plan on collecting firewood for your own pizza oven, early Spring or late Winter are the finest times of year to do it because it has most likely dried up throughout the summer.

Storing Your Wood

You should make sure that you have enough space to store your firewood, whether you’re intending to build your own wood-fired pizza oven or purchase one from a retailer. It is essential to have a wood storage place since it will assist to keep your entire space more organized and protected from the elements, such as rain.

Preparing Your Wood for Burning

Always check that your wood is chopped into pieces with diameters of roughly 3-inches and lengths of no more than 15 inches before lighting a fire.When you trim your wood, your flames will burn brighter, faster, and more easily catch light than when you use perfectly round, uncut logs.You may also use smaller pieces to start the fire and mix them with natural firelighters to get the fire going.

Remember to avoid utilizing twigs and leaves during the kindling process since they will produce excessive smoke and the twigs may have a high concentration of resinous compounds.
Resin has been shown to interfere with the combustion of wood, which can result in damage to the floor of your pizza oven.

Professional Tips

In preparation for your wood-burning pizza oven adventures, I’ve included a handful of pointers to keep in mind that will help you guarantee you’re providing the ideal atmosphere possible for delicious pizzas to bake in!First and foremost, I propose that you choose kiln-dried hardwoods such as birch and beech for two-thirds of your project.This sort of wood burns cleanly and efficiently.

As an alternative, you may use one-third seasoned olive wood, which will help the fire survive longer while also adding sweet and mild smokey flavors to the dish.
You may also simply remedy the situation if your firewood has been exposed to rain by placing it in your kitchen oven to bake, allowing it to dry up before it is used for cooking.

Conclusion

As a final note, I wish you the best of luck in your wood-burning pizza oven endeavors and really hope that you have gained all of the knowledge you require from this post!

What’s the Best Kind of Wood for a Pizza Oven?

According to a recent poll, pizza is the most popular food in the United States.With its circular baked dough covered with sauce, cheese, meat, and vegetables, it’s a wonderfully adaptable meal that can be cooked in an almost limitless number of different ways.A wood-fired pizza oven and high-quality cooking wood, on the other hand, are two essentials for making great pizza in the style of the experts.

As soon as you’ve learned the technique of utilizing a wood-fired pizza oven, you’ll be able to create restaurant-quality pizza in the comfort of your own home.
Throughout this post, we’ll go over the essential distinctions between high-quality firewood and low-quality firewood, as well as how the quality of your firewood will affect your cooking experience, as well as the flavor and texture of your pizza.
For those of you who want to bypass all of the research and simply get the best pizza wood available, stop by our pizza oven firewood store today!
Pizza Delivery Firewood Delivery

What Is a Pizza Oven?

A pizza oven, also known as a brick oven or stone oven, is a specific form of baking chamber that is intended to cook big items, such as pizza, at high temperatures for extended periods of time.Despite the fact that they are constructed in a variety of ways, the majority are made of brick or clay and have a half-dome baking chamber.You just put your pizza into the oven, where it will cook as a result of the heat generated by the wood burning.

A pizza oven is not the same thing as a standard domestic oven in many ways.
Just to give you a comparison, pizza ovens are often fired by wood, whereas kitchen ovens are typically heated by electricity or gas.
This alone has the potential to have a big influence on the flavor and overall quality of the pizza.
Kitchen ovens do not have the same flavor as wood-fired ovens since they utilize gas or electricity instead of wood to cook with.
While it is still possible to cook pizza in a household oven, it is not recommended that you have unrealistic expectations.
Kitchen ovens, on the other hand, are not capable of producing as much heat as a pizza oven.

For reference, the maximum temperature of a conventional kitchen oven is around 500 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.While this is more than sufficient heat for baking chicken, pork chops, casseroles, and other foods, it is insufficient for achieving the true Napoletana pizza flavor that is desired (which cooks at 900 degrees).Although it is baked in a domestic oven, pizza dough maintains its relative softness.

Cooking pizza in a pizza oven, on the other hand, will result in a golden brown hue and a crispy texture to the dough as a result of the high heat.The reason for this is because pizza ovens may achieve temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and more.A new and increasing selection of stainless steel pizza ovens has also emerged in recent years, which are smaller, more portable, and less expensive than previous models.Despite their diminutive size, they are still capable of reaching extremely high temperatures, which allows them to produce some outstanding pizzas.

Examples of this type of pizza oven are the Ooni Pro, Ooni Karu, and Bertollo Wood Fired Oven, to name a few examples.

Why the Right Wood Matters When Using a Pizza Oven

Unless you’re familiar with the operation of a pizza oven, you could believe that all wood is equal.After all, when it comes to making pizza, how much of a difference does wood truly make?It is important to use the appropriate wood for a variety of reasons.

Starting with Richard Blais, winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars, he described the value of high-quality cooking wood by saying, ″Firewood is an ingredient.″ You’ll want to use Cutting Edge Firewood every time after you’ve gotten your head around it and realized that excellent cooking requires superb ingredients.
The quality of the wood has an impact on a number of crucial elements, including:

The Flavor – If you cook with wood that has a musty smell, your pizza will have a musty taste to it. If you cook with wood that has mold or fungus on it, the mold and fungus will be cooked out of the wood and onto your pizza. You will receive nothing but the fantastic wood-fired flavour that people enjoy in delicious pizzas if, on the other hand, you use clean and dry wood
How about the experience – have you ever had to put forth a lot of effort to get wood to burn? I find it to be quite annoying and time-consuming. I can’t tell you how much better it feels when you can light a single match and then rapidly kindle a lovely fire
A lack of heat — Wood-fired pizza ovens are designed to cook pizza at extremely high temperatures, but low-quality wood can never heat the fire sufficiently. In order to generate the type of heat necessary for truly excellent pizza, you must use solid and dry wood.
Adding damp wood to a fire will actually lower the temperature of the fire, which is a matter of consistency. Keeping the temperature steady when cooking a pizza becomes much more difficult, and this might induce severe headaches when attempting to prepare the dish. So, why would you use wet wood if you wouldn’t use a cup of water to put in your oven?

In conclusion, if you want to improve your pizza-making skills, you must know that firewood is an essential component, and that the greatest ingredients result in the best pizzas imaginable.

Backyard Pizza Chef Testimonial

Even if we can talk about the value of excellent cooking wood, would you be able to tell the difference while you’re making a pizza in your backyard?One of our clients, Greg A in Maryland, had the following to say about us: It has been almost six years since I purchased my wood fired pizza oven, which you can see in the photos attached.I made it through every single one of the horrible pizza lessons you could imagine while working with the dough and other components to develop the ultimate method for making Neapolitan pizza from scratch.

Over the years, I’ve been irritated by the difficulty in locating consistent, dry, clean wood.
What was deemed kiln dried in Maryland was first stored outside and allowed to mature for a period of time before being transported to a kiln for a few hours at the most at some point.
At Cutting Edge, I feel I have finally discovered the appropriate wood for my project.
Everything is in its proper place, including the temperature, flavor, and timing.
The tale is told through a close-up photograph of a pizza with a piece of wood burning behind it in the background.
It burns evenly over the length of the stick, producing a hot, brilliant flame.

Lights are quick and simple to install.It took half the time and half the amount of wood to get the oven up to temperature.In reality, I was able to manage the temperature so readily with this wood since it provided immediate heat rather than requiring heat to smolder and dry up before being fully functional.

The pizza was clean and crisp, just how it should have been.I am overjoyed to have discovered the greatest wood for any oven — I couldn’t be happier with my decision!As you can see, selecting the appropriate type of wood makes a significant impact!So, how do you go about selecting the correct wood?

Choose Kiln Dried Cooking Wood

In your pizza oven, always use dry cooking wood to cook with.Wet or damp wood will result in a less-efficient combustion process because of the moisture content of the wood.It will convert less organic wood materials into heat after it is lit– if you are even able to light it in the first place.

Unfortunately, this implies that the temperature of your pizza oven will be too low in order to get a crispy bottom crust.
A high quantity of particle matter will be released into the air by the wet or damp wood, some of which will drop on your pizza as a result of this process.
It is important not to think a piece of wood is dry just because it does not appear to be wet or damp – there may be plenty of moisture present on the inside.
When a tree is chopped down or falls to the ground, the moisture content of the wood is normally around 50%.
As soon as the wood is seasoned for a year, the moisture level of the wood often drops to 20-30 percent.
Unfortunately, by this time, the wood has already begun to degrade and become less thick.

Cutting Edge Firewood uses the most stringent drying process available in the industry to provide the highest quality product.In order to get an extremely high burn temperature, we kiln dry newly cut firewood for 48 hours at 250 degrees – this process eliminates an immense amount of moisture from the wood while also killing any bugs, fungus, and mildew.Our wood has a moisture content of 5-10 percent, making it the best firewood available anywhere in the world for cooking and heating.

Choose the Right Size

There are many different types of wood cuts, and each one has a distinct function.Using wood cooking pieces or cooking splits in a Kamado-style grill, such as the Big Green Egg or the Primo, will produce the best results when cooking pizzas on it.These pieces and splits, on the other hand, are far too little to be used in a full-sized wood fired pizza oven.

If you’re using a full-sized oven, such as the Forno Piombo, Alfa Oven, or Fontana Forni, you’ll need our 16-inch pizza cut firewood for baking pizzas.
With the cooperation of skilled pizza cooks, we developed this particular cut of pizza wood.
It is incredibly easy to fire each cut, which is 16 inches long and 1-2 inches wide, and it produces extremely intense temperatures very rapidly.
The fire can be built and brought to temperature in 30 minutes using our pizza sliced wood with only 6 pieces of wood!
The fact that the wood is thick means that it will burn hotter and for a longer period of time than any other wood on the market.
If you have a smaller pizza oven, such as the Ooni Pro, then you’ll want to test our teeny pizza cut out for yourself.

This piece of wood measures 6 inches in length and 1-2 inches in thickness, giving it the ideal size for tiny pizza ovens.In addition, our wood will burn very well and extremely hot, providing you and your visitors with a fantastic outdoor experience!

Which Wood Species is Best for Pizza?

Cooking using oak firewood produces the best-tasting pizza, which is what we normally recommend. In fact, all of our pizza cut firewood is made of oak, which is a sustainable resource. What is the significance of oak? Because it burns quite hot and has a relatively mild flavor, it is a popular choice. What is the significance of the mild flavor? The flavor of smoked food is quickly absorbed by bread (or pizza crust) because of the rapid absorption of the flavor. You may absolutely cook your pizzas on wood, such as hickory, but the flavor may be too intense for some people. We’ve discovered that oak has just the right amount of taste for the majority of individuals! As a result, we propose that you start with oak firewood and then go to other species as your knowledge and experience improve. Additionally, you may start the fire with oak and then add a handful of pieces of another species — this will add taste but will be less overbearing than if the entire fire were made of something like pecan or hickory. If you’re interested in trying something else, here’s a brief guide to some more popular types of wood: Pecan may impart a nutty taste to dishes that are breaded
it is particularly good with fish.
Cherry burns at a lower temperature than oak, but it might impart a touch sweetness to your pizza.
Hickory burns hotter than oak and imparts a robust wood-fired taste to whatever dish you prepare with it.
In addition to apple, another popular fruit wood that may be used to impart apple flavor to your pizza is walnut.

Tips on Using a Pizza Oven

In addition to utilizing the proper cooking wood, follow these guidelines to create delectable pizza in a pizza oven: 1. In your pizza oven, aim for an interior temperature of 700 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit (180 to 200 degrees Celsius). Increasing the amount of cooking wood in your pizza oven will boost the temperature of the oven.
Build a fire in the center of the pizza oven, and when you’re ready to put the pizza in, use a metal scraper to transfer the coals to the rear of the oven
after the pizza is done, remove it from the oven and set it aside.
After each usage, thoroughly clean away any residual wood or ash from your pizza oven.
Use of dough with a high sugar content should be avoided. The use of a sugar-based dough is acceptable for baking pizza in a standard kitchen oven. Nonetheless, when it’s employed in a wood-fired pizza oven, it results in inconsistent cooking of the crust.
Don’t leave your pizza in the oven for an excessive amount of time. In most cases, after your pizza oven has achieved a temperature of 700 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit, it will only take one to two minutes to cook a pizza completely. Allowing it to cook for more than two minutes may result in the crust or toppings being burned
however, this is rare.
To avoid burns, exercise caution when putting and removing your pizza from the oven.
Remember that, although though it’s referred to as a ″pizza oven,″ it can be used to cook a variety of different items, including potatoes, bread, fish, hamburgers, and other dishes.

It is not necessary to confine your pizza-making activities to a standard kitchen oven. Cooking pizza in a pizza oven with the appropriate wood can help you produce better-tasting pizza that cannot be replicated in a standard domestic oven. And, after you’ve mastered it, you can use it to prepare a variety of different dishes.

How we deliver Pizza Cut cooking wood

You may choose from a variety of delivery options, de