Alfresco Cooking: The Best Uses for Your Outdoor Pizza Oven That Aren’t Pizza
Having a pizza oven is a treat in and of itself, but when you have one installed in your outdoor BBQ or kitchen area, you are taking the treats to an entirely new level. Sure, pizza ovens are notorious for making great pizzas, but they can do a lot more than that. Whether you’ve chosen a wood-fire grill or a stone pizza oven for your patio space, you should explore all of the ways that you can put it to work for your creative cravings. Read on for a few great ideas to get you started.
Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheese is a simple, classic sandwich that is loved by people of all ages. Despite its simplicity, this sandwich is one that has led many on a quest for perfection for decades. Everyone has their favorite cheese, their favorite cooking method, and even their favorite sandwich construction preference. When you cook a grilled cheese in a pizza oven, either in a sandwich holder or just wrapped in foil, you’ll get a crispy, melty sandwich that’s never soggy.
S’mores
Who doesn’t love a night on the patio with some great s’mores under the stars? If you live somewhere you can’t build an outdoor fire, or if you just don’t want the mess of cooking marshmallows over the fire, you can absolutely use your pizza oven to make s’mores. Just assemble them and wrap them in foil, then set them in the oven for a few minutes to let everything melt together. Plus, you can mix and match your ingredients, trading plain chocolate for other candy bars for an even more unique treat.
Fresh Bread
Pizza ovens are designed to make great pizza. It's no surprise that they can also be great for baking bread. Wood-fired pizza ovens make delicious bread that’s fresh and moist on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside, taking your favorite homemade breads to a whole new level. You can make traditional rising breads, flatbreads, and plenty of other types of bread. Try them all, if you want, because they will rarely disappoint.
Steak
True carnivores might question this one, but steak is a no-brainer in the pizza oven. Pick your favorite cut of meat and season it accordingly. Find a rack that will hold your steaks right over the flame. If you want to ramp up the smoky flavor, throw in some hickory nuts or other nuts or wood chips. Cook it to your temperature preference, and you’ll enjoy a juicy steak that’s got a smoky, crispy crust on the exterior that will melt in your mouth.
Cedar-Smoked Salmon
If you enjoy a good piece of fish, grab a cedar plank or two. Warm the oven and slide the cedar slabs in, allowing them about five minutes to warm up. Then, you can toss the fish on, cooking it for four to five minutes before you pull it out to the mouth of the oven, where it will cook for another five minutes or so. You'll have juicy, delicious fish that tastes like fine dining right at home. Don't worry about finding cedar planks—almost every grocery store and home improvement store sells them for home use grilling and cooking.
Don’t Settle for Just One Slice of the Pie
A pizza oven is such a diverse appliance that many people choose it for their alfresco cooking spaces to maximize its versatility without spending a fortune on a variety of appliances, grills, smokers, and other cooking tools. Pizza ovens are also great for baked potatoes, roasted vegetables, and plenty of other foods. You'll have no trouble making an entire meal in your pizza oven if you want, so put yours to work today.