What Can You Cook in a Pizza Oven? Top Foods to Consider

 

Who doesn’t love breaking out a wood-fired pizza oven?

If you’re wondering what can you cook in a pizza oven, the obvious answer is pizza. However, there are so many other recipes that allow you to make the most of your pizza oven. For the high-end cook looking to elevate their recipes, we’ve rounded up some of the best culinary concoctions you can make in your wood-fired oven.

What Foods Can You Cook in a Wood-Fired Pizza Oven?

A baking pizza oven is a highly versatile piece of equipment for the chef with the highest standards. Whether you want to experiment with something new or you’re looking to break out some old favorites, here’s what to cook in a pizza oven.

Vegetables

Who doesn’t love roasted vegetables? Try roasting them inside your baking pizza oven for a new twist on those meaty dishes.

A side order of roasted vegetables has a unique flavor you won’t find when making them on a conventional stove.

Chicken

What else can you cook in a pizza oven? Try preparing roast chicken. This mainstay is the heart and soul at an outdoor meal.

The oven chamber will add flavor and moisture to your chicken, meaning you don’t need to worry about basting to keep it from getting dry. It’s also a great wood fire oven recipes because the smoke adds deep, rich flavors to the meat.

Steak

Few things go better with a baking pizza oven than a steak. Porterhouse and ribeye cook perfectly under the searing heat of these ovens.

Due to the unique cooking conditions provided by your oven, you’ll see a thick fatty crust on the outside of your steak. It creates an intense flavor and a fantastic texture you won’t find through any other medium.

Seafood

Ask someone, “What can you cook in a pizza oven?” and the last thing they’ll say is seafood. Yet halibut, swordfish, and salmon work great on a cedar plank in the pizza oven.

Try out some wood-fired pizza oven recipes using various planks, and you’ll get a flavor that enhances rather than overpowers the fish.

Casseroles

The humble casserole is the ultimate instant party dish. Bringing together chicken, sausage, lobster, and even some international ingredients will take your backyard party from forgettable to unforgettable.

Cookies

What makes a pizza oven such a worthwhile investment is its versatility. Take cookies as an example. Like your kitchen oven, your pizza oven can bake just as well.

The difference with a brick oven is the intense heat. This heat ensures an even bake, ensuring no black, burned edges on your cookies.

Dessert

It doesn’t matter if you are preparing for an upcoming birthday party or the holiday season has descended upon you. Your pizza oven can craft the perfect dessert.

Try caramelized pairs, pumpkin pie, or even a walnut pizza. The even cook ensures optimal texture and taste every time.

7 Recipes to Cook in a Pizza Oven

Need some inspiration for outdoor pizza oven recipes? These brick oven recipes run the gamut of what you can do with a pizza oven.

Whether you are testing out your new oven or looking to take your culinary skills to the next level, follow these seven recipes to maximize the potential of your range.

Note that many of these recipes can also be cooked in a home oven, but the instructions stay basically the same, regardless of which wood-fired oven you use.

1. Barbecued Sardines

Fish is one of the best recipes for pizza ovens because of the incredible flavors you can get from them. Forget about canned sardines and try these smoked delicacies instead.

Just soak your pizza oven wood overnight to ensure maximum aroma from the smoke. Make sure you are using untreated wood to get natural flavors. You’ll need to invest in some food-grade baking nails to attach your sardines to the wood for this recipe.

It takes just six minutes of roasting to take this sardine recipe to the next level.

2. Beer Can Chicken

People’s most prominent complaint about chicken is how dry it can get. One wrong move, and you have a dry, flavorless bird. Try beer can chicken and make a lack of moisture a thing of the past.

These brick oven recipes require you to lower the chicken onto an upright beer can. Ensure even cooking by rotating your bird. The steam from the beer in the can will keep your meat juicy.

Just make sure you drink at least two-thirds of the beer before cooking. You can also try out some craft beers to alter the subtle flavor notes.

3. Wood-Fired Sourdough Pizza

Yeasted pizza dough is the standard for the majority of pizzas. If you have the time, experiment with making a sourdough base instead. It’s a technique that’s far more involved because you will need to prepare a leaven at least a day in advance.

But the extra preparation is worth it. The dough is not just a base but a vital ingredient contributing to the overall profile of your pizza.

Wood-fired sourdough pizza offers a chewier crust and a more satisfying aftertaste.

4. Cedar Plank Salmon

Cedarwood is a popular choice of wood for cooking salmon in pizza ovens because of its aromatic flavor. Make sure you immerse your plank in water for one hour before cooking. The goal is to get the most from the smoke flavor and lower the amount of charring you get from the oven.

This recipe incorporates not just a basic salmon dish but a delightful maple mustard glaze. Moreover, you’ll love this recipe because it is simple to follow and caters to people who have never cooked with a wood plank.

5. Grilled Bananas

Bananas are the quintessential cooking fruit. In many ways, they are the potatoes of the fruit world, which is why you’ll find them throughout Caribbean cuisine. Add an exotic touch to your next spread with these versatile fruits.

Try out this delicious pizza oven recipe. Grill your bananas and serve them with your homemade ice cream and salted caramel.

Mix honey with butter, melt in the oven, and brush your bananas with this sweet glaze. Whether you want an awesome dessert or just a way to break up the meaty madness on the table, this grilled banana recipe is an excellent choice.

6. Pork Carnitas

Pork carnitas is a staple of Mexican cuisine. Originating from the Spanish conquests of the Americas, carnitas are a popular celebratory dish across Mexico, and every region has its own twist on the dish.

The standard version of carnitas involves using cut pork, fats, and a braising liquid. They’re cooked slowly and then rapidly seared just before serving to leave them crispy with a soft center.

Your wood-fired pizza oven is a great way to transform your carnitas. You can make them faster, but your oven will preserve more of the pork juices within. Plus, the smoky flavors will give your carnitas a distinct flavor that differentiates them from what you’ll find in restaurants and kitchens up and down the country.

Make sure you pay special attention to your timings to ensure you don’t accidentally dry the food out.

7. Potatoes au Gratin

Feeling like something decadent this weekend with family and friends? Potatoes au gratin is the ultimate special potato dish. The creamy carbs contained within are perfect for a holiday meal, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The extra-special qualities of this dish are something no other potato dish can replicate. Follow this greatest of all potato-based pizza oven recipes to get the cheesiest, creamiest dish possible.

Tips for Using a Pizza Oven

A pizza oven is no small investment. Amateurs and professionals understand the value an outdoor pizza oven can bring to any kitchen setup. Far from a gimmick, these state-of-the-art ovens are capable of amazing things.

Using your pizza oven the right way will enable you to get the most from every cookout. What foodies love about breaking out this equipment is there are few limits on what you can do. It’s an appliance ripe for experimentation and achieving the culinary breakthroughs you crave.

Here are some master tips for making the most of your oven.

Plan Ahead

There’s no denying that embarking on brand-new brick oven recipes will require you to invest more time into every dish. The prep work can make or break any dish, regardless of how much natural talent you have.

Most cook sessions will require you to start getting everything in place two to three hours before cooking. You should also be aware that some recipes may even require prep work the previous day.

Unlike the appliances you find in big box stores, there’s no way to cut corners on your pizza oven without losing out on the final result.

Pay Attention to Your Wood

Stock up on well-dried wood from a local supplier. Your wood should have a moisture content of 15% or less. Ideally, the wood should already be pre-cut into 25cm lengths to make it simpler to work with.

The wood you use will influence the flavors of your wood. Native hardwoods like apple, oak, and beech are popular options for pizza ovens. You can even add damp oak shavings to add an extra layer of lusciousness to your meals.

Try to avoid eucalyptus or pine. They contain too much resin and are prone to splitting when lit.

Different woods go better with different foods, so make sure you understand the various food and wood pairings before spending your hard-earned dollars.

Spread the Wood

The professionals like to distribute their wood evenly around their oven. The heat will hit the roof and reflect backward to create a nice sear on your food. While this strategy won’t work with every meal, it’s particularly effective for pizzas.

Maintaining the Heat

Ensure you keep the heat even for the perfect cook. Lively, bright flames are a sign of clear airflow. Novices may be tempted to begin stacking large logs to save time and create a hotter flame, but all you’re doing is curtailing airflow.

Throwing smaller pieces of wood onto the fire periodically allows for a steady temperature. If you need hotter temperatures, you may want to increase your coal-to-wood ratio.

Ensure Your Oven Remains in Tiptop Condition

Improperly maintained ovens will not only experience a shorter lifespan but deliver lesser results every time.

Here are the steps to follow with every cookout:

• Let your oven cool down completely overnight
• Use a brush or oven rake to remove ashes, embers, and unburned wood
• Get rid of leftover food with a metal brush

It may seem like a simple, tedious process, but owning such a high-end piece of equipment is a simple reality. You’ll get many more years out of your oven if you follow those three simple cleaning steps.

Conclusion

What can you cook in a pizza oven? The better question is, what can’t you cook in a pizza oven? Chefs believe this is the single best investment they can make in their culinary careers.

When you take your cooking to the next level, you need only the best. Grillscapes specializes in delivering the finest quality cooking equipment to your home.

Choose from the broadest range of outdoor pizza ovens for your countertop and when you’re on the move. To learn more about our incredible range of top-tier ovens, browse our pizza oven showcase.