Build Your Own Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
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Homemade pizza, one of life’s simple pleasures, is all the more achievable if you make a wood-fired micro-oven in your backyard. High-temperature ovens result in crispier crusts and well-cooked toppings, and using wood adds a complex smokey flavor. Full-sized brick ovens are priced in the thousands, but if you have $250 and a few hours for assembly and heating, you can enjoy your own at home.
One of the simplest methods is demonstrated by Scott Brooks on YouTube. In the video, he uses 16 fire-safe bricks to lay a foundation and then stacks the sides three bricks high to create the base for the fire. Overtop, he places a piece of angle iron on each end and two pieces of flat iron in the middle to support another layer of bricks. Build a fire within the structure and push the coals to the side when you’re ready to bake, putting the pizza in their place.
Alternatively, you can follow a more complex design and create a “cooking shelf” above the fire that retains heat and keeps the pizza out of ash. Plans online vary in specifics and quality, which Pizza Ptah of pizzaptah.com found out the hard way. His first attempt, following instructions from a popular YouTube video, left him building a fire directly on the ground, making cleanup all but impossible. Worse, the recommended flagstones cracked at high temperatures, rendering the oven unsafe.
He learned from his mistakes and made a better oven with high-quality, fire-safe bricks. Lead-free firebricks may cost more upfront, but the materials will last longer and better retain heat. The number you need will depend on the design. Pizza Ptah used seventy, paired with four pieces of angle steel and two pieces of flat steel to form the second story and then the roof. A back ventilation system ensures pizzas become crispy, not soggy. Full pictures and instructions are available at www.pizzaptah.pizza/blog/wood-fired-oven.
Beyond assembly, the key to success is building a good fire. Start several hours before you plan to cook, using small pieces that burn hot and fast. The goal is to have as many coals as possible, as they will better radiate the heat through the entire oven. This creates a solid base for making multiple pizzas in a row. “The longer ahead you start the fire, the better,” says Pizza Ptah. “You can never start your fire too early, but you certainly can start too late.”
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Build Your Own Wood-Fired Pizza Oven LIVESTOCK Downed Animals Homemade pizza one of life’s simple pleasures is all the more achievable if you make a wood-fired micro-oven in your backyard High-temperature ovens result in crispier crusts and well-cooked toppings and using wood adds a complex smokey flavor Full-sized brick ovens are priced in the thousands but if you have $250 and a few hours for assembly and heating you can enjoy your own at home One of the simplest methods is demonstrated by Scott Brooks on YouTube In the video he uses 16 fire-safe bricks to lay a foundation and then stacks the sides three bricks high to create the base for the fire Overtop he places a piece of angle iron on each end and two pieces of flat iron in the middle to support another layer of bricks Build a fire within the structure and push the coals to the side when you’re ready to bake putting the pizza in their place Alternatively you can follow a more complex design and create a “cooking shelf” above the fire that retains heat and keeps the pizza out of ash Plans online vary in specifics and quality which Pizza Ptah of pizzaptah com found out the hard way His first attempt following instructions from a popular YouTube video left him building a fire directly on the ground making cleanup all but impossible Worse the recommended flagstones cracked at high temperatures rendering the oven unsafe He learned from his mistakes and made a better oven with high-quality fire-safe bricks Lead-free firebricks may cost more upfront but the materials will last longer and better retain heat The number you need will depend on the design Pizza Ptah used seventy paired with four pieces of angle steel and two pieces of flat steel to form the second story and then the roof A back ventilation system ensures pizzas become crispy not soggy Full pictures and instructions are available at www pizzaptah pizza/blog/wood-fired-oven Beyond assembly the key to success is building a good fire Start several hours before you plan to cook using small pieces that burn hot and fast The goal is to have as many coals as possible as they will better radiate the heat through the entire oven This creates a solid base for making multiple pizzas in a row “The longer ahead you start the fire the better ” says Pizza Ptah “You can never start your fire too early but you certainly can start too late ”
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