If you own  woodfire pizza ovens at home and want to fine tune your pizza making skills, there’s never a better time to become a pro at it!  With a little time, patience and practice, you can start making authentic Italian pizza’s that will rival the best pizzerias in Italy. Let’s jump straight into it.

1. Give Yourself Enough Time to Preheat the Oven to the Right Temperature

• Get the Fire Going Properly with Hardwood Timber:  First thing is first. In order to achieve the perfect fire, we highly recommend using premium quality hardwood timber; this will help it burn for longer and keep the heat intensity consistent. Avoid softwoods like pine as this will create excess smoke and fizzle out the fire too quickly, making it much harder to create that authentic woodfire experience. A good tip is to let it burn between 30-60 minutes until the until the oven reaches the ideal temperature being approximately (400°C to 425°C) before placing the pizza in the oven.
• Use Woodfire Oven Thermometer: During the initial phase of the woodfire process, it’s important to check the temperature on the cooking floor, using either an infrared thermometer or woodfire oven thermometer. This will ensure the oven floor is at the correct temperature for pizza making to ensure the perfect pizza crust.

2. Get To Know Your Oven Hot Spots

• Floor Vs Dome: Did you know the floor of the oven gets hotter than the dome? For best results, you want to ensure you place your pizza towards the centre of the oven, where the heat is most even and consistent. By implementing this easy tip, you’ll be guaranteed of the perfect woodfire pizza every single time. The dome shape also allows the heat to spiral downwards, making it great for cooking toppings beautifully.
• Rotate the Pizza for Best Results: Rotating your pizza halfway throughout the cooking process will ensure even cooking and produce that perfect woodfire pizza taste that is super delicious.

3. Use Smaller Logs to Maintain the Fire

• Keep an Eye on the Flames: If you see the fire fizzling out, it’s a good idea to keep the fire going with smaller logs. This will give it an extra kickstart and the momentum it needs to keep the fire burning at just the right temperature.  If needed, you can also use a pizza peel to adjust the pizza’s position when adding more timber.
• Don’t Overdo the Timber: If you put in too much timber at once, this can have the opposite effect and cool down the oven dramatically. Take it slow and add smaller logs as needed to help maintain a consistent temperature.

4. Know Your Pizza Dough

• Speed up Cooking Times with a Thin Crust: If don’t have much time to cook but have a craving for a delicious woodfired pizza dinner, make sure you use a thin dough. This will usually cook within 5 minutes and give you that fluffy, crispy crust the whole family will enjoy.
• Choose Dough with Higher Water Content: A dough with a higher water content is known to produce a fluffier and airier crust. Try to keep it at approximately 70% water hydration for best results.
• Stretch the Dough by Hand: For the best pizza making outcome, we highly recommend stretching the dough out by hand to help give it that beautiful, fluffy and airy texture.

5. Don’t Overdo the Pizza Toppings

• Keep it Simple: If you want to make an authentic Italian pizza, hold off on adding too many toppings. Not only does this make your pizza extra soggy and unpalatable, it may take you longer to cook.
• Use Premium Ingredients: Don’t cut corners with this one. Fresh and high-quality ingredients make all the difference when it comes to the overall flavour, texture and taste. Think extra virgin olive oil, fresh rocket, grated parmesan, mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. And while you’re at it, apply the tomato sauce base sparingly for best results.

We hope these tips and tricks will help you fine tune your woodfire outdoor pizza oven journey and make it a more enjoyable process. Remember, it’s all about practice, getting used to lighting a fire and enjoying the process of creating different style pizzas in the latest Polito Wood Fired Ovens. Get in touch with our team to discuss your requirements.