How to Cook in a Wood-Fired Oven
There's something magical about cooking with fire, and Luhnasa's wood-fired ovens make it an unforgettable experience. To be sure that every one of your dishes is cooked to perfection, our ovens are handcrafted with a stainless steel insulated structure and a floor covered in refractory bricks.
Every element of our wood-fired ovens have been meticulously designed for a premium outdoor cooking experience. To use your oven to its full potential, let’s look at how wood-fired ovens work and how you can set up your oven for the perfect meal every time.
Should I Cook with the Pizza Oven Door Open or Closed?
For dishes like flatbread, pizzas, roasted meats, and grilled veg, you can use the oven without a door and keep the fire going by adding fire logs as needed. This open setup lets the fire dance around and infuses your dishes with that smoky flavour.
For slow cooking, you will want to close the door as soon as you have a bed of embers going within the chamber. With the door closed you will be able to hold onto the heat for as long as possible.
How Do Wood-Fired Ovens Heat Up?
As the fire develops within your wood-fired oven, it radiates through the interior as it’s reflected by the inner walls. Thanks to the thick layer of insulation, the heat expands throughout the interior rather than escaping.
The heat is absorbed by the refractory bricks, which work to conduct the heat and spread it across the entire floor.
When the oven is open, cold air flows inside, which helps to keep the fire burning. This air then heats up and escapes through the opening of the door.
If the door is closed, the air intake is cut off and the flames die off. Rather than an open flame, the heat of the embers is trapped inside the chamber. This type of heat cooks the food through both conduction and convection rather than flame grilling.
What Is the Best Temperature for a Wood-Fired Oven?
Below is a handy temperature guide to help you make the perfect wood-fired dish every time. In the illustration, you’ll see the recommended temperatures for a range of dishes and the ideal colour for the fire/embers.
Note: While you can use a thermometer to measure the air temperature inside the oven, it’s important to keep in mind that cooking with fire is an art that takes practice. If you are looking at a recipe that was created for a traditional indoor oven, it may not match exactly the temperature required for an outdoor oven.
As you cook, you'll notice how the temperature quickly rises as the fire develops and then gradually lowers as glowing embers take over. When cooking with the door open, keep the fire alive by adding more wood. For slow cooking, create a bed of embers, close the door, and let the oven work its magic.
The graphic below shows the temperature changes you can expect, though again, this can vary with weather conditions and the amount of wood used).
Have more questions about how to use a wood-fired oven? Continue keeping on our FAQ page or reach out. We are a small locally-run Irish business with staff who are always here and ready to help!