Wood-fired pizza oven – the fire, the wood and the reality
A wood-fired oven gives the best pizza and the most work. On fire management, choosing wood, heat-up time and what to check before lighting up at home.
Quick answer: A wood-fired oven gives the most authentic flavour and can reach 450–485 °C (840–905 °F), but it demands the most work: fire management, choosing the right wood and 45–60 minutes of heating up. Check fire safety, your neighbours, any local rules on open fires and smoke, and your home insurance terms before you light it at home.
The fire and the wood
Hardwoods such as birch and oak give a steadier, longer-lasting bed of embers than softer wood. Build up a proper bed of embers before you start baking – an oven with open flame but no thoroughly heated mass of stone gives uneven, unpredictable heat.
Realistic expectations
Allow at least 45–60 minutes from lighting the fire to baking temperature, and a good deal of practice before you get consistent control over floor versus dome heat. See baking temperature for how temperature translates into time, and turning the pizza for how to keep it evenly baked in that intense heat.
Measure the actual floor temperature with an IR thermometer instead of guessing by eye. Compare with other oven types in the best pizza oven.
