Most gardens have a barbecue of some description, whether a traditional charcoal based one or a modern gas model, but if you really want to impress your guests and stand out from the crowd, why not install an outdoor pizza oven? Although popular in some countries, outdoor pizza ovens, such as traditional wood fired pizza ovens, are still relatively uncommon in the UK, so you could be ahead of the crowd by by adding one to your garden today. There are all sorts of styles to choose from, meaning you're sure to find something that perfectly matches your requirements and the overall look of your garden.
Pizza ovens can be used all year round and are not as weather dependent as some other forms of outdoor cooking. Despite the name, these ovens can be used for a huge variety of foods, not just pizzas. They cook at extremely high temperatures - often somewhere around 400 degrees Celsius. The standard oven in your kitchen cannot reach such temperatures, so an outdoor oven is perfect for professionally cooked Italian style food or even traditional bbq food and other dishes that cook better at very high temperatures. However, their versatility really makes a difference once the oven has cooled a little. By removing the hot embers and allowing the oven to cool down to a lower temperature, you can cook a much wider range of food in your oven. For example, temperatures of around 130 degrees Celsius are perfect for slow roasting joints of meat - it's even possible to cook a joint overnight (in some Ovens) and have delicious, perfectly cooked meat ready for when you wake up.
Pizza ovens can be used all year round and are not as weather dependent as some other forms of outdoor cooking. Despite the name, these ovens can be used for a huge variety of foods, not just pizzas. They cook at extremely high temperatures - often somewhere around 400 degrees Celsius. The standard oven in your kitchen cannot reach such temperatures, so an outdoor oven is perfect for professionally cooked Italian style food or even traditional bbq food and other dishes that cook better at very high temperatures. However, their versatility really makes a difference once the oven has cooled a little. By removing the hot embers and allowing the oven to cool down to a lower temperature, you can cook a much wider range of food in your oven. For example, temperatures of around 130 degrees Celsius are perfect for slow roasting joints of meat - it's even possible to cook a joint overnight (in some Ovens) and have delicious, perfectly cooked meat ready for when you wake up.
If you're keen to stick to pizzas at first, you'll find it can take around one hour for the oven to reach optimum temperatures (some ovens such as our stainless steel ones only take 15 minutes, the performance of these are amazing!). Once it's hot enough, however, you can perfectly cook a pizza in a matter of seconds! The high temperature ensures a fresh tasting, crisp base and perfectly cooked toppings.
Tips for installing an outdoor pizza oven:
Perhaps the most important thing to think about is where you want to put your pizza oven. While a barbecue can easily be moved around the garden, allowing you to move it away from the house if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, or into a sheltered spot if the weather isn’t perfect, an outdoor oven is a permanent structure than cannot be moved. Think carefully about where to place it and ensure it will be easily accessible all year round if you plan to get a lot of use out of it. Think about things like overhanging trees or unwieldy bushes too, if you're installing it in the winter months - come spring and summer, it might be overwhelmed by foliage.
We can provide comprehensive tips on looking after, maintaining and protecting your oven, in order to keep it in the best possible condition. If you’re not going to be using it for a long period of time, ensure it's completely clean and cover it with a tarpaulin or similar, in order to protect it from the elements. If you neglect it and leave it exposed for many months at a time, you might find it requires a great deal of cleaning out and tidying up before you can use it again, which is not ideal if you want to use it for an impromptu gathering on the first sunny weekend of the year.
Buying a pre-built pizza oven:
Perhaps the most important thing to think about is where you want to put your pizza oven. While a barbecue can easily be moved around the garden, allowing you to move it away from the house if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, or into a sheltered spot if the weather isn’t perfect, an outdoor oven is a permanent structure than cannot be moved. Think carefully about where to place it and ensure it will be easily accessible all year round if you plan to get a lot of use out of it. Think about things like overhanging trees or unwieldy bushes too, if you're installing it in the winter months - come spring and summer, it might be overwhelmed by foliage.
We can provide comprehensive tips on looking after, maintaining and protecting your oven, in order to keep it in the best possible condition. If you’re not going to be using it for a long period of time, ensure it's completely clean and cover it with a tarpaulin or similar, in order to protect it from the elements. If you neglect it and leave it exposed for many months at a time, you might find it requires a great deal of cleaning out and tidying up before you can use it again, which is not ideal if you want to use it for an impromptu gathering on the first sunny weekend of the year.
Buying a pre-built pizza oven:
The easiest way to add an outdoor pizza oven to your garden is by purchasing a pre-built design from us. Your oven will be delivered straight to your door, and should be safely and securely packaged, if you use a reputable supplier. This ensures your new oven reaches you in perfect condition and almost ready to use. Many garden ovens are supplied fully assembled and don't actually require any building, once installed on your property.
Wood fired pizza oven:
The traditional wood fired pizza oven is the top choice for those who like to stick to the tried and tested way of doing things. To use your oven, you will need to check the instructions, but many traditional wood fired pizza ovens are used in the same way. You will need a decent supply of wood to ensure you don't run out halfway through cooking a batch of pizzas, and fully dried hardwood is usually the best choice. Avoid using soft woods as they will produce a lot of smoke and will not allow your oven to reach the required temperature. You should stick to woods with moisture content of less than 20%, as these ensure faster heating up times, less smoke and longer lasting heat - giving you more cooking time. You'll also enjoy the traditional wood fired taste in everything you cook.
You can use newspaper and small offcuts of wood as kindling, similarly to how you would when lighting a bonfire or traditional barbecue the old fashioned way without firelighters or lighter fluid. You should build the fire up slowly, adding pieces of wood individually. Don't add new wood too quickly or you might undo all your hard work and put your fire out. When you've built up a strong fire, keep adding wood in small quantities to keep the fire at the same level of intensity.
Gas pizza ovens:
Gas fired pizza ovens are relatively new to the market and are perfect for those who prefer cooking using this method rather than the traditional wood. Outdoor cooking with gas offers a simpler and more reliable method of producing consistent heat levels, so some people prefer it for the reassurance it offers. Whilst you don’t get the authentic wood-fired experience, you can still enjoy the fun and great taste that comes with cooking outdoors.
Whichever type of oven you opt for, it is sure to add to your garden and create a striking focal piece for your outdoor space. Perfect for small family gatherings or larger garden parties, outdoor ovens can really revolutionise your social get-togethers all year round.
Gas fired pizza ovens are relatively new to the market and are perfect for those who prefer cooking using this method rather than the traditional wood. Outdoor cooking with gas offers a simpler and more reliable method of producing consistent heat levels, so some people prefer it for the reassurance it offers. Whilst you don’t get the authentic wood-fired experience, you can still enjoy the fun and great taste that comes with cooking outdoors.
Whichever type of oven you opt for, it is sure to add to your garden and create a striking focal piece for your outdoor space. Perfect for small family gatherings or larger garden parties, outdoor ovens can really revolutionise your social get-togethers all year round.
Give us a call or email us if you need any further information or advice.