Which type of wood can I use for my wood fired pizza oven?

Can you see the wood for the trees? 

So you’ve really got your teeth into outdoor cooking. You’re becoming a dab hand at using our wood fired pizza ovens. And yet to really master the art, it’s crucial to recognise the importance of which type of wood to use for your outdoor cooking.

At The Alfresco Chef, it’s our job to ensure that you’re enjoying your outdoor cooking, and getting the best possible flavours from your pizza ovens. That means the right fuel to keep your wood fired oven burning at optimum temperature for the dishes you want to prepare.

Here are some handy tips to remember when considering your fuel of choice.

Why is hardwood fuel so important for outdoor cooking?

Fire cooking with hardwood will help you achieve the tastiest results. It’s the smoke from hardwood fuel that imparts that flavour we all crave from outdoor food.

There’s an array of different hardwoods with which to cook. At The Alfresco Chef, we want you to have fun and we’re encouraging you to experiment with different, and aromatic, kiln dried hardwood fuels. We stock four really popular wood types to use with our pizza ovens: Ash, Oak, Beech and Birch.

Put simply, you should avoid softwoods in your outdoor cooking: they contain more moisture and sap which makes them much more difficult to light and maintain their heat. That makes for an inconsistent cook, and they can also adversely affect the taste of your food.

Why does hardwood need to be kiln dried?

Kiln dried wood for outdoor cooking is better for a host of reasons: it burns more cleanly and consistently, it’s easier to light and it will bring a much more pronounced aroma and flavour to your dishes. It also heats your pizza oven up to the required cooking temperature more quickly, crucial when you’re entertaining hungry family and friends, and it’s better for maintaining heat throughout the cooking process.

So why not try out the different types of hardwood fuel we have here, see how they burn and taste the delicious impact they have on your pizzas. There are loads of different wood species you can try to get the exact flavour you want!

Outdoor cooking is an art form as well as a science! It pays to have knowledge. You can now choose your hardwood with a bit more confidence, try some new flavours and compare results with your family and friends. And if you need any more advice, get in touch with us here today.