Fire and Smoke
Cooking with fire and smoke is a practice we have been doing since prehistoric times. It used to be the only way to cook, but nowadays, we do it not out of necessity, but for the joy and experience it brings. So, let’s go back to basics and enjoy cooking on an open fire.
The most well-known form of cooking with fire and smoke is perhaps the barbecue. It is a method used worldwide. Recently, small pizza ovens and fire pits have also gained popularity because of their small size, making them perfect for the hobby cook.
Städler Made pizza oven
A real Neapolitan pizza has several characteristics. It is soft yet slightly crispy. The toppings are distinctly flavorful because they are baked at a high temperature in a very short time, the crust is charred and filled with air, and has a slight smoky taste. To make such a pizza, you need a good dough recipe along with a blazing hot wood fire oven like the Städler Made.
Fire and wood management
Start by lighting your Städler Made oven about 30 minutes before you intend to bake. This ensures that enough time is allowed for the heat to reach the upper and bottom stone. The easiest way to fire the Städler is by placing 2 logs across from each other, then adding 2 more on top facing in the opposite direction, somewhat like constructing a small log cabin. Ensure the pieces of wood are not too close together, as you want there to be good airflow. Place some kindling in the empty space between the pieces of wood and then light them. After approximately 20 minutes, put 2 small pieces of wood, each with a diameter of roughly 3 cm, vertically against the back panel of the oven. By doing this, the flames will reach the top of the oven, which is essential for baking the pizza.
Check the stone temperature, if it is around 380/400°C (716/752°F), then it is time to bake your pizza. At these temperatures, you’ll need to rotate the pizza frequently. Slide the pizza into the oven. Rotate the pizza after roughly 35 seconds. From this point onward, it all moves fast. Keep an eye on the dough that’s facing the fire and make sure to rotate the pizza every 5 seconds, until the entire crust has charred beautifully. The pizza is baked in one to one and a half minutes and because it’s so fast you don’t have to wait long to have a slice of your favourite pizza! If you are going to bake multiple pizzas, make sure that you keep feeding the fire consistently with small pieces of wood positioned against the wall of the oven.
The Städler Made oven not only bakes your perfect Neapolitan pizza, but it also does a lot more than that. If you do not want to cook at very high temperatures, you can skip the step of putting the small logs in the back of the oven. By skipping this step, the fire won’t reach as high.
