Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#1

Post by pseudolus » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 1:16 PM UTC

Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie
npr.org

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#2

Post by toyg » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:07 PM UTC

Simply get a small outdoor clay oven, those work fine and are not that expensive anymore.

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#3

Post by awinder » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:07 PM UTC

Article mentions the method that I’ve found to be very good for home use:

  1. Baking steel in oven preheated to 500° for around an hour
  2. 5-6 minutes of baking
  3. Flip to broiler for 1-2 minutes

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#4

Post by Rjevski » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:08 PM UTC

toyg wrote: post #2

Simply get a small outdoor clay oven, those work fine and are not that expensive anymore.

Assuming you have an “outdoors”. When living in an apartment this isn’t possible.

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#5

Post by Spooky23 » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:15 PM UTC

This isn’t unique to pizza. A French bread bakery also uses a brick oven, and that oven takes days to break in and requires periodic brick replacement.

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#6

Post by evgen » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:17 PM UTC

Rjevski wrote: post #4

toyg wrote: post #2

Simply get a small outdoor clay oven, those work fine and are not that expensive anymore.

Assuming you have an “outdoors”. When living in an apartment this isn’t possible.

Check out uuni pizza ovens. They use wood pellets for fuel and in 10 minutes of pre-heat mine gets to the necessary temp to cook a pizza in a minute or so. Small enough to put on table on a balcony or fire escape and you can even pack it in a carrying bag and take it on the road.

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#7

Post by paulie_a » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:20 PM UTC

evgen wrote: post #6

Rjevski wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Assuming you have an “outdoors”. When living in an apartment this isn’t possible.

Check out uuni pizza ovens. They use wood pellets for fuel and in 10 minutes of pre-heat mine gets to the necessary temp to cook a pizza in a minute or so. Small enough to put on table on a balcony or fire escape and you can even pack it in a carrying bag and take it on the road.

Check with your local laws...that is probably illegal.

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#8

Post by johnnyletrois » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:24 PM UTC

toyg wrote: post #2

Simply get a small outdoor clay oven, those work fine and are not that expensive anymore.

Or a Big Green Egg or similar Kamado-style cooker. I've been making pizza on my BGE all summer, and it is fantastic. Cook for 2.5-3min at 600f, rotate 180 degrees, and cook another 2.5-3min.

Kamado cookers make great ovens, smokers, and grills.

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#9

Post by dghughes » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:26 PM UTC

I use a pizza stone but I also turn on the convection feature of the oven. The oven is set to 230C/450F middle or sometimes the top rack.

Re: Pizza Physics: Why Brick Ovens Bake the Perfect Italian-Style Pie

#10

Post by evgen » Sun, Jul 29, 2018, 2:27 PM UTC

paulie_a wrote: post #7

evgen wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Check out uuni pizza ovens. They use wood pellets for fuel and in 10 minutes of pre-heat mine gets to the necessary temp to cook a pizza in a minute or so. Small enough to put on table on a balcony or fire escape and you can even pack it in a carrying bag and take it on the road.

Check with your local laws...that is probably illegal.

No different than any place that allows you to have a grill at a similar location, and since there are never going to be flare-ups or similar issues it is actually safer than those items; for CA residents you need a concrete or stucco balcony, no wood. I use mine in my English garden (back yard) but it is portable enough for lots of different locations.