Using Your Commercial Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Here are some tips on how to best use your commercial wood fired ovens.

Curing Process

Vesuvio Wood Fired ovens require curing before you use them. Once the building of the oven has been built, we recommend you let it sit for 5-7 days. If the oven has been rendered, it is important to ensure the render is completely dry before curing. Over the course of 5 days, start with a temperature of approximately 100 degrees celcius and increase by 100 degrees each day up to 500 degrees celcius. You will need to build a fire and sustain it at that temperature for the day. You do not want to have a high temperature fire straight away so you will need to try and maintain the temperature as best as you can. The best way to check the temperature is with an infrared thermometer. You can commence cooking on the 6th day.

Cooking Methods

The ovens from that Valoriani Vesuvio wood fired oven range are extremely versatile and provide you with a vast array of cooking options for your menu. The only thing limiting you is your own imagination! Some of the things you can do are:

 - Pizza

 - Baking

 - Roasting

 - Grilling

 - Browning

 - Sauteing

Cleaning

Very little maintenance is required with the Vesuvio Wood Fired Oven. You will need to clean the ashes occasionally when the oven is cold. Simply use a brass wire brush to sweep out the ashes. There is no need to use water on your pizza oven. The flue must be cleaned regularly. For the best results, we recommend cleaning it every 3 months.

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Using Your Residential Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Did you know you can cook a variety of different foods in your wood fired oven. They're not just simply made for pizza. Once you have installed and cured your oven, you can create a vast array of decisious meals. 

Starting Your Fire

It's vital that the fire in your wood fired oven is built correctly to ensure it reaches cooking temperature as quickly as possible and so that you will receive optimum and enjoyable cooking results. Choose a wood that is well seasoned and has low moisture content. Box wood or iron bark are great choices. Armoatic wood may also be used, such as hickory, mesquite or apple wood. Do not use wood that has been treated. Arrange five to seven large pieces of wood to the rear of the oven on the right or left hand side, approximately 3/4 of the way along the side of the dome. A wood stand may be used for best results. Place a small amount of kindling in the centre of the dome and use a firelighter to start the flame. Once started you can push this kindling under the larger pieces of wood. You will need to allow the flame to burn for about 90 minutes nbefore cooking. If you have an infrared thermometer you can test the temperature. If you do not own a thermometer, the best way to know if you are ready to start cooking is by looking at the roof of the dome. If it is white, the oven is ready!

Cooking

Vesuvio Wood Fired Ovens are extemely versatile and proved you a vast array of cooking methos. You are only limited by your own imagination. 

Pizza

The ideal temperature for cooking pizza is 350℃.the flame should roll accross the top of the oven and the dome will turn white. This ensures the topping has cooked sufficiently and the base and edges are golden brown. Pizzas shouldn't take more than 2-3 minutes to cook.

Baking Bread

The best temperature for baking bread is at 180℃.degrees celcium. To do this you will need to heat your oven to 350℃+ and then removed the hot coals and let the oven cool down. The bread will bake gently and consistently by the head retained within the wood fired oven. 

 

Roasting

The temperature required for roasting ranges between  230℃– 315℃. Any hotter than this and the meat will cook too quickly on the outside. To achieve the perfect roasting temperature head the oven the same as you would for pizza but then let the temperature fall. Once this occurs, you can push the hot embers to one side and bagin cooking. 

Grilling

Many people don't realise that it is also possible to grill in the wood fired oven. To create crisp, yet succulent meals, you just need to rake the hot coals over the floor of the oven. you can then place food on a free standing iron grill over the hot coals. The meat, fish, vegetables or whatever you may be cooking will be cooked perfectly due to the heat from the coals and the retained heat in the wood fired oven.

Browning

Browning is perfect for meats and vegetables before adding them to another dish. Simply place your food in a cast iron pan and the reflective heat from the oven will do the rest!

Sauteing

Vesuvio Wood Fired Ovens are perfect for sauteing your pizza toppings, such as meat or seafood. It can saute vegetables such as onions for other dishes. Place a cast iron fry pan in your hot wood fired oven for a few minutes, add some oil in the heated pan and return the pan. After a few minutes remove the pan from the oven, check and stir your ingredients and return to the oven if required. Your oven really can be the alternative to your conventional oven and barbeque. 

Cleaning

It's very important to clean out your oven once you have finished cooking. The great thing is Vesuvio Wood Fired Ovens are very low maintenance and require little cleaning. To clean the oven after you have finished cooking, allow the ash to completely cool as warm ashes still have the ability to cause a fire. Rake the ash to the centre of the oven and use a shovel to scoop the ashes out. Once this has been removed you can use a soft bristle brush to sweep any remaining ash out. There is no need to use water on the oven. If there are food stains on the floor of the oven, they will disappear when you cook as the high temperature of the oven burns the stains away. 

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Selecting Your Residential Wood Fired Pizza Oven

There are 5 considerations you need to make when choosing the right Vesuvio Wood Fired Oven for you. 

1. Your Cooking Requirements

What sort of cooking do you intend to do in your oven? If it's just pizza and small dishes you wish to cook, the FVR 80 may be all that you require, especially if you are limited by space. However, if you intend to use your oven for not just pizza, but also roasts, breads, large family feasts, then you should consider the FVR & TOP 100 or 120. The larger ovens have wider openings and also a larger cooking capacity. The TOP Series is great if it's temperature control you are after. With a ceramic door and built in temperature gauge, this could be ideal for you.

2. The Space You Have Available

How much space do you have for your pizza oven? If you have limited space, the FVR 80 would be the perfect choice needing on ly 1.2 x 1.2m. It's small enough to fit into a court yard or on a balcony. If space is not an issue, then any of our wood fired ovens would be fine.

 

3. Where and with what the oven is made

Are you looking for an Italian made 'cotto' clay oven? All Vesuvio Wood Fire Oven cooking floors are 100% made in Italy from ‘cotto’ clay from the hills of Tuscan. They have been made this way for more than 65 years. Vesuvio ovens cooking floors are made from 'cotto' clay and not concrete. Concrete ovens do not retain heat as well as a clay oven, which means you will use more fuel to keep temperature and produce good cooking results and they tend to crack.  Vesuvio Wood Fire Ovens come with a 3 year warrenty and are build to last!

4. The Type of Fuel You Will Use

Do you want to use wood or gas? People naturally think wood fired ovens are for wood only.  However, as people become more conscious about the environment and emissions, gas is being used more to fuel wood fired ovens. Gas or wood can be used in all Vesuvio Wood Fire Ovens. If you wish to, you can use a combination of both.  Gas is a cost effective and convenient way of to use your oven, with very low emissions.  Rest assured however, when using the right wood and the oven to manufacturers guidelines, our ovens are in fact carbon neutral.

5. After Sales Service

What type of service do you require? Ensure the company you buy your oven from can provide expert after sales service. Can you call and ask advice on how to assemble and use your oven?  Are the people selling you the oven passionate about their product and can they answer your questions?  At Vesuvio Wood Fired Ovens, there is a a team of professional and passionate people able to assist you with all aspects of your oven. They can help you with everything – from design, installation, and of course oven use.  Having been in business for over 10 years and sold over 1,500 wood fired ovens, you can be sure you are dealing with professionals. They also offer cooking classes so you can learn from experts how to use your oven.

Contact us if you would like more information on Vesuvio Wood Fired Ovens.