What’s better than a pizza on a hot summer day or a freezing night? How about being able to bake a restaurant-style pizza in your garden with a charcoal pizza oven instead of ordering takeout?
While most people think that cooking pizza is a complicated process, it can actually be breezy and fun if you have the right equipment and skills.
With Goldline’s pizza oven, you can easily make your pizza in the comfort of your backyard. This outdoor cooking bench is incredible and convenient to use—perfect for every true pizza lover. So how do you start cooking like a pro with Goldline’s outdoor pizza oven?
1. Starting a Pizza Oven Fire
Start your fire in the centre of your oven floor using pine—crumpled-up newspapers can also be used. Use a cube or a bundle of non-toxic fire starters to light the fire on top of the kindling.
Never add scrap wood such as particleboard, plywood, or other treated woods to a fire, even if it’s just to get it started.
2. Keep the Fire Burning
Once the fire has started, add a few hardwood pieces at a time to keep the flame alive but not raging. During this time, keep the oven door open to allow enough oxygen for burning.
Use wood with a diameter of no more than two to three inches to help the oven heat up faster while keeping the flames in the centre of the oven.
Depending on your oven’s model and insulation, it may take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to reach the desired temperature, usually around 700°F. Older ovens or those with poor insulation may take even longer.
3. Evenly Distribute the Heat
To cook your pizza evenly, distribute the heat across the oven. Push the burning wood to both the left and right sides of the oven, or divide it between both sides, ensuring there is always a visible flame.
Stefano Graziani recommends spreading a layer of red-hot charcoal across the centre of the oven using an oven rake. Close the oven door for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the cooking slab to heat evenly.
4. Allow the Oven to Cool
Your oven deck may initially be too hot for cooking. After moving the embers aside, sprinkle a small amount of flour on the surface to test the temperature.
Leave the oven door open for about 20 minutes to allow it to cool slightly, then repeat the test if needed.
5. Clear Out Your Pizza Oven
The safest way to clean a wood-fired pizza oven is to let it cool completely, even overnight. Once cool, scoop out ash, embers, and wood residue using an oven rake, brush, or multi-purpose tool.
For metal wood-fired ovens, use a damp cloth. Only use brass or copper brushes for baked-on food—other metals may damage the stone or brick surface.
6. Disperse the Ashes
After several cooking sessions, wood ash will accumulate. You can store ash in a sealed container and reuse it in your garden or compost.
Wood ash contains lime and potassium, making it a good fertiliser. However, avoid using it on acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, berries, and potatoes.
Order Your Outdoor Cooking Bench Today
At Goldline, we understand how important pizza is to our customers. That’s why we are committed to delivering high-quality outdoor pizza ovens across Melbourne.
Place your order today and enjoy restaurant-style pizza from your own backyard. If you have any questions or need clarification, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to help.
