After making a hefty investment in your pizza oven, you want to be sure you aren’t damaging it by exposing it to harsh weather. While you may feel safe grilling in the rain, making a pizza may seem a bit riskier. In this article, we answer the question of whether or not you should be using your pizza oven in the rain.
As a general rule, you can safely use your outdoor pizza oven in the rain. Additionally, there are some precautions you should take to protect your pizza oven from the rain.
Read on because, in this article, we discuss the potential effect rain has on your pizza oven. To learn how to maintain different pizza ovens in the rain and the benefits and options of adding an outdoor kitchen setup to your camping adventures, keep reading.
How to Maintain Your Outdoor Pizza Oven In The Rain
While it is safe to use an outdoor pizza oven in the rain, depending on the type of oven you have, there are steps you can take to protect your oven from the rain like,
- Curing brick ovens regularly and before their first use
- Applying a waterproof cover between uses and
- Using an umbrella and windshield when cooking
Maintaining Brick Ovens
Water can have a huge effect on the longevity of your brick pizza oven. Too much water exposure can cause structural failure to your oven as well as cracks in the bricks. According to Building Solutions, because bricks are porous, they easily absorb moisture from the air, whether that be from rain, snow, or vapor.
Cure The Oven Regularly
A great preventative measure you can take toward damage prevention is curing your oven before you use it for the first time. This controlled heating process dries out your oven by evaporating the moisture. Curing allows the water that has seeped into your oven during construction and shipping to be removed, preventing catastrophic cracks. Forno Bravo gives you step by step on how to properly cure your oven here.
Small cracks due to regular oven use are expected, but you should cover your brick oven between uses to protect it from the elements. While covering your oven protects it from visible water like snow, wind, rain, and humidity can still allow water to seep into your oven, which is why the curing process is still necessary.
Maintaining Mobile Ovens
If you have a mobile pizza oven for your home, the rain will affect your oven differently than it would a brick oven. You will want to use a:
- Weatherproof cover
- A stainless steel protectant and
- A chimney flue cap
Using a Weatherproof Cover
A weatherproof cover is an easy solution to keep rain, snow, and ice away from your mobile oven. Be sure to choose a cover that fits snugly around your oven so that it stays secure and won’t be blown off.
You will also want to check your cover often for tears and leaks.
Use A Stainless Steel Protectant
Protecting the integrity of your stainless steel oven is a priority. To be sure that your oven stays in good working condition, use a stainless steel protectant. In especially wet or humid climates, your stainless steel can rust and corrode, according to Reliance Foundry, but by applying a protectant twice a year, you are creating a protective coat that acts as a barrier between your oven and the outside moisture.
Use a Chimney Flue Cap
A Chimney flue cap goes on your oven’s chimney and stops rain and moisture from getting through to the interior and metal and causing damage. Chimney flue caps are available in a variety of styles, so don’t worry about them not matching the aesthetic of your pizza oven.
Maintaining Mobile Business Ovens
If you have a mobile pizza business and are using a mobile pizza oven, the tips mentioned previously will apply to your oven, too. As mentioned in the previous section, water can do substantial damage to the bricks on your cart. You will want to be sure to both cure your oven and cover the brick with a weatherproof cover between uses.
Barbeque Conversion Ovens
If you use a barbeque conversion pizza oven, some great tools for protecting it from the rain are:
- A weatherproof cover
- A grill umbrella
- A windshield
Use a Grill Umbrella
If your pizza oven is more of a barbecue grill with a pizza oven conversion, you should not let a little rain hold your pizza night. Using a barbeque conversion to make your pizza is completely safe to do in the rain. A grill umbrella is great for rainy days because of it:
- Protects your grill from the weather
- Keeps the food and the cook dry and
- Is big and far away enough that it isn’t damaged by the heat of the grill
This technique has been used by street food vendors for ages and is a simple solution to your rain problem.
Use A Wind Shield
You will, of course, want to cover your grill when it is not in use, but along with the rain comes the problem of wind. If you are using a gas grill, you may have to reignite your fire when winds are strong, causing longer cooking times.
A windshield will protect your flame and food from the wind and ensure a better and faster-cooked pizza.
Maintaining Camping Ovens
If you have an Ooni camping oven, there is no rain on your pizza parade. While these pizza ovens come in many different styles, all styles were specially created to be usable in the rain.
While the Ooni pizza oven can handle the rain, there are a few previously mentioned steps you should take to ensure the longevity of the product as well as the quality of your food, like using an umbrella and windshield when cooking.
If you want to bring more of your meals outside regardless of the weather and have an RV, consider adding an outdoor kitchen. We discuss the benefits of this as well as options to do so in the next section.
Can You Add An Outdoor Kitchen To An RV?
You can add an outdoor kitchen to your RV, but it may add to your gas/propane costs. Your options for outdoor kitchens include a basic foldout for extra space, an extended foldout for frequent outdoor cookers, and an entertainment center for those with lots of company.
Pros and Cons of Adding an RV Outdoor Kitchen
It is possible to add a kitchen to your RV. While you do have a few options for doing this, let’s be sure it’s right for you by taking a look at some pros and cons.
Cons
- The outdoor kitchen takes up a lot of exterior storage
- The added weight of appliances and counter space leads to higher gas/propane costs and a heavier tow load
Pros
- No long-lasting lingering food smells inside your RV from the previous meal
- Eliminates time-consuming food prepping for campfire cooking
- With the added convenience of the outdoor kitchen, your resale value will increase
Basic Fold Out
If you want just a little extra space for outdoor cooking, this is a simple addition you can make to your RV.
Expanded Fold Out
If you would like to cook most of your meals outdoors and want extra amenities like a sink with water access, this is the better option for you.
Entertainment Center
This option includes beer coolers, TVs, and extra amenities for those who want to entertain the camping neighbors during their outdoor cooking sessions.
Conclusion
Making every night pizza night is possible no matter how wet it is outside, and taking a few extra steps to keep your pizza oven working properly in the rain will keep great-tasting pizza on your table.
