You’ve got your brand new Ooni pizza oven, and now you are wondering how to use it correctly. We’ve got your back with this handy guide – read on, and you’ll be firing dough to perfection in no time!
Using your Ooni pizza oven is easy if you follow these steps:
- Prepare your oven and equipment.
- Prepare your toppings.
- Light the fire.
- Prepare your pizza.
- Check the temperature.
- Cook your pizza.
- Don’t stop with pizza.
For more detailed information on how to use your Ooni pizza oven, keep reading.
1. Prepare Your Oven and Equipment
Carefully preparing your ingredients and dough before you fire up your Ooni will make the entire pizza-making process much smoother. There is nothing worse than frantically rushing back and forth to the kitchen to fetch the things you need while your food burns to a crisp.
It also helps to have a few tools of the trade. Investing in a bundle like this Adro Market Gifts Pizza Peel Set (available on Amazon.com) will have you off to a good start. Alternatively, you can buy your tools individually.
Safety First
Set up your Ooni Pizza Oven outdoors in an area with good airflow. All Ooni pizza ovens should be used outside. It’s also advisable to take the necessary precautions in case of a fire.
Investing in a fire extinguisher is a good idea, even if you don’t have a pizza oven. Be sure to get one rated for different types of fires, like this First Alert HOME2PRO rechargeable extinguisher on Amazon.
2. Prepare Your Ingredients
Take some time to think about the pizza you want to make. As you visualize your pizza, take out all the toppings and spices you would like to add. Getting your dough ready at this stage will also give it time to rise as you prepare the oven.
Prepare the Dough
Pizza is easily one of the most versatile foods in the world. It is for this very reason that the Ooni pizza oven exists. Pizza enthusiasts can let their imaginations run wild and craft the right slice for even the most fickle palate.
You can buy dough to save time or make it yourself. Either way, it’s best to have it at the ready before you start using your pizza oven.
Making your own dough is as simple as it is rewarding. It might take a little practice to get the correct feel and consistency, but with the right ingredients and 10-15 minutes of preparation, you will have your base material.
Prepare Your Toppings
One of the most rewarding parts of making pizza at home is getting creative with all of your toppings.
Use small containers to separate your toppings as you chop them up. These SZUAH 3.5-inch Small Glass Bowls (available on Amazon.com) are ideal – they stack up well for convenient storage after use. You can then cover them and set them aside.
Grating your cheese and preparing your sauce at this stage will finalize your preparations. Once you have secured your toppings, you can now head over to your Ooni pizza oven.
If you are making multiple pizzas in a group setting, letting guests get in on the creativity by setting out all the ingredients is part of the fun. You might even discover the next taste sensation through the flow of ideas amongst friends!
3. Light the Fire
Ooni pizza ovens make it easy for pizza lovers to make their own restaurant-grade pizza at home with various fueling options to suit different needs. Options include gas-fired, wood chip, and a combination of both, depending on which model of Ooni you own.
Gas Fired Ovens
Gas is an affordable, quick, and clean method of making pizzas. It provides the searing hot temperatures required to bake the perfect crust without the added inconvenience of maintaining and cleaning up a wood fire.
There isn’t much to lighting up the Ooni gas oven. Connect your gas tank, turn it on, and turn the knob anti-clockwise to light the gas. That’s all there is to it.
This makes the gas-type Ooni an attractive buy for pizza lovers looking for convenience and simplicity. Using gas will also allow you to maintain a consistent heat but this comes at the cost of the woodsmoke flavoring.
Wood Pellet Ovens
There are certain pizza connoisseurs that find gas-fired pizzas inferior in taste. To them, there is no substitute for a wood oven, and as such will have purchased a wood pellet-fueled Ooni Fyra 12 (available on Amazon.com)
While it’s recommended that you use official Ooni pellets and firestarters, if they aren’t available, there are many other options. You can get these Grill Trade Eco-Friendly Firestarters and Traeger Premium Hardwood Pellets on Amazon. You can also experiment with different types of hardwoods to find the perfect flavor.
Using a small number of wood pellets with a couple of firestarters, start your fire and observe it through the viewing hole to ensure it doesn’t go out. From there, top up your fire using small amounts of pellets to keep your flame alive.
Combination Fuel Ovens
Certain Ooni models allow you to cook your pizza with either gas or wood chips. You can even use the gas burner to light your wood chips, making these models appealing even to those who will settle for nothing less than a wood-fired pizza.
You can use wood, coal, pellets, or gas to cook your pizzas. When using wood, be sure to load your firebox with small sticks. They will burn better and allow you to control the temperature more effectively.
You can use the gas module to light your wood fire or use the gas for cooking your pizza. Having this versatility means nothing will stop you from sinking your teeth into the fresh crust of your latest creation.
4. Prepare Your Pizza
Now comes the fun part! Begin by shaping your dough into the desired shape. If you’re having trouble, you can always watch an online video to help you get the perfect base.
Once you have your pizza shaped, add your base sauce – this is something else you can get creative with by making your own or trying something new!
Creating a pizza is an art. It will take practice to perfect your technique. However, with patience and dedication, you will master the art of pizza craft. Check out some online guides to help you if you struggle with any part of the process.
5. Check the Temperature
Before putting your creation into the Ooni, ensure your pizza will bake correctly and evenly by getting the oven to the right temperature. A temperature of 788-852°F (420-450°C) is perfect.
Preheating your Ooni will ensure that the stone is heated thoroughly. Putting your pizza in too early, before the stone is hot, will have the top cooking faster than the underside of the pizza.
Get your fire to the right temperature by using a digital infrared thermometer. If you don’t have one lying around, invest in something like the Goodbaby Touchless Thermometer from Amazon. Depending on your preference, you can switch between metric and imperial temperatures.
6. Cook Your Pizza
There is no hard and fast rule on how long you should leave a pizza in the oven. Besides, there are a lot of variables that can affect the cooking time. Depending on how thick your base is and how many toppings you have used, you may need more or less time to bake your pie to perfection.
There are so many variables that come with cooking a pizza that it’s impossible to set a timer as you might do with a cake. Engage with your senses and the process of cooking – if something smells cooked, it usually is – even if the timer has not gone off yet.
7. It Doesn’t End With Pizza
Ooni pizza ovens are a lot more versatile than one might think. You can cook more than just pizza – don’t let the name deceive you into thinking otherwise.
Investing in something like this official Ooni Cast Iron Grizzler Pan (available on Amazon.com) will open doors in your culinary journey. Use your imagination.
There are plenty of resources online that will give you some fresh ideas. It may be a pizza oven, but it can do much more!
Bon Appetit!
If you have followed this guide correctly, you should be geared up to craft the pizza of your dreams. It may take some trial and error, but if you are persistent or particularly talented, you will crack the pizza code in no time.
