Wood pellet ovens are the ideal tool for making pizzas as they produce minimal ash residue and give your pizzas a natural, smoky flavor. The wood pellets burn at high temperatures, maintaining a consistent cooking heat that allows you to cook your pizza crusts without burning the toppings. Whenever you are not making pizza, there are a variety of dishes you can make using your pizza oven. Here are the top three ways to experiment with your wood pellet pizza oven:
1. Try New Pizza Recipes
The primary purpose of a wood pellet pizza oven is to make pizzas, and with the oven, you have time to experiment with different recipes. Experiment with Neapolitan dough with high-gluten flour for a chewy texture on your wood pellet oven pizzas. Use sourdough for a tangy flavor, which pairs well with the smoky flavors produced by the burning wood pellets. For a lighter option, explore whole wheat or gluten-free doughs. Try toppings like smoked salmon, fresh figs, or truffle oil. Combine sweet and savory ingredients, such as pear and gorgonzola, to make gourmet pizza. Explore different temperatures and baking times to determine what works best for your pizza, depending on the dough and toppings used.
2. Cook Meat and Seafood
The temperatures produced by wood pellet ovens make them ideal for grilling, smoking, and roasting meat and seafood. Depending on the flavor and level of crispiness you are looking for, you can use a cast iron skillet or place the meat directly onto the oven’s stone. Sear a restaurant-style ribeye steak in your wood pellet oven to create a smoke-infused crust around the meat that seals in its juices.
You can also turn your wood pellet oven into a smoker and use it to smoke BBQ ribs or fish. Experiment with wood pellets, like hickory, mesquite, or applewood, to add unique flavors to your smoked dishes. Create kebabs with marinated chicken, shrimp, or veggies for a quick, flavorful meal. You can also roast whole fish like branzino or snapper, seasoned with herbs and lemon, in your oven.
3. Make Baked Desserts
The consistent temperatures in a wood pellet oven create the ideal conditions for making baked treats like brownies, s’mores, and fruit desserts. Use a cast iron skillet pan to bake these treats in your wood pellet oven. Sweet pizzas are another dessert that suits the functionality of your wood pellet oven. Spread Nutella or cream cheese on a pizza crust and top with marshmallows, strawberries, or pretzel pieces.
You can also use your oven to caramelize pineapple, peaches, or bananas for a simple, healthy dessert. You typically require lower temperatures to bake desserts in a wood pellet oven, so use a thermometer to keep track of the cooking temperature when baking. Keep the oven door slightly open or close the air vents to lower the temperature.
Make the Most of Your Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
A wood pellet pizza oven can cook any food you typically make in a grill or standard oven. If you have ovenware that can withstand high temperatures and know the right temperature and cooking time for different foods, you can maximize your wood pellet oven’s functionality. You can also place some foods directly on the oven’s stone or cook food wrapped in foil. Experiment with different foods to determine what tastes best when made in your pizza oven.
