Wood-fired pizza ovens can enhance the flavor and texture of pizza. However, it’s important to choose the right type of wood for a pizza oven. For example, a dense hardwood like red oak can reach the high heat needed to cook a Neapolitan-style pizza.
A wood-fired pizza oven with the right wood can also help you balance the dough and cheese of pizza. You can make a Neapolitan-style pizza that has a chewy crust or a deep-dish pizza with lots of toppings.
We’re going to take you through everything you need to know about wood for wood-fired pizza ovens. We’ll also cover some of the best Ooni pizza ovens to get you started.
Read on to learn more about the best outdoor pizza ovens and the wood that fuels them.
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Wood Pellets Vs. Wood Chips and Wood Chunks
When cooking with wood-fired pizza ovens there are many fuel sources to choose from. This is because wood chips and wood chunks don’t provide the same flavor as wood pellets. So, depending on the type of pizza you’re cooking, the fuel source can impact the cooking process.
Wood pellets are more compact than wood chunks, which makes it easier to cook in smaller ovens. Wood pellets are even small enough to cook within portable pizza ovens like the Ooni Fyra. Hardwood pellets can also be made from dense wood like oak and reach high temperatures.
If you are interested in cooking with wood pellets, check out our articles on Best Wood Pellets for Pizza Ovens or Wood Pellet Pizza Oven (Ultimate Beginner’s Guide). We can help you find the best pellets to use for your pizza and learn how to use them.
You can also use wood chunks to cook in pizza ovens. Wood chunks are a good choice for pizzas that require longer cooking times because the flame is more steady. However, wood chunks are harder to use in smaller pizza ovens.
Wood chips can also be used to cook but should never be the primary fuel source. Wood Chips burn too fast and release a lot of smoke, which makes them more useful for smokers. For pizza ovens, you can sprinkle wood chips in to customize the flavor.
Characteristics of Wood to Consider
There are several characteristics of wood to consider when choosing wood for your pizza oven. You don’t want to choose softwood because it doesn’t reach high enough temperatures. Instead, hardwood with low moisture content is a perfect choice.
We’ll take you through some of these characteristics and how they impact the flavor profile of the pizza you’re making.
Hardwood Vs Softwood
The most important characteristic to consider is if the wood is hardwood or softwood. Softwood is less dense than hardwood and can’t reach the high temperatures that hardwood can reach. Plus, hardwood can reach high temperatures without the need to add more wood.
For this reason, a few hardwood pellets can burn as hot as a few softwood chunks. Furthermore, dense hardwood can maintain hotter temperatures for longer periods. With hardwood, you don’t have to worry about adding more fuel to the fire.
That said, hardwood is only superior to softwood when it’s dry wood. Damp wood won’t reach the maximum temperature needed to cook pizza, so it’s important to use only seasoned and dry hardwood.
While you can sprinkle some types of softwood in for flavor, it should never be one of the main fuel sources.
Flavor
The type of wood you choose impacts the flavor of pizza. Depending on the type of wood you choose, the flavor of pizza can be sweeter or remain the same. Some woods like white oak are neutral and other types of wood like apple wood are sweeter.
Wood that produces a lot of smoke can also impact the flavor. Smokey woods like mesquite wood can bring out the flavors in meats, vegetables, and even fruits. This is great for pizzas with a lot of toppings.
You can also achieve pizzeria-like flavor with the right combination of wood. For example, many pizzerias use a combination of oak wood and apple wood in their wood-fired ovens.
Sap Content
Sap content is another characteristic to consider. Wood with a high sap content is a bad choice for cooking pizza because it adds moisture and reduces heat. Too much sap on wood can also cause it to not burn evenly.
There are also some types of wood that have more sap than others. Maple wood can be tricky to cook with for this reason if it’s not sourced properly. Additionally, fruitwoods are known for having more sap than other hardwoods.
Overall, you want to avoid wood with a high sap content because it makes the wood harder to work with.
Consistency
Consistency is key when it comes to cooking with wood. You can use multiple types of wood but make sure the wood is dense, dry, and mold-free. Having a few damp wood chunks can throw off the entire cooking process.
Additionally, make sure most of the wood is one type of wood. Using a 50/50 split of oak wood and hickory wood sounds great in theory but doesn’t work in practice. You can sprinkle wood chunks from different wood into the oven but maintaining the flame becomes harder with even splits.
Smoke
The type of smoke that wood produces when burned is important when cooking pizza. Wood that produces a lot of smoke can interact more with the crust and toppings than wood with less smoke. This is why mesquite wood is great for toppings, while oak wood is more neutral in flavor.
When using wood-fired pizza ovens you need to make sure the level of smoke is appropriate. You don’t want too much smoke or it can make pizza taste too smokey. So, cook with a controlled flame to avoid smoke coming out of the mouth of the oven.
One of the benefits of using a wood-fired oven over a gas oven is the taste and texture pizza gets. Pizza toppings and pizza dough can have unique flavor profiles paired with the right smoke. So, feel free to experiment with many types of wood to see what works best for you.
Wood Density
Wood density is crucial when it comes to wood-fired pizza ovens. It’s for this reason that hardwood is better than softwood. More dense wood can reach hot temperatures and use less wood, which saves money.
Dense wood like red oak also burns with a more steady flame. Plus, dense wood chunks can burn for long periods and cook most types of pizza. That said, dense hardwood pellets are also effective.
More dense wood can also reach high temperatures that are required for Neapolitan pizzas.
Tips for Cooking with Wood
There’s a learning curve when it comes to cooking with wood. Wood-fired pizza ovens can make some of the best pizzas around but mastering one takes time. The good news is that there are some tips you can implement in your cooking process.
With a few good wood choices and a little smoke, you can make the perfect pizza. Below are a handful of tips to help you cook with wood.
- Avoid cooking with wood that has a lot of sap
- Use dry wood but make sure it has a moisture percentage that’s above 15%
- Place light wood towards the bottom of the pile and more dense wood towards the top
- Don’t be afraid to use a combination of wood and gas to maintain an even temperature in the pizza oven
- Keep an eye on the height of your flame and keep a log to see what flame height works and what flame height burns your pizza
- Make sure the pizza dough you’re using is wood-fired-safe; don’t use dough with a lot of sugar in wood-fired pizza ovens
- Never cook with lamented or treated wood
Following these tips can help you avoid many mistakes that can happen during the cooking process.
Types of Wood
In the United States, there are many types of wood to choose from for wood-fired pizza ovens. While there are many different kinds of wood for pizza ovens, some are better than others. We’ll take you through each type of wood and its unique characteristics.
Red and White Oak Wood
When it comes to making pizza, oak wood is a staple for wood-fired pizza ovens. Oak wood is a great choice because it’s a dense hardwood that can reach high temperatures. You can also use oak wood chips or wood pellets without it impacting the cooking process too much.
When considering oak wood there are two types to consider. White oak is the most common choice for wood-fired pizza ovens. It doesn’t produce much smoke and the taste of your homemade pizza will be familiar.
On the other hand, red oak has a more nuanced flavor. When cooking pizza with red oak, it will have a hint of smoke in the flavor of the cheese and pizza toppings.
If it’s your first time cooking pizza in a wood-fired pizza oven, we recommend starting with white oak. Ultimately, it gives you a mild flavor that’s similar to what you get from propane gas pizza ovens.
Applewood
Applewood cooks pizza that tastes like pizza from an Italian pizza shop. It’s one of the most common types of wood used in pizzerias because of its fruity flavor. While the flavor is mild, the smoke it produces goes with almost every pizza topping.
Applewood also goes great with most types of cheese. The smoke produced by some types of wood can alter the taste of cheese but not apple wood. In fact, it can enhance the flavor with sweet toppings like pineapple.
Hickory Wood
Hickory wood is used for cooking meat, smoking meat, and cooking pizza. Because of hickory’s high burning temperatures, it’s great for cooking pizza and adding flavor to pizza toppings. After all, there’s a reason hickory is used to smoke many types of meat.
The thick smoke it produces can add flavor to pizza and meat-based pizza toppings like sausage, bacon, and pepperoni. However, it doesn’t pair as well with fruit or vegetable toppings. Hickory is also one of the most popular choices because it’s abundant in the eastern states of the United States.
There’s also another type of wood that’s part of the hickory family, which is pecan wood. Pecan wood is great for wood-fired pizza ovens because it’s a type of hickory wood that’s more smooth and subtle. You can also pair pecan wood with other types of wood like oak and other hickory woods.
Alder Wood
Alder wood comes from the same wood family as birch. When burned in wood-fired pizza ovens it produces a subtle smoke that’s not hard to control. Alder wood can also have a hint of sweetness, which pairs well with some types of meat toppings.
Many people who use alder wood also recommend pairing it with other types of wood. For example, alder wood can be paired with another dense wood like red oak to balance the flavor. That said, alder wood reaches hot enough temperatures to cook pizza without other types of wood.
Ash Wood
Ash wood is great for first-time wood-fired pizza oven users. You can light the fire quickly and it burns for long periods, so there’s more room for error. Even if you make a few mistakes, it’s hard to have a pizza that tastes bad when using ash wood.
Ashwood also has a mild flavor and doesn’t make a lot of smoke. So, you can add other types of wood to the fire to alter the flavor if you’re more experienced. Or, you can use only ash Wood for a neutral-tasting pizza.
Maple Wood
Another staple of wood-fired pizza ovens, maple wood is reliable and effective. When used alone, maple has a mild flavor that might remind you of sweet maple syrup. Therefore, you’ll have to rely on toppings, pizza dough, and cheese for flavor.
That said, some types of maple wood pair well with meat toppings. Soft maples like red maple can add a touch of sweetness to pizza toppings like sausage. Additionally, you can pair maple with more dense hardwoods like hickory and oak.
Mesquite Wood
Mesquite wood is known for the thick and abundant clouds of smoke it produces. Depending on the toppings you’re using, mesquite wood can add a lot of flavor to your pizza. However, you have to be careful when using mesquite wood because it doesn’t pair well with meat toppings.
Mesquite wood is also hard to use for first-time pizza cookers. It doesn’t burn as slow as hickory or oak but it burns just as hot. This leaves less room for error, so we recommend pairing it with oak or hickory to maximize the flavor.
Mixing mesquite wood with other hardwoods like oak and hickory also makes the flame and smoke it produces easier to control.
Walnut Wood
Walnut wood is one of the best woods to combine with vegetable and vegan toppings. You can also pair it with fruit toppings like pineapple. Moreover, walnut wood works well with most toppings that can handle an earthy flavor.
When using walnut wood in a wood-fired pizza oven, we recommend combining it with another type of wood like white oak. Doing so will help you balance the flames and customize the flavor of your pizza.
Best Ooni Wood-Fired Pizza Ovens
The best wood-fired pizza ovens are Ooni pizza ovens. These ovens come in various sizes and some Ooni products are portable. Below are three of the best Ooni pizza ovens.
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1). Top Pick: Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven
The Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven can use hardwood for fuel or gas. With the gas option, the Ooni Karu pizza oven heats up to 950F in about 15 minutes. Depending on the type of wood you use the Ooni Karu can also reach 950F in 15 minutes.
While having two fuel sources is unique, the Ooni Karu also has a fuel tray for enhanced airflow. Furthermore, it maintains the lightweight stainless steel design found in Ooni Fyra pizza ovens. This brings the weight of the Ooni Karu to less than 30 pounds, which makes it portable.
Additionally, the Ooni Karu oven can accommodate other types of food. You can cook vegetables, steak, meat, and other food products. Plus, you can place all of these toppings on your pizza to make it next level.
When you pair these features with the flexibility the gas tank provides, it’s the best Ooni pizza oven.
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2). Premium Pick: Ooni Karu 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven
The Ooni Karu 16 Outdoor Pizza Oven is an award-winning product. While it’s not portable like other Ooni products, it can cook 16-inch pizzas. With the insulated metal design along with the door it can also reach a high heat of 950F in 15 minutes.
The Ooni Karu 16 also has dual airflow technology. This gives you the ability to adjust the temperature and bake Neapolitan-style in less than 60 seconds. You can also cook meat, vegetables, and other meals in this Ooni pizza oven.
While the Ooni Karu 16 comes with many features, it is expensive compared to other pizza ovens. That said, it’s worth every penny because it can accomplish a lot. If you’re looking for a professional pizza oven for your backyard kitchen, the Ooni Karu 16 is the best choice.
The Ooni Karu 16 can also use wood pellets, wood chunks, and even has a gas option.
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3). Budget Pick: Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven
The Ooni Fyra 12 Wood Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven is one of the best options for outdoor kitchens. It’s the right size for most types of pizza but it’s not too big. Therefore, it’s a portable pizza oven that you can move around your backyard.
The Ooni Fyra 12 also uses wood pellets that can have the oven ready to cook in less than 15 minutes. Plus, once the flame is ready this Ooni oven can cook Neapolitan-style pizza in about 60 seconds.
These features make the Ooni Fyra 12 a great choice for first-time pizza makers. It’s also one of the most affordable options because of its compact and lightweight design. Still, its stainless steel features make it high-quality even at a low price.
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Final Thoughts
The best wood-fired pizza ovens are Ooni products. An Ooni pizza oven with the right wood can help you get better results, even if it’s your first time making pizza. However, choosing the best wood is easier said than done. Following our guide can help you choose the best wood for Ooni pizza ovens. Make sure you choose the right oven and the right fuel source to take your next pizza party to the next level!
Check out some of our other articles below for other tips and tools to make your pizza making experience a success:
