If you are a true pizza lover, then chances are you’ve tried pizza prepared in a variety of ovens and some of it was light years ahead in terms of flavors and textures. In this article you will find out if pizza ovens make a difference compared to your regular oven and what the alternatives are if you want to achieve the best result at home.
Does a pizza oven make a difference?
Pizza ovens do make a difference in pizza preparation compared to regular ovens. While differences vary depending on the type of the oven, pizza ovens generally provide higher cooking temperatures, faster cooking time, chewier dough texture, a smokier flavor, and a better preserved nutritional value.
Can you think of the last few times you had pizza? Was there a time when the cheese was burnt? Or maybe the dough was dry? Or did you get the perfect chewy and bubbly and yet moist dough with perfectly cooked toppings? Below you will find out what the reasons are for these differences so that you can make your pizzas like a pro!
Difference in heat
A traditional wood pizza oven can easily reach very high temperatures up to 900°F/485°C. Compared to a domestic oven which can only reach temperatures of about 570°F/300°C, the pizza oven will cook the dough, the cheese and the toppings perfectly. Not only does it reach a higher temperature, but a brick oven will maintain the temperature, allowing you to cook multiple pizzas at the same time or one right after another. A regular oven will lose a lot of heat when opening and closing its door. Then there goes your homemade pizza party preparation with half of those pizzas getting cold.
Difference in cooking time
If you’ve ever tried to cook pizza in a conventional oven, you might remember that the recommended cooking time is 10-15 minutes. During these long (in a pizza world) minutes a few things happen which will ruin your pizza experience before you know it. The dough will get dry and tough while the toppings and cheese get cooked. A pizza oven only needs 90 seconds to cook the perfect pizza without burning the toppings and drying out the dough. Which leads us to the next point…
Difference in dough texture
When the dough is cooked quickly, it has no time to dry out but will instead form these lovely delicious bubbles which are the true magic of a real Neapolitan pizza. The high temperature “seals” the outer layer of the dough, creating a crispy outside and a moist chewy inside.
Difference in dough stickiness
If you’ve tried cooking pizza at home, you might agree that the most difficult part is getting the dough to cook without sticking to the pan. There are different solutions which might help with this issue, such as covering the bottom with cornmeal or oil. However, the result will not be the same as in a proper pizza oven where the dough is cooked at such an incredibly hot stone surface where it doesn’t have the chance to stick.
Difference in flavor
One of the undeniable advantages of a wood-fired pizza oven is the unique flavor it gives the pizza. The wood infuses the crust with just a hint of smokiness which is impossible to achieve in an ordinary electric oven. This flavor combined with the chewy dough and fresh toppings which melt in your mouth is what pizza is all about, isn’t it?
Difference in the pizza’s nutritional value
Because of the much quicker cooking times, a pizza cooked in a brick oven will have a higher nutritional value than a pizza cooked in a regular oven. The reason for this is that vegetables preserve their nutrients the best when cooked for a very short time. According to CNN, the process of cooking for a short time breaks down tough outer layers and cellular structures of many vegetables, which makes it easier for the body to absorb nutrients. Fine cooking also mentions that cooking the veggies with some fat will help you absorb vitamins like D and K which are fat soluble.
Isn’t it great knowing that that delicious ooey-gooey cheese on top of your pizza actually helps you absorb the nutrients better? I don’t know about you, but to us this is as close as it gets to a perfect world scenario.
Difference in the ways it can be used
If you already have a pizza oven or are debating whether you should get one or not, keep in mind that pizza is by no means the only thing you can cook in it. Compared to a conventional oven, the pizza oven makes far more superior-tasting slow cooked meats, fish, baked potatoes, roasted veggies, flatbreads and last but not least, all types of smoked meats.
Even though it might be obvious by now that we are huge fans of a brick oven, it’s important to mention that not all pizzas are equally suitable for it. Below is a comparison between some of the most popular pizza styles and the ovens which suit them best.
| Pizza Type | Description | Oven Type | Cooking Time | Optimal Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan | A thin-crust pizza with higher edges, often topped with buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil or prosciutto. | Wood-Fired | 90 seconds | 900°F / 485°C |
| New York Style | The most popular thin-crust pizza in the US, with a crisp and chewy crust. Can have a variety of toppings. | Wood-Fired Deck Oven Conveyor Convection | 90 seconds 6-8 minutes 4-5 minutes 5-6 minutes | 900°F / 485°C 600-700°F / 315-370°C |
| Chicago Deep Dish | A much thicker pizza with a very deep crust that resembles a pie. | Deck Oven | 45 minutes | 400°F / 200°C |
| Sicilian | A thick-crust pizza which is often rectangular. Often topped with anchovies, onions, tomatoes and strong cheese. | Deck Oven | 6-8 minutes | 600-700°F / 315-370°C |
Pizza oven Alternatives
As much as we would all love to make a perfect pizza in our electric ovens, the unfortunate truth is that these ovens are just not meant for pizza. Luckily, there is a way to achieve a better and tastier result than just baking that sad frozen pizza on the oven rack.
Meet The Pizza Stone
A good pizza stone is a game-changer! It is used to bake that perfectly crispy and chewy pizza on its incredibly hot surface. Using one will get you as close as possible to that real brick oven pizza in the comfort of your own home. We’ve tried this CastElegance Pizza Stone and this Heritage Pizza Stone (get them both with a 20% discount!) and the result is amazing.
So there you have it – 7 ways a brick oven makes a difference compared to a regular oven. If you’re looking to get a wood-fired pizza oven for your backyard, check out our top recommendations below.
Bertello Outdoor Pizza Oven Black + Pizza Peel Combo
In case you just can’t be bothered with making pizza right now, we have a solution for you. Check out our latest pizza coupons which will help you get the best prices at your favorite pizza place.
Vassi is a digital nomad and a freelance writer who would love a perfect world with unlimited amounts of pizza as a fitness food.