If you are the proud owner of an outdoor wood fired pizza oven, you have the ultimate culinary tool that can turn your backyard into a gourmet paradise! Outdoor wood fired pizza ovens are more than just a cooking appliance for pizza. With temperatures reaching over 340°C, the oven quickly sears and charrs food while locking in moisture and flavour, and with the proper techniques and recipes, you can utilise your outdoor pizza oven to roast, bake, and grill all kinds of meats, vegetables, and more. Thus, take your outdoor cooking abilities to the next level and make these fantastic six foods and meals.
1. Roast Vegetables
Roasting is one of the best ways to concentrate flavour and caramelise the natural sugars in vegetables. Your outdoor wood fired pizza oven takes it up a notch, as the high temperatures will charr and smoke your veggies to perfection. From carrots and potatoes to green asparagus and eggplant, the possibilities are endless. Toss in oil and seasoning and spread in a single layer so all sides cook evenly. Roast until tender with crispy edges and enjoy as a standalone side or incorporate into other dishes like salads or pizza toppings.
2. Rustic Bread
Don’t limit your outdoor wood fired pizza oven’s talents to just pizza because nothing beats the taste of rustic bread baked in a wood-fired oven. The dry heat creates a wonderfully crisp crust and light, airy interior of artisanal quality that is hard to achieve with a regular oven. Try rolls, baguettes, or flatbreads and experiment with herbs and cheeses. Your homemade bread will be a hit among your family and friends on a Sunday morning and served with a dollop of fresh butter – a true indulgence.
3. Seared Steak
An outdoor wood fired pizza oven creates restaurant-quality sear marks and adds texture and flavour to your steak. The high heat quickly cooks the outside, leaving a mouth-watering crust and the inside juicy and perfectly medium-rare while the smoke from the hardwood fire infuses the meat. Try thick cuts like ribeye, New York strip, or fillet mignon and add a rub or marinade for extra flavour. Roast veggies as a side dish complete an excellent wood-fired steak meal.
4. Seafood Extravaganza
From buttery garlic shrimp to salt-baked salmon and seared scallops, seafood is terrific when cooked in a wood-fired oven. The high heat firms up the flesh while providing a nice charr, and the smoke imparts subtle flavour. Try seasoning the meat with fresh herbs and adding vegetables and lemon slices on top while cooking. Served whole for dramatic presentation or filleted tableside. Christmas brunch will never be the same with an outdoor wood fired pizza oven.
5. Whole Chicken
Forget dry and bland chickens and create the juiciest and most succulent bird you have ever tasted in your outdoor wood fired pizza oven. The radiant heat slowly cooks the meat to tender perfection while crisping up the skin. Infuse the smoky aroma by adding fresh herbs under the skin and baste the meat with the rendered fat to enhance the flavour. Just one bite will have your guests asking for seconds of the best roast chicken they have ever enjoyed.
6. Irresistible Desserts
Yes, you read that right – your outdoor wood fired pizza oven can even handle a variety of delicious desserts! Impress your guests with unexpected treats like golden brown and bubbly fruit crumbles, sticky date pudding topped with butterscotch sauce or gooey S’mores. The intense but indirect heat from the flames helps bring out the best flavours and textures in these Australian classics.