New to the site

[surffisher2a]

Been lurking for a couple of years now, been using a forno bravo stone in my home oven with good results, but now that I own my home, I want to build a wood fired pizza oven in my yard. great neapolitan pizza is my end goal.

I plan to begin construction next spring, but I am now starting to research what style oven I want, and going to start slowly acquiring materials I know i'll need to help spread out the costs a bit.

Also want to say Thanks to everyone who contributes to this site! Its a great resource for many.

[boerwarrior]

Re: New to the site

We love vicariously building other people's pizza ovens!

Please post some site picture so we can start the planning process!

[hodgey1]

Re: New to the site

Welcome Surf
Glad you have been experimenting in your home oven. I think you can make a really good pizza with the stone inserts. It's deffenetly not as good as what comes out of a wood fired oven but still darn good. If you have pizza mastered in house you'll do great once your WFO is finished. I spent 10ish years making great pies in my oven. The transition to WFO went real smooth because of it.

I couldn't have built my WFO without the help of this forum, there's a wealth of info here with great people willing to help. A member who I never met invited me over to go over his build and made dinner for my wife and I. Make sure to take and post lots of pics.

[brickie in oz]

Re: New to the site

We love vicariously building other people's pizza ovens!

Thats funny, but true......

[surffisher2a]

Re: New to the site

Welcome Surf
Glad you have been experimenting in your home oven. I think you can make a really good pizza with the stone inserts. It's deffenetly not as good as what comes out of a wood fired oven but still darn good. If you have pizza mastered in house you'll do great once your WFO is finished. I spent 10ish years making great pies in my oven. The transition to WFO went real smooth because of it.

I couldn't have built my WFO without the help of this forum, there's a wealth of info here with great people willing to help. A member who I never meet invited me over to go over his build and made dinner for my wife and I. Make sure to take and post lots of pics.

My pizza in the home oven has come a long way in the past few years, I got it down pretty good for a NY style pizza. My sous chef (aka wife) got very good at stretching my dough balls out so we get nice consistent round pizzas 16" with a 420 gram dough ball at 64% hydration. Bake them on my forno bravo stone at 585 for 4 - 5 minutes and they come out really good.

The only thing I don't like about using my home oven is the fact I can only cook pizza for a couple of people before it becomes a chore instead of a pizza party when you get more than 4 or 5 people. The recovery time in the home oven just isn't up to par. Plus I am in love with a nice soft texture leoparded neapolitian pizza that is slightly charred, you just can't get that with my home oven, even using the broiler to cook.

I attached a pic of my latest attempt and a NY stype / Nea hybrid in my home oven.

[surffisher2a]

Re: New to the site

We love vicariously building other people's pizza ovens!

Please post some site picture so we can start the planning process!

Hahaha,

I thought I posted this yesterday, but I guess I must have forgot to hit post.

Here is a sneak peak of the site, its an old pic from google maps from when the house was vacant, but like I said its only a sneak peak!

[boerwarrior]

Re: New to the site

Looks like you have a great spot there! In order to comply with code, you'll need to make sure you are either:

1) far enough away from that structure with the roof
2) have a high enough chimney to get above the roof line

good luck! looking forward to following your build!

[hodgey1]

Re: New to the site

My pizza in the home oven has come a long way in the past few years, I got it down pretty good for a NY style pizza. My sous chef (aka wife) got very good at stretching my dough balls out so we get nice consistent round pizzas 16" with a 420 gram dough ball at 64% hydration. Bake them on my forno bravo stone at 585 for 4 - 5 minutes and they come out really good.

The only thing I don't like about using my home oven is the fact I can only cook pizza for a couple of people before it becomes a chore instead of a pizza party when you get more than 4 or 5 people. The recovery time in the home oven just isn't up to par. Plus I am in love with a nice soft texture leoparded neapolitian pizza that is slightly charred, you just can't get that with my home oven, even using the broiler to cook.

I attached a pic of my latest attempt and a NY stype / Nea hybrid in my home oven.

From the looks of that pie your ready for the WFO!!! Nice job, my oven will only hit 550. I've read about and comptemplated snipping lock on clean cycle and letting it hit 800*. The ovens insulated to handle but wife poo poo the idea and goes on about legal yada yada. Now having the WFO, no need other than winter time.

As to the temp fade, I wonder if it wouldn't be a bad idea to double up the stones to help with heat retention?

[surffisher2a]

Re: New to the site

From the looks of that pie your ready for the WFO!!! Nice job, my oven will only hit 550. I've read about and comptemplated snipping lock on clean cycle and letting it hit 800*. The ovens insulated to handle but wife poo poo the idea and goes on about legal yada yada. Now having the WFO, no need other than winter time.

As to the temp fade, I wonder if it wouldn't be a bad idea to double up the stones to help with heat retention?

Find the user manual for your oven and see if there is a user adjustable calibration on it. There usually is, and you can get up to 35 degree of hotter or colder, that is how I reach 585 and that extra 35 degrees makes a huge difference in the way the cheese melts for me. I get a good bubble with slight browning that way.


I contemplated cutting the self clean lock, but really the risk isn't worth it if something were to happen the insurance company denied a claim because of negligence. And trust me if you burn your house down the insurance company is going to send and investigator and look for any reason to deny. As much as I love pizza its not worth the risk to me. Also when your oven is that hot is super easy to crack the glass on the front door as well, the smallest slip up and your replacing a $300 door, even if you cover it with foil.

There is also another cool trick you can do that you wire a resistor inline with the temp probe on the thermostat to full the oven into thinking its cooler than it really is, you can safely pick the correct resistor size to max the oven temp at like 650 or 700, some people even wire that to a switch so they can turn the resistor on or off easily. Again though, its a modification designed to defeat a safety and the insurance company would have a field day. But if you want to take the risk, its much better than cutting the self clean lock.

Just remember the flash point of most oils start around 600 degrees and pose a huge fire risk if you accidentally put them in with those high oven temps, that is the main reason you don't see really any home ranges that go above 550.

[hodgey1]

Re: New to the site

Bastards..... They take all the fun out of home baking.

I will have to check and see if I can adjust the oven temp up, I'm sure that would help. Are you useing Hi-Gluten flour to make your pies?

[surffisher2a]

Re: New to the site

Bastards..... They take all the fun out of home baking.

I will have to check and see if I can adjust the oven temp up, I'm sure that would help. Are you useing Hi-Gluten flour to make your pies?

My most recent pies are being made with All Trumps flour, which is over 14% protein (similar to King Arthur Sir Lancelot). It is a little high for me, but its what I can get locally for a decent price. If I had my choice I would be using Spring King flour which is in the mid to high 13 % range and it hydrates just a little different and you end up with a softer texture. At least that was my experience the one time I got to use it.

[hodgey1]

Re: New to the site

I've been using High-Gluten from Sam's club that is around 13% protein. I really like the chew and the texture that it creates. I recently bought a bag from Gordon Foods that is 10%. I like the Sam's 13% better, but the sack i bought from Gordon's was 25 lbs so it will be a while before I can switch back.