Firing up process

[gerry speirs]

hi I値l soon be cooking with my Napolino 70 and wondered if anyone can share their firing up process? A few questions I have are-
does the flame need to be rolling high all the time when the oven is in use or just until it gets to temp and I値l be using apple wood but should I start the fire with something a little less expensive just to get started?

Thanks

[Gulf]

Definitely find some suitable cheaper wood to initially heat the oven. You can then switch over to any hardwood before cooking. Fruit and nut woods are not necessary for cooking pizza. The aromatic smoke will ride high over the pizza and will also not survive the high temps. For pizza, once the coals and wood are moved to the side, it is best to keep a little flame licking the side of the dome up to at least the apex.

Forno Bravo Curing Schedule.

[JRPizza]

I'd recommend using the "top down fire" method for starting your oven. If you aren't familiar with the top down approach (I was not and learned on this forum) do a web search. Once you get the technique down, you can start the fire and walk away for 10-15 minutes instead of having to stand and tend the fire so it does not go out. Also, to add to what Gulf said, I find a bright fire to the side cooks the top of the pizza better than just a hot oven, and you can use any wood that does not snap/crackle/pop and send burning embers all over the pie. I learned the latter the hard way

[gerry speirs]

Thanks for both replies! So maybe oak for starting and then add in some apple (I have a lot of Apple to use up) what woods are both of you using?

[Gulf]

I'm using several different species of oak. The majority would be red oak.

[JRPizza]

I try to use the best wood there is - free wood! I live in the Pacific Northwest, so there is lots of free soft wood to be had. I picked up a bunch of fir and pine that aren't preferred but do fine to get the oven hot. For cooking with a live fire I am using alder and cherry.

[deejayoh]

Oak species have some of the highest BTU content. No real reason to switch from oak to apple, either is great.

Softwood species are generally not good for cooking due to relatively low BTU content - but more because they pop and get embers in your food.

[david s]

The best wood is free wood, but don't burn any treated timber.
Your WFO will happily burn any wood, nothing thicker than your wrist.
Although there's more energy in the denser hardwoods, they won't ignite as easily as the lighter softwoods.

[gerry speirs]

Great info! I致e been curing it for 4 days now and as my fires get bigger I知 also seeing more smoke, a lot of which is coming out of the pizza oven entrance. Is it normal to see some exit this way as well as through the chimney?

[Gulf]

Your wood is too damp, you are overloading the oven with fuel, or both imo. Aside from the need to be dry, wood is like gasoline in a carburetor. To much fuel and not enough oxygen (too rich) makes for a poor combustion. .Damp (unseasoned wood + a damp oven requires a slower build up for the fire. Use a smaller amount of wood with the kindling at start up and add the extra wood slowly. That should keep the smoke inside the flue.