Pizza ovens are magical devices, cooking piping hot pizzas with bubbling cheese and crispy crust in a couple of minutes. When we think of pizza ovens, all that comes to our minds are sizzling pizzas. But what if I told you that your pizza oven has many other talents besides perfect pizza-making?
The burning question emerges: “What else can you cook in a pizza oven?”
Well, if you have only been cooking pizza in your pizza oven and have no idea about its hidden talents, you are in for a steaming hot surprise. Read along as we take a deep dive into a world of possibilities beyond the limitations of the pizza label. We will share some tasty pizza oven ideas. Besides recipes of other things to cook in a pizza oven, we will also be sharing a pizza oven cooking temperature guide to help make sure that you cook these recipes on appropriate heat. We will also list a few factors for you to consider to ensure you pick one of the best pizza ovens with multiple functions.
So, let’s get cooking!
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Can a Pizza Oven Be Used for Other Food?
Pizza ovens, with their blazing hot interiors and radiating heat, are often relegated to the realm of crispy crusts and bubbling cheese. But is that all they’re capable of? Absolutely not! While they excel at perfect pizza-making, they are capable of crafting a diverse range of dishes.
This misconception of their limitations stems from the limitation of the pizza label—it’s a PIZZA OVEN, after all, not a “grilling-and-roasting-and-baking” oven.
Forget these limitations for a while, and let us explain how pizza ovens, with their intense heat and controlled environment, can be used for a variety of cooking techniques:
- Direct heat: Searing steaks, grilling vegetables, and roasting meats all benefit from the direct, radiant heat of your oven’s hot dome. Imagine juicy steaks with a perfect char or vegetables caramelized to perfection. All that is possible with your pizza oven.
- Indirect heat: The consistent heat distribution in a pizza oven provides an optimal environment for roasting whole chickens, baking bread, and smoking meats. The indirect heat ensures even cooking with the exterior crisped to perfection and the interior retaining its succulence.
- Convection cooking: The circulating hot air within the oven is ideal for baking pizzas, pastries, and even cakes. The convection heat of your pizza oven not only cooks blistered pizza crusts but can also cook flaky croissants and moist, fluffy cakes.
Check out our comprehensive guide “How Does a Pizza Oven Work and What You Should Know” to better understand how you can cook different things in your pizza oven.
So, yes, a pizza oven can be used to cook other foods. But before you begin exploring and utilizing other uses for pizza ovens, you need to know that pizza ovens are extremely hot. So, you have got to be careful about the cooking temperature. Check out the following brief cooking temperature guide before you begin experimenting with pizza oven recipes other than pizza.
Guide to Cooking Temperatures
In the fiery heart of your pizza oven lies a spectrum of possibilities, different temperature zones allowing you to cook different pizza oven recipes, not pizza. Understanding and mastering these zones is key to unlocking the full potential of your pizza oven and achieving perfect results each time.
Finding the Perfect Temperature
Each dish needs a unique temperature range for perfect results. For instance, meat needs searingly high heat to lock in juices, while vegetables are better caramelized at gentle heat with flames.
Pizza Oven Temperature Ranges:
- Extremely High (750°F+): This temperature range is usually reserved for achieving that coveted char on blistering pizzas but can also be used to cook naan bread and garlic bread. At this high-temperature range, pizza ovens can deliver pizzas in under a couple of minutes.
- Medium-High (550-600°F): This versatile zone is ideal for roasting chicken, grilling fish, and baking bread. It provides a balance between direct heat and indirect heat, allowing for browning and even cooking.
- High: (450-550°F): This zone is perfect for roasting vegetables, turkey, whole fish, and potatoes. It provides gentle heat for even cooking and maximum flavor development.
- Moderate (400-450°F): This moderate temperature range is well-suited for baking a variety of breads such as sourdough, pizza rolls, and focaccia. It is perfect for ensuring a perfect balance between a crispy crust and a soft, flavorful interior.
- Low Moderate (320-400°F): In the low, moderate temperature range, you can indulge your sweet tooth by baking delectable desserts like carrot cake, cinnamon rolls, and strawberry cobbler. The controlled heat allows for even baking, resulting in moist and delicious treats.
- Low (210-250°F): The low-temperature range is your go-to for slow-cooking culinary masterpieces such as pulled pork, BBQ ribs, and hearty stews. This gentle heat transforms tough cuts of meat into tender, succulent delights, infusing them with rich flavors over an extended slow-cooking period.
Mastering the Thermostat
Adjusting the temperature in your pizza oven is like conducting an orchestra of flames. Wood-fired ovens require careful monitoring of wood placement and airflow. Gas pizza ovens offer precise controls, while electric pizza ovens provide consistent heat. Consider the following tips for mastering the art of maintaining the pizza oven temperature range suitable for your recipes:
- Heating Oven to Higher Temperatures: when preheating, let your oven reach a temperature higher than the targeted temperature range and then allow it to cool back down to your desired temperature range. This allows the oven to maintain a consistent temperature for even and effective cooking.
- Rotating and flipping: Don’t let one side hog the heat! Rotate food regularly for even browning and cooking.
- Use a thermometer: While you can use your intuition to tell the temperature of your pizza oven, it is best that you get yourself an infrared thermometer to be able to tell the exact temperature of the pizza oven and, when need be, adjust the temperature accordingly.
Now that you know how to work different cooking techniques with your pizza oven and maintain its temperature in the required range, it is time to explore what you can cook in a pizza oven.
So, grab your tongs, crank up the heat, and let the temperature guide be your culinary compass as you try different pizza oven recipes other than pizza.
Other Things You Can Cook in Pizza Oven: 15 Recipes
Move over, pepperoni—there is a whole world of culinary delights that you can cook to perfection with your pizza oven.
Here are a few of the many things to cook in a pizza oven.
1. Grilled Vegetables with a Smoky Kiss
Ditch the grill and let the pizza oven’s radiant heat work its magic on zucchini, peppers, and onions. Drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle a few herbs, toss them in your pizza oven, and watch them get caramelized to smoky perfection. For even heat distribution and maximum flavor, consider arranging vegetables in a cast-iron pan.
2. Succulent Roast Chicken
With your pizza oven, you can roast your chicken golden brown, with crispy skin and crackling, moist and tender flesh. Where the intense heat of a pizza oven will sear the chicken’s skin, the indirect heat will gently cook the interior, resulting in a chicken so juicy it’ll fall off the bone. Consider trussing the chicken for even cooking and basting with your favorite herb butter for extra flavor.
3. Artisan Bread
Forget store-bought loaves! The pizza oven’s steamy environment and high heat provide the perfect conditions for cooking crusty, flavorful bread. Experiment with different flours, add seeds and herbs, and watch your kitchen transform into a bakery filled with the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked goodness. For optimal heat distribution and a crispy bottom crust, consider using a baking stone.
4. Deliciously Smoked Pork Ribs
Forget slow cookers! The pizza oven’s gentle smoke and low heat create fall-off-the-bone ribs that are smoky, tender, and bursting with flavor. Marinate them in your favorite sauce, wrap them in foil, and let your pizza oven work its magic. If you would like an extra smoky punch, consider throwing in some wood chips to the fire.
5. Wood-Fired Paella
Pile in saffron-infused rice, chorizo, seafood, and vegetables, let the oven work its magic, and prepare for a fiesta of flavors. For even cooking, consider using a paella pan, and if you want to get that perfect crusty bottom, make sure that you do not stir too much.
6. Juicy Steaks
Forget BBQ grills, your pizza oven is the new steakhouse. The intense heat of the pizza oven sears the outside, and the indirect heat works up the interior to your desired doneness. Experiment with different cuts, marinades, and finishing techniques, and become the grill master you were always meant to be. For maximum searing, use a cast-iron pan, and to ensure that you are cooking at the right temperature range, consider using a meat thermometer. And for extra decadence, you can consider patting the stakes with garlic butter.
7. Tandoori Delights
Take your taste buds on a trip to India with tandoori chicken, paneer tikka, or even naan bread. Marinate your ingredients in yogurt and spices, let the pizza oven’s high heat work its magic, and prepare for an explosion of flavors. Consider using a tandoori oven stand or create a makeshift version with aluminum foil to ensure even heat distribution for cooking.
8. Decadent Desserts
Yes, you read that right! Your pizza oven can be a baking haven, too. It can help bake moist cakes with a hint of smoky caramel or a golden crust. Experiment with different fruits and spices, and use your oven to make scrumptious desserts. For perfect cooking, use cast-iron skillets and maintain your pizza oven temperature in a suitable range. Also, consider experimenting with different cooking times.
9. Cinnamon Rolls
Forget the store-bought stuff! Make your favorite cinnamon rolls in your pizza oven. Prepare the dough and roll it out on a floured surface. Cut the dough into individual rolls and place them on a baking sheet or pizza peel. Let the intense heat create a crispy bottom and perfectly caramelized swirls of cinnamon while the indirect heat keeps the interior moist and tender. Enjoy your golden brown and fluffy cinnamon rolls. Top with a sweet glaze or cream cheese frosting for an irresistible treat.
10. Naan Bread
Transform your pizza oven into a mini tandoor and bake up fresh, fluffy naan bread. The high heat will create the signature puffed texture, and the smoky flavor will add an extra layer of depth. Experiment with different flours for a variety of textures and flavors, and pair them with your favorite curries or dips.
11. Corn on the Cob
Ditch the boiling water and embrace the fiery char of your pizza oven! Toss corn on the cob with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then arrange them directly on the hot dome. The intense heat chars the kernels to perfection, creating a smoky, sweet, and irresistible treat.
12. Potato Chips
This is one of the simplest things to make in a pizza oven. Simply slice potatoes thinly, drizzle some olive oil, add your favorite herbs and spices, and then spread them on a baking stone. The high heat creates crispy, golden chips with a satisfying crunch and a smoky touch.
13. Gratin Potatoes
Layer thinly sliced potatoes, rich cream sauce, and your favorite cheese in a cast-iron skillet and place it in your pizza oven. The intense heat of the pizza oven will gently cook the potatoes until tender and bring the inside to bubbly perfection and top brown to golden.
14. Spatchcock Chicken
Flatten the bird by removing the backbone, then season it generously with herbs and spices. Cook it directly on the hot dome for a crispy skin and juicy interior. The spatchcocking allows for faster, more even cooking, making it a perfect weeknight meal.
15. Wood-Fired Sourdough
Unleash the true potential of your sourdough bread with your pizza oven! High heat and intense steam in a pizza oven create a crust unlike any other. Experiment with different flours, baking times, and scoring techniques to discover your sourdough masterpiece.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and create your own signature dishes! The beauty of your pizza oven is its versatility.
Choose the Ultimate Outdoor Pizza Oven with Multiple Functions
Selecting the perfect outdoor pizza oven is a pivotal step in enhancing your culinary adventures. Here are a few factors for you to consider before buying an outdoor pizza oven:
Fuel Type
Fuel type plays a crucial role in deciding what you can cook in a pizza oven and the cooking style. So, make sure that you pick a fuel type that is suitable for your cooking style.
- Wood-fired: Wood-fired pizza ovens offer a smoky flavor and the satisfaction of tending the flames but require more attention and fuel management. An artisan wood-fired pizza oven can be very expensive.
- Gas-powered: Gas ovens are easy to light and maintain, offering precise temperature control for consistent results.
- Electric: Plug in and play! Electric ovens are portable, eco-friendly, and require minimal maintenance but may offer limited temperature ranges.
Having a hard time choosing between gas and wood ovens? Check out our guide: Gas vs Wood Pizza Oven: Which One Should I Choose?
Oven Size and Cooking Capacity
Choose an oven size that fits your space and meets your cooking needs. Consider portability if you plan to move it around. This VEVOR Gas-Fired Pizza Oven features foldable legs, making it perfect for outdoor camping needs.
Material
Opt for an oven crafted from durable materials like stainless steel or refractory materials. These materials withstand high temperatures, ensuring longevity and reliability.
Temperature Control
Look for pizza ovens with temperature control features. Some models come equipped with adjustable dampers, allowing you to fine-tune the temperature according to your specific cooking needs. Some models also feature a built-in thermometer.
Versatility and Additional Features
Seek pizza ovens designed for versatility, with the capability to sear, roast, bake, and more. This ensures your outdoor cooking experiences extend beyond just pizza making. Also, check if your pizza oven offers additional accessories such as grates, pizza peels, and rotisseries to further enhance the functionality.
FAQs About Cooking in a Pizza Oven
Can you cook meat in a pizza oven?
Absolutely! Your pizza oven’s intense heat and diverse cooking zones make it perfect for a variety of meats. Just remember to adjust the temperature and cooking methods depending on the cut and desired doneness.
Can you cook burgers in a pizza oven?
Yes! Burgers cook quickly and evenly in the high heat of a pizza oven, resulting in juicy patties with a satisfying sear. Just be careful not to overcrowd the oven and adjust the cooking time based on the oven temperature.
Can you make a cake in a pizza oven?
Yes, you can bake cakes, pies, and even bread in your pizza oven. The key is using the appropriate cooking zone and temperature. Experiment with different baking techniques and recipes to create unique and flavorful desserts.
Conclusion
A pizza oven is a culinary powerhouse that can help you cook a range of dishes besides whipping up pizzas with bubbling cheese and crispy crust. But to be able to cook anything in your pizza oven, you have to master the cooking temperature—ensure the pizza oven temperature stays in the right range and the food is cooked for just the right amount of time. Let the pizza oven cooking temperature information shared in the article guide you as you explore what you can cook in a pizza oven.
You can begin testing your pizza oven’s roasting, grilling, and baking talents with the 12 recipes shared in the article. But remember, experimenting with different cooking techniques and dish variations will be key to unleashing the full potential of your pizza oven. Consider choosing a pizza oven with multiple features for maximum versatility and functionality.
Remember, the only limit is your imagination.
Bon appétit!
