Does The Type Of Wood You Use Affect The Taste Of Your Wood-fired Pizza

When it comes to methods of cooking, we know that each way has a different flavour that it imparts on our dish. It’s why people love their cast-iron pans so much, claiming they can taste extra richness in their food when cooking with one. It’s also why Australia is going crazy for high-quality wood-fired ovens from Alfa Ovens… they make everything taste better!

But what about the choice of fuel we use in our wood-fired ovens? Can the wood we burn affect the flavour of our pizza? Let’s find out, thanks to the pizza pros at Alfa Ovens.

Yes, wood choice affects flavour!

In short, yep: the wood you choose to burn can affect the flavour of your pizza, giving you even more to have fun and experiment with when you get behind your oven. Let’s take a look at some of the best wood types to use in your pizza oven, and discuss the flavour that they impart on your food.

Ironbark

Ironbark is one of the most common woods to burn in your wood-fired pizza oven. It’s affordable, widely available and, as a hardwood, it’s a slow burner that’s easy to control the oven temperature when using it. Ironbark is known for its subtle smoky flavour, which has minimal effect on the flavour of your pizza.

Grey Box

Grey box is very similar to ironbark in many ways. It’s a widely available hardwood which burns nice and steady, while giving the chef supreme temperature control ability. It also has a subtle smoky flavour, perfect for all foods in your wood-fired pizza oven.

Redgum

Redgum is a fantastic choice for pizza ovens. Like ironbark and grey box, it’s a hardwood which has great temperature-control properties and allows for steady adjusting of heat when necessary. It’s denser than the other two, and burns hotter for longer. It also slightly less smoky because of this, and has a more natural flavour for pizza.

Fruitwoods


Here’s where we get fancy! Fruitwoods like apple, plum and walnut, can all be used in moderation to enhance your pizza’s flavour. Giving a subtle, fruity twist to your food, they’re the best wood with which to experiment.

AVOID: pine and spruce

While most woods are OK to use in your wood-fired oven, we suggest you stay away from pine and spruce. These coniferous evergreens leave a sticky residue on the inside of your oven, making it hell to remove.

There’s nothing more fun than becoming a master of making pizza by experimenting with a whole range of different woods. It’s time to put this information to good use and invest in a pizza oven! Alfa Ovens are one of the world’s favourite manufacturers of Italian wood-fired pizza ovens, priding themselves on a quality product at a quality price. Reach out to the team at Alfa Ovens today so you can start making your own mouth-watering pizzas.