Have you ever had the aroma of wood-fired pizza fill your backyard on a warm summer evening? It’s nothing short of magical, and the only thing that beats it is when you finally take that first bite. A crisp base, melted cheese, and that unique smokey flavour that you just can’t beat…
We have already explored how to cook in a wood-fired pizza oven, but you might not have the space for one. So the good news is that you can still make a mouthwatering pizza using your outdoor fireplace as we explore how it can be turned into a pizza-making powerhouse using our premium pizza hood accessory.
When you want a fantastic pizza, start by perfecting your dough. You want it to be chewy yet crisp, solid enough to support the toppings while still being light and airy on the inside. Of course, everyone has different tastes, and one of the best things about making your own pizza at home is that you can adjust the dough to your liking. Make it a little thicker for a more substantial base, or keep it slim for that authentic Neopolitan style.
Here’s a simple recipe - a family favourite from our ultimate guide to cooking on an outdoor fireplace.
Ingredients:
Method:
The slow rise is important for developing flavour, so no skipping. If you have the time (and fridge space), it’s even better if you just make your dough the day before and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. This produces a deeper, more complex taste that really intensifies when cooked in a wood-fired environment.
Temperature control is something you’ll have to master for a perfect pizza, and it’s even more important with our pizza hood cooking accessory on an outdoor fireplace. Unlike with conventional ovens, wood-fired cooking depends on a balance of direct and ambient heat. But our pizza hood cooking accessory helps this concept by trapping the heat and letting it circulate around your pizza, similar to how traditional brick ovens work.
Now, here's how to prepare your outdoor fireplace:
Patience is key when you cook pizza on an outdoor fireplace. Wait until your fire has a good bed of embers with a small, manageable flame, and this will ensure you keep the heat consistent throughout the cooking process.
This is when the magic happens. The combination of intense heat plus the wood smoke creates that distinctive flavour that you can’t get with a normal oven.
Don’t stress if your first few don’t turn out perfect, there’s a learning curve to cooking with fire. With time and practice, you will develop a feel for when to rotate the pizza and when to pull it out.
Our tip: look for those leopard spots on the crust, wait for the cheese to bubble, and make sure the base is firm enough to be lifted out without losing its shape.
This classic is still popular for a reason. If you want the quality of your ingredients and your cooking skills to speak for themselves, this margherita is the perfect choice. Naturally, you want to make sure you’re using the best ingredients you can find - ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and aromatic basil. When cooked in your outdoor fireplace, the flavours will intensify and turn into a mouthwatering masterpiece.
For cheese lovers, this four-cheese masterpiece is irresistible. The white base lets the different characteristics of each cheese shine through without the distracting acidity of tomato. Its complex flavours, from the sharpness of the parmesan to the creaminess of the ricotta, make this a delicious but sophisticated choice.
When attached to your outdoor fireplace, our premium pizza hood cooking accessory creates ultimate perfection for an authentic wood-fired pizza, complete with a pizza stone for that crispy base. But it’s only one of our premium cooking accessories specially designed to enhance the aesthetic of your outdoor fireplace, or turn your outdoor fireplace into a complete outdoor kitchen with endless flavour possibilities.
Our outdoor fireplaces can be equipped with a stainless steel cooking frame for grilling, or even a high-quality rotisserie to make succulent roasts. If you’re craving a meal cooked with fire, it’s now as easy as stepping into the comfort of your own backyard.
An outdoor fireplace isn’t just about keeping you warm, it’s a luxurious focal point for your outdoor living area. A dedicated pizza oven might only be used once or twice a month, but your outdoor fireplace provides endless warmth, allowing you to entertain friends and family outdoors. All while serving up a fresh pizza with that unmistakable wood-fired flavour.
Planning to unlock all sorts of flavour possibilities?