Artisanal pizza is a terrific way to showcase your culinary techniques. You’ll have the freedom to mix and match ingredients to create a pizza that’s unique and suits your palate. Woodfired pizza ovens are a must for any serious backyard pizza maker because they give a sense of authenticity. It has a distinctive aroma and flavour that only a brick oven provides.
If you’re a homeowner wishing to have a woodfired pizza oven installed in your backyard for those weekend get-togethers, consider partnering with a reputable company like Orchard Ovens to work with. Look for one that can design bespoke ovens with exceptional results. They can help you with your dream outdoor pizza oven. Once you have your pizza oven in place, here are some practical tips to help you out.
Prepare the right tools
Before cleaning your pizza oven, ensure that you have the right tools. You wouldn’t want to use the wrong instrument to clean your oven. Remember, you need tools that will let you protect your skin, reach the inside of the pizza oven properly, and disinfect it correctly. Ensure you have ready a pail of water, wire brushes, a small shovel, a rag, a bottle of vinegar and a dustbin. These materials will help you take care of your oven.
Don’t clean the oven when it’s hot
Remember that a hot oven is a must to ensure that the crust becomes crispy and chewy enough. When cleaning your pizza oven, it’s essential to ensure it has cooled down properly before attempting to clean it. Trying to clean a hot oven can result in burns or other bodily accidents. Additionally, if you spray water on a hot oven or the pizza stone, there’s a huge chance that it will experience thermo-shock, which is an occurrence that weakens the stone and increases the chance of it breaking.
Start with the exterior
Begin the clean-up process once the oven has cooled down. Start with the exterior and remove any soot, grease, and food stains with a dry towel. If there are stubborn stains, use soapy water and a scrub brush to remove them and then wipe the area dry immediately. Remember to be as thorough as possible to ensure no stains remain.
Work on the inside
Use a stiff wire brush to remove soot, creosote, and any leftover food from the interior. Ensuring that everything is removed properly will also guarantee that your food is safe. Remove the ashes before you fire the oven again to ensure that the oven will work at the right temperature.
Clean the chimney
Don’t forget to check and clean the chimney. Soot accumulates after each operation, and it’s essential to keep the chimney spic-and-span. Use a heavy-duty brush to keep the chimneys clean.
Endnotes
If you have an outdoor woodfired pizza oven, keep it as clean as possible to ensure operational and food safety. Although it will take some time, cleaning the oven is quite easy.
