Complete Guide to Wood-Fired Pizza at Home

Cooking pizza over live fire is one of the most satisfying culinary experiences available. Pisa Fire Pizza guides you through everything you need to start making exceptional wood-fired pizza at home.

One. Choosing Your Wood-Fired Oven
For home use, portable propane-assisted ovens (Ooni Koda) offer convenience. Multi-fuel ovens (Ooni Karu) add authentic smoke flavor. Built-in masonry ovens are the ultimate investment for serious enthusiasts.

Two. Wood Selection for Flavor
Use hardwoods only. Oak and hickory burn hot and long. Fruit woods like apple and cherry burn slightly cooler but add sweetness. Avoid pine, cedar, or treated wood which produce toxic smoke.

Three. Fire Management and Temperature
Preheat your oven for 30-45 minutes until the stone floor reaches 750-900°F. Manage the fire with small logs, not large pieces. A consistently hot oven is more important than a raging fire.

Four. Dough for High Heat
High-heat dough requires higher hydration (65-70%) and more gluten strength to handle the rapid baking environment. Use bread flour or Italian 00 flour. Long cold fermentation (48-72 hours) is strongly recommended.

Five. The Launch and Rotate Technique
Use a well-dusted pizza peel to slide the pizza onto the stone in a single confident motion. Rotate the pizza 90 degrees every 15-20 seconds to ensure even baking under directional heat from the fire.

Six. Reading the Bake
A properly fire-baked pizza is done in 60-90 seconds at full temperature. Watch for leopard spotting on the cornicione, fully melted cheese with golden bubbles, and a lifted, crisp underside.