My Backyard Brick Oven

          I have always loved pizza. Like most pizza lovers, it all started as a kid. There is something special about pizza...the sharing, the variety, the taste, the styles, the memories etc.

          This love of pizza was taken to another level when I learned it was possible to have restaurant quality pizza in your own backyard. I was first introduced to the magic of a wood fired oven (WFO) in Roseburg, OR about 15 years ago. My family has two seperate, close friends that each have a wood fired oven. I remember going to my first WFO  pizza party. It was an awesome social gathering. Everyone was having a blast prepping their own pies and watching the bake. The pizza was excellent and it was baked so quickly. It was obvious the WFO was the center of all this joy.

Fia

            A few years after my wife and I bought our first house, it was time to start thinking about a WFO of our own. I am fairly capable of building things, so my first instinct was to build it myself...brick by brick. I read a few books (Bread Builders, Build Your Own WFO) and the project appeared to be possible for me to tackle on my own. However, there were two main concerns. The first, I wanted the oven soon! If I built it in my free time, it would take at least a full Summer to complete. The second, I didn't want my oven to be my trial build. I wanted my oven to be perfect.

           I also looked at a few other options to make the build a bit easier. There are several options to buy oven kits. I considered Forno Bravo, and Brickwood Ovens. These are quality kits, but still would require a fair amount of work, and are relatively expensive. I kept looking for another option.

           After another year or so, I found Old World Brick Ovens in Vancouver, WA. Old World is operated by Dennis Eaton. Dennis is very knowledgeable, has a great deal of experience as a Mason, and does a great job building pizza ovens. Soon after I saw an oven he built, he was hired.

Roma 36 -The Build

           It was impressive to watch the progress of the build. First a rebar reinforced concrete slab was poured. Then the cinder block base was built up, complete with concrete and rebar tying it together. Once the base had time to cure, the frame for the counter was constructed. With the frame in the place, more rebar was added and concrete poured into the counter top mold. 

          Up to this point, the construction was pretty straightforward. The skill and craftsmanship was about to get started with the building of the dome. The hearth was laid in a herringbone pattern with fire brick. Then the walls of the dome went up...fire brick by fire brick. This was the part of the job I would have been most intimidated by on my own. It takes a lot of skill to get the dome, flue, and chimney right. Dennis built it all up in about 3 weeks, and a lot of that time was the concrete curing. He added a significant amount of insulation over the fire brick, more mortar, a skim coat, and stucco. I was super pleased with the final product. 

Doughboy at Work

       I cook all year round, but much more frequently during the beautiful Summer months in Portland. My wife and I host pizza nights as often as we can.    

             I have improved my pizza making dramatically over the years, yet I still have a ton to learn. I do it for the enjoyment of learning something new, bringing people together, and the joy of watching family and friends smile after a delicious slice. This year has been especially fun because I have been able to incorporate some of the pizza I have sampled this year as part of this blog.

             During a recent pizza night, I did a Tour De Portland pizza. I attempted to recreate four of my favorite Portland pizzas this year. They turned out great and everyone really enjoyed the idea. If you are interested in seeing a few of the pies I recreated, you can find pictures on my Instagram feed.

Pizza Time - Brick Dome

          The photo above gives a good look at the brick work I was describing earlier. When the bricks become "white hot" like this, it is the best time to cook pizza. Temperatures are generally above 700 degrees Fahrenheit. However, I typically try to bake pizza at closer to 800. 

              I am partial to wood fired pizza because the high heat and smoke are nearly impossible to replicate in other ovens. The high heat bakes the dough quick, giving it that crunch and char on the outside, yet chewy and airy on the inside. The wood burning offers a slight smoke flavor as well. 

            Brick ovens are most popular for baking pizza, but many people don't realize they can do much more. Brick ovens are so versatile. When I host a pizza night, I typically bake several loaves of bread earlier in the day when I am heating the oven up to temperature. Then we do pizza for several hours. After pizza, if I am prepared enough I will throw a pork butt or brisket in the oven to slow cook over night (the slow falling temperature overnight creates the most tender meat). Once I even cooked eggs and bacon the morning after a pizza night without adding any additional wood/heat. These ovens retain heat like you wouldn't believe.

Thanksgiving Tradition

             The last three years I have cooked our Thanksgiving turkey in the WFO. Each time it was terrific. Nice smoke, crispy outside, and juicy meat on the inside. This is another example of the versatility of the WFO.

Fresh Bread

               Bread in the WFO is another natural fit. Getting the oven to ~475 is simple and it holds the heat well to cook several loaves. Above are a few red wheat loaves I made this Summer. 

Montreal Bagels

              I have also made Montreal style bagels (inspired by Tastebud). They were made from scratch, boiled, then baked in the WFO. They were fantastic. My coworkers loved them!

              The WFO has been a blast to own. It is a great reason to spend time outside, learn new cooking techniques, bring people together, and have fun. If you are considering one in your back yard, I would highly recommend you add one sooner than later.
               
              I hope to enjoy this oven for a very long time, each year learning a bit more about the trade.


*Special thanks to @birgerbird for several of the photos*