The Ultimate Gas Pizza Oven FAQ

Get the answers to all your gas fired pizza oven frequently asked questions in my gas pizza oven FAQ. Learn more with the Grilling Life Q&A.

Gas-fueled outdoor pizza ovens open up a whole new world of possibilities for home cooks looking to step up their pizza game without the hassle of firing up a wood-powered oven. But when it comes to buying a gas pizza oven, you have a lot of options and details to consider.

We put together this gas pizza oven FAQ guide to help answer your questions, educate you about these powerful outdoor cooking tools, and make your buying journey as smooth as possible.

Keep reading our gas pizza oven FAQs to learn more about what exactly makes a gas pizza oven, how to use and maintain one, the types of dishes you can cook in one (not just pizza!), and more. Plus we’ll give you some purchasing and installation pointers if you’re considering adding one to your own backyard.

Check back often as we add questions and update the answers with new articles!

What is an Outdoor Pizza Oven?

An outdoor pizza oven is a specialized oven designed to reach extremely high temperatures and cook foods in a way that traditional indoor ovens simply can’t. Outdoor pizza ovens come in a variety of sizes and materials and are typically fueled by either gas or wood.

How do Gas Pizza Ovens Work?

Gas pizza ovens use natural gas or propane to fuel the flame that heats up the oven. Over time that heat is trapped within the materials that make up the oven’s dome and base. Once the oven has reached and retained the proper cooking temperature, you’re ready to slide your pizza in and bake!

Which is Better: Gas or Wood Pizza Ovens?

This question comes down to preference: are you more interested in an authentic experience, or are you looking for a more convenient way to make homemade pizza?

A wood-fired pizza oven will take longer to heat up, but deliver hotter temperatures, and a crispier, bubblier pizza that’s closer to what traditional Italian pizza makers have been creating for decades.

If you rather spend more time cooking and less time waiting for your oven to heat up or sweeping up ash afterward, a gas oven is the choice for you.

What is the Difference Between a Bread Oven & a Pizza Oven?

The primary difference here is how bread and pizza cook. Bread ovens are designed to bake loaves at low heat, so they don’t have the ability to reach and maintain the temperatures needed for quality pizza.

Pizza ovens, on the other hand, can reach and sustain temperatures that allow you to easily bake multiple loaves of bread at one time. Long story short: you can bake bread in your pizza oven, but not vice versa.

Is it Easy to Make Pizza with Gas Ovens?

Between gas and wood-fired pizza ovens, gas ovens are typically easier to use because you don’t have to worry about building up a fire, waiting a long time for the oven to heat up, and sustaining or moving the fire.

How Long does it Take to Cook a Pizza in a Gas Oven?

How long your pizza needs to cook will depend on the temperature of your oven, but expect your pie to be hot and ready to eat in anywhere from 90 seconds to 10 minutes.

How should I Decide which Size Pizza Oven to Buy? faq-7

The biggest factor to consider when deciding which oven is right for you is the outdoor space you have available – the biggest oven available on the market won’t do you much good if you only have your apartment’s patio to work with.

You should also consider the number of people you regularly cook or entertain for, and get an oven that’s big enough that you don’t have to spend an entire party rotating pizzas in and out of an oven for them.

Can I Build a Pizza Oven into an Outdoor Kitchen?

Definitely! A pizza oven makes a great addition to an existing outdoor kitchen, or a feature to include in your plans to build a new one. You can build it into a countertop, have it built above a fireplace, or even put it under a countertop like a traditional oven. The customization options are endless!

Can I Use an Outdoor Pizza Oven Indoors?

As convenient as it would be to have the power of an outdoor pizza oven indoors, the answer is no. Outdoor pizza ovens can emit carbon monoxide and smoke that can become dangerous in an enclosed space. When in doubt, check your owner’s manual.

How Long does it Take to Preheat a Gas Pizza Oven?

How long your oven takes to heat up will depend on its size and the material it’s made of, but gas-fueled ovens will typically heat up in as little as 20 – 30 minutes — pretty quickly compared to their wood-fired cousins.

How can I Tell when my Pizza Oven is Hot Enough for Cooking?

Since there’s no wood fire to help you gauge the temperature of your gas-powered pizza oven, an infrared thermometer will be your best bet at making sure it’s hot enough for cooking.

You can also try tossing a handful of cornmeal onto the oven floor – if it browns and roasts right away, your oven is ready! If it burns, you’ll need to reduce the temperature before cooking.

How Hot does a Gas Pizza Oven Get?

Pizza ovens can range in temperature from 400°F to 900°F, but the ideal temp for perfectly cooked pizza will typically be around 650-750°F.

Why does a Pizza Oven Need to Get so Hot?

Getting a traditionally well-baked pizza requires the right temperature to evaporate the water inside the dough quickly, create those signature bubbles and charring on the crust, and fully melt the cheese. In order to achieve all of these things, your oven needs to reach temperatures hotter than what a conventional kitchen oven can achieve.

Is a Pizza Oven Safe Around Children?

Because of the high temperatures a gas pizza oven reaches, it can become hot to the touch depending on how and where it’s installed — you’ll want to keep an eye on children if they’re around while you’re using it.

That being said, if properly installed it shouldn’t pose any more of a risk to children than other outdoor appliances like a grill.

Does a Gas Pizza Oven Need a Chimney?

Yes! ll of the hot air, smoke, and ash that builds up inside of your pizza oven needs to be directed somewhere so it doesn’t leak out the front, and a chimney is required to do that safely.

Do you Need to Use a Pizza Stone, or can you Cook on the Oven Surface?

While you can cook your pizza right on the floor of your oven, you’ll have a way easier time cleaning up afterward if you use a pizza stone.

What’s the Largest Pizza you can Cook in a Gas Pizza Oven?

While most people will buy a large pizza oven in order to bake several smaller pies at once, feel free to go big! The only thing limiting the size of pizza you can create is the width of the door and how much you trust your pizza peel handling skills.

What else can you Cook in a Gas Pizza Oven?

The sky’s the limit! Other than the fact that it cooks hotter and faster than your typical oven, you can pretty much experiment with any recipe using your gas pizza oven. You can bake bread, roast meat, fish, or vegetables, make appetizers and side dishes, and even try desserts!

Can a Gas Pizza Oven also Work as a Barbecue?

Because of its ability to retain heat, a gas pizza oven can work great as a barbecue! You’ll just want to use a lower temperature than what you’d cook a pizza at, of course, for that classic low and slow style of barbecue.

What is Curing and do I Need to do this Before I Cook in my Pizza Oven?

Curing is the process of slowly and continuously heating your oven to evaporate excess moisture in the concrete that’s leftover from manufacturing and installation. This process strengthens the masonry and helps prevent cracking, so check your oven’s owner’s manual before you plan to cook in it for the first time to see if curing is required.

Curing won’t be necessary with every oven, but if your manual recommends it do not skip this step!

How Often should I Clean my Pizza Oven?

Make it a habit to clean your gas pizza oven between every use.

How do I Clean my Pizza Oven?

Cleaning is especially easy in a gas oven since a gas-fueled fire doesn’t produce any ash! Once your oven is cool, just sweep out any debris that’s leftover from cooking and you’re good to go for next time.

How do I Maintain my Pizza Oven?

The most surefire way to maintain your oven is to follow the instructions for curing and cleaning in your owner’s manual. In general, it’s smart to keep the chimney protected from the elements, clean the gas burners every 6-8 months, and keep an eye on any other parts of the gas burners or igniter that may malfunction and need to be replaced.

What Surface is Safe to Put my Pizza Oven on?

Most gas-fired pizza ovens can be safely placed on a stainless steel, granite, or concrete countertop. If your countertops are granite, you’ll want to place a ceramic board under the oven for an extra layer of protection. Just be sure not to place the oven on any wooden surfaces.

Will Stainless Steel Pizza Ovens Warp over Time with the High Heat?

If your oven is maintained well, no – stainless steel pizza ovens are designed to withstand high temperatures and give you years of cooking enjoyment.

Can I Use my Oven in the Winter or a Cold Climate?

Yes! Pizza ovens are built to withstand extreme changes in temperatures, so firing yours up in winter won’t hurt it. Plus all of the heat will be kept inside, so the temperature outside won’t impact your cooking. You’ll just want to keep any snow or ice out of the chimney and make sure you’re bundled up to stay warm while you’re out there cooking.

My Gas Pizza Oven Won’t Light

If your gas pizza oven isn’t lighting, it could be due to a few different reasons such as a broken ignitor, faulty thermocouple, disconnected gas hose, or lack of air. Check your oven’s manual for a troubleshooting guide to narrow down the cause of your lighting issues, and contact a pro if you’re still having trouble.

My Pizza Oven Produces Uneven Cooking

Uneven cooking can be a sign of poor ventilation in your oven, fluctuating gas pressure, an issue with your door or thermostat, or that you’re putting too many pizzas or other dishes into your oven to cook at one time.

My Pizza Oven Gets too Hot or Doesn’t Get Hot Enough

If your oven is having temperature issues, it’s likely your thermostat needs to be recalibrated or replaced. You may also want to be sure your oven is at the right temperature setting for cooking pizzas.

My Pizza is Undercooked or Overcooked

The first troubleshooting step here is to check your recipe. If you’re following a recipe correctly and your pizzas are still not coming out right, it could be a sign that your oven temperature is not correct or that you’re not cleaning and maintaining your oven properly.

What do I do if I Smell Gas?

If you smell gas while using your oven, it’s most likely a sign of an issue with the oven’s installation and gas connections. Shut off the gas supply and call a professional technician to look for the leak — do not keep cooking or try to fix anything on your own.

Can I Use my Pizza Oven Under a Patio or Awning?

Most manufacturers don’t recommend this, since the smoke coming from the oven’s chimney can damage the underside of the patio or awning. You can buy an extension for your oven’s chimney to direct it out from under the patio to avoid this damage, but you’ll want to check with your local building codes before doing this.

I Only have the Budget and Space for a Portable Pizza Oven. Is it Worth it?

Yes! You can still make a delicious pizza in a portable oven, even if you can only cook one at a time. Plus many portable ovens still have the space to let you experiment with baking breads, cooking meat, and trying out other non-pizza recipes.

What Accessories do I Need for a Pizza Oven?

A pizza peel (those long paddles you see in pizzerias) is a must-have to get your pizza in and out of the oven. The length and material of the pizza peel you choose is ultimately a matter of preference, but this is the one accessory we absolutely recommend that you get before planning your first pizza party.

An infrared thermometer is super helpful as well as a sharp pizza cutter, cleaning tools, and a fun pizza cookbook.

When it comes to other utensils, pots, and pans, you can use what you usually use in your kitchen or for your grill.

Is Wood or Metal Pizza Peel Better?

Metal pizza peels are better at withstanding the heat of an oven and are typically easier to slide under a finished pizza to take it out.

Wood pizza peels can also sometimes dry out and splinter because of the heat, so if you opt for a wood pizza peel or use a metal peel that has wood parts, wet them down or coat them with oil occasionally to moisturize them.

Where can I Find Pizza Recipes?

A quick online search will turn up tons of recipes for your gas-fired pizza oven, however, This Site Pizza Recipes is one of our favorites to start with!

Gas Pizza Oven FAQ Final Thoughts

I hope our gas-fired pizza oven FAQ guide has helped answer your questions about these powerful yet convenient outdoor appliances. Adding one to your backyard is an awesome investment in your outdoor cooking setup, and a great excuse to enjoy hot, authentic pizza whenever you want.

If you have any other questions or want more information about the pizza oven topics we covered in these FAQs, leave us a comment below or send in an email. We’ll do our best to get you an answer and may even add your question to our guide!

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Cheers,

Patrick

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