13. Oktober 2023

How to properly fire up a pizza oven - reaching 500°C!

How the hell do I fire up this box properly? Everyone who owns a mobile pizza oven has asked themselves this question sooner or later. Does that sound familiar to you? Are you also part of the faction standing in front of their oven with big question marks on their forehead? Then you're in the right place!

We've burned the midnight oil for you countless nights and shoved a bunch of pizza mopeds into the oven to not only write down the ultimate guide for firing up your mobile pizza oven, but also to shoot a tutorial video where we go through everything with you. From the most common questions, choosing the right fuel, to a step-by-step guide to firing up your oven, you'll find everything you need here to achieve devilishly high temperatures of up to 500 °C for pizza baking! So get your pizza dough and sauce ready - we'll handle the rest together.

1. Firing up a pizza oven – FAQs

2. Guide: How to get your pizza oven to 500 °C

3. Firing up a pizza oven with gas module

4. Special tips for pizza baking

5. Pizza oven tips in video format

Pizza oven firing - FAQ

How do I get my pizza oven to 500 °C?

Short and sweet: Start NERO with pellets first and then heat it with pellets and wood alternately. Be careful not to add too much fuel at once, so you don't smother the fire or have flames shoot out of the oven. You can see exactly how it works in the video or read more below!

My pizza oven (according to the thermometer) is not reaching the correct temperature - what could be the issue?

The temperature can vary between the thermometer and the interior depending on the wind, weather, and heat distribution in the oven. It is important that the flames consistently hit the ceiling of the oven and that you have preheated the oven (or pizza stone) long enough. If you want to know exactly, it's best to use a laser thermometer for the interior.

My pizzas aren't crispy - what could be the reason?

Even when the thermometer is at the limit, it may happen that crispy dough is nowhere to be found. First, make sure you have preheated the oven long enough. The pizza stone needs 15-20 minutes to fully absorb the heat. Then check if flames are shooting up behind the heat shield and providing the necessary top heat. This happens if you constantly refill the combustion chamber and push the fuel forward towards the heat shield when needed.

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What fuel to use for the pizza oven?

Imagine fueling a pizza oven like a balanced diet: Without proper food - in this case, the right fuel - your body will never get going. The same goes for your pizza oven. But instead of carrots or celery sticks, your pizza oven needs fuel that burns long-lasting and evenly to reach the right temperature.

After countless baking sessions and (of course, purely scientific) pizza orgies in our grill garage, we have discovered that the best option for this is a combination of compact pressed pellets and small cut logs. Alternatively, charcoal and briquettes are also suitable options.

What pellets to use for the pizza oven?

Pellets are not all the same. Use only completely dry and appropriate grill or smoker pellets to light your pizza oven. It's better to avoid pellets for heaters. They often contain sawdust, glue, solvents, and other additives - you don't want that on your pizza, trust me.

Which wood to use for the pizza oven?

When it comes to firewood, there is an important thing to consider: The wood should be the right size and completely dry. Firewood kindling from the hardware store is great if you don't want to cut the logs yourself. Otherwise, it is best to stick to hardwood species (e.g., beech, oak, ash) – they burn particularly hot and long.

How to heat your home pizza oven to 500 °C

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1. Ignite the pizza oven

Take the firebox with the wooden handle out of the pizza oven, add a handful of pellets to the box, and light them until they burn properly. Make sure not to overload the firebox. Too many pellets would suffocate the fire. A Bunsen burner is particularly suitable for easy lighting. You can get one for just a few euros at the hardware store.

Alternatively, you can use a piece of newspaper soaked in vegetable oil. Classic fire starters like lighting cubes or wood wool are also a good alternative. Please never use alcohol to light the pellets. Not only does it prevent a controlled burn of your pellets, but there is also a risk of a deflagration with meter-high flames due to the escaping gases.

When the first load of pellets is almost burned down, add another handful and wait a few more minutes until they burn properly.

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2. Ignite the pizza oven

Now put 1-2 logs into the chamber through the chute and let them burn properly. Just like with the pellets, don't add too much so the fire has a chance to get hotter. To ensure your pizzas turn out nice and crispy on top, it's essential to have proper top heat. Make sure tall flames are created that shoot up to the ceiling from the firebox and are directed over the ceiling into the interior. This way you will definitely achieve the desired top heat.

NOTE: You've followed all the steps up to this point, but your flames are still extremely weak? First, check your logs. Could they be not completely dry or a bit too large? It's also possible that your pellets have absorbed moisture. Therefore, make sure to always store them in a dry place. In the worst case, let the contents of the firebox completely burn out once and let the ashes cool down before disposing of them. Then thoroughly check your equipment and give it another try.

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3. Preheat the pizza oven

Let 1-2 loads burn completely. For this, fill pellets and logs alternately through the shaft. Also, push the fuel close to the deflector plate for maximum top heat. However, make sure to wear fireproof grill gloves so you don't burn your paws. It takes approximately 15-20 minutes for NERO to reach full temperature.

OUR TIP: We can't stress this enough: Less is definitely more with NERO! Do not overfill the firebox and let the flames burn high before adding more fuel. Remember: fewer flames also mean less heat on the pizza.

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4. Keeping the pizza oven at temperature

Now you can bake the pizza! To keep the pizza oven at full power, add a few more pellets and pieces of wood after 2-3 pizzas. Always wait about 5-10 minutes until everything is burning and no more smoke is coming out of the chimney.

Vegan

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Firing up Pizza Oven with Gas Module

Want to make it extra easy? Then heat up your NERO with the appropriate Gas Module - completely without wood, pellets, coal... and ash. With electric ignition and consistent temperatures, baking pizzas will be even easier and you will reach 500°C even faster. Here's how:

Follow the instructions to install the Gas Module and connect it to the gas bottle as described.
Preheat the pizza oven at full heat (knob set to "HI") with the door closed for 10-15 minutes.
Now your gas-powered NERO is also ready for pizza after pizza - with individual temperature control, without the need for reloading.

So that the pizza party doesn't end - our special tips

Now that you know how to maximize your pizza oven's performance, we have one final huge goodie for you - our special hacks for your NERO. With these, you'll definitely become the coolest pizzaiolo in town!

Your NERO should definitely stand protected from the wind. The reason: If strong winds blow over your terrace or through the garden, it can reduce the performance. The same applies to low outside temperatures. Plan for it to be cooler in your pizza oven during those times.
Always open the door only briefly so that valuable heat is not lost.
When burning wood, pellets & co., empty the firebox approximately every 8-10 pizzas. Too much ash can smother the fire or block the airflow.
The hotter the oven, the more attentive the pizza maker must be: At temperatures up to 500 °C, you should rotate your pizza by 180° after about 45 seconds (so the side that was facing the inferno before turning should face you after turning), so that the dough bakes evenly on all sides and does not turn black.
Place the pizza as close to the door as possible, otherwise it may burn at the back edge at maximum heat.
If the temperature is too hot for handling, after the first 30-45 seconds, you can simply leave the door open and constantly rotate the pizza. Thanks to the pizza stone made of heat-storing cordierite, it should be well baked from below. Rotation is important to ensure the crust bakes evenly high.
To protect yourself from the heat, it's best to wear heat-resistant grill gloves and a sturdy grill apron!

Vegetarian

You can find even more pizza oven tips in the video!

Jelena Lozo

Prinzessin Pancetta

Jelena's happy place is the kitchen and grill. Thanks to her Balkan roots, it's always about one thing for her: food! And she loves it good and plentiful. Whether for guests, the perfect dish, or learning new skills, she doesn't mind getting her hands dirty, might even butcher a wild boar or dry beef hearts at home. No wonder she quickly abandons her Kölsch glass for BURNHARD and ventures into the forbidden city!