Can charcoal be used in a wood fired pizza oven?

Traditionally, pizzas have been cooked in wood-fired ovens since the 18th century, but there have also been many variations in terms of the fuel used to make these delicious pies.

Neapolitan pizzas are perhaps the best examples of classic wood-fired pizzas. They cook quickly and over high heat for a combination of tenderness and crunch.

But can you use charcoal in a wood-fired pizza oven? The short answer is yes, you can use charcoal to generate heat and cook the pizza, but you will need to consider a few things like flavor, heat, and smoke.

Read below to learn more about the proper use of charcoal in pizza ovens and some important precautions to keep in mind when using an alternative fuel.

Wood and charcoal ovens

In general, wood-fired ovens not only produce the right amount of heat, but also a slight aroma and a distinct flavor from cakes.

Wood-fired ovens are perfect for cooking pizzas quickly, as they cook raw dough in just a few minutes, making them ideal for commercial use.

These ovens are often found in many restaurants, and now there are even brands that offer miniaturized wood-fired or gas-fired portable pizza ovens as well.

Wood-fired pizza ovens are usually large and can hold many pies at one time, but they can vary in shape and size.

For example, a dome design can generate and dissipate heat more evenly than a rectangular oven.

Each pizzeria has its own techniques that make their pies stand out. Some may even use different types of wood to enhance the flavor of the pizza.

These hardwoods (and others) are traditionally used to fuel kilns:

1. Maple
2. Oak
3. ash tree
4. american walnut
5. Walnut

These types of wood are mostly free of impurities and burn slowly, which means manufacturers don’t have to hoard them or add to their expense by constantly burning a cu.

As stated, these types of wood can also impart a distinct flavor to the pizza as it cooks, making them crucial for better and unique tasting pizzas.

Wood-fired ovens work by first placing the wood in piles inside the oven. You can take a log from the pile and use it as a starter.

This starter log is put on the fire and placed among the woodpile. A fan can be used to slowly blow air over the pile to start the fire.

Liquid fuel, coal, or charcoal can also be used to light the initial woodpile.

This practice is not recommended as it can impart an aroma in the oven and even affect the flavor of the wood - a little patience goes a long way when using a wood oven.

Once the pile is lit, the firewood can be removed with a specialized utensil. You can also add more wood at this time until the oven reaches the right temperature.

Typically, a wood oven can take about 45 minutes to heat up the oven and reach temperatures of about 650-800°F.

The kiln may also be provided with a chimney or controlled exhaust which can be used to expel excess coal ash or reduce heat from the kiln.

Once the kiln is heated, more wood can be added periodically to keep the temperature stable.

Charcoal vs. Charcoal

Firstly, coal is a mineral that forms naturally over millions of years and has to be mined, while charcoal is made from wood.

Charcoal has different characteristics from coal and raw wood. It generates more heat than wood and can also be filled with impurities or even supplemented with real charcoal.

It is not a good idea to use ordinary charcoal to cook pizzas, as it will produce much more smoke and ash. This can also give the pizza too strong a flavor.

This is why many manufacturers use other sources, such as charcoal (made from wood), to fuel their kilns. Restaurant-grade charcoal is a much better option and can be purchased for home use.

Here’s a helpful tutorial for cooking pizza in a charcoal oven from Pizzaiolo Harri on YouTube.

Can you cook pizza with regular charcoal?

Regular charcoal is known to not only produce a lot of smoke, but also toxic fumes that can cause damage over time. These cheaper coals also burn quickly and produce a lot of residue or ash that can contaminate cakes as well.

However, if you’re really looking for coal recommendations, anthracite coal is a type of coal that burns slower, produces less smoke, and has very few impurities compared to regular coal.

Anthracite coal burns more slowly than regular coals, allowing it to be used for extended cooking sessions. It can also be considered a safer alternative in terms of the fumes generated by the combustion of coal.

This type of coal is used commercially in many coal furnaces and can reach temperatures of about 800-1000°F in about an hour. Charcoal ovens are often dome shaped so that the heat is evenly distributed throughout the oven.

The difference, however, is that these coals do not produce an open flame. Rather, they provide a higher stable temperature that can cook pizza in a matter of minutes, but cannot char it like wood-fired ovens.

Also, while some people may not be able to tell the difference between wood-fired and coal-fired ovens, there are those who swear by each when it comes to the flavor, texture, and aroma of the pizza.

That’s why it’s important that you use the highest quality charcoal available if you plan to cook pizza with a charcoal oven.

What is the difference?

Also, coal ovens also work a little differently. Here’s a quick table that explains the difference between the two fuels.

How to cook with a charcoal oven

The charcoal briquettes are first ignited and then evenly distributed in a single layer across the bottom of the kiln.

Once the charcoal briquettes are sufficiently ignited and the kiln has reached the proper temperature, the charcoal briquettes are pushed out of the way in either direction and excess ash is blown off to clear the cooking surface of the kiln.

This technique not only allows the oven to quickly reach the desired temperature, but also prepares the bottom of the oven so that the bottom of the pie will cook evenly as well.

Once everything is in order, the pies are inserted and cooked in a few minutes thanks to the high heat.

The pizza chef can also take the cake with special utensils and bring it closer to the charcoal briquettes so that it chars just like in a wood-fired oven.

A motorized fan can also be placed near the air inlet to increase the temperature or remove excess ash from the coal.

Regardless of the fuel you use, make sure you have adequate ventilation when using charcoal or wood. Charcoal ovens should be cleaned regularly so that there is as little residue or ash as possible after each cooking session.

Final thoughts

Wood-fired ovens are the classic method of making pizza. The type of wood used in these ovens plays a huge role in how the pizza looks, tastes, and smells.

While not everyone will be able to pick up on the subtle flavors, many aficionados will be able to tell the difference almost immediately.

Many pizzerias use charcoal ovens commercially because they offer better heat distribution and impart different and complex flavors and aromas to your pizza.

Normally, a wood oven reaches about 650-850°F, while coal ovens can reach 700°F.

Related questions

Here are some questions that may arise after reviewing the differences between wood ovens and coal ovens.

Can a mixture of coal and wood be used in a pizza oven?

Yes, you can use a mixture of both fuels, but it would be redundant to use both at the same time. In an emergency, when you don’t have enough of both, then yes, you can use both to power the oven.

Is there more coal available than wood for pizza ovens?

In some regions, the availability of charcoal is more frequent and easily accessible than that of wood, which may require some type of work.

Even if you can get your hands on cuerda (a measure of wood, defined as 128 cubic feet) you may have to manually cut the wood to fit the kiln, whereas charcoal doesn’t have that prerequisite.

What kind of fuel is best for a makeshift indoor oven?

Do not use wood or charcoal indoors without proper ventilation. These ovens can reach extremely high temperatures, which may make them unsuitable for indoor use.

Always consult an expert before attempting to use any type of fuel indoors.