My dad would always fire up the smoker on the Fourth of July, put on his favorite John Phillips Sousa marches and sit out there with a cold adult beverage for hours cooking our meal. It was really the only time I ever would see him use the smoker, in fact it was because the thing was old and a pain in the butt to maintain. Which of course he would always make me do, cleaning out the ashes and hauling the hickory wood to the backyard. If only my dad had the new technologies we have today to fire up the wood fired oven and have a pizza cooking in just minutes.
Pictured above is one of several new models that just arrived just in time for the Fourth of July. We even tried one out last Friday during the work day. We cooked pork tenderloin, baked beans, potatoes and some buttermilk biscuits. Talk about being worthless the rest of the day after a meal like that. These wood fired ovens come in several sizes and we have them on display in our showroom. Below, I will give you a little background about the wood fired tradition to see if you would like to add it to your Fourth of July ritual.
The history of wood fired cooking goes back to the time that man discovered fire. The roots of the "Clay/Brick" oven are typically traced back to the days of Pompeii. Brick ovens originally became commonly used for cooking breads. Clay ovens became very popular because of their unique cooking style, with intense heat on the cooking surface and intense heat radiating down upon the food in a uniform manner. There is a misconception that the Brick Oven has solely an Italian heritage. In fact, As clay ovens were developed, two basic styles of ovens became popular in the baking industries, "Black Ovens" and "White Ovens." In recent history, the wood-fired oven became famous for cooking pizzas. The reality is that all clay ovens will prepare pizza's better than any other cooking appliance. But please don't sell your wood-fired oven short! Anything that you would normally cook in an oven will taste dramatically better in a wood-fired oven. Wood-fired ovens impart a "hint" of smoke flavors without the overpowering smoke effects in a "smoker."
Black Ovens:
A "black" oven gets its name for having the fire and food prepared in the same chamber. Typically the fire is built, bringing the oven to a cooking temperature. It typically requires a minimum of an hour to bring the clay to temperature. Once the clay reaches temperature for cooking the fire is brushed either to the side or behind the food and has been reduced to embers. The clay oven will maintain temperature for a long time, often through the next day as the clay will remain hot for several hours. These ovens also impart a hint of the smoke flavor into the foods as the smoke remains in the same chamber.
White Ovens:
A "white" oven will have two separate chambers, one for wood burning and one for food preparation. These chambers are completely segregated as the heat from the fire will heat up the clay chamber and produce the unique cooking characteristics described above. It is very easy to clean and add firewood to a white oven without disturbing the foods prepared in the oven. The smoke never enters the cooking chamber, thus the foods are not imparted with smoke flavors.
Quintessential "Hybrid" Ovens:
The Quintessential Wood-Fired Ovens are a Hybrid, utilizing the benefits of each oven. Like a White Oven, our ovens have two chambers, one for food and one for the fire. It is easy to add firewood and no cleaning or moving of the firewood is required during the cooking process. Fly-Ash will only be generated in situations where there are significant winds or a significant amount of wood is added to the fire chamber. Like a Black Oven, our ovens allow the smoke to enter into the food chamber. There is an opening between the wood fire chamber and the cooking chamber on each Quintessential Wood-Fired Oven. Thus, you get the benefit of imparting smoky flavors into your foods.
About the Q Series Wood Fired Ovens:
The Quintessential Outdoor Living Wood Fired Ovens have the wood burning chamber below the cooking chamber while most of the competitors have it side-by-side. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of our system?
· “Hybrid” Design: “black” ovens have the fire in the cooking chamber. A “white” oven separates the chambers. The Q Series oven line is a “hybrid” design that has vents along the sides allowing smoke to pass from the lower fire chamber to the upper cooking chamber to impart the terrific smoke flavor to food without the mess of ashes. Also, the shape of the oven is designed to radiate heat in an identical manner as a traditional brick oven.
· Cost savings: installation of a typical brick oven costs $10,000+. The Q Series oven line is more affordably priced to allow more families to enjoy an exceptional wood fired cooking experience.
· Quick and easy set-up: The Q Series oven line arrives mostly assembled and takes about 20 minutes to set up. Built in ovens can take days or even weeks to build and install.
· Mobility: with an optional ruggedly-constructed base, the Q Series oven line can be moved around the patio or go with the homeowner should they move.
· Quick heating times: the Q Series Ovens will heat to cooking temperature within 20 minutes compared to the one hour or more needed with the built-in brick/clay alternative.
People spend a lot of money for a Wood Fired Oven. What else can the Q Series Wood Fired Oven be used for other than Pizza?
The Q Series Wood Fired Ovens get to the very essence of cooking as it was from the very beginning of the human experience – cooking over a wood fire. The Quintessential Outdoor Living wood fire ovens are great for cooking meat, bread, vegetables, pies and many other great dishes, NOT JUST PIZZA.
Do you have a cookbook?
We are evaluating a few cookbooks on wood fired cooking that are currently in print to see which one would be the best fit for us. More importantly, we want to hear from our customers about their experiments, tips and ideas! If they send us recipes and ideas, we will post them on our web site. We will also include the “best of the best” in a cookbook that we hope to offer in the future.
Do you recommend cord wood or can lump charcoal be used?
The Q Series Wood Fired Oven is designed to burn dry, kiln-dried hardwood for best results. Dry, “chemical free” cord wood is an acceptable alternative. Lump charcoal does not bring the ovens to the recommended temperature for pizzas (700 degrees F). However, it can be used for cooking when a lower temperature is desired (i.e. 350 to 450 degrees F). Lump charcoal or even flavored wood chips can certainly be added for different flavors. Go ahead…be adventurous! But if you do, please share the result with us. We want to hear from you about your different experiences with your oven.
Quintessential Outdoor Living offers a variety of kiln-dried hardwoods to meet different tastes, available by the pallet load or box.
How hot does the oven get?
The oven is rated up to 950 Degrees F and can reach those temperatures in a relatively short period of time. The ideal temperature for cooking breads, steaks, chicken, fish, and other similarly cut items is 700 Degrees F. Any foods requiring a long, slow cooking method will require a lower temperature, which is easily maintained and managed with the Q Series Wood Fired Ovens.
What foods taste the best in the oven?
The Q Series oven line represents an evolutionary step forward from its brick/clay predecessors. The “brick oven” became famous for pizzas because no other cooking appliance can create the same combination of flavors and crispness. The Q Series oven line is also ideal for cooking breads, deserts, meats, or any other dish that can benefit from the smoke flavors.
How do I regulate temperature?
The Q Series Wood Fired Oven has grates on the face of the wood chamber that are designed to regulate temperature. These ovens are much easier than a traditional oven to regulate temperature by adjusting how much air enters the fire chamber. Through practice, a user will quickly learn how to adjust the temperature by opening and closing the grates. Closing the grates to approximately ¼ inch will actually increase temperature.
How long does the oven maintain temperature?
The Quintessential Living wood fired oven can maintain temperatures for several hours. The ovens cool slightly faster than a traditional brick oven, however it is easy to increase temperature quickly by adding a piece or two of wood. To maintain a temperature of 700 Degrees F you will need to add a piece of wood approximately every 20 minutes. To maintain lower temperatures, one piece of wood will typically need to be added every 40 minutes.
What materials were used to build the oven?
The Q Series Wood Fired Oven line is constructed from steel, stainless steel, reflationary fire brick, a pizza stone cooking surface and specially designed insulation to maintain temperatures.
Will these ovens rust?
Steel will rust if not properly stored and maintained. Several models have been kept outside near oceans and still look good. We supply touch-up paint in the event you scratch your oven. We recommend keeping the oven clean and covered if not using for a prolonged period of time.
How thick is the Pizza Stone?
The thickness of the standard pizza stone1¾″.
Will food stick to the stone?
Any meat placed directly on the stone will typically not stick. There is no need to put any oil or non-stick spray on the stone. If you are concerned about anything sticking, or if you are cooking a delicate item (such as fish), you will want to use a tray or baking pan. Your optimal, personalized cooking experience will be gained through your willingness to experiment with the many ways to enjoy your oven!
