Wood-Fired Ovens | Ask the Expert

A master of outdoor wood-fired ovens shares some tips.

If you’ve ever wanted to have a wood-fired earthen oven in your backyard—whether for making homemade pizza or bread or simply because it’s really cool to have one—there’s no better place to start than with one of Stu Silverstein’s books or workshops. A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Stu moved to northern New England years ago, and was disappointed to find little beyond “supermarket mush” at his local stores. He set out to make great bread, but fell in love with outdoor ovens. He’s a master of the form and loves to teach.

Keep It Legal Start by talking with your local code-enforcement officer. In most places, ovens are treated as outdoor fireplaces, and usually that’s allowed, but not always. Some places permit wood burning only on certain days. If there are good reasons not to have an outdoor oven, don’t. Budget With a little scrounging, you can build a mud oven for free. You’ll need some old bricks, some clay and sand, and maybe a stray piece of sheet metal for a cover. Your oven can be grand or primitive—the food really doesn’t care. Whatever the cost, the baking principles don’t change. The skill of the baker determines the quality of the result, so be prepared for some bumps along the way. Don’t get discouraged—even “mistakes” are often tasty. It Takes a Village You can build an oven in a weekend, but it’s a lot of work, so you’ll want to involve as many people as you can. Kids of all ages will love working the clay with their hands. When you’re done, you’ll have a new reason for get-togethers. You’ll have people over whom you haven’t seen in ages (perhaps including some you may not want to see, so plan accordingly). Cover Up Putting a roof over your oven is a good idea. Once fired, it will get very hard and tough, like ceramic. But an earthen oven that gets wet too often can easily forget about being an oven and go back to being mud. Properly protected, an outdoor mud oven can be used year-round and should last for many years. Size Matters The bigger the oven, the more labor is involved. You want room to maneuver breads and pizzas around, and you need space to build a fire, but extra space also means more time to heat and more wood consumption. “For me,” Silverstein says, “an oven with a 31½-inch-diameter floor is perfect. It’s not too big, it’s not too small, and it works for either bread or pizza. You can cook other things, too. After the bread comes out, the temperature is just about right for roasting chickens. Know what you’re looking to do, and build appropriately.” Get Comfortable Your efforts will be wasted if you don’t enjoy using your oven, so consider your comfort. “I have a concrete pad in front of mine,” Silverstein says, “because I’m in a wet area, and I don’t like standing in mud. Ovens can be built right on the ground, but adding a stone or concrete base will save your back. I’d suggest a height between 36 and 48 inches. I’m 6 feet tall, and my hearth height is 40 inches. Having an outdoor oven is pretty spectacular, and a little extra thought up front will make your experience more pleasant for years.” For lots more tips, go to: stusilverstein.com