Frequently Asked Questions

When looking for a solid fuel stove, it’s always a good idea to carefully consider how you propose to use the appliance and what type of fuel you are most likely to burn. If you are able to source a steady supply of good quality seasoned wood, and do not wish to leave the stove slow-burning overnight – a wood burning stove would be ideal. If you’re aiming to use your stove as a heat source overnight, a multi-fuel stove may better suit your needs.
Externally a wood burning stove and a multi-fuel stove may look the same, in fact a number of manufacturers produce wood and multi-fuel versions of the same model. It is inside the stove that you will notice the key differences.

A multi-fuel stove will have a grate inside which raises the fuel up and allows air from the primary air inlet to flow through the fuel. A grate can be ‘static’ with no moving parts and usually cast in a single piece or ‘riddling’ which is designed to move or shake, usually by pulling a lever. The majority of riddling grates are now operated externally with the fire door closed, reducing the likelihood of ash entering the room. By riddling the grate, the ash will fall into the ash pan which sits beneath the grate. The ash pan is the second main difference between a multi-fuel and a wood burning stove. It simply catches the ash that falls through the grate and can then be removed from the stove so that the captured ash can be disposed of.

Stoves designed to burn solely wood simply have a flat surface inside the stove which allows the wood to burn in a bed of ash, this is the best way to effectively burn wood. The lines have been blurred slightly by some Scandinavian stove manufacturers who have included small central static grates in some of their models, however the surface area of the grate is not large enough to allow sufficient air through to burn coal, and these models have simply been designed for easier cleaning.

Now, this is a tricky one! This will depend on the type of stove and the area you live in. There are different regulations for DEFRA approved zones. So the best call of action is to check with a DEFRA approved specialist or your installer. Alternatively, visit the DEFRA a website for more information.

Apart from passion and creativity (although it’s not a must!) you only need the following to start cooking in your chosen pizza oven:

• Kiln Dried Wood
• Metal and Wood Pizza Peels
• Protective Gloves
• Thermometer for roasting and baking (If not built in)

1. Using dry non-treated wood, chop into chunky kindling around 3 inches thick and 10 inches long. (shop bought kindling may be too small for the oven).
2. Using a single sheet of scrunched newspaper, or a natural fire lighter, place in the centre of the oven and surround with stacked kindling, ensuring air can get to the wood for burning efficiency.
3. Light the newspaper in the centre of the stack, and as the fire grows, slowly feed the fire with kindling pieces, you can do this with a metal pizza peel or oven gloves.
4. If flames are protruding from the opening of the oven, wait before adding more kindling.
5. Do not remove any burning material from the oven.
6. Depending on the size of the oven (leave longer if larger), leave the stack to burn in the centre of the oven for 20+ minutes. This ensures the dome and the base are saturated with heat, essential for heat retention for longer cooking periods.
7. As the oven starts to approach a high temperature, add small logs and later on larger ones.
8. Your oven will approach its optimum temperature, roughly 450°C. For stone ovens, you can tell this by using an infra red thermometer, aim this at the oven floor, or observe as the oven dome will turn from black to clear as the oven soot diminishes. Other Pizza ovens may have a built in Thermometer to indicate the internal temperature
9. Depending on the cooking technique, move the embers and flames towards the back or side of the oven, or alternatively spread the embers across the oven floor. Maintain temperature by adding more wood accordingly.

Depending on your cooking method, you can cook many different foods. Below, we outline a some excellent techniques.

High Heat Technique

This method has the oven at its highest temperatures approx 450°C. This temperature is excellent for cooking authentic pizza’s, some types of breads, appetisers and more within minutes. At this temperature a pizza placed directly on the oven floor can cook in under 90 seconds, the pizza is cooked from the bottom up by the oven floor and the top down by the oven’s internal temperature, resulting in perfect pizza. This high heat method is also useful for browning and caramelising items, unlike conventional means.

Follow the ‘Firing Up Process’ above, ensuring your oven reaches 450°C with all the soot diminishing from the oven dome, then allow heat to even out and maintain above 400°C.

• Move the fire to one side of the oven and maintain large naked flames which will arch over the dome of the oven.
• Take care at these high temperatures.
• Place your pizza’s or other, on the oven floor beside the fire, making sure to rotate regularly to encourage even cooking.
• Add wood to maintain the fire, (every 15-20 minutes).
• If cooking over a longer period, move the oven embers from one side to the other to ensure even heating.

Roasting Technique

Similar to the capabilities of a conventional oven, but much, much better, the roasting technique is versatile. It can be used for sealing or browning items as well as cooking through, whilst maintaining juices and tenderness.

Once you have fired the oven to its maximum temperature, brown and seal items, at this high temperature caramelisation of meat and vegetable dishes is possible, something conventional ovens cannot replicate. Wait for oven to drop to roasting temperature 200°C to 300°C. For poultry, roast the bird then remove foil cover to brown.

• Follow the ‘Firing Up Process’ above, ensuring your oven reaches its optimum temperature 450◦C. Keep the temperature high to brown/seal food items in the oven, follow this by covering with liquid or a lid then maintain oven above 200°C.
• Move the fire and embers to one side of the oven and maintain small oven flames, add smaller logs every 15-20 minutes. Roasting relies more on the radiation of heat from the wood embers than the heat from the flame.
• Let the oven temperature gradually fall (within the 200°C – 300°C range) by letting the fire burn down but not out.
• Leave the oven door off for short roasting times (under an hour) or put in place for longer roasting times (over an hour) remember to rotate your items.

Naturally the closer to the fire the food is placed the hotter it will be, and gradually the temperature will fall as you move across the oven floor. Be sure to check the food to determine whether to move and consequently increase/decrease the oven temperature.

Grilling / BBQ Techniques

This technique is ideal for locking in flavours, and burning off fat, for crisp, not dried out food. Beat the BBQ and use a cast iron grill to achieve that typical ‘grill scorch mark’ effect, whilst your food remains hot and gently cooks through.

• Follow the ‘Firing Up Process’ above, ensuring your oven reaches 450°C, allow the oven temperature to fall and maintain around 300°C.
• Leave the embers and fire over your oven floor before moving to the side. This is to ensure lots of heat penetrates the oven floor.
• Place a cast iron grill on the oven floor, wait for it to achieve a similar temperature and place items on the grill.
• Cook to perfection within moments.

Baking Techniques

To achieve flavourful delicacies including breads, desserts, pasta, a range of veggies or other, the baking option may be best for you. For bread making see baking bread below.

• Follow the ‘Firing Up Process’ above, ensuring your oven reaches its optimum temperature 450°C, keep the embers across the oven floor ensuring heat penetrates the oven floor.
• Wait for the oven temperature to cool to desired baking temperature, there should be embers and no flame, with the thermometer reading between 160-200°C from the oven floor. Clear embers to the side of the oven.
• Place your food items on the oven floor to bake. You may choose to cook in terracotta cookware, this further insulates food items and gives a ‘gentle heat’ to your food items.
• Put your oven door in place and bake as the temperature slowly decreases in the oven. Roughly adhere to conventional baking times.

Baking Breads

A Stone Bake Oven is the perfect environment for baking bread, you can even add steam to achieve a crispy bread crust*. Ideal temperature is around 100°C – 180°C. You need to remove the embers from the oven, this is perfect for after a meal, when the oven is cooling anyway.

• Fire the oven as per usual to 450°C and spread embers over the oven floor. Ensure you adequately fire the oven before hand to achieve adequate heat retention for the duration of your bake.
• Place the bread loaves on oven floor much like a pizza, or place on a baking tray, put oven door in place and be sure not to open during first 2-3 minutes to ensure crispy outer crust, sporadically rotate and check loaves, bearing in mind this may reduce oven temperature, so check swiftly.

Determining if your loaves are baked through will come with time, check colour and temperature. A quick tip is to tap the loaf in the centre of the underside/bottom, if the loaf sounds hollow, it is cooked through, or dense, it still has time to go. Beware as higher temperatures give loaves more colour, although they may not be cooked through, to reduce the temperature in the oven, open the oven door.

Pro Tip: To achieve enviable crispy bread crusts, you can even create steam: spritz water, with a water spray towards the inner centre of the dome, or place 1-2 ice cubes in a separate oven proof dish at baking temperature, expect to see steam build up, then put oven door in place.

As a general rule:

• Do not use any cleaning agents containing hydrochloric acid, formic acid, chlorine bleach or acetic acid, as these can cause significant damage.
• Do not use any abrasive cleaning tools or devices such as unsuitable scouring agents or sponge scourers. They will scratch the chrome finish irreparably
• Clean using the prescribed cleaning agent dosage and with a maximum exposure time of 10 min.
• When spray cleaning, never spray the cleaning solution onto the Bathroom products; instead, spray onto the cleaning cloth.
• After cleaning, rinse sufficiently with clean water.

Specific care instructions should be outlined in the products manual – In in doubt, consult the manufacturer website or call us on 01604 777500 to speak to one of our bathroom specialists.