The Best Pellet Pizza Ovens: Save Money and Enhance Flavors
You don't have to be a specially-trained culinary genius to make good pizza. You just have to have the right pellet pizza oven at your disposal!
Imagine pulling a freshly cooked pie out of a wood pellet pizza oven and tearing yourself an ooey-gooey, cheesy slice.
Sounds delicious, right? To get the quality you're dreaming of, though, you'll need to cook it in the top product available. Luckily for you, the best is below.
Find out the benefits of using a pellet pizza oven to get your precious pizza fix, and the different types of wood pellets for pizza ovens, you'll be a pizza-making pro in no time.
Benefits of Wood Pellet Pizza Oven
Before you're introduced to the best wood pellet pizza oven on the market, however, you should probably know what makes these appealing in the first place. You might think all ovens are the same and that any old model can get the job done. Technically, you're right; any heat source can cook your pie, but not all of them can do it like a pellet-fired pizza oven can.
Pellet Pizza Ovens Produces Much Higher Cooking Temperatures
Any oven, of course, is capable of reaching high temperatures; that's how they work, after all! Not every one of these appliances can match the extreme temperatures of a wood pellet pizza oven, though. You can cook your pizza from 600 to 900 degrees. Because your traditional gas or electric stove is unable to get that hot, the wood pellet pizza oven is a better option for easily producing restaurant-quality meals at home.
Using a Pellet Pizza Oven Saves Money
When you use a pellet pizza oven that is even-burning, like the Cru Oven Model 30, you'll discover that using one of these ovens is more efficient than a gas-powered heat source. Wood pellets are less expensive to purchase than natural gas. You also save money on pellet oven installation, as these can be direct-vented and don't require a chimney liner. Plus, the pellets are usually made of wood waste, which makes them a more eco-friendly alternative to gas, too.
The stainless steel Cru Model 30 mentioned above is a great pick for those wanting to cook quality 12-inch pizza pies, roast fish or vegetables, or bake bread without breaking the bank. Use wood pellets or charcoal to crank the heat up to 900 degrees in just 15 minutes, no expensive gas or pricey installation fees are necessary.
Wood Pellet Pizza is Gets Rich Flavor
The smoke from wood pellets enhances the taste of your food. Depending on the wood variety you choose, there is a wide variety of additional flavors that might make their way into your meal. Some tend to be on the smokier side while others lend a bit of sweetness. Other wood pellet types, however, fall right in the middle, keeping things from getting too sweet or extra intense.
Whatever kind of flavor profile you're searching for you're sure to find, as there are more than enough pellets for you to choose from. Keep reading for a deep dive on the kinds of wood pellets on the market today and how they impact your food.
Types of Wood Pellets for Pizza Oven
By now, you're probably itching to try one of these out to take your culinary creations to the next level. But before you begin scouring the web for wood pellet pizza ovens, you should understand what each of the wood pellets bring to the table and the unique burn styles and flavor profiles they possess.
Pecan Wood Pellets
First up are pecan wood pellets. These bits of hardwood are known for producing a slow and steady burn. If you're going to use your wood pellet oven to whip up pork, chicken, or beef, you'll appreciate the strong and sweet spiciness these pellets can provide. Pecan wood pellets are good for more than your meats, though; upgrade your batch of roasted vegetables with these high-performing, versatile babies.
Alder Wood Pellets
No matter what you cook in your pellet pizza ovens, alder wood manages to get the job done. Beef, poultry, seafood, pork, vegetables, and even baked goods benefit from the light bit of smokiness this stuff provides. If you're looking for something reliable with a clean flavor, alder may be right up your alley.
Apple Wood Pellets
Apple wood pellets might be your pellet of choice if you don't mind slight tinges of fruity flavor. As with any wood pellet product, you can certainly use these to cook anything you'd like, but be certain to note that fire-roasted chicken, pork, and vegetables pair especially well with apple wood. Apple wood smoked dishes tend to be real crowd pleasers, so if you're cooking for a few, it may be wise to keep a bag of these pellets on standby.
Cherry Wood Pellets
Next up is another wonderful option for those who can't get enough fruity flavors in their lives. Meet cherry wood pellets, the product that will quickly become your go-to any time you're concocting baked goods, a rack of beef or pork ribs, a chicken breast or two, or a leg of lamb and want softer, less overpowering flavors to dance on your taste buds.
Hickory Wood Pellets
Hickory wood pellets are a sharp departure from the subtle sweetness of the apple or cherry wood pellets mentioned above. If you're a fan of bold, full-bodied, and smoky barbecue flavors, consider keeping a bag of hickory wood next to your wood pellet oven. Of course, these will come in handy if you're making a barbecue chicken pizza, but you'll find this hardwood just as useful for giving beef and pork dishes a nice and robust flavor profile, too.
Maple Wood Pellets
Maple wood should be your pellets of choice if you're looking for something to bring out the natural flavors of your beef, pork, or vegetable-based dishes. These provide a nice and balanced burn — not too slow, not too quick — so when you're looking for something reliable for your pellet-cooking needs, maple wood makes a worthwhile contender.
Mesquite Wood Pellets
Mesquite wood is on the earthier side of the flavor spectrum, which means pellets made from this hardwood can cook your chicken, fish, and beef products to perfection. It adds a nice kick of intensity, though, so if you find yourself favoring faint or delicate flavors, this may not be the package of wood pellets you want to keep on hand for pizza-making.
Oak Wood Pellets
Last but certainly not least are pellets made from classic oak, a hardwood known for producing a flavor that falls right in the middle of the light, fruity apple and cherry woods, and the more intense hickory and mesquite pellets. Use these not only for perfecting your pizza recipe, but also for fish, beef, vegetables, or even baked goods.
Final Thoughts on Pellet Pizza Ovens?
Now you have taken a closer look at the wood pellet pizza oven. You're more familiar with why you might find using one beneficial. You have an idea what kind of pellets you should purchase to bring certain flavors to your dishes. Only two questions remain: can you use pellets in a pizza oven, and is it worth it?
The answer to both questions isyes, so long as you make sure the product you purchase is compatible with pellets. If you aren't sure, check out the manufacturer's website for more information. If you don't feel like doing any additional research, though, head straight to the Cru Ovens website. Each of the company's outdoor pizza ovens is wood-pellet friendly, and there are plenty of models on theCru product roster to choose from.
Relying on wood pellet pizza ovens to make all of your at-home pizzeria dreams come true is worth it for a few reasons. The first — and perhaps most important — is enhanced flavor! Each of the different types of wood pellet brings a unique set of tasting notes to your meal. You won't get the smokiness of hickory pellets or the crisp fruitiness applewood brings in a traditional gas or electric oven.
The second reason to consider letting pellets power your pizza oven is that the heat given off by burning pellets fills every inch of the stove. That means your pie will be evenly cooked, with no areas more well-done than others. Your pizza's crust will be soft on top and crisp on the bottom — just the way the most serious pizza enthusiasts like it.
Using pellets in your pizza oven means you get to enjoy a fuller flavor profile and an all-around better-tasting pie. What are you waiting for? Ditch the traditional heat source and elevate family pizza night with a wood pellet pizza oven as soon as you can!
