Adobe Ovens vs. Wood-Fired Pizza Ovens

Identification

• Adobe ovens use natural materials, such as soil, to create an oven. They are made with adobe, which consists of dirt, water and straw. These materials solidify to create a sturdy structure; once it is dry, it will look like a dome. The oven traps heat from a fire to cook breads and vegetables. A wood-fired pizza oven uses similar techniques, but these ovens are usually made with bricks or concrete and many are purchased specifically for pizza use. Adobe ovens are often handmade, though they can be purchased, too.

Benefits

• Adobe ovens are environmentally friendly, as they are made of natural materials. They can also be made over the course of a weekend, particularly if you have friends to help. Because many of the materials are found in your soil, the cost will be less than that of a wood-fired pizza oven. In addition, adobe ovens do not use any electricity.

  Both adobe and wood-fired pizza ovens create a more rustic flavor in the food. Wood-fired brick ovens are usually commercially purchased, so their cooking times will be more precise, and you have the benefit of a company and its resources to back the product. Pizza ovens will heat more quickly than adobe ovens. Some will be ready to cook a pizza in as little as 45 minutes.

Disadvantages

• Adobe ovens take time to build, and you will not always know precise cooking times for your foods. They do not cook meats very well, as the heat does not get as hot as it needs to for an extended period. Wood-fired brick ovens can become quite expensive. Both models take up extra space in the yard, and both require maintenance to keep a fire going long enough and hot enough to cook a pizza thoroughly.

An Alternative

• To get some of the rustic flavor in your pizza without the expense or work of an adobe or wood-fired oven, you can purchase a pizza stone. This slab of stone goes in your conventional oven and can be used in place of a pizza pan.