Wood Fired Pizza Shop Oven Wood Order

[Chris(Glen)]

Anyone have any insight in dealing with these type of customers? Have a very large order coming in and a meeting next week with the owner to discuss what they require, just trying to get the jump on things. It's a year round order so would be great in the slow time but I am wondering how dry they require the wood? Special species? Size? Constancy?

 

[Marshy]

First, I'll say I have no first hand experience in a situation similar to this but, any wood I've ever seen get used in wood fired ovens has no bark and appears to be very dry and clean like bundled firewood at the convenient store. I imagine they don't want species that pop when they burn either so black cherry or pine is likely not a good choice. I imagine and oak would make good fuel if properly dried. You'll have to discuss the length of the wood they desire but I'd say they will likely want the splits to be about 4"x4" or close there of.

 

[svk]

The guy I know burns any species, bark on, and dryness doesn't matter (as backwards as that sounds). He keeps a load of wood off to the side in the oven and it's darn near zero percent humidity by the time it gets pushed onto the coal pile. I can't argue with his methods as its some of the best pizza I've ever had.

 

[tla100]

Not sure I would want a Boxelder flavored pizza......

 

[JB Weld]

Not sure I would want a Boxelder flavored pizza......

Mmmmmmmmmm!

 

[svk]

Not sure I would want a Boxelder flavored pizza......

Or willow or pee elm.

Seriously though its convection heat so I don't think much taste is imparted either way.

 

[kyle1!]

Hopefully STL firewood will chime in or search his posts. He supplys wood to a wood fired pizza chain and I'm pretty sure he made a post about it when he was more active on this site.

 

[greenskeeper]

Not sure I would want a Boxelder flavored pizza......

railroad ties

 

[USMC615]

railroad ties

..."I'll take two large meat lovers creosote specials and a side order of breadsticks fired over treated 2x4's please. And yes, for delivery." Lol

 

[svk]

..."I'll take two large meat lovers creosote specials and a side order of breadsticks fired over treated 2x4's please. And yes, for delivery." Lol

I was going to say something about pt lumber but you beat me to it lol.

 

[chucker]

one of my clients will only burn red oak that is split into 16" x 2"x2" for fast startup service ... dry to 20% with or without bark.... they like the dead standing the best , even over some of the 2 plus year old air dried oak? if it helps any I am getting $185.00/weekly for a third cord delivered 7 miles.......

 

[USMC615]

one of my clients will only burn red oak that is split into 16" x 2"x2" for fast startup service ... dry to 20% with or without bark.... they like the dead standing the best , even over some of the 2 plus year old air dried oak? if it helps any I am getting $185.00/weekly for a third cord delivered 7 miles.......

Nice. Good money. Definite client to keep...and keep happy.

 

[CR888]

l was once a woodfire pizza cook that would put 250+ pizzas through a woodfire oven in an 3 hour evening service (including stretching the bases by hand). We used a combination of three different species with no bark and well sesoned. You don't want big flames in the oven and as mentioned in a prior post, you ease the wood into the oven ie heat it to the side before putting it on the fire. Having a few species gives you better control as the cook. lf the oven dies down and needs a quick zap you would use a piece of faster burning wood. Look after the client and give him what he wants and he will spend plenty with you. 'You can sheer a sheep many times but only slaughter it once'. Good luck!

 

[CentaurG2]

Some years ago, we had a local wood fired pizza restaurant whose account was bounced around to all the local firewood suppliers. It called for a cord a week of mixed dry hardwood. Sounded great but logistically we decided to pass as it would just be too hard to pull off.

Having a backlog of 50 dry cords ($15000) just for this account could have been done but the real problem was the delivery. The restaurant had no storage so the wood would need to be delivered once a week, every week. That would get real old, real fast, especially in poor weather as our wood storage area gets dicey especially during mud season. Add in equipment breakdowns, vacations, etc. Just too much for us.

Last time I checked in with the restaurant owner, he was buying debarked, kiln dried, wood trucked down from Vermont.

 

[farmer steve]

l was once a woodfire pizza cook that would put 250+ pizzas through a woodfire oven in an 3 hour evening service (including stretching the bases by hand). We used a combination of three different species with no bark and well sesoned. You don't want big flames in the oven and as mentioned in a prior post, you ease the wood into the oven ie heat it to the side before putting it on the fire. Having a few species gives you better control as the cook. lf the oven dies down and needs a quick zap you would use a piece of faster burning wood. Look after the client and give him what he wants and he will spend plenty with you. 'You can sheer a sheep many times but only slaughter it once'. Good luck!

you never saw me shear a sheep. sorry OT.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

The guy I know burns any species, bark on, and dryness doesn't matter (as backwards as that sounds). He keeps a load of wood off to the side in the oven and it's darn near zero percent humidity by the time it gets pushed onto the coal pile. I can't argue with his methods as its some of the best pizza I've ever had.

Yup, same at the pizza place here.

Only requirement is no spruce and pretty small splits. The spruce I guess is bad for food cooking from the turpintine? I dunno, I'm not a wood fired pizza cook!

They don't use a ton, maybe a cord a month. They call when they are running low and I love delivering there cause I get a pizza!

Humdingers Pizza if you are ever in the area... it's DAMN good... like eat till your sick good! Making me hungry right now!

 

[Gypo Logger]

Cherry is good for pizza oven. What could you get for a cord though in New York City?