If you’re lucky enough to have a wood-fired oven in your Irish garden, knowing the right moment to start cooking is key to perfect results. With our often damp and cool climate, rushing the heating process or cooking too early can lead to uneven cooking and disappointing flavours.
Before you start, check your oven’s pyrometer (if you have one) and manage the fire carefully. Add or remove small pieces of dry hardwood to avoid the temperature spiking too quickly—ideally, the oven shouldn’t hit 280°C in less than an hour. Slow and steady wins the race here, especially in Ireland where a gentle build-up helps maintain consistent heat despite the cool air.
The perfect time to put food in your oven is when all three of these conditions are met:
- Oven temperature between 380°C and 420°C: This heat range ensures your oven is hot enough to cook pizza crisply and roast meats and vegetables perfectly,later as the heat in the oven recedes,, without burning them.
- The temperature reached gradually over a minimum of one hour: A slow heat-up ensures the oven walls and floor have absorbed enough heat to maintain stable cooking temperatures, crucial on chilly or damp Irish evenings. The speed at which your oven heats up will depend on the model oven you choose and the quality of the wood you use. The moisture content of the wood used is important.
- The oven interior is clean and free of soot: After the fire burns down, check that the inside of the dome is uniformly light in colour with no black soot patches. This means the wood has fully combusted, preventing off-flavours and ensuring a clean cooking environment.
Waiting for these conditions may require patience, but your taste buds will thank you. Whether it’s a crisp pizza or tender roast, respecting the oven’s natural rhythm leads to better flavour and a more enjoyable cooking experience — perfect for cosy gatherings in the Irish outdoors.
