Independent of Gas and Electricity: Cooking in a Wood-Fired Oven
September 19, 2022 Julia Haberecht
Ratgeber
Ratgeber
Originally: Wood-Fired Ovens
Clearly, the trend is returning to the original things. We shop locally, set up a raised bed, and whenever possible, get our eggs directly from the farmer. Added to this are bakeries that have to close. Finding a handmade bread of the usual quality is no longer a given. And when we have consciously and locally bought our groceries, we want to prepare them in the best possible way.
This is where cooking and baking with wood comes into play. It wasn't long ago that our grandmothers baked bread and cakes themselves. They placed roasters with meat on the wood stove or in the embers. The originality of the fire, its simplicity, and its power have always touched people. With the help of wood-fired ovens, millions of people sustained themselves for centuries. This still works today—and progress makes it even more comfortable.
The independence from gas and electricity is greatly emphasized these days. Start at home. With a wood-fired oven in the garden, you are flexible and independent. In a wood-fired oven, you can bake bread as well as meat, fish, or pizza, vegetables, and cakes. It all comes down to the right temperature. Cleverly planned, you can bake a pizza at high temperatures at noon and several loaves of bread in the cooling oven in the evening. This way, you can cook, prepare, and bake multiple dishes with little wood effort. It's sustainable, ecological, and fun.
Modern Wood-Fired Ovens: Independent and Versatile
A wood-fired oven is not just a bread oven, a pizza oven, or a tarte flambée oven. A wood-fired oven is also a jam cooker, a venison goulash cooker, a lasagna maker, or a dessert wizard. It is an all-rounder. You ignite a few logs until the oven reaches the desired temperature and can prepare various dishes simultaneously at similar cooking temperatures, depending on the size of the oven. Being self-sufficient is the keyword in this context. Become somewhat independent with a wood-fired oven. And take advantage of knowing exactly what ingredients are in your food. This is not only an advantage when it comes to allergies.
Wood-Fired Ovens in the Garden
To enjoy your wood-fired oven in the garden or outdoor kitchen, some preliminary considerations are necessary: How many people are in my household? What do I want to bake and cook in my oven? It's possible to prepare an entire Christmas meal in a wood-fired oven, including appetizers, side dishes, and dessert.
- Should the oven have the fire in the baking chamber or a fire compartment and a convection function?
- And where should the wood-fired oven be located?
- Should it be in a different place in winter than in summer?
- Is it covered or out in the open?
- And do you want a modern or traditional design?
Back to the Roots
In the end, a wood-fired oven makes us not only independent and flexible but also happy and content. We appreciate our food. We live more consciously. We do without gas and electricity, save money, and do something good. We reduce emissions because we don’t drive to the store as often. We reduce waste because we avoid packaged foods. We live healthier because we only put good things in our meals. And we show our children that it’s worth preparing the meals and taking time for shared meals. They will remember it just like we remember our grandma and her wood-fired oven.