The Benefits of Wood Fired Cooking

There is a reason restaurants are happy to advertise “wood-fired pizzas” and not “gas-fired ovens”. People may not consciously think about it, but they instinctively know that food cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven is… just a whole lot better! And they are therefore willing to pay those extra few bucks or drive 15 minutes out of their way to eat there.

Other than cooking over an open flame, it doesn’t get more primal than preparing food in a wood-fired oven.

This ancient method has been used by civilisations around the world for years, and while it may tap into something more ancient in our DNA, the reasons we prefer food cooked in a proper fire are easily explainable.

Cook more, cook faster

We all get a little bit hangry, so every minute we’re waiting for food is a minute too long. This is where cooking with a wood-fired oven offers a huge advantage.

Traditional ovens at home reach temperatures of around 250 degrees Celsius, but the temperature inside the Engel Fire oven can reach almost twice that, cooking a pizza in around 3-4 minutes!

And forget this “one pizza at a time” nonsense, because of the size, shape and design of our incredible oven, you can fit up to four large pizzas at once, making cooking for a group of hungry people an absolute doddle! 

Welcome to flavour town

Wood-fired cooking brings with it a unique, smoky flavour, adding to the overall taste of the food. The woody taste harks back to camp fires and traditional cooking, adding to the overall enjoyment of a meal.

The wood used can also ultimately influence the flavour of the food.

Different wood chips, which can be purchased in stores, result in different flavours.

Manuka, apple, or pohutukawa are all popular wood flavourings here in New Zealand.

With the heat distributed evenly throughout the oven, food can be cooked consistently. This leads to a better tasting meal, as opposed to one cooked in a gas or electric oven that can have hot and cool spots throughout.

Environmentally (and cost) friendly

Of course, wood-fired ovens only use heat from the burning wood to cook the food, without the need of gas or electricity, making them friendlier to the environment.

Gas, oil, electric and propane prices have all increased dramatically in recent years, and cooking with wood is not only better for the environment, but also reduces your energy bills.

Healthier food

Because wood-fired ovens cook food faster, this allows certain nutrients and antioxidants to be retained in the food, which would otherwise be lost by conventional, slower cooking methods.

The longer a food is cooked, the less taste and nutrients remain. This is especially true for vegetables. Getting your food cooked in a wood-fired oven, not only makes it taste better, but is also a healthier option.

Wood-fired ovens are fantastic for cooking pizzas, but of course, with the Engel Fire, you can literally cook anything you want. Breads, meats, vegetables… everything can be cooked in our wood-fired oven, quickly and evenly, resulting in a unique and mouth-watering taste found no-where else!

Take your cooking to the next level

From an upgrade in flavour to healthier, more nutritional food, wood-fired cooking is arguably the best way to prepare a meal.

The unmistakable smoky flavour that comes with the food is a reminder of what good food is supposed to taste like, and the speed at which your meal is ready, is quick enough for the hungriest of people.

Bring the joy back into your cooking with an Engel Fire, New Zealand’s answer to fine dining home cooking.

From wood-fired pizzas to slow cooked roasts and everything in between, the Engel fire will satisfy all your gastronomic needs.

Contact us today for more information about how you can transform your culinary home.