Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to share this for a while now, and today’s the day. I built a fire brick oven in my backyard, and let me tell you, it was a journey!
Getting Started
First off, I started looking into these fire bricks, the ones they use in ovens and fireplaces. I found this brand, Vitcas, that makes fire bricks for pizza ovens. That got me thinking, “Why not build my own pizza oven?” No more of that frozen stuff, I wanted the real deal, fresh homemade pizza.
Gathering Materials
I did some digging and found out that a standard fire brick is about 9 inches by 4.5 inches by 1.25 inches. That’s what I went with. I ended up buying a bunch of these basic clay fire bricks because they seemed like they’d do the trick and wouldn’t break the bank.
The Building Process
I marked out the area in my backyard where the oven was going to live. I started laying down the foundation. Then, I built up the walls, brick by brick. It was slow going, but seeing it take shape was pretty cool. I made sure to leave space for the oven door and the chimney, of course.
The Dome
Now, the dome was the trickiest part. I had to shape the bricks just right so they’d form a nice, sturdy arch. I’m not gonna lie, it took some trial and error. And a lot of patience. But eventually, I got it right, and the dome was looking good. It’s really a tough job!
Finishing Touches
Once the main structure was done, I let it set for a while. I wanted to make sure everything was solid before I moved on. After that, I added a layer of insulation around the outside to keep the heat in. It looked kinda rough at first, but I planned to cover it up later.
I read somewhere that the cost to build one of these can range from $2,000 to $8,000, but I was determined to do it cheaper by doing it all myself.
The First Fire
Finally, the day came to fire it up. I built a small fire inside and slowly increased the temperature. I was a little nervous, not gonna lie. But it held up! The bricks got hot, the oven heated up, and it was time to make some pizza. I mean that is the most exciting moment!
Pizza Time!
- Mixing the dough: I made the pizza dough from scratch. It was a simple recipe, just flour, water, yeast, and salt. I kneaded it until it was nice and smooth, then let it rise for a few hours.
- Prepping the toppings: While the dough was rising, I prepped the toppings. I made a simple tomato sauce, shredded some mozzarella, and sliced up some fresh veggies.
- Shaping the pizza: Once the dough had risen, I punched it down and divided it into smaller balls. I stretched each ball out into a thin circle, trying to get that classic pizza shape.
- Cooking the pizza: With the oven nice and hot, I slid the pizza onto a peel and then into the oven. It cooked super fast, in just a couple of minutes! The crust got crispy, the cheese melted, and it smelled amazing.
The pizza turned out amazing! The crust was crispy, the cheese was bubbly, and the flavor was smoky and delicious. It was way better than any frozen pizza I’ve ever had. And you know what? It was worth all the effort.
People asked me why pizza ovens are so expensive. I get it now. They gotta use materials that can handle extreme heat, and the design has to be just right. But building your own isn’t necessarily cheaper, especially if you add fancy tiles or stuff like that. Plus, brick oven pizza takes a while to heat up, and maintenance can be a pain. But for me, it was a fun project, and now I can make awesome pizza anytime I want.
