Roccbox or Ooni

JohnInCarolina

dmchicago said:

Legume said:

dmchicago said:

paqman said:

Was it good?

Yes. Work to do but a great first effort.

That back left corner is a ****.

Yep. That's in the "work to do" category. 

Learning to rotate and WHEN to rotate the pie. That back left corner of the OONI is the hot spot. 

We did 3 pies and got better every attempt.

You're gonna like the way you cook... pizza.  

dmchicago

JohnInCarolina said:

dmchicago said:

Legume said:

dmchicago said:

paqman said:

Was it good?

Yes. Work to do but a great first effort.

That back left corner is a ****.

Yep. That's in the "work to do" category. 

Learning to rotate and WHEN to rotate the pie. That back left corner of the OONI is the hot spot. 

We did 3 pies and got better every attempt.

You're gonna like the way you cook... pizza.  

I read that in that dude's voice.

Legume

@dmchicago I tried salmon in the ooni the other night, worked well, stayed very moist.  I don’t have a grill pan yet - was going to pick up the lodge, but I’m finding that I don’t like high sided CI in the pizza oven, shields too much I think.  I’ll probably get a low or no side grill pan like one like the pan in this pic, but with the raised grill ribs.

mtasker

ordered my koda 16 around thanksgiving.  arrived this past tuesday.    i believe it was worth the wait

Canugghead

pab said:

@dmchicago - was your Koda order originally one that was expected to be shipped in March? I have been debating ordering one, I am not happy with the quality of the pies coming out of my oven, and while I am really not a cheapskate, it takes far too much lump to get the Egg up to temp for one pie. The website said they were back ordered to March so my wife said wait until our anniversary in June, but damn I’m jealous of the crusts on the gas fired pies and don’t want to wait.

I'm in the same camp. Likewise I usually don't wok on egg.

Canugghead

@dmchicago wow nice hefty weight, enjoy!

dmchicago

Legume said:

@dmchicago I tried salmon in the ooni the other night, worked well, stayed very moist.  I don’t have a grill pan yet - was going to pick up the lodge, but I’m finding that I don’t like high sided CI in the pizza oven, shields too much I think.  I’ll probably get a low or no side grill pan like one like the pan in this pic, but with the raised grill ribs.

That looks amazing. We're trying to figure out what to cook next. Steaks are on deck for Saturday. I have a lodge with raised sides but I think you're on to something. Need a low/no-side pan. Ooni is out of stock on the Sizzler or whatever they call it.

Canugghead

dmchicago said:

Legume said:

@dmchicago I tried salmon in the ooni the other night, worked well, stayed very moist.  I don’t have a grill pan yet - was going to pick up the lodge, but I’m finding that I don’t like high sided CI in the pizza oven, shields too much I think.  I’ll probably get a low or no side grill pan like one like the pan in this pic, but with the raised grill ribs.

That looks amazing. We're trying to figure out what to cook next. Steaks are on deck for Saturday. I have a lodge with raised sides but I think you're on to something. Need a low/no-side pan. Ooni is out of stock on the Sizzler or whatever they call it.

Actually, I'm wondering if raised side would protect the food from the uneven heat source and distribute heat more evenly from the top? 

Legume

Canugghead said:

dmchicago said:

Legume said:

@dmchicago I tried salmon in the ooni the other night, worked well, stayed very moist.  I don’t have a grill pan yet - was going to pick up the lodge, but I’m finding that I don’t like high sided CI in the pizza oven, shields too much I think.  I’ll probably get a low or no side grill pan like one like the pan in this pic, but with the raised grill ribs.

That looks amazing. We're trying to figure out what to cook next. Steaks are on deck for Saturday. I have a lodge with raised sides but I think you're on to something. Need a low/no-side pan. Ooni is out of stock on the Sizzler or whatever they call it.

Actually, I'm wondering if raised side would protect the food from the uneven heat source and distribute heat more evenly from the top? 

Not in my experience so far.

Legume

and the problem with a pan with a handle is being able to rotate like you do with pizza, so I pulled the pan out several times and moved the salmon.  I do the same with shishitos.

HeavyG

dmchicago said:

Legume said:

@dmchicago I tried salmon in the ooni the other night, worked well, stayed very moist.  I don’t have a grill pan yet - was going to pick up the lodge, but I’m finding that I don’t like high sided CI in the pizza oven, shields too much I think.  I’ll probably get a low or no side grill pan like one like the pan in this pic, but with the raised grill ribs.

That looks amazing. We're trying to figure out what to cook next. Steaks are on deck for Saturday. I have a lodge with raised sides but I think you're on to something. Need a low/no-side pan. Ooni is out of stock on the Sizzler or whatever they call it.

Unless you just specifically want the Ooni plate Amazon has dozens of  cast iron "sizzler plates" to choose from - some with attached handles, some with detachable handles. A search for "fajita plates" will get you started.

texaswig

Koda 16. I don't think there's a better pizza oven for the price. It just takes forever to get one. 

dmchicago

texaswig said:

Koda 16. I don't think there's a better pizza oven for the price. It just takes forever to get one. 

Only took 7 weeks for ours.

Photo Egg

dmchicago said:

texaswig said:

Koda 16. I don't think there's a better pizza oven for the price. It just takes forever to get one. 

Only took 7 weeks for ours.

Took me many months on Kick Starter.

texaswig

@dmchicago I'm sure FedEx didn't lose yours like they did mine. Then they were out of stock. It took me 12 weeks to get one. 

dmchicago

texaswig said:

@dmchicago I'm sure FedEx didn't lose yours like they did mine. Then they were out of stock. It took me 12 weeks to get one. 

Ouch. 

dmchicago

Steaks. 

Botch

Two Things:

1.  Cook's Illustrated just reviewed outdoor pizza ovens, on their near-back-page "Kitchen Reviews".  They said they reviewed 6 ovens, and the Ooni took first place.  They didn't mention the "hot corner", nor did they list the other five (it was only a paragraph review).  FWIW.
 
2.  Just tonight I watched one of Kenji's pizza videos, here:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpbFetR6QiE
 
About halfway thru, he assembles his pie on wood (good), but then tries to transfer it (bad) onto a metal peel (very bad) to push it into his Ooni.  It was a disaster, but kudos for his "save", and posting it.  
My first pie was a disaster even worse (the toppings, and sauce, transferred onto the preheated stone, but the dough fully stuck to the metal peel; I turned the oven off, opened the windows, and drove to Taco Bell).  
 
I finally learned how to transfer the pies, but I was experimenting so heavily I burned myself out on pizzas; have only had it (restaurants) maybe 3 times in the last 5 or more years.  Maybe, someday.  

pab

@dmchicago - what is your take on the viability of using this oven during the winter in these northern climes? Does the high temp/short duration cook time make it doable? I don’t mind standing outdoors cooking the pie, I do it cavemanning steaks, it’s more if the oven is sufficiently insulated. I think I’m going to pull the trigger.

GlennM

pab said:

@dmchicago - what is your take on the viability of using this oven during the winter in these northern climes? Does the high temp/short duration cook time make it doable? I don’t mind standing outdoors cooking the pie, I do it cavemanning steaks, it’s more if the oven is sufficiently insulated. I think I’m going to pull the trigger.

No issue, it will be warm when it arrives!  I can’t really comment on the ooni, I have a blackstone pizza oven and regularly stand in the snow to cook a pie!

Legume

pab said:

@dmchicago - what is your take on the viability of using this oven during the winter in these northern climes? Does the high temp/short duration cook time make it doable? I don’t mind standing outdoors cooking the pie, I do it cavemanning steaks, it’s more if the oven is sufficiently insulated. I think I’m going to pull the trigger.

I’ve used mine all winter in Colorado, in snowfall, in the 20’s and teens.  Get it going and let it heat up while back inside, then a couple of minutes to launch and cook a pie and back inside.  There is no insulation in these things, it’s all direct and reflected heat from the flames in a relatively small volume.  It may take a few minutes longer to heat up the stone, but that’s about it.

dmchicago

pab said:

@dmchicago - what is your take on the viability of using this oven during the winter in these northern climes? Does the high temp/short duration cook time make it doable? I don’t mind standing outdoors cooking the pie, I do it cavemanning steaks, it’s more if the oven is sufficiently insulated. I think I’m going to pull the trigger.

@pab

I live in Austin, TX now. Signed on to the forum when I was in Chicago.

No worries using it here!

pab

So much for assuming @dmchicago. Well it’s a done deal. 6 to 8 weeks according to the website. Will hold off informing wife I have moved our anniversary up by a couple of months. Once more this place helps spend my money. I’d better stay off the exotic car thread.

dmchicago

pab said:

So much for assuming @dmchicago. Well it’s a done deal. 6 to 8 weeks according to the website. Will hold off informing wife I have moved our anniversary up by a couple of months. Once more this place helps spend my money. I’d better stay off the exotic car thread.

LOL...congrats! My wife bought this for me for Xmas. 

I think you will love it. My first attempt came out pretty farking good.

We're going to do 3 pies throughout Super Bowl Sunday.

TN_Egger

Bought the Ooni Koda last March.  Cooked pizza every weekend - pretty steep learning curve, but so worth it.  About November-ish had problems keeping the oven lit.  The flame would simply go out.  Talk about frustrating. Finally contacted CS.  They offered a few troubleshooting tips but nothing worked.  Eventually they just sent me a new oven.  Works perfectly and I'm happy.  

Pro tips:  (as Botch said) Build and launch on a wooden peel; turn and remove with metal.  Allow enough time for the stone to preheat.  This is not the time to be impatient - minimum 20 minutes.  Don't go overboard with the sauce and toppings - it won't cook as well and the crust won't get crispy.

Maybe my favorite purchase of 2020. 

jsdtx

I bought a Qubestove Pizza Oven on Kickstarter for $250 and it is pellet fueled.  I ordered a gas fuel option for $55 but it will not be ready until March.  Qubestove is made by a camping heater company in Washington State.  It is a hunk of aluminum that directs the pellet generated flames into the pizza cavity.  12 inch stone with rotating knob under the oven to turn it.  Pellets are hard to control and some are hotter than others.  I have made some incredible pizzas and burned some toppings and edges.  They will be making an 18 inch oven later this year. 
Youtube has some great videos in all the models.  The Adore italian one is the best but they do not ship to the US anymore.  We have a commercial oven and pizza stone but my family wants pizza on this outdoor oven every Friday.  We did a deep dish in a cast iron pan and it was maybe the best.  Epicurious has the instructions on how to do one in the house and we just adapted the instructions to the pellet grill.  We buy Trader Joes dough and cook away.  We have been cooking on the BGE for 18 years twice a week and this pizza grill is so much fun to experiment with.

mkevenson

There is a relatively new oven, Carbon, discussed on the Pizzamaking.com forum. One of the members who bought one is now selling his Koda 16. I am also leaning towards the Carbon with heat under the stone and on top. https://cookwithcarbon.com/

Mark

Ozzie_Isaac

SciAggie said:

SonVolt said:

I'm not sure if you're joking, but I think there's some truth to that. Something magical happens when food is roasted in a wood fired oven at 800F+. Even something simple like a plate of olives is next level. 

I’ll agree with this. In my oven - spatchcock chicken and roasted vegetables become an entirely different food. It’s difficult to explain the difference but it is noticeable. 

The guy with a Ferrari always drops in to the Toyota discussion 🤣

You all are killing me.  I have a patio full of cooking gear and I am now seriously looking at Pizza Ovens.  A dealer near me has Alfa Ovens.  They seem nice, but not really sure how they compare to all the others out there.

Langner91

Ozzie_Isaac said:

SciAggie said:

SonVolt said:

I'm not sure if you're joking, but I think there's some truth to that. Something magical happens when food is roasted in a wood fired oven at 800F+. Even something simple like a plate of olives is next level. 

I’ll agree with this. In my oven - spatchcock chicken and roasted vegetables become an entirely different food. It’s difficult to explain the difference but it is noticeable. 

You all are killing me.  I have a patio full of cooking gear and I am now seriously looking at Pizza Ovens.  A dealer near me has Alfa Ovens.  They seem nice, but not really sure how they compare to all the others out there.

Agreed.  I don't even like pizza all that much, but I may have to pull the trigger on a pizza oven!

JohnInCarolina

I've always had my eye towards a serious wood-fired oven like what @SciAggie and @CTMike have, but I told myself (and perhaps more importantly, my wife) that I wanted to become much more proficient at making pizza first, and so it made sense to start with one of the smaller, portable ovens like the Roccbox or Ooni.  

I've had the Roccbox a couple of years now and while my pizza making skills have no doubt improved significantly compared to what I was putting out via my BGE, I still feel like I have a lot to learn.  So not quite ready to go all-in on a WFO, but getting there.  

These little portable ovens are also legit great at making all kinds of other things as well, and that shouldn't be overlooked.  I've done ribs, steak, skewers, veggies, all kinds of things cook fast and differently at 900F.