Which wood for pizza

[WMT]

When cooking pizza on the kettle, what kind of wood can be used to gain the extra heat. I believe it should be a hard wood but does it matter what species. Reason I ask is because the only hard wood I have available to me here in the north is birch, or I guess I could toss on a bunch of my chunk wood I use for smoking but that would get expensive really quick. Can birch be used for this.

[bigssa]

I always use Oak logs because they are widely available in the south east. I think that you have the right idea, use whatever hard wood is available in your area.

[HoosierKettle]

I might be alone on this but I find using wood completely unnecessary. I use 2 chimneys worth of coal. I've used lump and I've used kingsford. Both have pegged my pizzaque thermometer at 900 (I think). Temps will stay between 650-850 for at least an hour and a half. Plenty of time to cook several pies.


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[HoosierKettle]

I started off using wood and see no benefit.


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[Darko]

Yeah, I think birch would work well. It doesn't have a strong aroma. IMO Birch, oak, beech, maple would do well

[MikeRocksTheRed]

I always use mesquite. 


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[MikeRocksTheRed]

Aroma isn't a big factor as long as the wood is aflame and not smoldering.   


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[MacEggs]

I have watched @MrHoss use small hickory splits with the KP accessory.  Only used 1 full lit chimney of KBB.
Wow!  It's amazing.  The therm gets buried way past 700℉ ....
We then cooked pies in under 3 minutes and they were fantastic!
So much heat there that we could have easily cooked many, many pies.

Aroma isn't a big factor as long as the wood is aflame and not smoldering.

Very true, and important.

[MikeRocksTheRed]

Just found this....of course it isn't listing a lot of the typical smoke woods, but for me I go for what burns HOT.  I'm thinking Oak is probably the best wood for burning really hot and not burning through the splits or chunks super fast like mesquite does.  Mesquite is naturally a very dry wood so it burns really hot, but it does burn up pretty quick.  I'm going to search out some oak to try out on my next pizza cook.

https://www.almanac.com/content/best-firewood-heat-values-wood-burning-tips

[MikeRocksTheRed]

Here is another list.  Apple is actually pretty high on the list and is above oak!

https://www.environmentalchimneyservice.com/firewood-burns-hottest/

[Darko]

Aroma isn't a big factor as long as the wood is aflame and not smoldering.   


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Good to know. Thank you.

[WMT]

So the wood won't give a so called "WOOD FIRED" taste. The reason I ask is because a couple years ago while out on a ski trip to the mountains, we had pizza that was cooked in a real wood fired oven, It was cool to watch and the taste was awsome. Best pizza I have tasted. Ever since I have been trying to make it. I did it once on my UDS but can't replecate it now. I picked up the Artisan pizza oven by camp chef for my camp chef 3 burnre stove. It works great and makes realy good pizzas but it doesn't have that wood fired taste. It's really no different than doing it in the oven. I have never made pizza on my weber yet but with my new pizza attachment I am hoping to finaly replicate the wood fire oven taste. The look of pizza cooking with a nice lazy flame in the back of the kettle is such a cool thing to see. I can't wait to try it.
Has anyone ever tried actual wood coals from a wood fire instead of charcoal

[Jason]

I only have first hand experience with the Kettle Pizza. Briquettes are my main source for the heat, but throw in small chunks of oak as I'm cooking. The "wood fired" taste is very distinct, but not overpowering. I have used hickory, apple, red oak and oak. Oak has been my #1 go-to for quite a while now.

[WMT]

I can get my hands on some Bur Oak from back home, it grows naturally there, but i'm not sure where that would fit in the "oak" family or if it is good to cook/smoke with

[Darko]

It's basically a sub species of white oak. It will work well. Also, you said you can get birch where you are. That will work as well.