Charcoal in a wood-fired pizza oven: hold temperature with less wood

Why put charcoal in a wood oven

• Base heat that holds. Wood embers burn down and need constant feeding. A bed of CHARBLOX holds steady heat for hours.
• Less wood to buy, store and dry. When the charcoal carries the base heat, wood is only there for flame and flavor.
• Predictable. Uniform logs give the same heat every service. No wet splits, no guessing.
• Clean. 100% hardwood with no binders or chemicals, low ash and near no smoke once lit.

Use Classic Hardwood. Its mixed hardwood gives the steady hold and a wood-fire character that sits well with the split wood on top.

How to set it up

1. Light the charcoal outside the oven. Use a chimney with one natural firestarter and wait until the top logs are grey at the edges. See how to light dense charcoal.
2. Build the bed where your fire normally sits, usually to one side or at the back of the floor. Nest the logs tightly.
3. Add split wood on top. The charcoal brings it up to flame quickly. Add wood for the flame you want over the dome.
4. Let the oven come up to temperature the way you normally do before baking.
5. During service, feed wood for flame and add charcoal logs to the bed only when the base heat starts to drop.
6. At close, let the oven burn down as usual, or pull unburned logs into a lidded metal can to reuse.

Dial it in

Every oven is different: size, dome height, door and draft all change how much charcoal you need. Start with a small bed, note how long it holds temperature, and adjust. Track the wood you use per service before and after, so you know what the change is worth to your kitchen.

Want a second opinion on your setup? Email info@charblox.com with your oven type and how many pies you run a night.