Minnesotans love outdoor cooking whenever they get the chance. From grilling to campfires, there is almost nothing that can’t be baked or cooked in the great outdoors. While you may consider yourself the master of anything on the grill, you haven’t truly experienced the full spectrum of outdoor cooking until you’ve tried out an outdoor pizza oven. Several restaurants and wineries around the state have a menu of foods that have been prepared in an outdoor oven, and the good news is that you can, too.
Have you thought about adding a new feature to your backyard? Here are a few reasons you should consider making that next feature an outdoor pizza oven:
Well-made and Long Lasting
When something works well, why make changes? Outdoor ovens have been around a lot longer than the traditional backyard grill. Although you can buy outdoor pizza ovens at your local big box stores and some people have built their own, they aren’t guaranteed to last as long and may not be as efficient as the traditional-style stone ovens, which are built on-site. By investing in a permanent outdoor oven, you don’t need to worry about moving it around or making room for storing during the winter months.
Enjoy Outdoor Cooking Year Round
Living in a region where winter and cold sticks around for nearly half a year, you may be wondering if outdoor ovens can handle a Midwestern winter. The simple answer is “yes.” As long as you try to keep the interior of the oven free from ice, snow, and moisture, it can perform well under some of the most inclement weather. An outdoor pizza oven, in the dead of winter, offers an excellent opportunity to start some new family cooking traditions during the holiday season.
Great Feature for Hosting
Do you love to host backyard soirees or just enjoy having friends and family over for dinner a couple of times a month? An outdoor pizza oven is not only a great conversation starter, but you will be excited enough to show it off and may want to host dinner parties at your home whenever you have the chance.
Aesthetic Backyard Feature
As much as Minnesotans love grilling, the grills themselves, whether charcoal or gas, can be an eyesore. Outdoor ovens are well-made, assembled by professionals, add character to your backyard, and is an attractive feature with the rustic mix of stone and iron. An outdoor pizza oven can be built in and around other landscaping features, making it part of the flow of your beautiful backyard rather than the charcoal grill that stands alone in the center of the patio.
Save Money on Delivery
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 1 in 8 Americans will eat pizza on any given day, and we spend approximately $37 billion per year on the popular cuisine. You and your family may not indulge in delivery on a frequent basis, but even ordering takeout pizza a few times a month can add up.
Elevate Your Cooking
Even the biggest of pizza lovers will agree that one cannot live on pizza, alone. You may be wondering if an outdoor pizza oven is worth the yard space and money if you only eat pizza a few times a month. Good news, outdoor pizza ovens can be used for a variety of meals, and it may even inspire you to try out new recipes and elevate your cooking. From calzones to bread and even some of your favorite meats that you would typically grill, an outdoor oven is versatile and designed to take on most culinary endeavors.
Healthier Spin on Favorite Foods
The gooey cheese, the crispy (or chewy) crust, pizza is an American food staple. Sadly, it’s not the healthiest to eat regularly. When you create a pizza from scratch, in an outdoor oven, you are making a healthier pizza. Consider some of your favorite veggie toppings. How many times have you had a pizza delivered only to find that your peppers, olives, and mushrooms were flimsy and tasteless? A veggie pizza in an outdoor oven will not only have more taste, but because of the high, fast heat, the essential nutrients in the vegetables will remain.
Safer Than a Campfire
A backyard campfire is fun, but may not always be allowed due to weather conditions or ordinances within your city or town. With a campfire, one strong and unexpected gust of wind can leave you running for the garden hose. The fire in an outdoor oven is safely contained, and you don’t have to worry about any stray sparks or a brief rainstorm ruining a delicious meal. Another bonus is that if you have trees that need pruning or some trees have fallen in your ravine, you have free wood at your convenient disposal. If firewood isn’t readily available on your property, you can find inexpensive firewood bundles at many businesses from firewood vendors to grocery stores and gas stations.
If you have been looking for an aesthetic backyard feature to add to an existing landscaping feature or want more reasons to enjoy outdoor cooking year-round, an outdoor pizza oven may be a great fit for you and your family. An outdoor oven captures the convenience and joy of grilling and the warmth and smell of a campfire, making it a “must have” Minnesota cooking experience.