Wood-fired pizza is unbeatably fresh and crispy. It may surprise you to know, however, that the wood you use to cook it is just as important as toppings and sauces. The right wood can elevate your pizza’s flavors and textures to the next level.
Family restaurants, local pizzerias, and at-home pizza connoisseurs can all benefit from knowing how to choose the best cooking wood for pizza ovens. Keep these key tips in mind to find a quality local pizza firewood supplier near you and make the most of this expert technique.
Kiln-Dried Wood: The Superior Choice for Pizza Ovens Everywhere
When searching for local cooking wood for your pizza oven, look first for kiln-dried wood. This type of wood is far superior to seasoned, or air-dried, options for a number of reasons.
Low Moisture, Plenty of Consistency
Kiln-dried wood is ideal for cooking pizza because it has consistently low moisture content. A highly controlled process, kiln-drying extracts moisture from the wood at higher rates than air drying. Kiln-dried wood isn’t affected by as many variables that can lower the quality, like moist weather conditions.
Kiln-dried wood can also be dried to precise, low moisture levels, which offers numerous benefits for pizza-making. For instance, wood with low moisture levels tends to burn hotter and more consistently in the oven. When you’re running a restaurant, consistency is an important factor in drawing customers back for more delicious pizza.
Clean Burns for Superior Flavor
Low moisture levels ensure that the cooking wood can burn efficiently. Efficient burning translates to fewer byproducts like ash and smoke that can negatively impact the flavor and texture of your pizza.
The flavors that kiln-dried cooking wood imparts to your pizza are well-loved by pizza eaters everywhere. This flavoring will depend on the specific type of pizza firewood you choose.
Healthier Wood, Free From Pests and Contaminants
Additionally, kiln-dried wood is generally “cleaner” than seasoned wood. The drying process kills off mold spores, fungi, and any lingering insects in the wood.
This is an obvious advantage when serving pizza to customers, as the last thing you want to hand out is contaminated pizza. Kiln-dried wood is great for following standards for wood-burning practices, like avoiding contamination.
Efficient Supply Chain With Faster Restocking
Since kiln drying only takes a few days, you can easily restock kiln-dried cooking wood for your pizza oven. In contrast to seasoned wood, which can take up to a year to dry out, this option is much friendlier to the supply chain.
As a restaurateur, having a reliable and fast supply of cooking wood is essential. Local pizza firewood restaurant suppliers can produce kiln-dried cuts much faster, translating to less stress and hassle for your business.
The Best Wood for Pizza Ovens: Choosing the Right Cooking Wood Type
As a general rule, hardwoods are best for pizza-making. Hardwood is denser and burns hotter than softwood species, which makes it easier for your oven to reach ideal cooking temperatures faster.
Here are some popular hardwood options that add memorable flavors and burn efficiently:
Oak
Oak is a time-tested choice for pizza cooking wood. Thanks to its density, it burns very hot and has a consistent heat output. It can be used for both quick-firing and longer, slower cooking methods, which gives you versatility in the kitchen.
The flavors that oak wood infuses into pizza are subtle yet desirable for most consumers. It produces a balanced smoky flavor without overpowering the rest of the notes in the sauce, cheese, and toppings.
Cherry
Cherry wood is also popular among pizza makers. Its distinct flavor offers hints of fruitiness, sweetness, and tartness that can set your restaurant apart from others. Like oak, cherry wood provides consistent and strong heat for firing your oven.
Hickory
Many pizzerias use hickory in their cooking wood blends. It gives off a very strong smoky flavor that customers appreciate, especially when combined with fruit woods with sweetener flavor notes, like cherry or apple wood.
Hickory’s high heat emissions provide another advantage to pizza makers. This allows it to burn consistently at high temperatures, which is a quality you should always look for in pizza cooking wood.
Maple
Maple wood works well for lower-temperature cooking. If you don’t have to reach max temperatures with your pizza oven and “low and slow” is your style, maple wood is a great option. It gives off a balanced smoky-sweet flavor profile that tastes nostalgic and comforting to many people.
Mesquite
Mesquite has a notorious flavor profile that can resemble hickory, but comes off much stronger. To avoid overpowering the other flavors in your dish, you might use mesquite as part of your pizza wood blends instead of as your sole source of fuel.
Don’t Forget About Residential Pizza Ovens
If you’re lucky enough to own a pizza oven in your home, you know how flavorful and enjoyable wood-fired pizza can be. Even if you don’t run or own a restaurant, you should still use high-quality cooking wood to make pizza at home. The wood you use will influence your pizza’s flavor, texture, and overall cooking quality, no matter where the oven is located.
Finding a local pizza firewood supplier follows the same process, whether for commercial or residential use. However, you might need to weigh different factors, such as:
- Wood storage space
- Household budget
- Frequency of pizza oven firewood use
- Willingness to travel
- Delivery preferences
- Wood quantity
With some due diligence, you can find a consistent supplier that transforms your homemade oven-fired pizza into a delicious dream every time.
Choosing a Quality Supplier for Restaurant Cooking Wood
The supplier that provides your restaurant firewood can make or break your entire business, especially if you run a pizzeria. Keep things like reliability and transparency in mind, but also consider the quality of the wood you’re getting.
For example, you might find a supplier that’s consistent and reliable but doesn’t deliver quality products. That still translates to losses and poorer outcomes for your restaurant.
Here are some of the most important factors to keep in mind when choosing your local pizza fire wood supplier:
Kiln-Dried Wood Availability
Evaluate each supplier’s drying methods. Do they consistently supply kiln-dried firewood, or do they specialize in seasoned cuts? Compare their availability to your restaurant’s standard supply needs and go from there.
Customer Service and Communication
Ask about their customer service policies, and pay close attention to how well each supplier communicates. You want a supplier that responds well to questions, concerns, and special requests. This is essential if something happens to go wrong in the supply chain or with your order.
Location
Going local is always best when sourcing firewood. Restaurants often market to local customers, and staying within the community supports the regional economy. This is not only a selling point, but an ethical and convenient practice as well; you don’t want to deal with long-distance wood supply.
Try searching “firewood for pizza oven near me” or “cooking firewood near me” and see what the results yield. Narrow your selection down based on reviews and your non-negotiable criteria for your supplier.
Sustainability and Ethics
It’s a good idea to ask each potential supplier about how and where they acquire their wood. This might not seem important, but the restaurant business often relies on word of mouth, and more customers are choosing “green” or more eco-friendly places to eat.
Ethical sourcing matters a lot when it comes to marketing and advertising your restaurant. Look for sustainable and ethical sources of firewood in your area — bonus points if your supplier gives back to the local community or environment in some way.
Lumberjacks Local Pizza Wood Supply: Delivering to Pizzerias Near You
With locations in both Woodstock and Lake in the Hills, Lumberjacks can supply superior pizza firewood to your favorite local restaurants. We’re always open to new customer inquiries.
Woodstock Pizzerias
We can readily supply local pizza firewood to delicious Woodstock pizzerias like these:
- Rosati’s Pizza
- Antioch Pizza Shop
- Alfredo’s Pizza & Pasta
- Your Sister’s Tomato
- Niko’s Red Mill Tavern
- Hunt Brothers Pizza
- Ortmann’s Red Iron Tavern
Connect with our team to find out whether we can supply your pizzeria.
Lake in the Hills Pizzerias
We can also supply these favorite pizzerias in Lake in the Hills, IL:
- Moretti’s Ristorante & Pizzeria
- Dino’s Pizza & Pasta
- Sal’s Pizza Company
- Alfredo’s Pizza & Pasta
- Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
- Georgia’s Chicago Pizzeria
- Pizza Pushers
- Bella’s Wood Fire Pizza
- Nick’s Pizza & Pub
- Papa Saverio’s
- Taylor Street Pizza
Not sure whether we can supply your pizzeria? Ask our friendly team to learn more.
Find Premium Pizza Firewood From Lumberjacks
At Lumberjacks, we take pride in supplying only the highest-quality pizza firewood to our community. Whether you’re a restaurant owner or a home enthusiast, our superior pizza oven cooking wood can take your dining experience to the next level.
We service Lake in the Hills, Woodstock, and the surrounding areas, offering pickup and convenient delivery to meet your needs. Contact us to get started on your first order today!
