New Year's Dishes for a Pizza Oven

Key Points

• A pizza oven produces high-heat for fast cook times. Common fuel types are wood, coal, gas, and electricity.
• Always use caution and wear proper safety gear when putting in and pulling out dishes.
• Pizza ovens can be used to cook breakfast, dessert, and every meal in-between, not just pizza.
• Preheat the oven and clean after each use for more consistent results.

Did you make out like a bandit this Christmas? I did. I already have a handmade quilt from grandma lying on the back of my sofa and a panda-themed enamel mug on my desk at work, but there’s a pizza oven with my name on it that still needs setting up. If you’re like me, the first thing you’ll want to make on a new pizza oven is a tried-and-true pizza staple like pepperoni. You might even use some leftover smoked sausage from the family holiday party to make it a little extra special. With those recipes alone, your pizza oven will quickly prove itself to be a welcome addition to your cooking repertoire.

But with the New Year’s celebrations quickly approaching, it’s time to take stock of your food options for hosting another party. A pizza buffet is an option (a great one, actually!), but what if you mixed it up? Pizza ovens aren’t just used to cook up their namesake! If you’re no further into planning your spread than scratching your head, don’t sweat it! Here are some fun and delicious pizza oven recipes that’ll help you ring in the new year in style and flavor.

What Is a Pizza Oven?

If you imagine a pizza oven, you might think of one of those large metal boxes or domed brick structures you find in pizzerias or high-end restaurants. Indeed, wood-fired masonry ovens and coal burning options have been around for centuries and are still used by pizza enthusiasts, but modern options that use alternative fuel sources like gas and electricity are a great option for small-scale use at home! By offering better, more uniform heat distribution, pizza ovens reduce cook times and give you that authentic taste and texture you associate with traditional pizza. 

If no one put a pizza oven under your tree this year, browse IWAE’s selection of outdoor pizza ovens to find an option that suits your needs. Options like Blaze’s 26” Stainless Steel Outdoor Oven give you the flexibility for high-temp cooking as well as low and slow! 

Unique Dishes to Make in Your Pizza Oven

This holiday season has been unseasonably warm, with some parts of the United States that often enjoy a white Christmas seeing temperatures in the 60s. These surprisingly mild conditions may make you hesitant to run the oven and stove inside while you prepare for your New Year’s Eve party, but don’t let that stop you from serving up a succulent smorgasbord of mouth-watering meal options. Fire up your pizza oven and let’s get cooking!

Dips and Appetizers

Dips that you normally bake are easy to translate over to your pizza oven. Cook times tend to be shorter, so you shouldn’t take your eyes off your apps until you’re used to the difference, but pulling out a bubbling bowl of fresh-baked dip right as your guests arrive is worth the effort! Here are some of my personal favorites:

• Buffalo chicken dip: Layer or mix your ingredients in an oven-safe dish and stick it in that preheated pizza oven until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. It’s that easy! Add a touch of extra smoky flavor to your dip by cooking the chicken in your smoker.
• Crab artichoke dip: Combine all the parts while saving 1/2 cup of cheese, then spread the mixture in your baking dish. Cover the top with the remaining cheese and cook until gooey and delicious! Mix this one up by substituting canned artichoke hearts with fresh artichoke you’ve charred on the grill!

One of the worst parts of serving dips is all the chips that wind up left over. Turn that excess into its own appetizer by baking up some loaded nachos in the pizza oven once the dips are pulled! If you don’t have kielbasa or want a change-up from chicken, replace the protein with some of the smoked meats you made for Christmas for a delectable and unique nacho.

Side Dishes

The appetizers are out and it’s time to put the finishing touches on the main course. Even if you’re a meat person, the potatoes are integral for a well-rounded bite. Side dishes add the variety that makes a meal memorable and delicious until the last fork-full. 

• Corn on the cob, which you can serve as-is or use in homemade elote!
• Use your favorite sourdough recipe and this wood-fired cooking guide to make bread that’ll be done in a fraction of the time with a perfect crust

Side dishes aren’t limited to starches and veggies. Cooking up finger food in your pizza oven is no more complicated than it is inside, as proven by this chicken wing recipe! Want to change it up from buffalo sauce? Use your favorite BBQ or gochujang sauce for a crowd-pleasing side dish that’ll leave your guests begging for more of that sticky goodness.

Main Dishes

The main dish of your meal makes or breaks the vibe of your get-together. Whether you prefer to serve a set meal for everyone at once or you like to leave your party guests with the freedom to pick up whatever sounds good, these pizza oven main dishes are sure to impress:

• Rosemary chicken with roasted onions: Add seasoned chicken thighs skin-side down into your preheated, oiled cast iron skillet and put in the oven until the skin starts to brown. Pull the skillet out (be careful, the handle will be hot!), flip the chicken, add in the butter, rosemary, and onion, then butter baste your chicken briefly. Put the skillet back in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and bam! Easy and delicious.
• Maple plank salmon: This recipe will call for a dry cure on the salmon 4 to 6 hours before it’s time to cook and a wooden plank that’s been soaked in water for a few hours prior to use, so have these pieces prepped before the big event! The beauty of the recipe is, once people are there, all you have to do is put the salmon on the plank and cook! Check on the salmon so it doesn’t dry out, and add your glaze in the last 5 minutes.

If you’re wanting traditional pizza taste or something more interactive to add some fun to the festivities, calzones are the perfect choice! Set up a station full of topping options so everyone can choose their favorites. As long as someone who knows how to use the oven hangs nearby for safety, this is a sure-fire way to ensure your party leaves a lasting impression this year.

Desserts

Ending the meal with a sweet treat is just as important as starting the new year with a champagne toast and midnight kiss.

• Cinnamon rolls: Making the dough will take some time, but the proof will give you ample opportunity to pop between prep tasks. Roll out your dough after an hour of resting, add the filling, and roll it up! Cut the log into slices of swirled goodness, brush with a beaten egg and pearl sugar, then bake! Top them off with your favorite icing or leave them as-is for a sweet, cinnamony treat. After all, they don’t have to be reserved for breakfast.
• Apple & cranberry crumble: Take a pre-heated cast iron out of your oven (safely!), add the sliced apples, and cook until slightly soft. Remove from the oven to incorporate the cornstarch slurry and cranberries, then bake again until the apples are golden. Cover with the crumble and bake until the top is toasted and crunchy. Each pull out will have your guests floating your way nose-first, so be ready! Finish and serve, preferably a la mode.

Some of your guests may give you some tongue-in-cheek ribbing about using your pizza oven for everything except pizza, so tell them you’ve saved the best for last with a dessert of ricotta, blackberry, and pistachio pizza! After all, they can’t tease you while they’re still chewing!

Tips and Tricks for Cooking in a Pizza Oven

Some of the most important things to remember when using a pizza oven are:

1. Preheat the oven. In a wood-fired pizza oven, use hardwood (preferably seasoned) options to impart a smoky flavor and achieve high temperatures for quick cooking.
2. Clean your pizza oven after each use.
3. Keep all essential tools on-hand. This includes pizza-cooking staples like a pizza peel, pizza stone, and pizza cutter, but also other accessories such as long-handled tongs, heat-resistant gloves (preferably that go partially up the forearm), and cleaning supplies.
4. Cast iron is your friend. Cast iron skillets are designed for high-heat applications, so use them to your heart’s content in your pizza oven for all kinds of recipes! Just be sure to preheat your skillet in the oven and handle it safely.

Make the Perfect Pizza Every Time

Regardless if your favorite style is St. Louis thin crust or the traditional New York slice, there are a few tips that will help you make the most delicious pizza possible each and every time:

• Use a thermometer to make sure your pizza oven maintains the right temperature
• Rotate your pizza every 30-60 seconds depending on the style and closeness to the flame. This helps avoid burning and ensures consistent cooking throughout the ‘za.
• Use low-moisture cheese to mitigate moisture content and keep the crust crispy

Cook Up Something Delicious This New Year with IWAE

A pizza oven is a cooking appliance that is as versatile as it is powerful. Whether you’re a pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at suppertime kinda person or someone who only wants a slice every once in a while, having the ability to whip one up at a moment's notice makes planning out your weekly meals that much easier. The endless flavor combinations you can test out thanks to leftover spices from your spice mix Christmas ornament project means you can enjoy outdoor cooking that uses high-heat for quick turn-around times all year long with your new pizza oven. If you’re not sure which option works best for your home, just reach out to the experts at IWAE. The hardest part is going to be deciding what to try first!