How to Cook Christmas Dinner in a Woodfired Oven
Woodfired ovens are usually associated with pizzas, but they are much more versatile than that. You can cook a wide range of foods, including full meals in one of these ovens, and a traditional Christmas dinner is no exception. If you have been tasked with making Christmas lunch, then why not create a meal that everyone will be talking about all year.
Getting Started
Getting the right cooking temperature is important, and there are some tips you can use to kick start your woodfired Christmas dinner adventure. Firstly, always make sure you use kiln dried logs so your fire burns efficiently. Secondly, start small with a kindling stack that is roughly 3 inches by 10 inches. Thirdly, make sure that your oven reaches 450 degrees, even if you don't need this temperature to cook, this will build up the heat mass of the oven.
Cooking Your Turkey
For many people, the turkey is the main component when it comes to Christmas dinner. Getting this right can be the difference between your meal being memorable for the right or wrong reasons. To control the temperature of the oven at 200 degrees, we would strongly recommend using our Agnes Outdoors pizza oven door with its built-in thermometer. However, if you choose to season your turkey, it is a good idea to place it on an elevated roasting rack to go in the oven. Start with the turkey breast side down and once the skin is cooked, turn it over to cook the other side. Keep a nice stable 200 degrees inside the oven, and food lovers will be amazed by your turkey!
The Trimmings
Christmas dinner isn't Christmas dinner without the trimmings! These can also be cooked in your woodfired oven, and yes, we even mean the vegetables. Firing up your oven to the optimum temperature of roughly 450 degrees and then allowing it to cool to 200 degrees will mean that you are able to cook your pigs in blankets, roasted parsnips and carrots, the dreaded or delightful brussels sprouts and delicious stuffing. A woodfired oven is also the perfect place to produce amazing roast potatoes. Crisp and delicious on the outside and fluffy and tasty on the inside. You may never want to cook roasties in a traditional oven again.
Don’t Already Have a Woodfired Oven?
If you don’t already have a woodfired oven, then don't worry! Take a look at our DIY pizza oven and see how to build your own. This can be a great DIY project for yourself or even considered as a Christmas gift for food lovers. Even if you won't have one ready to cook Christmas dinner this year, let your friends and family know that next year's dinner is at your place!