Evaluation: Solo Range Brings ‘Brick Oven’ Pizza to Your Yard

As an enthusiastic proprietor of a Solo Range fireplace pit, I used to be excited to take a look at out the corporate’s Pi Pizza Oven. Bought for $625, however continuously discounted (it is lately $470), the Pi is meant to face in as a conveyable, “entry-level” selection to a type of customized yard pizza oven setups you notice in magazines. 

Solo Range refers back to the Pi as “the pizza oven for everybody.” I wish to pause right here so as to add that I’ve an on-again, off-again courting with cooking. I really like meals, however I am not specifically affected person within the kitchen — or yard kitchen on this case. That is very true if the recipe is sophisticated or if I do not really feel I’ve the appropriate equipment to expectantly check out one thing new. So, a pizza oven “for everybody” spoke to me immediately. 

There used to be a little bit of a studying curve relating to getting the pizza out and in of the oven, however after studying the consumer guide quilt to hide, exploring numerous on-line pizza boards and making many makes an attempt, I did certainly finally end up with tasty pizza. I like to recommend the Pi Pizza Oven to any individual in search of a conveyable selection to customized out of doors pizza ovens. You most likely may not make a super pie the primary time (I undoubtedly did not), however Solo Range’s Pi makes it as painless as imaginable. 

The Pi Pizza Oven fundamentals

Product of chrome steel, the Pi is decidedly no longer a brick oven. Nonetheless, Solo says it will probably cook dinner a pie in a similar fashion speedy — in simply 2 mins — with both propane or picket. To make use of propane, you must purchase the not obligatory fuel burner for an extra $270 (lately $175). 

I won the Pi Crucial Package for picket and fuel ($1,105; lately $795). This complete package comprises the oven and the fuel burner accent, in addition to a pizza stone, an infrared thermometer, a paddle (referred to as a peel) to get your pie out and in of the oven, a 2nd peel for turning the pizza whilst it is cooking, a pizza cutter and a canopy for the oven when it is not in use. 

The consumer guide even provides ideas for do-it-yourself dough and a few whole recipes, must you wish to have further assist. In brief, the Crucial Package supplies the whole thing you wish to have to make a pizza with out the elements. 

Environment the oven up used to be additionally simple. It comes absolutely assembled, with parts you’ll upload or take away relying on whether or not you are the usage of picket or propane. The default possibility is picket, however I did not have any readily available for my first day of checking out, so I began with propane by means of the fuel burner accent. The fuel burner screws seamlessly into the again of the oven with a hose that connects in your propane tank. 

The picket possibility includes a rear door that opens for venting, an ash pan, a gas grate for the picket and a pair equipment since you do not want to the touch the door immediately whilst it is sizzling. Solo Range suggests the usage of 5- by means of 2-inch items of kiln-dried picket.

Subsequent, upload the pizza stone, which is available in two portions fitted completely to the interior of the oven, and get started preheating. Solo Range says it takes about quarter-hour for the oven to get to the specified vary of 650 to 800 levels Fahrenheit. Whilst it is heating up, prep your pizza. The Pi can accommodate as much as a 12-inch pizza, which is most often a medium pizza in eating places, or a pair smaller ones. 

I’m going to notice right here that I had to make use of a lighter to get the fuel going to begin with, which Solo Range says should not be the case. (The oven has an igniter, similar to a typical propane grill.) I am not positive what took place there, however it doesn’t matter what I attempted, I finished up having to lodge to a lighter. Then, magically, I attempted back and it labored superbly. I am keen to chalk this one as much as consumer error, however it is price preserving in thoughts when you revel in an identical problems.

You’ll use both store-bought or do-it-yourself dough to make your pizza. Solo Range even says you’ll cook dinner a frozen pizza within the oven, however you must let it thaw first, as a frozen pizza positioned at the pizza stone could cause it to crack.

Use the infrared thermometer to test your development. Getting the appropriate temperature vary is a crucial step to attaining that scrumptious bubbly cheese and toasty crust, consistent with Solo Range. I discovered this section quite unreliable, since pointing the thermometer simply an inch or so off from the remaining location led to important temperature variability, once in a while up to 50 levels. To take a look at to verify the most efficient imaginable effects, I waited till each and every studying hit inside the 650- to 800-degree vary, despite the fact that there used to be some variability in temperature.

As soon as the Pi is ready up and preheated, it is time for the most efficient section: pizza. 

Trying out it out

I made 8 pizzas the usage of this oven, making an attempt other mixtures of store-bought and do-it-yourself dough (in addition to a few frozen pizzas) and switching between propane and picket. My first try used to be comical. I learn in the course of the consumer guide a number of instances earlier than putting in place the propane tank, preheating the oven and prepping two pizzas, one for me and one for my husband. I adopted the directions to flour the outside of the peel and the dough to mitigate sticking and began with simply one of the most pizzas to simplify issues.

As soon as the oven reached temperature, I expectantly stepped outdoor with the peel protecting the raw pizza and the smaller peel to show the pizza as soon as it used to be within the oven to verify a extra even bake. Solo Range says the pizzas cook dinner in 2 mins, so you must paintings speedy, which may were the beginning of my issues. 

The pizza would not budge. We attempted a number of issues to no avail. In the long run, we had to make use of the smaller peel to “roll” the pizza into an overly makeshift calzone form to get it within the oven in any respect. We additionally could not get it out of the oven. So as soon as back, we hired each the massive and small peel to get it out. My husband ate the “calzone,” nevertheless it used to be a fail total.

For my pizza, I tried more flour, more evenly coated on the bottom of the pizza and on the stainless steel peel. Same result. What started as a lovely uncooked pizza turned into a messy lump of dough, sauce and cheese every time we tried to move it either into — or out of — the oven. Mine didn’t even pass the test for edibility because whatever pile of ingredients we managed to get into the oven cooked so unevenly that it couldn’t be salvaged. 

Fortunately, it got progressively better after each attempt. Pizzas three and four, also made using the same store-bought dough as the first two, worked much better. But instead of unrolling the dough from the fridge, adding some flour to it and the peel and tossing on the ingredients, I worked the dough a little more with flour on my hands and essentially reshaped it, getting rid of some of the stickiness while I worked. 

I quickly learned that if the pizza isn’t budging while you’re prepping it on the peel, it isn’t going to budge when you try to get it into the oven, no matter what technique you use. 

Next up, I tried out two medium thawed (remember, don’t put a frozen pizza directly on the pizza stone or it could break) store-bought frozen pizzas, one thin crust and one regular crust. These worked extremely well and moved easily from the peel into the oven and back out again. They were also easy to turn in the oven with the smaller peel. 

For my last round of tests, I used this pizza crust recipe to try out a couple smaller homemade pizzas. I was intimidated by this test, but it ended up turning out really well. The dough was easy to work and yielded a nicely toasted crust with a crusty exterior and softer middle. This dough also transferred from the peel in and out of the oven much easier than the store-bought dough.

Whether you use wood or propane is a matter of preference. Propane is simpler, because you don’t have to tend to the fire as much. But the wood-fueled oven was more satisfying, both in terms of creating a more enjoyable campfire-like cooking experience and a better overall taste. The final pizza I cooked using the homemade dough and wood (photo above) was definitely the best overall. That’s due in part to getting more familiar with the oven over time, but also because homemade pizza and a wood oven make a great combo.

Final thoughts

The Pi Pizza Oven is easy to set up and there are a ton of accessories available to help you make a great pizza. There was a definite learning curve to keep each pizza from sticking to the peel and in some cases, getting it out of the oven. But it got easier. I’m certain that pizza-making enthusiasts have various personal tips and tricks to make this learning curve a bit smoother. (Please share them if you do!) Until then, the Pi Pizza Oven is a well-designed and mostly easy-to-use product that makes good pizza in your backyard.

If you’re a pizza enthusiast, but don’t have the budget for a full-on brick oven installation in your yard, Solo Stove’s pizza oven is a great alternative. 

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