Idea: Replicating smokiness of a WFO

[hotsawce]

When making pizza today, I was wondering if one could replicate the subtle smokiness of a wood fired oven.

Has anyone considered using a small bit of liquid smoke or smoked sea salt in the dough? How do you all think it would work?

[haybot]

The pizza is in the oven for such a short time, i never noticed any smokiness about pizza from a wfo...

[Bill/SFNM]

A fully fired-up WFO produces very little smoke and smoke flavor. But I like smoked sea salt (and smoked black pepper) although I don't think I've ever tried it on a pizza. But liquid smoke, IMO, is foul stuff. Makes me gag.

[Jackie Tran]

I have noticed a slight smokiness to my pizzas baked in the Primo coal oven and in the liquid propane MBE over the home oven.  I'm not quite sure where it comes from b/c lump charcoal is quite different from LP.  I was going to say it may be from the char created but then again I don't notice the same flavor from the char in the home oven. 

[hotsawce]

That's what I've noticed. It's not a full on "smoked flavor;" it's rather subtle, but a bit noticeable.

Anyway, I tend to find liquid smoke foul most of the time, but maybe a couple of drops in the water would, in a way, recreate that subtle flavor some of us have experienced. JackieTran, would you mind trying it?

I have noticed a slight smokiness to my pizzas baked in the Primo coal oven and in the liquid propane MBE over the home oven.  I'm not quite sure where it comes from b/c lump charcoal is quite different from LP.  I was going to say it may be from the char created but then again I don't notice the same flavor from the char in the home oven. 

[Jackie Tran]

HS, I don't have any liquid smoke.  I've heard that when ppl eat food with it they will burp it up later and it's rather unpleasantly.  I don't think a couple of drops would hurt.   If you have some at your disposal let us know how it turns out.  If not, then next time I see some at the store I may pick some up and let you know.

Chau

[cornicione54]

From my experience, whether authentic neapolitan style or other style,  I've never been able to discern any 'smokiness' from the wood fired pizzas I've eaten at various pizza joints. Sure, I can taste the char but I wouldn't call any of the pies I've tried 'smoky'. Perhaps I don't have as finely tuned a palate as some, but if there is a difference it's not one that I'd go out of my way to try and replicate. Just my 2 cents.

[tommy]

I can't imagine that 60 or 90 seconds next to a fire is going to impart much smoke flavor to a pizza.  In fact I don't even think that 6 minutes for a burger over lump charcoal adds any smoky flavor, but many people must have super-palates, because they disagree. 

[Jackie Tran]

I do not have a super palate but if I bake a 4 min pie in the MBE or primo oven and you taste that right beside the oven baked pie (with similar char characterisitics) the taste is night and day. 

[Bobino414]

A while ago I spoke with Frank the head chef at Woodstone corp. regarding "the smokey flavor imparted by a wfo on the pizza.  He told me that the plume of smoke is about 10 inches above the pizza therefore no smokey flavor. 
Made sense at the time but I thought that maybe if there is ash on the oven floor that may impart some flavor. 
The other more compelling factor is "doming" of the pie(which I did not know about at that time) to get the desired finish.  The pie would then be in the plume of smoke and this may impart the flavor that some perceive.

Bob

[Bill/SFNM]

How hot are we talking about? At typical WFO temps, many of the aromatics we associate with "smoke" flavor have been complete combusted. If I throw some chips onto the coal bed of my fully heated WFO, the wood is immediately ignited and after a few seconds, there is a no visible smoke.

[cornicione54]

Could it be excess flour or cornmeal that burns as it hits the oven floor that causes the smokiness?

[dmcavanagh]

I smoke my own mozzarella cheese with a cold smoke process and it makes a great topping for pizza with a nice smokey (almost bacon like) flavor. I like this with a combo of sweet sausage and roasted red peppers.

[Jackie Tran]

Could it be excess flour or cornmeal that burns as it hits the oven floor that causes the smokiness?

I think this could be it.  The toasting of the bench flour maybe.

[hotsawce]

The doming of the pie sounds like a logical explanation, but I've definitely noticed a difference in taste...for whatever reason it may be. I don't have liquid smoke, yet, but I might pick up a bottle and try it. Just today I feel like I've reached new heights with my Sicilian pie, so I'm making progress in a few areas....but I'll certainly be experimenting at some point

[gtsum2]

I dont have the best palate, but I can certainly taste the difference in a pie cooked on my Primo compared to the home oven and even my LBE - I get more "good" char on my LBE, but more "smoky" taste from the primo....(of course, these are at temps nowhere near a WFO though..that might very well be the reason behind little to no smoke taste).  Liquid smoke is right nasty..no matter how you look at it and sacrilege for it to be anywhere near a true bbq'er!   I find it is quite easy for me to tell a difference on a 5-6 minute burger cooked on gas or over lump...no comparison actually...

[hotsawce]

Liquid smoke is usually far overused.

I dont have the best palate, but I can certainly taste the difference in a pie cooked on my Primo compared to the home oven and even my LBE - I get more "good" char on my LBE, but more "smoky" taste from the primo....(of course, these are at temps nowhere near a WFO though..that might very well be the reason behind little to no smoke taste).  Liquid smoke is right nasty..no matter how you look at it and sacrilege for it to be anywhere near a true bbq'er!   I find it is quite easy for me to tell a difference on a 5-6 minute burger cooked on gas or over lump...no comparison actually...