Pizza oven risks

ChefSteps and builders of the "hot rod" pizza oven might want to give this a listen. It's certainly got me second guessing the tool...don't think I'll be using it any more. The podcast, and the two hosts are respected. It's not a deep dive, but they make several valid points. Curious about your thoughts.

Find more posts tagged with

What About Tools?

Comments

whenric

I respect those guys. They are saying risky from a food safety perspective? (as in, not from an oven blowing up perspective?),

FrankM_3301

They mention the possibility of physical danger, but that is not what concerns me. I've used it enough to understand that (at least mine) is not exploding. The bigger concern, and like I say they don't do a deep dive, is the potential for airborne contaminants from heating the concrete. Give the short pod a listen, but also, on the page they link a safety data sheet. It's just something I don't think has been considered. So, in my mind, certainly a risk...how much? ...not really sure, but, for me, enough concern to move on to other pizza cooking options.

albert.corona

The only reason I would not use one of these self made ovens, is because there is not certification that the materials used are safe for food contact. If you build an oven and the materials are safe, then I don’t see any issues about germs more so than any conventional oven.

FrankM_3301

The issues mentioned in the podcast are not about "germs", rather they are mainly about chemicals. None of the materials in the oven are specified as food-safe...the original ChefSteps directions say nothing about food-safe materials. It uses building materials found at the local home improvement retailer. I've stopped using mine because I am not convinced it is food-safe.

Obviously, if you build a food-safe pizza oven it wouldn't be a concern.

Kyl_Haselbauer_worked_at_chefsteps_1040170

The best option would be to swap out the paver stone that is the cooking surface with a large Pizza oven stone. It will be a little pricier but worth it.

FrankM_3301

Maybe...the thinner oven pizza stone will certainly change the heating dynamics, and take care of the cooking surface. It doesn't resolve the heating of the sides and roof of oven, which are all made with non-food safe material. The concern is chemicals released when these products are heated.