Mike B. of Herscher, IL, is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces and he recently launched a new business venture called Mia Bella's Wood-Fired Pizza & Catering.
Mike built a mobile catering trailer around his CBO-750 Countertop Oven. Literally.
Within two months of starting his business, Mike's booked over 70 events ranging from area Farmer's Markets to the Chicago Bears Training Camp Kick Off Party.
Mike's ‘bringing the Italian back to pizza!’ Buon appetito!
]]>Recently, writer Jane Chertoff interviewed a number of astrologers for Realtor.com to uncover how the zodiac might influence what backyard entertainment features you're prone to enjoy most. Here's an excerpt of what she learned:
Cancers enjoy entertaining friends and loved ones in their homes, so it’s important for them to have plenty of outdoor entertainment space for their clan to gather, says astrologer Skye Alexander. That makes a large patio for entertaining, complete with a huge outdoor kitchen, a must.
“A get-together always includes food,” she says. “These enthusiastic cooks will want to outfit their backyard patios with top-of-the-line barbecue grills, rotisseries, outdoor ovens, refrigerators, bars, and big tables where everyone can eat together.”
Leos will want to work on outdoor improvement projects that will help them enjoy their backyards year-round.
“Leo is a fire sign born during the height of summer, and they like it hot,” Alexander explains. “They enjoy hanging out with family and friends on a sunny backyard patio with a barbecue grill, a hot tub, and, of course, an outdoor fireplace where they can sit in comfort when the weather turns cool.”
Check out the rest of the article on Realtor.com to discover what your zodiac sign says about your backyard entertaining style.
]]>The ideal Italian-style pizza, whether Roman or Neapolitan, has a crisp crust flecked with dark spots (marks left by a blazing hot oven).
What makes for cooking a perfect pizza? Recently, Andreas Glatz, a physicist at Northern Illinois University, asked pizzaiolos, professional pizza makers in Rome, that very question. The answer he got: it's all about the brick.
He and a team of researchers discovered that the secret behind a pizza's magic is the unique thermal properties of the brick oven used by professional pizza makers. Typically, baking a pizza in a brick oven lasts about two minutes at 626 degrees Fahrenheit (Neapolitan pizzas usually bake at 700 degrees or higher).
A brick oven heated to 626 degrees will heat the crust to roughly 392 degrees, while the top of the pizza receives indirect heat of about 212 degrees that allows the water to boil off from the cheese and tomato sauce. That temperature differential is what creates pizza perfection -- all thanks to brick's unique thermal conductivity!
Read more about the science of cooking a perfect pizza in a brick oven at:
Fire up your oven to at least 350–450 degrees Fahrenheit, using an infrared temperature gun to check temp when ready.
Combine (in a large bowl or plastic resealable food storage bag) the berries, maple syrup, lemon juice, and corn starch. Mix to combine the corn starch, lemon juice and syrup.
Pour the berry mixture into a large cast iron skillet. Crumble the granola over the top of the berries evenly. Cover with foil to avoid burning the granola.
Cook on medium-high for 20-25 minutes. Check about half-way through the cooking time to ensure the pan is not in too hot or too cold of a spot in your oven. Once the fruit is starting to bubble, it's done.
Serve warm with whipped cream, yogurt or your favorite ice cream.
This backyard kitchen design came together with the help of Susan McKay Landscape Design of Berkeley, California, and Chavez Landscaping Construction of Santa Rosa, California.
"Here's a photo of our Chicago brick oven. We love it! It's the ultimate party facilitation device and the In-Chamber fire goes perfect with our outdoor design theme."
Dave B.
“Fired up my first 2 pizza’s, myself and family loved them!! Perfect crispy homemade crust. Having guests over for the week and planning on putting filets and ribs in the oven with the drip pan underneath! Thanks again!”
Steve S.
Chicago Brick Oven offers a wide selection of affordable outdoor pizza ovens (all made in the USA) and cooking accessories to help make every Dad the master of his backyard domain.
With any Chicago Brick Oven, Dad will be roasting, grilling, baking, sautéing, frying, poaching, boiling, steaming, simmering, braising and even stewing up a veritable feast.
The CBO-Americano Wood-Burning Countertop Oven is Neopolitan-inspired and made in the USA. Low cost, low maintenance makes this oven a great addition to Dad's outdoor entertainment space.
The CBO-Americano Hybrid Stand has aesthetics and dual-fuel efficiency. It can cook with wood or gas or both. And our patented FlameRoll™ technology creates a vacuum for concentrated heat up to 1,000º F. The high-performance design allows Dad to include radiant heat, convection and conduction in his outdoor cooking repertoire.
The CBO-750 DIY Kit is our most popular do-it-yourself wood-fired outdoor pizza oven kit. Let Dad design a one-of-a-kind outdoor oven, or enlist a professional contractor to help him create the perfect centerpiece of the outdoor kitchen he's always wanted.
The CBO-750 Countertop Oven has a roomy hearth, big enough for Dad to serve up large feasts for family and friends. This countertop oven may be placed on any sturdy base to transform your family's outdoor dining experiences.
For football-loving fathers, the CBO-750 Tailgater is the ultimate cooking machine. With the CBO-750 Tailgater, Dad can bring the wood-fired cooking action with him wherever he goes.
High-tech or no-tech, the right outdoor cooking accessories can make the meal. Dad will get his grill on with the CBO Digital Remote Meat Thermometer with Dual Probles and titanium-covered Heavy-Duty Rocker Pizza Cutter with Sheath.
Paint Touchup Process for Copper Vein Hoods:
Paint Touchup Process for Silver Vein Hoods:
Paint Touchup Process for Terra Cotta or Dark Roast Hoods:
“Love my Chicago Brick Oven!”
Joe N.
"Just finished my CBO-750 DIY Kit project a few weeks ago and I’m absolutely loving your product. I have had no issues with any smoke drafting out, which has made my outdoor entertainment safe and an even bigger hit!"
Keith H.
BBQ preference is intensely personal, and how you barbecue is more likely a result of where you live than any other factor. The United States has dozens of regional variations of BBQ. Have you ever wondered which is best?
There are four dominant BBQ styles in the US and here's how they differ:
Kansas City-style BBQ uses a mix of all meats and cuts, as well as a mix of wood fuel. But it's primarily known for its BBQ Chicken and Ribs.
Pork is the meat of choice in Memphis-style BBQ. Its most famous dish is Pork Ribs, both wet (slathered in sauce) and dry (dry rubbed with seasoning), cooked over Hickory wood.
Everything is bigger in Texas, and that also goes for its BBQ. Texas BBQ is primarily beef cooked over Oak wood. Sliced Beef Brisket is perhaps the most popular Texas BBQ dish.
Whether you're in North or South Carolina, you'll find BBQ is usually pork meat cooked over either Hickory or Oak wood. Pulled Pork is the dish best known throughout the region. But when it comes to sauce styles, that's where the North and the South diverge paths.
Sometimes great BBQ flavor doesn't require allegiance to a specific state or region. For our money, one of the best BBQ sauce recipes ever conceived is from Chef Edward Lee, winner of Iron Chef America and Chicago Brick Oven CBO-750 owner. Check out this video recipe for his amazing 22-Ingredient BBQ Sauce. You're welcome!
"Cooking with wood fire adds an entire new vocabulary to my cuisine, one that is primal, instinctive and adventurous. With my Chicago Brick Oven, I can achieve this with a consistent heat source that I could not live without. It’s my favorite oven to cook with. The menu changes weekly but the CBO-750 is a mainstay!”
Chef Edward Lee, Iron Chef America
"We love our Chicago Brick Oven! We cranked out eight pizzas in less than an hour last Sunday!"
Tammy R.
S'mores Pizza Recipe begins now! Fire up your CBO oven to 600+°F – use an infrared temperature gun to check temp when ready. Hand-roll ball of dough and work in crushed graham crackers. Flatten dough with rolling pin to quarter-inch thickness into circular-shaped shell. Place dough on pizza pan or pizza screen and pre-bake in brick oven for 1-2 minutes until firm.
Remove shell from oven and pan. Microwave chocolate – melting in brick oven is not recommended – and spread across surface of shell with a pastry brush. Sprinkle pieces of graham crackers on chocolate and add marshmallows across top as desired.
Place prepared shell directly on oven hearth and bake until marshmallows are turning golden brown — turning pizza as needed. Watch closely; cooking no more than 2-3 minutes. Remove dessert from oven and dust with powdered sugar as desired.
Makes 6-8 Servings
Smores Pizza - Recipe from Chicago Brick Oven on Vimeo.
"Amazing oven. Since we purchased our Chicago Brick Oven Tailgater, business has tripled in sales. I recommend it."
ILLY'S PIZZA | Dayton, Ohio
Curing an oven removes potential residual moisture. Although your oven might seem dry once you complete the installation process, there are small moisture pockets that need to work their way out.
The initial fire must be started slowly. When lighting the first fire, keep the flames low so the moisture can be slowly released from the oven and the surrounding masonry. If you build a large fire in your oven from the onset, you could compromise your oven’s longevity and cooking efficiency—ultimately causing permanent damage which might void the manufacturer’s warranty.
This curing process should be conducted at a temperature as close to 212°F (100°C) as possible (do not exceed this temperature) for a period of six hours on three consecutive days. Exposing your new oven to this temperature over a few days will cause all the moisture to evaporate, allowing your oven to properly “cure.”
NOTE: Due to thermal expansion, small cracks might appear in the dome or hearth during the curing process. Don’t worry. This is normal and the quality of your oven will not be compromised.
Another method of curing your new oven is to build a fire in a separate location. Then, take the heated coals and place them in the oven. You’ll generate heat without a flame, and the oven will cure as required. Some new owners find this method much easier for curing the oven and ensuring that the temperature doesn’t get too hot.
The CBO-750 Hybrid Ovens (DIY Kit, Countertop and Stand models) use two burners for the curing process.
After four hours, your oven is cured and you're ready to cook at higher temperatures. NEVER use a CBO-750 Hybrid oven with the door completely closed.
Wood-fired brick ovens, also known as Masonry ovens, date back to 4,000 years ago. These ovens are famously known to be derived from the Ancient Roman period; although, these ovens were greatly influenced by the Peruvian, Turkish, and Spanish cultures. As these ovens peaked during the Roman Republic, the ovens were called black ovens due to the Western culture they flourished in. Instead of Masonry, the reference “black oven” was due to the smoke that emulated from the wood used as fuel. Black, or Masonry, ovens were heavily used throughout medieval Europe and would be built to serve the populations around the medieval communities.
The Masonry oven sooner than later was introduced to the America’s as the: Beehive Oven, which was established during their colonial period. The Beehive oven, similar dome-shape to the beehives, was a popular cooking tool until the Industrial Revolution; therefore, this Beehive mechanic has influenced the creation of gas and electric ovens.
Chicago Brick Oven has been influenced by European design, and is a descendant from the Beehive oven, there are three ingredients that establishes the significance of a CBO:
Fire up your CBO oven to 450-500°F — use an infrared temperature gun to check temp when ready.
Cut full rack of ribs in half (to fit a rib rack). Coat both sides of ribs with mustard.
Rub in dry spices on either side. Place ribs in rack with drip pan underneath in middle of hearth.
Roast ribs for 35-40 minutes. Spin the rack around (front to back) midway through the cooking process. Cooking times will vary with size and thickness of ribs.
Building a fire capable of producing 1,000ºF heat is not as intimidating as it may sound. In fact, you’ll quickly realize it’s one of the best parts of the entire cooking experience. It begins with selecting the right wood.
An authentic wood-burning oven means an in-chamber fire. Only in-chamber fire produces the high heat and wood flavors that make everything taste better. To be clear, any appliance with a firebox underneath the cooking surface is not an oven. It's a grill.
The right wood can enhance the flavor profile of a wide range of foods. When choosing, be mindful that hard, dry, aged wood burns hotter and cooks faster. The best-burning hardwoods are arbor, ash, beech, maple and oak. Experiment to find your preferred methods and wood.
With our patented FlameRoll™ technology, it's simple to build a fire capable of creating up to 1,000ºF heat. To begin, put a spark to tinder and kindling set directly on the stone hearth. Slowly build your fire using charcoal, cooking wood or a combination of both. Allow the heat to bake into the stone for 35 minutest to an hour. Then move the fire to the back or side of the oven, creating room for your food.
Imagine the aroma and mouthwatering taste of apple wood turkey, orange wood duck or maple wood steak. With an in-chamber fire and your own creativity, there's no limit to the flavors you can produce. Infuse your favorite recipes with the rich smokiness of these flavored cooking woods:
Hard, dry, aged wood burns hotter and cooks faster. The best burning hardwoods are arbor, ash, beech, bower, maple and oak.
Soft woods, such as linden or poplar, create about 50% less heat than oak. Energy that comes from combustion doesn’t depend on the type of wood, but on its degree of dryness.
The ideal stacking period for wood is six months in the open and two years (up to three years for oak) in a dry, protected spot. The wood can also be dried in the oven after you make sure there are no coals or embers left, so the wood will not ignite.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Resinous, treated and waste woods should not be used as they can be dangerous to your health.
Fire up your CBO oven to 600+°F – use an infrared temperature gun to check temp when ready. Cut tops off loaves in a circular motion and “gut” to make bread bowls. Trim excess bread from lid and set aside. Combine cooked pasta with 1 1/4 cup sauce and shredded cheese in a large mixing bowl. Slice meatballs in half, add to pasta and stir lightly to coat.
Coat each bowl with 2 T of sauce. Fill bowls evenly with pasta and wedge bread tops at back of each pasta bowl – like a “backboard.” (Tops will crisp up during cooking.) Add 2-4 sliced meatball halves to each bowl and top with grated Romano cheese and fresh parsley.
Bake on oven hearth for 2-3 minutes, turning bowls as needed, till golden brown. Remove bowls from oven. Drizzle additional sauce and dust with more Romano cheese if desired.
Makes 5-6 Servings
Now that you’ve properly cured your wood-burning brick oven, you’re ready to fire it up and start enjoying the food and fun. We’ve designed our ovens to heat quicker and maintain that heat longer than the competition—the key to great wood-fired taste.
This is more than just heating an oven. It’s a process. An opportunity to slow down, build a fire just like they did thousands of years ago and create flavors that are only possible from authentic Old World-design ovens. Here’s how to begin.
We recommend that you take 45-60 minutes to heat up your oven to before you cook. On colder days, when the ambient temperatures are below 40°F, take a little longer to heat up your oven at a more gradual rate.
You'll quickly realize that tending your fire is one of the best parts of the entire cooking experience.
“Just finished my oven. Love it and pizza comes out great in less than 5 minutes, you really do get that authentic wood-fired taste and it is addicting! Thank you for such a wonderful product.”
Ed C.