There's a new Uuni pizza oven

I got a 10kg bag of pellets at the garden centre for £2.75

yourguitarhero: if I find out where you live, I’m coming to your house this weekend 😈

jsync, I’m tempted by one of these –

Pizzaque

As I already have a 57cm weber, have loads of seasoned hardwood too, so don’t have to buy pellets either.

I’m also tempted by one of those for my Weber but they seem a lot of money for what they are. I reckon any half decent metal fabricator could knock one up pretty quick.

If you wait til next week, I’m going to be eating the pizza and drinking the beer while installing a pair of beer taps in my kitchen. Saves having to lean out of the window.
If that goes well, tap #3 goes in next to the couch!

I’m also tempted by one of those for my Weber but they seem a lot of money for what they are. I reckon any half decent metal fabricator could knock one up pretty quick.

Agree, I’d rattle one together myself, no worries, but then I look at the price of stainless sheet…

Is the Uuni 3 the same as the Uuni Pro?

No. The 3 is update to 2S. Pro is bigger and pricier (among other things)

Also, has anyone cooked anything other than pizza with success?

Yep. Steak. Is awesome. I use an old cast-iron griddle pan but Uuni sell something suitable.

And are “their” pellets expensive for everyday use?

Yes. I’m still on the Uuni ones but apparently these are OK; http://www.plumbcenter.co.uk/product/balcas-brites-wood-pellet-bag-10-kg/

As long as you’re buying ENPlusA1 grade, they’re all the same product.

I’m not sure this is true. People on the Uuni facebook group have had varying results when trying different pellets, e.g. not burning as well, producing loads more soot or sticking in the hopper.
One thing you can be sure of is the Uuni pellets work well with the Uuni. That said a decent (i.e proven) alternative would be good

Nothing worse than pellets sticking to yer hopper…..

^ They Balcas ones are the ones the garden centre next to me sells for £2.75 a bag

If you wait til next week

I never said I was going to leave!

Nobeer / painey

There kit is better I think as it includes a stone:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00E20V7PQ?psc=1&th=1

Apparently the hardcore users think the kettle Weber doesn’t have enough heat in the lid so reduce the height with a metal plate. I assume the kit above will be similar and the pizzaque slightly better as it slopes towards the back. You also need I think a cordite stone as the normal ones can break with the high temps.

Well, I’m going on my holidays so please feed the cat and do the dishes

Cheers timmys.

Really tempted still. Then again, we have a big Weber so one of the aforementioned fabrications might be an option. Bloody first world problems.

Agree, I’d rattle one together myself, no worries, but then I look at the price of stainless sheet..

Update, came across a 1m3 stainless sheet in a skip at work today, game on!..

I heard the wooden pellets from other sources weren’t guaranteed to have no chemicals/additives etc in them

I’d like to find a cheaper source of Unni-quality pellets but only if the quality is the same. If they’re for use in a biomass boiler then additives don’t matter as you’re not eating something cooked in the smoke

Good work nobeer. I predict the next 2 threads, foraging for toppings and road kill cooking times.

Talking of the Uuni pellets, how much do you use for each session of say 3 pizzas?

Got my Unni 3 yesterday for gfs birthday. Bad start for me, mainly due to bad weather halting play.

But a couple of questions: Anyone recommend a decent blow-torch and temperature meter for it?

Also it doesn’t really fit in the bag and the handle is wobbly no matter how tight you do the bolts.

Pizza tonight hopefully.

Thread resurrection; got my Uuni3 birthday present delivered last night.

Will be having a play on Friday night, and then have people over Saturday evening for a BBQ that might not now be a BBQ

What do i need to know – lighting it looks pretty straightforward, then wait 10 mins according to the pictogram in the manual (although have read people say it can smoke a bit and they wait until the smoke goes before starting which I guess is sensible – noting I’ve got a bag of Uuni pellets for now so that shouldn’t be a cause)

That aside – how do i know how steep or shallow to set the pellet feeder, the online video just says to keep it topped up? What am i looking for or is it trial and error so the pellets are feeding to keep the oven hot enough so pizzas take 60-80 seconds to cook?

And any recommendations for dough making – big batch the day before and then divide into pizza sized pieces before stretching / rolling; make it and the rest it while getting the fire started is long enough….. heard all sorts.

Get on the uuni Facebook page loads of tips

have been, but also some conflicting advice……

Here too.

You also need I think a cordite stone

sbob recommends other materials.

Aldi have an outdoor pizza oven on sale next week for £99

And any recommendations for dough making – big batch the day before and then divide into pizza sized pieces before stretching / rolling; make it and the rest it while getting the fire started is long enough….. heard all sorts.

Big batch the day before, let it prove a decent amount of time == more flavour. You will need to knock it back quite a few times. We overnight ours in the fridge to stop it getting too big during the time we can’t knock it back. It is much easier to stretch/roll after a long prove. I divide into pieces 10 minutes before starting to make pizzas. Each piece I tuck into a ball and then leave to rest before rolling. This seems to help with the shape. Any left over dough we freeze for next time.

Get on the uuni Facebook page loads of tips

have been, but also some conflicting advice……

The FB group does have its fair share of numpties plus a contingent from the US obsessed with modifying the oven….

For your first go at it I’d recommend following the Uuni advice for lighting and cooking.
For dough see the recipe below, make it in a large batch, portion into balls and leave to prove 1-2 hours. This is different to Uuni advice which is to portion after the prove, not sure which works best but my way means less to do come cooking time. Weighing the balls when portioning gives consistent sized pizzas and Semolina helps the bases slide off the peel into the oven

This is the recipe I use – Dough Recipe[/url]

I’ve got a similar thing to the Aldi one, had it a couple of years.

Its great as a barbecue – I have struggled a bit with Pizza.

So far my best results have been to bring it up to temp then keep the fire to the right hand side and keep the pizza stone to the left to allow for indirect heat to cook the pizza rather than burn the base in direct contact with the flames.

Could be me being rubbish!

…..before rolling

Sorry, what? 🙂

I’d recommend giving hand stretching a go, you get a much better crust

ta – the other bit I’m ‘worried’ about is the seeming obsession with the fire triangle (which i know about, I’m a scientist) and some folks suggesting that you just get on with it, others rigging up portable / USB fans, others suggesting you need to leave an airgap on the sliding lid to the fire compartment, etc…….

I know part of the fun is finding out, and I’m a competent barbecuer as it is, just looking for other’s experiences – time spent on ‘research’ is seldom wasted.

I’m a competent barbecuer

You’ll be fine then. Just watch for pellets sticking in the hopper and meaning the fire is starved of fuel, although this might have been addressed on the Uuni 3.

The Uuni 3 has sorted out all the niggles that the Uuni 2 has. Such as the pellets getting stuck in the hopper, the chimney fits better and there’s 3 legs for a sturdier base when you’re out and about.

Regarding lighting. I insert the basket with as many pellets as I can cram in, blow torch it, then leave for 10 minutes. Top up the hopper and once the pellets from the hopper catch light the smoke clears it will be hot enough to cook a pizza in under 90 seconds.

We use the Jamie Oliver recipe – fairly simple to follow and foolproof.
Give it at least 2 hours to prove. We have used it 5 days later. Allow expansion room though when you store it and especially when you let it prove.

Flip the stone over each time you cook. (I don’t mean for each pizza!)
We use Waitrose fresh pesto for a base, rather than passata. Blanched spinach, loads of chorizo, mozzarella, compté, artichokes. Yum.

Don’t get cheese or passata on the peel. You’ll swear when you can’t get the pizza on or off the peel.

Get everything ready and laid out before you start cooking. If you’re knocking them out every 90 seconds, you’ll need a production line and you can feed 12 people surprisingly quickly!

cheers

500g of flours worth of the Uuni classic dough recipe made and proving in the fridge now. Ready for messing around with tomorrow before the pressure’s on.

I think we’ll go basic tomorrow – margherita, maybe some ham and mushrooms, maybe even just some cheesey bread.

So now then hit me with your recipes / topping options so if I can get it sussed tomorrow and get confident enough to host with it on Saturday….. my guests can top themselves (so to speak)

Oh, one other question. I’ve got a 10kg bag of Uuni pellets, roughly what’s the burn rate (kg/hour or whatever) I don’t know if I’ve got the fuel for summer or come Saturday I’m panicking!!

A 10kg bag should last for 10 sessions at least.

Remember less is more when it comes to the toppings.

Also get an IR thermometer from Amazon to check stone temp.

Our uuni3 has had 8 or 9 sessions now (and that used up our first 10kg bag), getting the hang of it. Only thing I’ve done is drill a small hole in the flap so I can put a little split ring in there so it can’t get knocked out.

Main thing is keeping the hopper topped up at all times – if the level drops below the flap it loses temperature really fast. Tap the hopper with the lid each time to keep the pellets moving. I top up straight after I’ve put a pizza in, and if you don’t have someone else making them, then again after a pizza is done to keep it going until the next.

Tapping the hopper out a bit (so you get a small gap in front of it) can help get a bit more air in if you think I it needs it.

Agreed, an IR thermometer is very handy to check when it’s up to temp and make sure it stays there, and a blow lamp for lighting it in the first place.

For toppings, keep it light and get as much moisture out as possible – I let the pizza sauce cook down to fairly thick, and slice up the mozzarella and leave it between sheets of kitchen roll to dry it out. Unlike cooking in a regular oven, anything too “wet” doesn’t have time to dry out and melt/brown – don’t let people go mad with toppings or you can end up with a black base and barely melted top.

Fine semolina sprinked on the peel helps it slide off but you can’t leave it too long between putting it on there and it going in the oven or it’ll stick.

Oh and, unless I’m missing something, the bag/cover is rubbish. I’ve reverted to an Ikea bag.

Regarding cheese… In Waitrose the pre grated bags of mozzarella, compté and gruyère are actually cheaper than buying whole pieces.

As above;
Less toppings are the way forward.
Keep the hopper topped up and keep the pizzas coming along a production line and bash them out.

…..before rolling

Sorry, what?

I’d recommend giving hand stretching a go, you get a much better crust

As would I. Much prefer mine hand stretched (gives a better base as well) but still working on the technique. I get complaints about the crust being a bit big at times (think I need to put the topping closer to the edge).

Thanks for all your tips…. first go tonight. 80% successful, if I’m honest.

Didn’t start well, took longer to light than I thought, at which my youngest was griping about being hungry, will be investing in a blowtorch.

Dough making was OK, wife has a machine that helped. Making balls and stretching less good, be damned if we could get anywhere to 12″ without the middle tearing, as a result we had some fairly big crusts but in fairness they were still pretty light and airy.

As for cooking – 20 seconds and turn means that doesn’t it 😯 Few seconds over and it was burnt. Only did basic toppings, passata, grated mozza, ham and mushrooms but but apart from cutting a bit of edge burn away, pretty decent.

On the Uuni; had a nice day for it with hardly any wind so no issues there, the hopper does go down quick though and I didn’t realise a couple of times as they bridged over the feeder; now have the pizza in, tap hopper, turn, add more pellets, turn again, tap hopper routine sorted. Not much sitting around is there!

Only ‘do different’ for me really is at the end, I let the pellets burn down and now have a lot of soot on the inner, will take the burner out in future and let that burn out separately. Do I need to try to clean soot out or will that burn off tomorrow on lighting?

Right; visitors tomorrow….. let battle properly commence.

Didn’t start well, took longer to light than I thought, at which my youngest was griping about being hungry, will be investing in a blowtorch.

Yup get a blowtorch to light pellets.

Dough making was OK, wife has a machine that helped. Making balls and stretching less good, be damned if we could get anywhere to 12″ without the middle tearing, as a result we had some fairly big crusts but in fairness they were still pretty light and airy.

what flour are you using? I’ma caputo 00 convert. hydration levels matter.

As for cooking – 20 seconds and turn means that doesn’t it Few seconds over and it was burnt. Only did basic toppings, passata, grated mozza, ham and mushrooms but but apart from cutting a bit of edge burn away, pretty decent.

I use a heat guard to stop the closest edge to burning pellets getting burnt.

soot will burn off when you get the oven hot next use. I also use a USB fan to keep the air flow constant on fire, mine is the 2 not the 3

Any chance of a photo of your heatguard Bruneep?

there is a heatguard as part of the ‘3’, sort of l-shaped bit of metal that sits under the back edge of the stone

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