The Role of Steam in Pizza Oven Cooking

In the world of pizza, steam is not often a topic of conversation. However, steam does play an important role in a host of different recipes that your pizza oven is capable of. Steam is often discussed as an important element when baking bread, so if you’ve ever thought about trying your hand at baking a quality loaf, or baking thicker doughs that require longer cook times, such as Detroit-style pizza, pan pizza, focaccia, or flatbreads, steam becomes increasingly relevant. In this article, we explore the role steam plays in pizza oven cooking and how it can be used effectively.

What Does Steam Actually Do?

When baking bread for example, the introduction of moisture at the start of the cook delays the setting of the dough’s crust which allows the dough to expand further and more freely which results in a ‘springier’ texture to the loaf. When the dough first hits the heat of the oven, it rises quickly in those first moments of baking. The steam helps to create a thinner and therefore crispier crust.

When using a pizza oven to bake bread, whether that’s a wood-fired pizza oven, a gas pizza oven, or a multi-fuel pizza oven, the ambient temperature of the oven is lower than the temperatures used when baking pizza. This results in longer bake times, which gives the steama chance to work its magic. Anything above 350°C, the steam would evaporate before having a chance to make a noticeable difference to any bake.

Does Steam Matter for Pizza?

Pizza contains a higher level of moisture within the dough itself (commonly known as hydration), and the further addition of sauce and cheese naturally produces steam as the pizza cooks. Adding extra steam, therefore, isn’t necessary when baking traditional pizzas like Neapolitan-style pizza, which often have a thinner base and a higher level of hydration compared to pizzas with thicker doughs.

As mentioned above, it’s when baking pizzas such as Detroit-style pizza, or pan pizza, focaccias and flatbreads, where steam starts to become more relevant. With these styles of dough, the introduction of steam at the start of the bake can contribute to a lighter internal texture whilst still allowing the crust to develop a crisp exterior.

When starting to experiment with introducing steam into your pizza oven, it’s important to know that adding moisture can temporarily lower temperatures and may result in an undercooked base. This is where trial and error comes in, and experimenting with different levels of steam.

So, How to Introduce Steam

Some pizza ovens offer a purpose-built solution for controlled steam injection. For example, the original Gozney Dome (Gen 1) is compatible with the Dome Steam Injector. This clever little accessory allows owners of the original Dome to add a specific amount of water to the funnel, and it then injects just the right amount of moisture into the oven to create steam on entry. While the original Dome has been discontinued, the Steam Injector is still available for customers who already own this earlier model.

For ovens without a dedicated steam injector, there are alternative, manual methods. One of the most effective ways is to simply place a cast-iron pan in the oven to preheat. Then add water to the pan just before adding the dough to the oven. It’s a little more labour-intensive but a very effective way to add moisture. 

If you have a smaller, portable pizza oven, there won’t be room for the pan and dough at the same time. A good workaround here is taking a spray bottle filled with water and spraying a light mist into the oven, either just before launching the dough, or even just after.

Final Thoughts

Steam can be a useful addition to pizza oven cooking, but it’s not a requirement for great pizza. If though you’re in a position where you want to start experimenting with baking bread or trying your hand at different styles of pizza, steam can really make a noticeable difference to the results. As with many aspects of making great pizza, experimentation, trial and error, and even making the dough cock up, are key.

As always, if you ever need advice on choosing the right pizza oven or adding the perfect accessory to your setup, the team at The Pizza Oven Shop is always happy to help. You can reach us via our social channels, give us a call on 01423 608648, or drop us an email at sales@thepizzaovenshop.com.