CURING

Curing is the process of removing any moisture within your pizza oven. This step is vital in the longevity of your oven and should not be ignored. Even though your oven may appear to be dry, small amounts of moisture still remain within the stones and cooking area. This water will need to be evaporated before cooking at extremely high temperatures. 

Here are Ciao Bella’s recommendations in curing your brand new Pizza Oven:

• Start a fire gradually – when you’re lighting the first fire, remember to keep the flames contained and slowly grow the fire. This helps the moisture release from the oven and surrounding shell. 
• Centre the heat source – make sure to keep the fire in the middle of the ovens cooking area.
• Avoid large fires during the curing process. 
• Keep your oven as close to 300°F as possible during the first cure for 1 hour or until the fire burns out.
• On the second cure, bring the ovens temperature to 500°F and let the fire  burn for 1 hour or until it completely burns out. 

Here is the break down of the curing process:

Cure 1 – 300°F for 1 hour or until fire burns out
Cure 2 – 500°F for 1 hour or until fire burns out

Congrats! You are ready to start making pizzas!