Wood-fired cooking is one of the world’s favourite ways of serving up plates, and has been for millennia. The original and arguably the best method of cooking, wood-fired food certainly hasn’t gone out of fashion since its discovery by cavemen, at least 300,000 years ago.
So, although we’ve come up with plenty of other ways of cooking food, and have even invented things like the Thermomix which actually cooks for you, why is it that we’re still so connected with wood-fired cooking?
The experts at Sydney Fire Bricks can tell us all about it… wood-fired cooking is what they do best!
The taste and flavours
One of the benefits of wood-fired cooking, which no other modern method has even come close in emulating, is the flavour. There’s no other way to infuse your food with smoky, charcoal flavours, giving every dish a rustic, wholesome feel. The taste difference in flavour between a wood-fired meal and a conventional oven meal is massive. If you love the taste of meat that’s been roasted in a wood-fired oven, you’ll be able to tell the difference, just by the aroma, between wood-fired meat and conventionally roasted meat.
Health benefits
Now, usually when food is incredibly tasty, it implies negative health effects. But not with wood-fired cooking! One benefit of wood-fired food is that it uses zero oil or fat in order to cook it – instead, it bakes your food using hot air. This reduces the fat content of foods that are typically fried – steak, chicken, fish, you name it.
More nutrients retained
Wood-fired cooking comes with another health benefit, and that’s the fact that it retains more nutrients in your food. Lower cooking times at higher temperatures result in more nutrients retained in foods like vegetables. If you baked a stuffed capsicum, for example, in your conventional oven for 1 hour at 200 degrees Celsius, it wouldn’t retain as much vitamin C as if you cooked it in your wood-fired oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees Celsius.
The feeling
One benefit of wood-fired cooking which simply can’t go unmentioned is the fact it’s enjoyable. You get to enjoy the outdoors, make delicious-tasting food and channel the energy of your pre-historic ancestors, all at the same time!
Conclusion
There are plenty of reasons we humans can’t get enough of our wood-fired cooking – even when it’s ‘easier’ to use a Thermomix! But easiness doesn’t always result in satisfaction or reward. That’s why true foodies love a good wood-fired oven.
Sydney Fire Bricks boast a range of Aussie-built wood-fired ovens, from small to large, all handmade by masters in the craft. Built from the best quality refractory bricks, Sydney Fire Bricks deliver outstanding ovens at value prices. Browse their online catalogue or get in touch with the team!