It’s time to check out the goodies. We packed Pi Fire with a few extra accessories that are going to enhance your Pi Fire pizza nights around the fire pit. Every Pi Fire purchase includes:
Starter Guide
⦿ (1) Pi Fire pizza oven
⦿ (1) Cordierite pizza stone
⦿ (3) Detachable legs with hardware
⦿ (1) Pair of Solo Stove heat-resistant gloves
⦿ (1) Carry / storage case (Pi Fire goes where your fire pit goes)
The cordierite stone is nested in the internal packaging.
Don’t forget to unpack it!
pro tip
Unboxing
- Pi Fire is a leisurely pizza-making experience and the first pizza oven to be used on a dedicated fire pit
- Use hardwoods, specifically Oak hardwood
- Ensure fire is burning efficiently (i.e., near smokeless) before nesting Pi Fire on to your fire pit
- Warming of pizza stone to 500 °F should take 30-45 minutes. Faster than that and you risk soot
- Do NOT stoke a large fire once Pi Fire is nested. Aim to have a flame that is dancing right below the oven.
- Add a single hardwood log as needed (i.e., when stone temp stalls or falls)
- Always wear the included gloves when nesting or removing Pi Fire and when cooking a pizza
pro tips
Key
Step 1
Unboxing
Assembly of your Pi Fire is minimal and should only take 5 minutes to complete:
⦿ Flip your Pi Fire oven upside down and lay on a scratch-resistant surface (e.g., towel, carpet, grass, etc.)
⦿ Use the included screwdriver, fasteners and washers to attach the three legs to the oven (2 screws per leg)
⦿ Flip your Pi Fire oven right-side up and insert the cordierite pizza stone
- Start the threading of the fasteners with your fingers to prevent stripping
- If using a drill, we recommend a 4v drill (prevents stripping and over-tightening)
pro tip
Assembly
Step 2
Assembly
Designed & engineered specifically to cook delicious pizza over a Solo Stove fire pit
Step 3
Understand the Features
⦿ Long Legs: Ample clearance to bake pizza, load wood, and enjoy the fire pit for its traditional uses (s'mores)
⦿ Removable Cordierite Stone: Easy to clean & store
⦿ Inverted Dome: Unique dome that provides radiant heat to ensure your cheese dances (i.e., is cooked)
⦿ Embedded Handles: Easy to nest, remove and move
⦿ Panoramic Opening: Easy to view into the oven
It's time for pizza night. Let's get your Pi Fire ready to bake some artisan 'Za!
⦿ Get a fire going by adding 2-3 logs in your Ranger, 3-4 logs in your Bonfire, and 4-5 logs in your Yukon
⦿ Once your fire pit is burning efficiently (i.e., nearly smokeless), put on your heat-resistant gloves, grab your Pi Fire by the embedded handles, and CAREFULLY nest your Pi Fire onto your fire pit
⦿ Done. Time to grab a cold drink and start prepping your pizza dough for launch.
- You do NOT want a raging fire going when using Pi Fire. Goal is to get a fire that has caught the wood and is nearly smokeless, and is dancing right below the oven
- Flame ring is necessary for using Pi Fire
- Always always always wear your heat resistant gloves when nesting or removing Pi Fire
pro tip
Light & Nest
Step 4
Light Fire & Nest Pi Fire
How can I achieve optimal pizza stone temperature?
- Aim the infrared thermometer towards the back-center of the stone
- Put a paper towel under the bristle brush to wipe soot off stone (dispose paper towl in fire!)
pro tip
Optimal Temp
Step 5
Achieving a +500 °F Stone
⦿ Get the fire burning efficiently and hot (nearly smokeless)
⦿ Nest Pi Fire and check temperature with an infrared thermometer every 10 minutes
⦿ Add an additional oak log if temperature stalls or falls
⦿ Stone will collect some soot - clean with bristle cleaning brush
⦿ 500 °F will be achieved in 30-45 minutes
It's time to bring nights around the fire pit to the next level with artisan, crispy pizza
- A round pizza starts with a round dough ball (if a round shape is your goal)
- You can use cornmeal or flour in place of semolina flour. Semolina is recommended
- Not possible to overcoat dough with semolina or cornmeal, as excess will fall away
pro tip
Stretching
Step 6
Baking Artisan Pizza
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Necessary tools needed:
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Stretch your dough:
⦿ Grab a room-temperature dough ball
⦿ Drop it into a mound of semolina flour, and use palms of fingers to press dough from the middle out to create a crust
⦿ Flip the dough to the other side and continue to press the dough outward, ensuring the entire dough ball is covered in semolina
⦿ Once dough stops stretching as much from pressing, pick up dough with fingertips and allow gravity to stretch the dough
Launch your pizza:
⦿ Sprinkle a small amount of semolina onto your bamboo (preferred) or metal launching peel - These will act like ball bearings
⦿ Place stretched dough onto your peel
⦿ "Shimmy and shake" lightly to ensure that all of the dough moves freely on the peel (if it sticks, lift that spot and add more semolina)
⦿ Top with sauce and your favorite ingredients (pineapple free zone)
pro tip
Retrieving
- Baking pizza on the Pi Fire is a leisurely pizza-making experience, meant to be a relaxing way to enjoy good food around your fire pit
- Back of the oven / stone retains the most heat
- Pizza should bake in 5-10 minutes. Pizza is done when crust has browned or "leoparded" and cheese is "dancing"
⦿ Perform one more "shimmy and shake" once dough is topped
⦿ Use a cleaning brush to clean away soot off stone
⦿ Pi Fire is meant to be a leisurely pizza cooking experience
⦿ Once launched, turn the pizza every few minutes
⦿ Back of the oven / stone is the hottest
⦿ Remove pizza when the crust has started to brown or "leopard" and when the cheese is bubbling (also called "dancing")
Turning & retrieving your pizza:
- Too much semolina, cornmeal or flour on your peel will end up on stone and burn
- If the dough sticks anywhere after a "shimmy and shake", try to add semolina underneath that area
- If still sticking, fold over, pinch off the ends, slice a few holes on the top, and launch a "surprise" calzone
- Avoid over-topping your pizza as weight makes a launch more difficult. Also avoid using warm sauces
pro tip
Launching
⦿ Place tip of bamboo / metal peel half-way into oven and "shimmy and shake" the pizza into the oven, slowly pulling back peel as it moves off
Your belly is content and it's time to end the pizza party around your fire pit
Step 7
Cleaning & Storage
⦿ When pizza night is sadly over, you can choose to leave Pi Fire on your fire pit or you can put on your heat-resistant gloves and CAREFULLY lift & remove Pi Fire from the fire pit
⦿ Pi Fire will be extremely hot so take EXTRA precaution to store it away from children, pets and adults while it cools
⦿ Once the oven is cool, clean the outside with a wet terry cloth or paper towel. Do NOT use anything abrasive or it will damage the ceramic coating
⦿ Once the stone is cool, wipe down with a dry paper towel. Do NOT submerge in water and do NOT use any form of soap (cordierite will absorb the soap)
⦿ Place Pi Fire into the included carry case, zip it up, and store away from the elements
