Learn to light or smoke in Morsø Forno

Lighting and stoking techniques

Behind every successful fire is a good layer of embers. This can be formed quickly by using 2-4 firelight¬ing briquettes under 1 – 2 kg dry kindling in the middle of the fireplace. Kindling should be stacked in a cross and the stack lit in the middle. You can use a blower pipe, such as that built into the Morsø Ash scraper, to blow on the embers and give the fire an extra boost.

When the kindling has burnt down, spread it over an area corresponding to central stone, and add more firewood To quickly prepare the stove for pizza baking, it helps to use finely split firewood, ap¬prox. 3 x 3 cm.

When the fire has burnt down again, repeat the above until there are enough embers to cover almost the whole bottom of the stove. Each time, the area covered by embers expands, allowing more fire¬wood to be added. To avoid burns, it is a good idea to use tongs to add firewood to the stove. You could use Morsø Fire Tongs, which have been developed especially for the Morsø Garden Stove. 

If lighting with firelighters or bags containing paraffin, it can be helpful to place a split log underneath. This prevents the paraffin melting into the baking stone.

NB!! Always use dry, clean and untreated timber in the fireplace. 

Logs should be stored under a roof for no less than 1 year, and preferably 2 years, ex¬posed to the wind. Logs should be split as soon as possible after felling if they are to dry quickly. The wood can be used when its moisture content is below 20 %. 

Never use driftwood, as it is usually very salty and can therefore ruin the stove. Impreg¬nated and painted timber and chipboard emit poisonous smoke and vapours, and must therefore not be used as firewood. Pine and similar species of resinous timber develop poisonous gases when burning, and should therefore not be used in connection with food preparation. 

When heating up and cooling down, the stove can make cracking sounds, which are due to the large temperature difference to which the material is subjected.

Pizza baking

For pizza baking, the stone must be very hot, and there must be living flames running up the inside of the stove. To heat the stones thoroughly, we recommend following the method described in the section on ”Lighting and stoking techniques”. 

The ceiling of flames is achieved by spreading the embers 2/3 of the way around the edge of the stove and regularly supplementing with thin sticks of finely split, dry firewood. The firewood will flame up after a short while.

Depending on the weather and how much fuel you use, the stove can be ready for baking pizzas in 30-60 minutes. The optimal temperature of the stone on which you bake the pizzas, must be 250-300 °C, and the temperature in the dome must preferably be above 500 °C.

When the stove is ready, clear an area in the middle of the stove with an ash scraper. Any loose ash can be blown away with the blower pipe in the Morsø Ash Scraper.

Place the pizza directly on the rear stones and turn at short intervals to achieve even baking. 

In a few minutes, you will have a delicious, extra crisp pizza.