Blackstone Pizza Oven: A Complete Guide to Making Better Pizza at Home

Making restaurant-style pizza at home becomes much easier when you have the right oven. A Blackstone pizza oven is designed around high-temperature cooking and specialized pizza stones, giving home cooks a way to prepare fresh pizza with a crisp crust and well-cooked toppings. Whether you enjoy classic cheese pizza, pepperoni, vegetables, or homemade dough, a dedicated pizza oven can make the process more enjoyable.

Blackstone currently offers several pizza oven options, including tabletop models, electric models, mobile-cart designs, and its Select Pizza Oven. Some models use rotating cordierite stones, while the Select model uses Blackstone’s 2Stone technology with a rotating bottom stone and upper stone. (Blackstone Pizza Ovens)

What Is a Blackstone Pizza Oven?

A Blackstone pizza oven is an outdoor or tabletop cooking appliance designed to reach the high temperatures needed for pizza. Unlike a standard household oven, a pizza oven concentrates heat around the dough while using a stone cooking surface to help transfer heat into the crust.

High temperatures are important because pizza dough cooks differently when exposed to intense heat. Instead of taking a long time to bake, a properly preheated pizza oven can cook a pizza relatively quickly while developing a browned crust and melted toppings.

Blackstone’s current Select Pizza Oven uses a 16-inch rotating cordierite stone and 2Stone technology. The company states that the design uses convective, conductive, and radiant heat to cook pizza, with the rotating stone helping provide more even cooking. (Blackstone Select Pizza Oven)

Why Use a Pizza Oven Instead of a Regular Oven?

A standard kitchen oven is convenient, but it may not reach the same temperatures or provide the same cooking environment as a dedicated pizza oven. Home ovens are generally designed for a broad range of foods, while pizza ovens are specifically built around high-temperature cooking.

The stone is another major difference. Pizza stones absorb and transfer heat directly into the dough, helping the bottom of the crust cook and brown. This can produce a texture that is difficult to achieve on a standard baking tray.

A dedicated pizza oven can also make outdoor entertaining easier. You can prepare dough and toppings in advance, heat the oven, and cook pizzas one after another while guests choose their preferred toppings.

Blackstone Pizza Oven Options

Blackstone’s pizza lineup has changed over time, so it is important to check the current model before purchasing. The company currently lists tabletop pizza ovens, an electric tabletop pizza oven, a pizza oven with mobile cart, and the Select Pizza Oven. Availability can vary by model and location. (Blackstone Pizza Collection)

The tabletop models are useful when space and portability matter. Blackstone’s tabletop pizza oven uses a 13-inch cordierite stone, a built-in temperature gauge, and a rotating stone designed to help with even cooking. The oven can reach temperatures of up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit according to the product information. (Blackstone Tabletop Pizza Oven)

The E-Series Electric Tabletop Pizza Oven offers another option for people who prefer electric operation. It features a 14-inch rotating cordierite stone, separate top and bottom burner controls, a digital display, and a timer. Blackstone lists temperatures of up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit for this model. (Blackstone E-Series Pizza Oven)

For a larger setup, the Select Pizza Oven provides a more substantial design with storage and a propane cabinet. It uses a rotating 16-inch stone and is built for high-temperature pizza cooking.

How to Prepare Pizza for a Blackstone Pizza Oven

The quality of your pizza starts before it enters the oven. If you are making your own dough, allow enough time for it to develop properly. A well-prepared dough should be flexible enough to stretch without tearing but strong enough to hold your sauce and toppings.

Before launching the pizza, prepare your toppings in advance. Sauce, cheese, meat, vegetables, and herbs should all be ready because once the dough is shaped, you want to assemble the pizza without letting it sit for too long.

Use a pizza peel to move the assembled pizza from your preparation surface to the oven. A light dusting of suitable flour or semolina can help reduce sticking, but avoid using excessive amounts because loose flour can burn at high temperatures.

Preheating the Pizza Oven

Preheating is one of the most important steps when using a Blackstone pizza oven. Putting pizza into an oven that has not reached the appropriate temperature can result in an undercooked or uneven crust.

Blackstone recommends using an infrared thermometer to monitor the stone temperature. For its 16-inch pizza oven, the company recommends a stone temperature of approximately 500 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit for most cooks and at least 15 minutes of preheating. Smaller 13- to 14-inch stone models may require around 30 minutes of preheating according to Blackstone’s guidance. (Blackstone Pizza Oven Cooking Guide)

The exact temperature you need can depend on the thickness of the crust and the amount of toppings. Thicker pizzas generally need a slower cooking process than thin-crust pizzas.

How to Get an Evenly Cooked Pizza

Getting the crust and toppings finished at the same time can take a little practice. If the bottom of your pizza is becoming dark before the toppings are fully cooked, reduce the heat and give the pizza more time.

Blackstone recommends adjusting the cooking temperature according to the type of pizza and the amount of toppings. The company also suggests using the peel to temporarily lift the pizza closer to the upper stone when you want additional browning on the toppings. (How to Cook Pizza Evenly)

Avoid loading the pizza with too many wet toppings. Excess sauce, fresh vegetables with high water content, or large amounts of cheese can increase cooking time and make it harder to achieve a crisp crust.

Final Thoughts

A Blackstone pizza oven can make homemade pizza feel less like a compromise and more like a proper cooking experience. High heat, pizza stones, specialized designs, and careful temperature control give you more opportunities to create a crisp, well-cooked crust at home.

The learning curve is relatively small, but getting consistently good results requires attention to preheating, dough thickness, topping quantity, and stone temperature. Once those basics become familiar, you can move beyond simple cheese and pepperoni pizzas and start creating your own recipes.

For anyone who enjoys outdoor cooking and wants to expand beyond a traditional griddle, a pizza oven can be a useful addition to the setup.

FAQs

How hot does a Blackstone pizza oven get?

Depending on the model, Blackstone pizza ovens can reach temperatures around 900 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal cooking temperature depends on the pizza style, crust thickness, and toppings.

How long should I preheat a Blackstone pizza oven?

Preheating time varies by model. Blackstone recommends at least 15 minutes for its 16-inch stone pizza oven and around 30 minutes for models with 13- to 14-inch stones.

What temperature should the pizza stone be?

Blackstone recommends approximately 500 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit for most pizzas cooked on its 16-inch stone pizza oven. An infrared thermometer can help monitor the stone temperature.

Can you cook frozen pizza in a Blackstone pizza oven?

It may be possible depending on the model and pizza, but cooking instructions can vary. Always check the frozen pizza packaging and the oven’s instructions before cooking.

Can you cook things other than pizza in a Blackstone pizza oven?

Yes. High-temperature pizza ovens can also be used for certain breads, roasted foods, and other dishes when the cookware and temperature are suitable for the oven.