An art form that has brought cultures, countries, and numerous people around the globe— cooking has been an essential part of life and core memories. With the good ol’ tattle tale, there are numerous debates and discussions about the different ways of cooking. While each type has its loyal fanbase, there has been an open discussion for centuries.
The core of the debate lies in the principles and reasoning behind different cooking methods. Coal cooking has been practiced since prehistoric times. It imparts a nice, smoky flavor to food with charred, crispy edges. On the other hand, traditional cooking is more accessible and convenient.
At Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza and Wings, we have devoted our time to mastering the coal-fired oven and utilizing every essence of it to deliver excellence and perfection. Pack your bags, or a bindle at least, and hop on along with us to delve into the ultimate debate of coal-fired vs traditional cooking.
What is Coal-Fired Cooking?
In simple words, a method that has stood strong against the odds of time and is still being used today. Delivering intense flavors with texture, coal-fired cooking sets itself apart for numerous reasons, but mainly the high cooking temperatures up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit. This consistent high temperature provides the perfect settings for quick cooking and a nice caramelization action that helps lock in the truly unique flavors.
Coal-fired ovens are designed in a specific way to distribute heat efficiently making the perfect surface for cooking. The hot oven sears ingredients evenly and provides any ingredient with a delectable, smoky flavor and charred texture. From blistered pizzas that are filled with smoky air or perfectly grilled veggies, a coal-fired oven imparts its unique touch and maximizes efficiency.
Bakeries and Pizzerias in New York embraced coal-fired ovens for their quick cooking and unique flavor in the old times. These ovens provided the NY-style pizzas with their perfectly chewy yet crispy texture. Over time, with the evolution of modern cooking techniques, coal-fired ovens were associated more with being artisanal or craftsmanship, which was marketed as a unique service.
The Traditional Cooking Approach
The traditional cooking approach provides the optimal amount of convenience for everyday cooking as they don’t require kickstarting an oven at the dawn of day with coal. Traditional cooking is also sustainable and safer at home.
The first instance of this approach was recorded back in the Industrial Revolution and brought forth a revolution itself in the culinary world. Gas equipment provided better efficiency, and better control and temperature with minimal soot— resulting in a cleaner and neater environment. This legacy continues to this day with modern equipment charged with electricity for sustainability and to reduce any hazardous risks. However, they do lack in providing the extra flavor and texture variance that coal-fired ovens impart.
Coal-Fired vs. Traditional Cooking: Flavor Profiles
Both methods provide exceptional results and can be very efficient however, the outcome can have a great deviation. Understanding these differences is what makes one understand why the method is celebrated by culinary enthusiasts.
Coal-Fired Oven and Its Impact
The high heat of the coal-fired oven can easily reach temperatures between 800-1000 degrees Fahrenheit and is consistent and well distributed in the entire oven. Coal-fired ovens offer a pizza its classic crispy, charred, yet light and airy crust. These ovens also provide meat with an exquisite, caramelized crust which can only be achieved at super-high heat.
Traditional Approach and Its Effects
Traditional cooking has quite some charms of itself, however, in the matters of flavor and texture, they lack behind significantly. The traditional method often involves a stovetop that passes heat from the bottom of the pan and the process of cooking takes longer. The depth of flavor imparted by coal and the smoke is not achieved and flavors are rather simple.
Why Does It Make a Difference?
Pizza is known to have a light airy crust with a crispy shell kind of crust which can only be achieved by having a constant source of heat that is evenly distributed from all sides. The char and the bursty flavor of smoke elevate and add nuances and depth to the pizza’s flavor. Unfortunately, traditional cooking techniques fail to achieve this perfection.
Want to try this for yourself? Visit Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and Wings and experience perfect craftsmanship with excellent cooking techniques. The next time feel like searching “coal-fired pizza near me” drop by your nearest Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and Wings.
Environmental Considerations and Practicalities
Cooking methods differ not only in flavor and textures but also in practicality and environmental considerations. The coal-fired method differs from traditional cooking in terms of efficiency, sustainability, and practicality — well, not everyone can just whip out a coal-fired oven in their backyard, can they?
Environmental Considerations
We’ve discussed countless times how good coal-fired ovens are great in imparting a smoky flavor that adds that sophisticated depth to any dish. However, with great taste comes great responsibility. Coal-fired ovens come with the concern of carbon emissions and coal being a non-renewable resource. Clean-burning coal strategies have minimized the risk to an extent but it still contributes to environmental degradation.
Traditional cooking on the other hand is clean, sustainable, and can be sourced from renewable sources of energy. This can take some of the burden off of environmental degradation and is way more energy efficient than coal-fired ovens.
Practicality
Coal-fired ovens may excel in flavor and texture, but they require specialized equipment, maintenance, and a proper ventilation system. It is most definitely not suitable for everyday use. Who would want to go through the entire process of setting it up every day just to get a meal? Also, since the heat retention is high, coal-fired ovens are more conducive to cooking for multiple people rather than a nuclear household.
Why Coal-Fired Ovens are the Best for Pizza
As discussed previously, coal-fired ovens have a consistent heat source that is uniform throughout the oven. The temperature ranges from 800 degrees Fahrenheit to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. This helps in almost flash cooking the pizza where the heat crisps up the crust and the residual heat cooks the inside of the dough slowly and maintains that tenderness.
Alt text: Pizza and sides from Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.
These elements create the ideal conditions to bake a pizza in about 3-5 minutes, maintaining its signature taste and authentic characteristics. This results in an airy crust with perfect air bubbles, chewy on the inside and crispy, and flaky on the outside. The tangy marinara sauce, with the bubbling, salty cheese and that perfect non-soggy crust truly account for the best pizza, and we here at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and Wings excel just in that. Head over to your nearest outlet and experience this masterpiece with your taste buds.
To conclude the debate, when it comes to pizza, considering flavor and texture-wise, we have a clear winner — coal-fired ovens! To look at things more sustainably and practically, the traditional method takes the trophy. The adventure doesn’t stop there, however. To explore more of the coal-fired goodness, explore our menu with amazing roasted wings and classic pizza options. We hope to serve you soon!
