HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Cooking Guide: Temperatures, Times & Tips
How the HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Works: Gas, Wood, Temperatures & Cooking Guide
The HPC Forno de Pizza Oven is designed for versatile outdoor cooking with gas, wood, or a combination of both fuel sources. Its hybrid design gives cooks greater control over heat while supporting cooking methods ranging from low-temperature warming and smoking to baking, roasting, searing, and high-temperature pizza cooking.
This guide explains how the HPC Forno works, how its gas-and-wood system is used, which temperatures and cooking times apply to different foods, what types of wood are appropriate, and what you can cook beyond pizza. If you are also planning the installation and setup of your outdoor cooking space, use our fireplace and outdoor appliance installation guide for additional installation planning guidance.
Quick Answer
The HPC Forno is a hybrid outdoor oven designed to cook with gas, wood, or both.
Gas provides straightforward ignition and burner adjustment, while wood can be added when the cooking method calls for it. The cooking guide ranges from approximately 160°F for warming to 700–800°F for Neapolitan-style pizza.
If you are researching available configurations, explore the HPC Forno de Pizza Ovens.
How the HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Works
The HPC Forno de Pizza Oven is built around three primary components: the monolithic oven, hearth, and cart. Its igloo-style cooking chamber is designed to retain and circulate heat, supporting several forms of heat transfer that work together during cooking.
Unlike a conventional kitchen oven, the Forno combines the cooking characteristics of an outdoor oven with a hybrid fuel system.
According to the original product guidance used for this article, the oven does not require a traditional chimney stack and is designed to retain heat and smoke within the cooking environment.
Conduction, Convection, and Radiant Heat
The HPC Forno cooking environment uses a combination of conduction, convection, and radiant heat. These three forms of heat transfer help explain why the oven can support several different cooking methods.
Together, these heat sources make the Forno suitable for applications ranging from warming and baking to roasting, searing, and high-temperature pizza cooking.
How the HPC Forno Hybrid Gas and Wood System Works
One of the defining features of the HPC Forno is its ability to cook with gas, wood, or both. Gas provides straightforward ignition and burner adjustment, while wood can be incorporated when the cooking method calls for it.
The burner flame can be adjusted for different cooking temperatures. Lower temperatures can be used for warming or slower cooking, while higher temperatures support applications such as roasting, searing, and pizza cooking.
The HPC Forno also uses electronic ignition. To use gas and wood together as described in the original operating guidance, ignite the oven using the electronic ignition and place the wood over the flame as the oven heats. The wood then ignites while the cooking chamber comes up to temperature.
If you prefer a single fuel source, the original guidance states that the oven can be operated without adding wood or that the gas can be turned off when appropriate. This gives cooks flexibility to choose the fuel approach that suits the food and cooking method.
Gas vs. Wood vs. Hybrid Cooking in the HPC Forno
The right fuel approach depends on what you are cooking and the temperature required.
Always use the configuration and operating procedure appropriate for your specific HPC Forno model.
HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Temperature and Cooking Guide
Different foods require different oven temperatures and cooking times. There is no single temperature that is appropriate for every type of pizza or every dish.
Use the following ranges from the original HPC Forno cooking guide as a practical reference, and adjust cooking based on the food, recipe, and desired result.
| Food or Cooking Use | Temperature | Approximate Time | Fuel Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm food without drying it | 160°F | Varies | Gas |
| Smoke baby back ribs or fish | 200–250°F | 3–5 hours | Gas and smoke chips |
| Desserts and empanadas | 300–350°F | 15–20 minutes | Gas |
| Bread, pies, Stromboli, turkey, and casseroles | 350–375°F | About 30 minutes | Gas and wood |
| Fish, deep-dish pizza, and panini | 400–450°F | 15–30 minutes | Gas and wood |
| Sear meats and roast vegetables | 500–700°F | About 3 minutes per side | Gas and wood simultaneously |
| Neapolitan-style pizza | 700–800°F | About 90 seconds | Gas and wood simultaneously |
High-Temperature Hearthstone Cleaning
The original HPC Forno guide also lists a high-temperature cleaning procedure for drippings on the oven hearthstone. It identifies a range of approximately 800–1000+°F for about five minutes using gas and wood simultaneously.
Cleaning is separate from normal food preparation, so do not treat this temperature range as a general cooking recommendation. Follow the operating and maintenance instructions applicable to your specific oven.
What Temperature Should You Use for Pizza in an HPC Forno?
The appropriate temperature depends on the style of pizza being cooked.
The HPC Forno cooking guide lists 400–450°F.
The guide lists 700–800°F with an approximate cooking time of 90 seconds.
Higher temperatures also produce much shorter cooking times. Thicker pizza styles require lower temperatures and longer cooking times.
What Can You Cook in an HPC Forno Besides Pizza?
The HPC Forno is not limited to pizza. Its temperature range supports several types of outdoor cooking, including warming, smoking, baking, roasting, and searing.
Baby back ribs and fish.
Empanadas, desserts, bread, pies, Stromboli, casseroles, and panini.
Turkey, vegetables, and other oven-roasted foods.
Seared meats, deep-dish pizza, and Neapolitan-style pizza.
This range of applications makes the Forno useful for buyers who want an outdoor oven capable of more than pizza alone.
If you are comparing the Forno with other cooking appliances, explore our ovens and stoves for additional cooking configurations.
For readers comparing different approaches to wood-fired cooking, our Nectre N350 vs. N550 wood-burning cook stove comparison provides a closer look at two purpose-built wood-burning cook stove options.
What Is the Best Wood for an HPC Forno Pizza Oven?
For wood-fired cooking, use seasoned, dry hardwoods. The original guidance recommends hardwoods such as oak, alder, maple, ash, beech, and birch.
Properly seasoned hardwood is preferred because it burns longer and cleaner than many softwoods and helps reduce excessive smoke and soot buildup.
If wood-fired cooking is central to what you are looking for, you can also explore Flame Authority's wood-burning ovens to compare other wood-burning cooking options.
Wood and Materials to Avoid
- Laminated wood
- Pressure-treated wood
- Painted or chemically treated wood
- Charcoal
- Highly resinous woods with high sap or oil content, such as red pine
Resinous woods can contribute to excessive soot buildup, while treated or manufactured wood products are not appropriate cooking fuels.
If you are exploring wood-burning appliances beyond outdoor cooking, see our guide to using a wood-burning stove to heat a house for more information about whole-home wood-stove heating.
Practical Tips for Cooking With the HPC Forno
Learning to use the HPC Forno effectively comes from understanding the relationship between heat, cooking time, food thickness, and fuel choice.
Lower temperatures suit warming and slow cooking, while higher temperatures are used for roasting, searing, and certain pizza styles.
The hearth and oven chamber both contribute heat during cooking.
The original cooking guide uses gas alone for some lower-temperature applications and gas with wood for many higher-temperature applications.
Foods cook significantly faster as oven temperatures increase.
Avoid treated, painted, laminated, or highly resinous materials.
As you gain experience with the HPC Forno, you can become more familiar with how the cooking surface, oven chamber, flame, and fuel combination affect different foods.
These answers address common questions about HPC Forno fuel options, pizza temperatures, cooking wood, and suitable cooking applications.
Can you use gas and wood together in an HPC Forno pizza oven?
Yes. The HPC Forno supports hybrid cooking with gas and wood together; follow the operating procedure specified for your particular Forno model.
Can you cook with gas only in an HPC Forno?
Yes. The HPC Forno can be operated without adding wood when gas-only cooking is preferred, but use the burner settings and operating instructions specified for your model.
What temperature should you use for Neapolitan-style pizza in an HPC Forno?
The HPC Forno cooking guide lists approximately 700–800°F for Neapolitan-style pizza with a cooking time of about 90 seconds. Do not use this high-temperature range for thicker pizza styles that require longer cooking.
What temperature should you use for deep-dish pizza in an HPC Forno?
The HPC Forno cooking guide lists approximately 400–450°F for deep-dish pizza. Deep-dish pizza requires a lower temperature and longer cooking time than Neapolitan-style pizza.
What is the best wood to use in an HPC Forno pizza oven?
Use seasoned, dry hardwoods such as oak, alder, maple, ash, beech, or birch. Avoid wet, treated, painted, laminated, or highly resinous wood because it is not appropriate for the cooking methods described in this guide.
What can you cook in an HPC Forno besides pizza?
The HPC Forno cooking guide includes ribs, fish, bread, pies, Stromboli, turkey, casseroles, panini, vegetables, meats, desserts, and other foods. Match the oven temperature and fuel method to the specific food rather than using one setting for every dish.
Explore HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Options
If the combination of gas control and optional wood-fired cooking matches your outdoor cooking plans, you can explore the HPC Forno de Pizza collection to review available configurations.
Choosing the appropriate oven depends on factors such as how you plan to install it, the type of outdoor cooking space you are creating, and the configuration you prefer.
You can also explore our broader selection of HPC Fire products when planning a coordinated outdoor cooking and fire feature space.
HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Models
See the HPC Forno in Action
Featured video: Gather Together with the Forno | HPC Fire Inspired
Watch: The following HPC Fire Inspired video provides a visual look at the Forno outdoor cooking experience.
The video provides a closer look at the HPC Forno in an outdoor cooking environment and shows how the oven can become part of a complete outdoor entertaining space.
Is the HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Right for Your Outdoor Cooking Space?
The HPC Forno is designed for cooks who want more flexibility than a pizza-only appliance. Its broad cooking-temperature range and hybrid fuel approach support applications from warming and slow cooking to roasting, searing, baking, and high-temperature pizza preparation.
The right model depends on the type of installation and outdoor cooking setup you are planning. Review the available Forno de Pizza options before deciding which configuration best fits your project.
If you are planning a broader outdoor cooking area, browse Flame Authority's grills and outdoor cooking equipment to compare additional cooking options for your space.
Get Help Choosing an HPC Forno de Pizza Oven
Looking for an HPC Forno that fits your outdoor cooking plans? Shop HPC Forno de Pizza Ovens available through Flame Authority.
For help with product questions, model selection, or ordering, contact us or call 1-800-923-4556. The Flame Authority team can help you review the available HPC Fire products and determine which oven configuration fits your needs.
For those also researching premium wine storage products such as wine coolers, wine cellar cooling units, and wine racks, visit our sister store, Wine Coolers Empire.