Some of my favorite pizzas in the world have come out of small wood-fired brick ovens. The ovens get incredibly hot and make deliciously crispy pizza crust in just a few minutes. So I was thrilled to get my hands on a Gozney Roccbox, a tabletop backyard pizza oven that can do so much more. The Gozney Roccbox might seem intimidating (BIG flames, HOT temps), but it’s actually very easy to set up. And while it is obviously made for pizza (and excels at that!), in my testing I learned it’s actually a powerful all-purpose cooking tool, especially if you want to keep your kitchen cool in hot summer months. Let’s dive in and see what’s so cool about the Gozney Roccbox!
Why I Love the Gozney Roccbox
It comes down to two simple things: While I haven’t moved mine around much so far, it’s also a fairly portable cooker. It comes with a nifty handle so you can pick it up and move it. While it is pretty heavy, one reasonably fit person should be able to move it without too much strain. While I haven’t done it yet, the Gozney Roccbox would be a super fun addition to a car camping trip!
What Can You Cook in the Gozney Roccbox?
Well, I mean… PIZZA. All the pizza. Every kind of pizza (except deep dish), especially this Spicy Sausage Pizza. Here’s what Gozney says about their ovens: “The extremely high temperatures, thick stone and dense insulation in Roccbox is what creates the perfect cooking environment required to bake true Neapolitan pizza with incredible puffy crusts. Ovens with lower temps, less insulation, and thinner stones tend to produce disappointing results.” But beyond pizzas, think about foods that benefit from high heats. Seared steaks? Absolutely. Perfectly charred veggies? Yes. Quick-fired homemade breads? Yep. Here are 8 things you can cook in a Gozney Roccbox besides pizza. However, there are two limiting factors for cooking with the Gozney Roccbox:
First, if you’re cooking something other than pizza or bread, the item has to be in a heat-safe vessel that can withstand the high temperatures. Many baking dishes are actually not meant to withstand the temperatures in the Gozney Roccbox so you have to be careful. (Spoiler alert: Cast iron works well.)Second, size. The Gozney Roccbox has a relatively small opening that’s really made for pizza. You aren’t putting a whole pork shoulder in this thing. A 10-inch cast-iron skillet is about size limit.
Easy Gas Setup (Wood-Fired Coming Soon!)
The Gozney Roccbox comes with a gas canister which attaches directly to a propane tank with the provided attachment. It’s easy to screw on and reminds me of the kind of burner you see on a turkey fryer. Lots of heat! It’s very easy to set up—you just screw it into the bottom of the Gozney Roccbox unit and can preheat in just a few minutes once you get it fired up. An updated wood canister attachment for wood-fired cooking in the Gozney Roccbox will be released in October!
Unboxing the Gozney Roccbox
When I first received my Gozney Roccbox, I blocked off a few hours to learn and set up the device. I did this because I’ve received grills in the mail before and the setup can take forever. Not so with the Gozney Roccbox. It comes with literally five pieces, one of which is a user manual.
There is the cooker, which is completely pre-assembled. All you have to do is unfold the legs and put it on a stable, heat-safe surface.There is also a fancy metal peel that is made to fit the Gozney Roccbox.Finally, there is the connector unit for gas.User manual
That’s it. It took me literally five minutes to set it up.
Before You Cook With the Gozney Roccbox
Because there is a baking stone built into the Gozney Roccbox for cooking, it helps to cure the stone before you try cooking anything on it.
How to Use the Gozney Roccbox for the First Time
I would recommend making pizza as your first item in the Gozney Roccbox. After all, that’s what it’s made for! Some tips for cooking your first pizza:
Let the Gozney Roccbox preheat for at least 15 minutes before you try to slide on a pizza. That will make sure the oven is evenly heated.Don’t use cornmeal on your pizza to prevent sticking, as many recipes suggest. If you top your pizza and slide it onto a lightly floured peel and quickly slide it into the oven, it shouldn’t stick. Cornmeal will actually prevent your pizza crust from cooking on the bottom.Turn your pizza regularly. I turned mine every 20-30 seconds to make sure it doesn’t burn. The oven gets very hot and your first pie will be done in no time!Don’t leave the Gozney Roccbox unattended. If food is in it, you pretty much should be attending it. Stuff cooks REALLY fast in it so don’t go watch an episode of Queer Eye.
Cleaning and Caring for Your Gozney Roccbox
Here’s the good news: You don’t need to clean the Gozney Roccbox. They don’t recommend cleaning it at all. It gets really hot and anything that is left on the stone gets cooked into oblivion. That said, you need to keep the burner clear of food debris, so if it is getting dirty, you can use a can of compressed air to clean out any food bits near the back of the oven. Also, you can use mild soap and water to clean the exterior of the unit if it gets dirty.
Recipes to Cook in Your Gozney Roccbox
I first struggled with what to cook in my Gozney Roccbox besides pizza, but since I’ve been experimenting, my world has completely opened up. I use it ALL the time now. The only caveat with any recipe is to double-check that your skillet or dish can handle the heat you are about to subject it to. If you’ve ever had a glass dish shatter on you, you will know that it is NOT fun. Stick with a 10-inch cast-iron skillet to be safe. Here are a few recipes that I think would be great in the Gozney Roccbox:
Grilled Mexican Street Corn (wonderful char on the corn) Roasted Zucchini with Garlic Blistered Shishito Peppers Skirt Steak Skewers Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa
