5 outdoor ovens for serious cooks

Good food cooked outdoors has to be one of summer's greatest pleasures. There are several options to take your culinary skills to the next level from simply cooking meat or fish on a barbecue grill. If you cook outdoors regularly, consider a charcoal or wood-burning outdoor oven which can turn out fragrant focaccia, joints of meat and whole chickens...

Cute and compact
Measuring 70x60cm, the nifty Morso Forno Outdoor Oven is shaped like an Italian stone oven inside. At £1,428 and made from solid enamel cast iron, it offers more than a traditional barbecue, giving you the option to prepare crisp crunchy pizzas and perfect bread in minutes. There's also a grill for cooking meat and vegetables to perfection.

Two in one
The gentle warmth of a wood-fired cooker allows it to perform multiple functions. ‘When the sun goes down it works as a great heat source,' says John Watkins, UK distributor, Fornetto. Made from cast iron, the wood fired oven and smoker, £999.60 from Fornetto, has a removable smoker box so you can add smoking chips or aromatic woods to flavour your cooking.

Outdoor RoomFor summer-long meal preparation, consider creating an outdoor kitchen. ‘You'll have all the facilities at your fingertips to cook for your guests,' says John Hamlin, National Sales Manager, Bradshaw Appliances. The Lynx California Grill costs from £4,550, from Bradshaw Appliances, and you can even add a cocktail station and fridge to an array of gas burners, a sink, preparation areas and storage.

Restaurant Style

A wood-fired oven such as this Jamie Oliver Dome60, £1,300, from Garden House Design, is a versatile choice for outdoor meals. ‘It's just so easy to use,' says Debs Winrow, Marketing Manager, Garden House Design. ‘Simply heat it up to temperature, and you'll get as much as two hours of cooking; it's great for fresh pizzas, roast vegetables, delicious fish and even pudding.'

On the go

If you're looking for more than a BBQ to take with you on trips or camping holidays, check out the Aquaforno, from £325, which can be a conventional BBQ, wood-burning stove and pizza oven – not bad for a portable model! It also has an inbuilt kettle with tap, smoker, clothes dryer and can also double as an outdoor heater. What's not to like?

Like this? For more ideas and inspiration visit the Country Homes and Interiors Homepage.

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