I have found that with a well seasoned hardwood such as alder that I use it takes about 2 hours to peg the temperature on the oven to well over 600 degrees. The goal of reaching such a temperature is well worth the effort when the pizza cooking begins. I haven't timed the cooking time, but it is close to 5 minutes and the results outstanding. Crisp, crunchy, melt in your mouth crust on the bottom with the blistering of high temperature on top. I will no longer settle for the temperature at 450, which can be reached in less that an hour with a good fire, but I will always peg the temperature by being a bit more patient and starting a bit earlier. The results are well worth the wait. After all, the process is supposed to be as much fun as the result when cooking with wood the old fashioned way! I'll time my next pizza at the pegged temp and post it for you.
Greg Gerot
