Too much smoke from oven
Reviewed by Marco Rivera · Updated
How to know this is your problem
- •Black smoke pouring from oven
- •Food tastes bitter/sooty
- •Neighbors complaining
Why it happens
- →Leftover flour/food burning on the stone
- →Wood not dry enough (if wood-fired)
- →Grease dripping onto heating elements
How to fix it
- 1
Run oven at max temp for 30 min to burn off residue (self-clean)
- 2
Use only kiln-dried hardwood — no softwood, no treated wood
- 3
Scrape stone with a brush between cooks
- 4
In electric ovens, ensure good ventilation (hood or open window)
More oven problems

Get the right measurements
Most dough problems start with bad ratios. Use our calculator for exact measurements.