FAQ
Questions about the Relic Oven
How to use your Relic safely:
What precautions should I take when using my Relic?
The Relic is a serious cooking machine, and should be used with care and attention. While the Relic is well-insulated and not extremely hot to the touch, the inside of the Relic, the chimney, and the area directly in front by the opening of the Relic is extremely HOT!!! Therefore, you should always keep your arms and any non heatproof dishes or appliances at least 1 ft away from the oven opening and the chimney at all times. Always wear an oven mitt to protect yourself. Do not allow unsupervised children around the Relic.
How hot does the Relic get?
The Relic’s dome, under ordinary use, reaches temperatures between 1000 and 1100 Fahrenheit, roughly double the hottest temperature in a home oven (550 Fahrenheit ), and hotter than most stainless or ceramic grills, which max out around 750 Fahrenheit. The floor of the oven easily reaches and maintains temperatures of 800+F. The outside of the Relic, due to its unique insulation, remains relatively cool in the range of 200-300 Fahrenheit.
How do I safely manage the fire in my Relic?
Never leave a fire unattended. Always be sure to let the fire burn out, or rake it out yourself and then quench any burning embers before leaving your Relic’s side or disassembling it for transport. You should not cook outdoors in extremely dry or windy conditions. You should only cook where you have a water supply handy (at least a gallon jug).
Where can I safely cook with my Relic?
With proper use and care, you can cook with the Relic almost anywhere outdoors (you should never cook with any kind of live fire indoors). Just make sure there are no flammable materials near your cooking space. As stated before, always be sure to let the fire burn out, or rake it out yourself and then quench any burning embers before leaving your Relic’s side or disassembling it for transport.
How to setup your Relic:
Where can I setup my Relic?
Always make sure to place your base or stand on flat, solid ground, away from anything flammable, away from people and high traffic areas.
How do I set the Relic up on a Tailgate or flat surface?
For starters, you should always remember to keep flammable items away from where you’re placing your FireSlate. The Relic FireSlate will reach nearly 300F in some areas, and although this may not be enough heat to cause a large, uncontrollable fire, it is enough to melt any plastic dishes or cooking tools.
How long does it take to put the modular brick oven together?
Assembling the oven, regardless if it’s on a 22”kettle grill or a Relic fire-slate, should take no more than 2 minutes. We pride ourRelic Ovenon its quick assembly and superior portability – it’s what makes our oven so unique!
Do I really need to chop my own wood to build one of these fires?
Lucky for you, at TNSD we take the work into our own hands of preparing wood for our customers to fuel their fires. We offer two quantities so you can decide how much cooking you’ll be doing. All wood is pre-cut and dried oak, the ideal wood for building a brick oven fire.
How to care for your Relic
What happens if it rains or snows on the Relic? Does it damage the stone?
The Relic Oven is water and moisture resistant, so it will not be damaged by being exposed to the elements. Unlike ceramic cookers, the Relic is mold and mildew resistant, inside and out. Although it generally stays cleaner and easier to use when kept covered, you won’t damage your oven by leaving it to fend for itself in the elements.
How do I clean my Relic?
The Relic only produces a small amount of ash, and regular removal is sufficient to keep it clean. On the occasion you need to deep clean your oven, wait until the Relic is cool and use a stiff brush to remove any loose soot on the inside walls. The outside can then be wiped down with a wet cloth. If you’d like to use more water, go ahead and grab your garden hose, some soap, and a scrub brush. The Relic Oven is water/moisture resistant, so no water will be absorbed into your oven while cleaning or being stored. While cleaning you should handle with ease, but don’t be scared to use a little elbow grease to keep your oven looking new.
What is the best way to transport the Relic?
The Relic oven is best moved from place to place inside our custom storage/transport Relic Box,designed specifically for this product. The Relic Box will ensure that the oven is safely stored to avoid chips or any other minor cosmetic flaws that may result from being transported in an unsuitable container. If for some reason you find yourself stranded with no Relic Box, disassemble the oven and wrap each modular oven piece in some kind of cloth (towel, sheets, blanket) that can cushion it from bumps and falls against harder surfaces. Just be sure to let your Relic cool back down to ambient temperatures before wrapping it up.
What do I do if I drop my Relic and it breaks?
While our products have been designed specifically to withstand all the small bumps and jars of everyday use and transport, a drop from a serious height (over 2 ft) at the right angle can cause damage to your Relic oven parts. Luckily, the Relic does not “shatter” like traditional ceramics, but is designed to crack and still hold together under all but extreme forces. In these cases, the part is likely repairable, and some repairs you may even be able to perform yourself…stay tuned for more info.
Cooking on the Relic
What else (besides pizza) can I cook on the Relic?
What can’t you cook on the Relic? Almost anything you can imagine can be cooked directly in the Relic oven, from traditional Neapolitan pizza to homemade bread and gorgeously seared steak.
How long does the Relic take to reach the correct temperature?
When cooking true brick oven pizza, you want a floor temperature of at least 700F. This takes approximately 30 minutes with the Relic, but can be as fast as 20 or as long as 45 minutes depending on a number of factors, including how dry your wood is, how well you build your fire, and the outdoor temperature and wind conditions. You can use our bellowsor even a fan to get your fire hot faster, and with a proper setup, be up and ready to go in as little as 20 minutes.
What shouldn’t/can’t I cook with the Relic oven?
The Relic shouldn’t be use to cook extremely wet or extremely greasy items directly on the stone (but can cook these things if they are placed in an oven-safe dish, or, when cooking with live fire, cast iron).
About the Relic
What is the Relic made of?
The Relic is made of a combination of both natural and inert minerals with varying volumes of refractory cement binders. The lightweight fillers are also natural and inert minerals. All materials are food safe.
Is it food-safe?
Yes…. Also, the Relic surface is very wear resistant, and finished off with a food-safe sealer, similar to the coatings used on other modern bbq grills and cooking equipment.
Questions about our other products
Baking Stones
What is the material composition of the Relic baking stones?
The Relic baking stones are made of a combination of both natural and inert minerals that are held together with refractory cement binders and high temperature fiber reinforcement.
What size baking stone should I buy?
Not all ovens are wide/deep enough for a 16’’ stone – you should make sure there is at least a ¾” opening on each side of the stone for optimal airflow. Smaller stones are also great for those who have trouble lifting heavy objects. As for the 16” stones, added thermal mass helps to cook your food a little faster and more evenly, and of course give you more room for bigger pizzas.
Can I use my pizza stone with other outdoor cooking equipment (i.e, BGE, Traditional Brick Pizza Oven, Ceramic Cookers, Stainless Steel Grills)?
Sure, we won’t hold it against you. Use it anywhere you would use any other ceramic stone – you’ll see the difference Relic products make when you use our custom made stones.
What cleaning precautions must I take if I spill cheese, wine, or other staining foods on my Relic baking stone?
The Relic stone is best cleaned in one of three ways – scrubbing with dish soap, with a professional pot and pan cleaner (dissolves baked on stains), or by burning off the residue. The first is the easiest, but may not restore your stone to its original finish. The second two options should give your stone a nice clean finish if applied appropriately. For removal of residue by heat, the self-cleaning cycle in an oven should work.
Can I leave my Relic baking stone in the oven during its cleaning cycle?
Yes. The typical self-cleaning temperature in an oven doesn’t rise above 600F. The Relic stone is safe for use up to 800F, so it won’t crack when left on the rack.
Can I put my Relic baking stone directly on a stove top burner or a live fire?
The Relic stones are safe to heat up quickly and a fire will most likely not destroy your stone, but a live fire directly on the stones does weaken the stone slightly when used above 800F repeatedly or for long periods of time. For stones that are built to withstand direct fire and 1200+F, check out the Relic Firestone.
FireSlate
Does the FireSlate ever become too hot to touch/is it harmful/can you touch the outside edges while cooking
The FireSlate is an insulating pad that allows you to fire your brick oven anywhere, anytime. There is no reason you should have to touch the FireSlate while operating your oven, but if you do, make sure you only touch the edges of the FireSlate and no surface within 6” of the Relic Oven.
What is the FireSlate made from?
Designed and engineered with the same materials that our ovens are constructed from, our refractory composite is heavily reinforced and has our signature classic look of natural stone.
Is there any place that is not convenient to use your FireSlate?
We would recommend using the FireSlate anywhere that 1) it can be resting on a flat surface 2) it is fully supported and 3) there are no susceptible fire hazards around you. If your FireSlate is not fully supported you will not be able to maintain a stable fire and you may end up burning your table or worse, yourself! Be careful and always choose a smooth flat place to start your fire.
How long does the FireSlate take to reach cooking temperatures?
The pizza stone that is in the center of the FireSlate is extremely heat conductive . Heat up time (800F floor) will take roughly 30-45 minutes (the time it takes to get your Relic oven to traditional neapolitan cooking temperatures). However, there are a number of other factors that play into this, including how dry your wood is, how well you build your fire, and the outdoor temperature and wind conditions.
Is it eco-friendly?
Yes, our Relic FireSlate has two different floor options. The first floor option is made up of the same material as the Relic Primo Stone. The second floor option is the Eco-friendly version, made with the same refractory as our Relic Eco-Stone.
How long does it take for the FireSlate to cool down after fire is put out/fire?
Make sure you give ample time for cooldown, to avoid burns from your stone products. There’s a reason our ovens are so effective – they heat up fast and stay hot for a while due to our layered insulating technology. While the residual warmth is great for keeping food warm after the fire is out, you want to be careful not to touch the actual oven until it’s cool. Touching the outside with our custom mitt after at least 25 minutes, however, will sufficiently protect your hands.
Can I wash the FireSlate?
The Relic FireSlate only produces a small amount of ash around the floor of the oven, and regular removal is sufficient to keep it clean. On the occasion you need to deep clean your FireSlate cooking surface, wait until the Relic is cool and use a stiff brush to remove any loose soot on the inside walls. The outside can then be wiped down with a wet cloth. If you’d like to use more water, go ahead and grab your garden hose, some soap, and a scrub brush. The Relic Oven is water/moisture resistant, so only a tiny amount of water will be absorbed into your oven while cleaning or being stored. Always handle with ease, but don’t be scared to use a little elbow grease to keep your oven looking new.
Do I need a pizza stone when using the FireSlate?
You do not need a pizza stone when using the FireSlate. The Relic FireSlate comes built in with a baking surface equivalent to either of our baking stones (Primo-Stone, Eco-Stone).
The Relic Charcoal Grill Mount
What is the charcoal grill mount made of?
Our stone mount for charcoal grills is designed and engineered with the same materials that our ovens are constructed from. Our refractory composite is heavily reinforced and has the classic look of natural stone. On the inside face of the stone mount we have placed a thin layer of carbon fiber. This fireproof gasket protects your stone mount and the custom table it is being used on.
Why would I need to use a charcoal grill mount?
If you are an avid DIY-er, our stone mount is just as much an aesthetic pleasure as it is a protector of your custom grilling table or surface. Make your custom tabletop pop just a bit more with our functional display piece. In short, the charcoal grill mount protects your custom table or surface from high temperatures.
How hot can the charcoal grill mount get without being damaged?
Not to worry, our charcoal grill mount is perfectly capable of taking all the heat you can generate from your weber grill during any type of normal use.
Does the charcoal grill mount come in different colors/size?
Yes and no. Our charcoal grill mount will be available in different colors, however it will only fit 22” charcoal grills.
Is it weatherproof and stain-resistant like your other products?
Yes. Each of our refractory products are just as weatherproof and stain-resistant as the next. However, the charcoal grill mount will not be as durable as our baking stones, which are extremely durable and drop resistant because of specific design and weight factors.