Mellow Mushroom Style Pizza Dough

Fidel

I have been working on this recipe for quite some time. It mixes and matches a few different recipes and a few different techniques - trying to match the crust of my favorite pizza joint. This place, the Mellow Mushroom, has a pretty good cult following in the Atlanta area. They turn out some awesome pies. The technique comes from a variety of sources, but for the most part it is from "Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria" by Bev Collins. I have changed or altered a couple of steps.

Anyway, here is the technique and recipe. I hope some of you find it useful and delicious.

½ c spring water at 105-110*
1 tsp fast acting yeast
1 ¼ tsp molasses
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp olive oil
¾ c cold spring water
3 ½ to 3 ¾ c high gluten flour (I use KA Sir Lancelot)

Add the yeast to the hot water, mix thoroughly until yeast is dissolved, then add the molasses and stir again to dissolve the molasses. Allow to bloom for a few minutes. You don't want a full bloom, but allow the beginning bubbles to appear. Add the cold water to bring the temperature down to slow the fermentation process. Spring water is important for proper mineral content, taste, and lack of chlorine. Chlorine is a natural enemy of the yeast and is purported to inhibit the proper rise. Put all the liquid into a mixer bowl. Add the salt and olive oil and using the beater attachment stir to combine.

Slowly begin adding flour a tablespoon or two at a time with the beater paddle spinning. The idea is to make something resembling a thick batter and beat for a few minutes. The idea is to fully combine and distribute all the ingredients. Begin adding flour again, slowly, until the batter comes together into a dough ball.

Switch to a dough hook and continue adding flour, little by little, until the dough ball is the proper consistency. Knead for 4-5 minutes, turning the dough over at least once during the kneading.

Form into two balls of equal sizes. Roll the balls tightly and place seam down on oiled cookie sheet. Lightly spray the balls with cooking spray, cover, and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Longer is better.

Once the dough balls have doubled in size they are ready to go. You can expedite this by allowing to rise at room temperature after the 12 hour rest in the fridge.

Optional: At the end of the kneading process you can add garlic powder, dried basil, oregano, or any other herbs or aromatics you want to enhance the flavor of the dough.

A couple tips. If you want a more yeasty flavor then allow the yeast to bloom more fully before you incorporate the remaining ingredients. If you prefer a softer crust increase the amount of oil in the dough and reduce the water (or increase the flour) to compensate.

BobS

Thanks for posting!

Austin Smoker

Will be trying this for sure Rod, thanks for posting. I had my first Mellow 'Za' in Nashville several years ago, and we always look forward to a visit during our annual family pilgrimige to Destin, Fla. Pretty good pie!

Darnoc

Thanks for he post.AZRP had ordered the cd a few weeks ago from Bev Collins and have not seen a post from Randy as to how he likes the medthods she suggests.When you go to her web site she does mention spring water.I did pick up three or four tips that I do want to try.By the way have you tried my tip to use a good full bodied beer instead of water and stir it up a little to make it flat? Sure does add some flavor.Perhaps the addition of molasses is doing the same thing.Me I think I'll take beer instead.But I will try the molasses and find out.

AzScott

The recipe looks good! I think I'm going to make up a bunch of dough trying that recipe tonight.

AzScott

The recipe looks good! I think I'm going to make up a bunch of dough trying that recipe tonight.

soulfish

thanks. i'm going to try this one right away.

GoooDawgs

Bringing this thread back to life!  I've tried the No Knead Dough a few times and prefer a slightly sweeter crust, so I'm making an attempt at the Mellow Mushroom style.

Anyone tried this in the last 9 years? 

Curious if there's another Mellow Mushroom copy cat recipe any of you have... 

Thanks!

stlcharcoal

They built a Mellow Mushroom here in St. Louis.  Pretty good stuff.  It's a 1-2 hr wait on Friday and Saturday nights even if you call in an order.

One thing I feel their crust has a lot of that is missing in the recipe above.....butter.  I imagine it's the same recipe everywhere, but the crust at this one seems to have a ton of butter in it.  It's almost like a pastry.  Like I said, really good!!

Carolina Q

I have this one bookmarked, but I haven't tried it.

https://shutternspice.com/mellow-mushroom-pizza-dough-copycat/

Grilltastic

I also did the no knead recipe this weekend and it was just OK for me. I may have had the hydration level a little to high also was not sweet enough for my taste as well. i am going to try this next. I keep chasing the ideal pizza dough for my taste and have not gotten their yet. Hopefully this gets me closer. What does the molasses offer vs sugar, just curious.

Plutonium

What temp does this cook best at? I think I'll try it.

Photo Egg

Plutonium said:

What temp does this cook best at? I think I'll try it.

Open the link that was posted and it gives you step by step instructions.

Carolina Q  Posts: 12,455

11:44AM

I have this one bookmarked, but I haven't tried it.

https://shutternspice.com/mellow-mushroom-pizza-dough-copycat/

I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!

                                                            …Unknown

Michael 

Central Connecticut 

Carolina Q

One thing I've never paid attention to when making bread or pizza dough is water. I just use whatever comes out of the tap. In reading Rod's recipe above, he says, "Spring water is important for proper mineral content, taste, and lack of chlorine. Chlorine is a natural enemy of the yeast and is purported to inhibit the proper rise." I had never considered that and I don't know if it is an accurate statement, but Rod's a pretty smart guy so I think I'll buy a gallon of spring water and see if I notice an improvement.

Dunno about the molasses though. I don't usually put sugar in pizza dough.

BTW, this thread was started 6 months before I bought an egg or signed on here.

Plutonium

Photo Egg said:

Plutonium said:

What temp does this cook best at? I think I'll try it.

Open the link that was posted and it gives you step by step instructions.

Carolina Q  Posts: 12,455

11:44AM

I have this one bookmarked, but I haven't tried it.

https://shutternspice.com/mellow-mushroom-pizza-dough-copycat/

I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!

                                                            …Unknown

Michael 

Central Connecticut 

Was referring to OP recipe, but they're similar enough that 500F would probably be good.

GoooDawgs

Carolina Q said:

BTW, this thread was started 6 months before I bought an egg or signed on here.

You like that don't you?  I like checking the past threads before asking something that's been asked 100 times.   

I like the idea of molasses in the dough!

Zippylip

Carolina Q said:

but Rod's a pretty smart guy so I think I'll buy a gallon of spring water and see if I notice an improvement.

'Rod' is a dolt, and has it escaped your attention that you've never seen him and the other dope in the same place?

SmokeyPitt

In case this helps...I had this bookmarked from @Dyal_SC, and references the same Mellow Mushroom copycat recipe that @Carolina Q linked above. 

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1204022/pizza-pizza

The recipes look pretty similar. Mellow Mushroom does advertise spring water. 

OUR DOUGH

We source the best possible ingredients to create our signature Mellow dough. This means the finest variety of high protein, unbromated unbleached wheat flour, Appalachian spring water and no refined white sugar. We take pride in baking the best quality pizza dough for all our pies, pretzels, and calzones.

Photo Egg

Stopping to buy molasses on the way home tonight. Can't take it any longer.
I have never even seen a Mellow Mushroom pizza place before so I have no reference so I'm sure this will be fantastic.

Photo Egg

Fantastic...just googled MM and there is one in Covington Louisiana.
We will be road tripping there in a few day to visit Spring Chicken and Spring Hen!
Now I know the real reason they moved to Covington. There are tons of great restaurants in their town.

stlcharcoal

A good ingredient to have on the shelf as well as molasses is sorghum .  It's like molasses in thickness, but it has much more of a root beer taste and not near as sweet.  Works great in a lot of recipes where you want molasses taste, but not the sweet.

SmokeyPitt

Photo Egg said:

Fantastic...just googled MM and there is one in Covington Louisiana.
We will be road tripping there in a few day to visit Spring Chicken and Spring Hen!
Now I know the real reason they moved to Covington. There are tons of great restaurants in their town.

@Photo Egg make sure to ask for Esperanza dressing to dip your pizza crust in. 

tjv

are all the mellow mushrooms really slow on service.  We have one in town and both times we went for dinner, almost asked the waiter for a breakfast menu.

t

stlcharcoal

tjv said:

are all the mellow mushrooms really slow on service.  We have one in town and both times we went for dinner, almost asked the waiter for a breakfast menu.

t

Same here man.  Been to STL location three times and have had to wait forever each time.

The last time we took the kids there and waited 30 minutes for a table (after the "NoWait" app they use told us it was ready.)  Then we waited an hour for 1 pizza to come out and it was luke warm.  We sent it back and were getting ready to leave, and the manager said they'd make us one to go, no charge.  10 minutes later they brought it out.  So they CAN make a pizza in 10 minutes.  Not sure what the deal was......good food, but the location here has some issues on service and time.  If they'd just turn pizzas faster, I can't imagine how many more people the could serve in a night (and how much more $$$$$ they'd make!!!!)  They need to take a page from the deep dish places in Chicago where you order before you're seated.

Edit:  Forgot that we ordered a pizza online on night for take out about 6 months ago.  The website said it's usually about 30 minutes.  It was a Friday at about 5:00 that my wife put the order in.  So about 30 minutes later I was on my way home and ready to get off at that exit when she called me and said the confirmation email said it would be ready after 6:30!!!!  I called them and cancelled it, saying I wasn't going to hang around for an hour waiting on it.  The guy on the phone was a **** and said, "well it's Friday night, we're busy"  I said, "maybe you should put that on the website that it's a 90 minute wait, rather than 30."  He said "yeah, we'll do that..." as he hung up the phone.  If you don't want to do take out, then don't do it.

Carolina Q

I've never even seen a Mellow Mushroom. I just checked their website and the nearest store to me is in New Jersey!. Maybe if I ordered before I left CT, it would be ready by the time I arrived. It's nearly 4 hours away.

Tettletime

Yeah the MM in Arlington TX is slow as molasses. No matter if it’s lunch or dinner, every time I go it takes over an hour from the time the order is placed to the time the pie(s) arrive. Ive always chalked it up to the restaurant basically being on the college campus, but maybe it’s a system wide issue. Pizza is dam good, though. 

pgprescott

Tettletime said:

Yeah the MM in Arlington TX is slow as molasses. No matter if it’s lunch or dinner, every time I go it takes over an hour from the time the order is placed to the time the pie(s) arrive. Ive always chalked it up to the restaurant basically being on the college campus, but maybe it’s a system wide issue. Pizza is dam good, though. 

Hey man, it’s called mellow mushroom not frantic mushroom man. Chill out man. 

Photo Egg

Carolina Q

I guess I'm getting old! I honestly have no recollection of ever making a Mellow Mushroom pizza. But I was looking for something on my computer and found a whole folder of MM pizza pics. I don't remember doing it, no idea whether or not it was any good, don't know which recipe I used. My peel and my cutter so I must have done it. And it was less than a year ago!!

Ah well, lousy pics, but I guess it doesn't look like a bad pie.

Photo Egg

Photo Egg