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Smokey Pizza :-(

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David
David Posts: 97
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
My first shot at Pizza on BGE. Warmed pizza stone and BGE to 550 - cooked 10 minutes (looked perfect) tasted smokey :-([p]Any tips? Should I empty old charcoal and build an oak logged fire like the brick oven pizza places do?[p]Any help is appreciated.
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  • David from RI
    David from RI Posts: 33
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    David,[p]I always use fresh Charcoal, one time I used the same stuff I had used for Salmon. Funky[p]David

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  • Borders
    Borders Posts: 665
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    David, I'm not sure what you mean by smokey. Smokey bad or smokey good, but every egged zah I've had has been smokey and that's what we like.
    If you had really thick, dark smoke coming out of the egg, that would be bad. In that case you need to let the fire stabilize and the dark smoke will subside.
    FYI, I do pizza at 450 with great results. Takes about 15 minutes

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  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
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    Howdy David,
    Sorry to hear that. As ol' Mop used to say, smoke don't belong on no pizza. [p]An established fire is the key. I start my fire 45 minutes to an hour before I cook anything that I don't want any smoke on. If you have old lump that is covered in fat from cooking, say, 2 ducks direct (or hamburgers), then get rid of it. If you are only doing one pizza you don't have to go gonzo and fill the firebox up to the top of the fire ring. Just a good load, and let her rip. I like to have every single piece of coal burning, or very close to burning.[p]It takes some observation, but you can smell the difference in a clean fire, and a smoky fire. Smell the smoke coming out of the top (which you should be very thin or almost invisible) and it should smell clean. Totally different (like night and day) from the smoke you smell when you are about to start a brisket, or your ribs.[p]Just some idears. Smoke on pizza. Bleck!
    Beers!
    Chris
    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
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  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
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    David,
    I don't think you want to be building wood fires in the Egg. Did you let the fire get burning and preheat the stone, say for 30 minutes? The fire is a lot less smokey if you let it get established. On the other hand, when I do pizza, I throw in a big handful of hickory chips to get a burst of smoke on the pizza. I love it that way.[p]TNW
    The Naked Whiz
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  • David
    David Posts: 97
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    David from RI,[p]Thanks to all for feedback....[p]I did use some old charcoal (i will start fresh next time) and i did not let the fire burn before cooking. I'll take both suggestions and give it another go!!![p]

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  • Borders
    Borders Posts: 665
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    David, you're welcome. I believe that the egg makes a great "wood fired" pizza. The "good smoke" is what makes it special. The dough absorbs the smoke and it can't be beat by the best pizza joints in town. Try again and let us know.[p]By the way, one of the most helpful things i have learned here, is stabilize your fire before putting WHATEVER on the egg. Bad smoke=bad taste; Good smoke=the best taste![p]Scott

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  • Fearless Flatlander
    Fearless Flatlander Posts: 50
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    David, I have cooked about 20 pizza, actually cooked pizza 10 times, two each time. (Hay a man has gotta eat) As I live in VT and it is winter it takes a little time to get Humpty up to 550. But, when he is there there is almost no smoke coming out of the top. I find that if I back off on the air flow to much that I'll get some smoke. What is your smoke tollerance level? Since I got my egg I have been putting the smoke to just about anything I can think of cooking in the egg, maybe I don't notice it anymor. FF

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  • BBQBluesStringer
    BBQBluesStringer Posts: 398
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    David,
    We actually like a slightly smokie taste on our pizzas, especially when they are a little heavy in the charcuterie department. So far the only comment I've had from friends and family is "this is the best pizza I've ever had." If you're reusing lump be sure and let the grease from whatever you last cooked burn off (it will if you are patient and let all the ceramic come up to temperature). The smoke from that stinks!
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
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    David,
    I assume you are talking about a pizza made from scratch. I eat DiGiorno frozen pizzas every now and then and love the flavor introduced by the lump alone. Much better flavor in both the crust and the ingredients than the kitchen stove could ever produce. The secret is to do like the others have been suggesting - let the Egg burn for awhile to get rid of some unwanted flavors or use new lump (let it burn awhile too). The last one I did was the best one yet and I let the Egg burn a full hour before I put the pizza on. [p]Spring Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
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