First Pizza Tonight. With Pics

BuckeyeBob · March 2012

After three cooks, time to try my first pizza. I have made grilled pizza before but never on the Egg. Planning on using the platesetter with the baking stone. Will probably put something under the stone to slightly elevate and increase air flow. Cook in the 550-600 range. Any other suggestions?

Also, for the first cook, I am getting pizzas from a local place that makes uncooked pizza to make at home. My concern is that the crust is pretty thin on their pies. Will this cause me any issues or create a need to change my setup? Any help is very much appreciated.

Buckeye Bob

GADuckaholic · March 2012

I have found pizzas to be super easy. I set up with the platesetter, feet up, grate on top and the pizza stone directly on the grate. I fire the Egg up to 550-600 and then toss the pizza on. Putting it on parchment paper sprinkled with a little four helps with the transfer from peel to Egg and then back again. They are done in 5-10 minutes. I just keep a close eye on it and pull the pizza when the cheese is melted and crust is browned to my liking. As far as the crust from the local place, I havent tried that yet so I can't comment there. Hope this helps a little!

BuckeyeBob · March 2012

Definitely helps. So Platesetter feet up? I was thinking the other way. My concern with the local pizza is just the thin crust so didn't know if that would be an issue with burning.

Mighty_Quinn · March 2012

I suggest going with the temp suggested by the pizza place....with Papa murphy's take and bake, a lot of people complain of burnt crust and not done toppings when going that much hotter than what they recommend.

GADuckaholic · March 2012

I've heard it done both ways. I don't think there is a right or wrong way. This setup has turned out several awesome pizzas for me so I really have no reason to do it any different. To me this is one cook where the addage "If your lookin you're not cookin" does not apply. I peek at the pizza every 3 or 4 minutes to make sure the crust isnt browning to quickly and the cheese is melting. It's more of a "feel" cook if that makes sense.

floatingbuzzard · March 2012

On my first try I went with the 600° I here people talk about. Used a simple home made dough that was very thin.

It browned to quickly and when it looked done, the crust was still raw in the center. I tore a hole in it trying to get it off. Epic fail. That was also plate setter feet down and stone resting on setter.

Mighty_Quinn speaks the truth on following temperature suggestions by the pizza crust or maker's instructions. I go legs up, grate, and stone on grate. Give the egg time to warm up, I mean hold your desired temp, before you pu!t your pie on. Just because the gauge shows 500°
doesn't mean your stone is hot.

Good luck !

BuckeyeBob · March 2012

Excellent. This is why I love this site already. Dramatically speeds up my learning curve.

BuckeyeBob · March 2012

Buzzard, one more question. How long do you heat up your stone?

GADuckaholic · March 2012

Yes, definitely preheat the stone. I put mine on as soon as I fire up the Egg and once the temp gets where I need it to be I let it sit for about 10 minutes while i finish prep on my pizza.

Chubbs · March 2012

I usually have the stone on the stabalized egg for at least 30 minutes. Probably longer. Get the egg going, stabalize it with the stone and then work on prepping the pizza inside. When you come out to throw it on, it will be hot. Never timed it but prob 30-45 minutes for me. Works every time.

floatingbuzzard · March 2012

Yea, 15 min or so once you get up to temp. I feel like I made a mistake setting my stone directly on the setter the first time. Either it made it hard for the stone to come up to temp or slow to recover. Either way, it went bad. Last try went great. I like to take my flash light and peek in the top to see how it is coming along.

Just don't get discouraged. You may do great first try, but if not, just make sure you have something else around the house to eat. My clan wanted to kill me! A hungry family can be a dangerous thing!

Mighty_Quinn · March 2012

I add all ceramics when I light the egg. When I get to desired temp I hold for 20-30 minutes before pizzas go on to ensure the stone is good and hot.

Gato · March 2012

BGE has told me on the phone to do pizza with the platesetter legs up, grate, and stone. This has worked well for me. I think it is better on the factory gasket also. With the platesetter legs down, its right at the gasket level and I think the heat coming around it burns the gasket.

BuckeyeBob · March 2012

First Pizza is in the books. I used a pizza from a local place that does pre-made to cook at home as I mentioned. Fired up the Egg and then set it up with Platesetter legs down, followed by the grid and then the baking stone. Debated on legs up or down and finally decided to do down. Next time will probably do legs up to see if it makes a difference. After I closed it up, I let it heat for about 30 minutes to make sure the stone was nice and hot.

While it heated up, I had my guard dog making sure no one bothered it.

I got the temp stabilized around 450, per the pizza instructions, and put it on using the parchment paper, which I removed after about 5 minutes to help crisp up the bottom.

After about 10 minutes, took the pizza off. Upon further review, the crust on the bottom wasn't done quite as much as I would like as I was afraid of it burning so I maybe should have taken the parchment out sooner or cook a little higher temperature. Here is the finished product.

I know the crust doesn't look that done on the top especially towards the bottom of the picture but it was actually done more and that's just the picture. It was really good. We love coal fired pizza and frequently go downtown here in Chicago to a new place that has it. This was right up there and can't wait to do it again. Thanks again to all for your tips and suggestions. It would not have come out this well without your help.

Buckeye Bob

Gato · March 2012

Very nice looking pizza

cortguitarman · March 2012

I've found turning the pie every few minutes held keep crust from burning.

bariccardi · March 2012

Looks great.

I think people over think pizza. Pre-heating place setter for 15-20 minutes, make pizza on a pizza peel, put a little flour on the place setter, and slide pizza on. 10-12 minutes later remove. Always turns out great

jerryp · March 2012

Try placing plate setter legs down, placing ceramic feet on the setter, and putting the stone on top of the feet. Also, if you go to fredsmusicandbbq.com he has the best crust recipe I've ever made. It's easy to make and perfectly crispy, yet has a nice chew.

BuckeyeBob · March 2012

Thanks Jerry. For the first pizza cook. I wanted to focus on the cooking rather than the ingredients. Next cook, I will look to make my own and I am always looking for a good dough recipe.

smokesniffer · March 2012

+1 on that, if there are hot spots you eliminate burning the crust. Glad you enjoyed it. It becomes a family favourite pretty quick.

I've found turning the pie every few minutes held keep crust from burning.

First Pizza Tonight. With Pics

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