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Pizza Problems

FrankieP
FrankieP Posts: 16
edited July 2012 in EggHead Forum

Hi Guys and Gals,

I'm not new to the BGE, I've had my XL for years and use it almost nightly. Recently I've been having an issue with my pizzas burning. I thought it was my stone that was really worn out, so I replaced it with a new BGE stone. I heat the egg and the stone to about 550 and let it warm up for about 30 minutes. Seems the bottom of the pizza burns before the topppings can have an opportunity to cook. Last night I took the pizza off and cooked the top under the broiler in my oven. I use my plate setter with the pizza stone on top of it. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong.

Any advice?

Comments

  • Mighty_Quinn
    Mighty_Quinn Posts: 1,878
    Cook your pizzas as high in the dome as possible.
  • FrankieP
    FrankieP Posts: 16
    Cook your pizzas as high in the dome as possible.
    So, I have to try to raise the plate setter and the stone higher than it is?
  • You need some space between the stone and the platesetter but just enough to prevent the stone from getting heated by the platesetter. The little green feet or some large steel nuts or copper plumbing tees.
  • Mighty_Quinn
    Mighty_Quinn Posts: 1,878
    Like LS said...anything to raise the stone up into the dome
  • FrankieP
    FrankieP Posts: 16
    You need some space between the stone and the platesetter but just enough to prevent the stone from getting heated by the platesetter. The little green feet or some large steel nuts or copper plumbing tees.
    I have extra feet, I'll have to try that next time, everyone thinks 550 is good temp for pizza?
  • RandallB
    RandallB Posts: 67

    500 degrees for 12 minute cook is the sweet spot for me on pizza. I don't think you can go wrong with that. 

    Like many others, I use the green feet for spacers between the setter and the stone.

  • FrankieP
    FrankieP Posts: 16

    500 degrees for 12 minute cook is the sweet spot for me on pizza. I don't think you can go wrong with that. 

    Like many others, I use the green feet for spacers between the setter and the stone.

    thats great info, thanks. how long are you guys letting the stone warm up before putting the pizza in?
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    What'd you change? If you've had good results before its prolly not the method you've been using.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    Try the platesetter legs up, then grid, then stone.  That works for me and I don't have any problem with toppings getting done and cheese nice and slightly browned.
  • Tak
    Tak Posts: 145
    I did pizzas recently.....I did them at 550....plate setter legs were up....grill on the plate setter and pizza stone on the grill.....I steadied the heat in the egg with the plate setter on and then put the pizza stone in for 40mins after I got the 550 locked in.....pizzas turned out great!!! crust was crispy and the cheese was bubbling....just my 2 cents
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    I did pizzas recently.....I did them at 550....plate setter legs were up....grill on the plate setter and pizza stone on the grill.....I steadied the heat in the egg with the plate setter on and then put the pizza stone in for 40mins after I got the 550 locked in.....pizzas turned out great!!! crust was crispy and the cheese was bubbling....just my 2 cents
    +1  My "formula" exactly.
  • FrankieP
    FrankieP Posts: 16
    What'd you change? If you've had good results before its prolly not the method you've been using.


    You know, I didnt really change anything except the stone. I was wondering if I was making my fire too high in the base. I will have to try the set up with the setter legs up then the grid then the stone on top of that. That makes sense to me now. I love to make pizzas but the way they have been coming out lately has not been good.

     

    Thanks to all for the great advice. It's nice to know there is a good place to go for help.

  • gpsegg
    gpsegg Posts: 427
    +2 like Tak said.
    George
    Palm Beach Gardens, Fl and Blairsville, Ga.
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    What'd you change? If you've had good results before its prolly not the method you've been using.


    You know, I didnt really change anything except the stone. I was wondering if I was making my fire too high in the base. I will have to try the set up with the setter legs up then the grid then the stone on top of that. That makes sense to me now. I love to make pizzas but the way they have been coming out lately has not been good.

     

    Thanks to all for the great advice. It's nice to know there is a good place to go for help.


    Legs up is the general thought I just found out. I've always done legs down and been fine. My thoughts werent really towards that but more of if you had good pizza before and doing the same thing then why would legs up or down matter. Sounds like you've got options now tho!


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    What'd you change? If you've had good results before its prolly not the method you've been using.


    You know, I didnt really change anything except the stone. I was wondering if I was making my fire too high in the base. I will have to try the set up with the setter legs up then the grid then the stone on top of that. That makes sense to me now. I love to make pizzas but the way they have been coming out lately has not been good.

     

    Thanks to all for the great advice. It's nice to know there is a good place to go for help.

    @FrankieP you know you really don't need a large amount of lump for a hot short term fire like pizzas require.  The extra air flow makes the egg heat up quicker, and you will have more space between the heat source and the stone.
  • Phoenix824
    Phoenix824 Posts: 243
    I did pizzas recently.....I did them at 550....plate setter legs were up....grill on the plate setter and pizza stone on the grill.....I steadied the heat in the egg with the plate setter on and then put the pizza stone in for 40mins after I got the 550 locked in.....pizzas turned out great!!! crust was crispy and the cheese was bubbling....just my 2 cents
    +3 or 4 or whatever my vote is
    Steve Van Wert, Ohio XL BGE
  • RandallB
    RandallB Posts: 67

    I like platesetter legs down.  

    Let the pizza stone warm up from the start of your fire...and let is cool down completely with grill.

    They will all BUST if there is thermal shock. (regardless of brand).  We had a nice ham/pineapple pizza ready to slide on grill and it didn't slide, we quickly folded it up into a calzone looking thing just to cook it...  some of the COLD pinapple/ham touched the stone as it was cooking and BROKE the stone in about 6 pieces.  Very loud too.