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Chicago (Malnati's style) pizza - steel vs stoneware pan

Tjcoley
Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
edited November 2012 in EggHead Forum
Decided to do up some Chicago Deep Dish, with a new dough recipe.  I found my wife's stoneware deep dish pan (Pampered Chef), which I had forgotten we had. I've done this style before, always using a steel pan, similar to Lou's.  I figured, let's compare and see which one turns out best.

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Steel pan is 9 1/2 inches across, 2 inches deep.  Stoneware is 11 inches wide, 1 1/2 inches deep

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Nice thick layer of sliced mozza, and a thin layer of sliced provolone, followed by a layer of cooked mild Italian sausage, then sauce.

Stoneware went first.  Egg stabilized at 450 for a little over an hour. PS legs up, raised grid, then pizza stone.
The stoneware pie took almost an hour to cook.  I probably should have pulled it about 5 minutes earlier, as the topping started to overcook just a bit.

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Dough was nicely browned all the way across and crispy.  A bit too crispy/dry, which I figure was from cooking it in the stoneware.

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Steel pie pan took only about 20 minutes. (Egg still at 450)  Nice evenly browned crispy crust. Not as dry as the stoneware. 

Both tasted fantastic, just like Lou Malnati's.  I think I'll stick with the steel pan going forward.  I liked the texture of the crust a little bit more.  
__________________________________________
It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
- Camp Hill, PA

Comments

  • bigphil
    bigphil Posts: 1,390
    @Tjcoley looks good, been doing ours in the CI pan family likes them better than just the thin crust now .
    Large Big Green Egg , XL Big Green Egg . BBQ Guru, Weber Kettle, Weber Q grill for road trips.
  • This is what's great about cooking as a hobby.  You try something, judge the results, make adjustments and try again.  Adding the head-to-head element must have been a lot of fun!  Great food and you learned something!  What can be better than that?   
    Flint, Michigan
  • Very nice comparison of the two.  Will keep that in mind when we do a deep dish pizza.   Nice looking pizza too.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    Very interesting comparison. I have a steel deep dish pan I shall have to try on the Egg. Thanks for posting it. I wish I could have a slice.

    Jim
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • Great cook TJ, thanks for sharing. I guess you would expect the stoneware to be drier, it was in the egg three times longer if I understood your post correctly (1 hour vs 20 minutes). As Fred says, it is all fun, if you used stoneware with a bit more sauce, maybe it would retain more moisture, seeing as it started with more to begin with.

    Thanks!
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    Looks great! Thats what I like most about this forum it is a great way to share your cooks and remember what you would tweak to make the next cook even better.  =D>
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • Another great job.  I have been impressed with the pies I have seen lately.  Lots of experimentation.

    Simple ingredients, amazing results!
  • Sgt93
    Sgt93 Posts: 728
    I like the stoneware myself. Very nice.
    XL BGE - Small BGE - A few Komodo Kamado Serious Big Bad 42s
    Follow me on Instagram: @SSgt93
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Great cook TJ, thanks for sharing. I guess you would expect the stoneware to be drier, it was in the egg three times longer if I understood your post correctly (1 hour vs 20 minutes). As Fred says, it is all fun, if you used stoneware with a bit more sauce, maybe it would retain more moisture, seeing as it started with more to begin with.

    Thanks!
    Good point about the stoneware going longer causing the drier crust.  Not sure why it took so long.  Egg was stable at 450 for over an hour.  
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Thanks for sharing the differences...
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • @TJcoley, not sure - but IMHO, Stoneware takes longer to heat up than the metal pan, if they both go in at the same time, the pan is hot and transferring heat to the pie within minutes, the stoneware may take 10 to 15 minutes to actually heat through, but once hot applies very even heat. 

    My wife like regular pizza with heavy color on the topping, I often cool the stone with a damp cloth if it is the second pie or put the stone into a stabilized egg for <20 minutes. This use of a cooler stone allows the toppings to brown and not burn the crust.  
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • The stoneware, by design, is going to wick the moisture from the crust, similar to cooking thin crust pizza on a stone in the egg or oven.  In addition, it will take a longer time for the stoneware to heat up as compared to the steel pan, which gives the longer bake times.  Great looking pies!  I recently started chicago deep dish and the family is enjoying them.  I do mine in a 10" CI skillet with nice results.