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Setup and best practice for High Temp cooking

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TorontoBBQer
TorontoBBQer Posts: 35
in EggHead Forum
Hi All,

I'm 8 days into my Egg, and officially through my starter 20lb bag of lump.

I've done low and slow ribs and butt, medium temp spatchcock chicken and wings, and one short stint at 700 degrees for a quick steak sear.

I'd like to bring it up to 750 to do some high temp pizzamaking.

Based on some reading, I'm inclined to go with platesetter legs up, and a stone on top. Is this correct? What else should I be aware of before trying this? How much lump do I need? Any special lighting instructions for high temp? How to best deal with flashbacks? Leave the daisy wheel open while cooking? (and yes, I've already lost my arm hair once).

Thanks again!

-- Josh
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  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
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    I am not a pizza fanatic, but I do know be ready for a fried gasket at 750 degrees. 

    Do not even use the daisy wheel.  Just use the bottom vent.  I personally would try pizza's at a little lower temp before I went to 750 because 750 is the temp I would imagine vets to be using.  I personally think at 750 degrees I might burn the crap out of the pizza.
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  • calracefan
    calracefan Posts: 606
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    I cook pizzas legs up with grid then the stone, I only go to about 600 F. Definantly burp it when opening, I use parchment paper to transfer pizza to the stone and remove it after a few minutes (2-3),It normally takes around 8 minutes to cook, but I really don't time it just go by looks. I make my own dough from a recipe I got off Brickovenbaker,com. Good Luck and Enjoy !
    Ova B.
    Fulton MO
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    It burns through lump fast that hot.  Clean your firebox and fill it up to the top of the fire ring.  Light the top in a few spots and let rip. Like BYS1981 said, you just take off the DW.  Once you're up to temp, use the bottom damper to adjust your temp.   Be aware of flashback, open the top slowly.  If you have a Nomex gasket, it'll probably be alright.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • U_tarded
    U_tarded Posts: 2,042
    edited December 2012
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    Stack some fire bricks or something on top the grate, you want to get your stone as high in the dome as possible so tey toppings finish before the crust burns.
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  • TorontoBBQer
    TorontoBBQer Posts: 35
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    Good advice all on the daisy wheel and raising the stone to avoid burning the bottom, thanks.

    From what I gather, my gasket is the Nomex type. Its a new egg and the gasket is kind of a light grey color. 

    What exactly is the procedure for burping the egg? Last time I was at 700, I opened the lid about an inch and saw a bit of fire escape. I then closed it and re-opened it... to a blazing fireball! What did I do wrong?
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  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
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    If you get the pizza stone around 550-600 degrees it will be plenty hot enough for pizza. I use the BGE perforated pizza pan instead of a stone.  PS legs up, grid, woo with small ring up and the pizza pan on the woo.  If I'm between 550-600 the pizzas turn out great in about 10-11 minutes.
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  • TorontoBBQer
    TorontoBBQer Posts: 35
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    TorontoBBQer said:
    What did I do wrong?
    You closed it.... 

    OK that explains it... I thought "burping" was an open-and-close motion.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    For pizza you are way better higher in the dome. If you can find a few firebricks (and they don't have to be firebricks) at a brickyard or fireplace/ woodstove store you can set the bricks on the fire ring and your platesetter on them. Use some 1/2" copper plumbing tees between the platesetter and pizza stone to assure the stone is at the temp of the egg and not hotter.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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