1st Attempt at Pizza

nashbama · February 18

So I tried a BGE pizza this weekend. I'd say it was my first unsuccessful cook, wasn't happy with it at all.

I heated the BGE up to about 500. Rolled the dough out on the stone, sauced, cheese, added toppings. Put in the egg for about 15 minutes until the cheese and crust looked like it was done.

The dough didn't cook evenly, I think I can fix that by heating up the stone in the egg first, then put the pizza on it. The main problem was it had a strong charcoal flavor. It wasn't terrible, my wife and I both managed to eat it. However, on a scale of 1 - 10, she gave it a 6.

I'm going to give it another shot. Any advice on what I did wrong?

Thanks,

Dyal_SC · February 18

Cool pic! You are right...preheating the stone is necessary. As for the strong charcoal flavor, make sure you burn off all the "dirty smoke" before putting food on the egg...especially if you just added new coals. Also, a dirty plate setter will produce an undesired flavor. The caked on grease will burn off onto the coals, producing smoke that will smell bad. I've ruined a pizza like that before...now I make sure to use a clean platesetter when making pizza.

SmokinDAWG82 · February 18

You definitely want to pre-heat the stone, try heating the stone and building your pizza on parchment paper then just sit the parchment on the stone. Some people pull the parchment after 5 or 6 minutes but you don't have to. did you have any smoke wood in from previous cooks? did you let the lump stabilize before you started cooking?

nashbama · February 18

Yep, I added new coals and the plate setter was dirty. Still had some marinade from a previous cook on it. I didn't think that would affect the flavor. There also might have been a stray piece of hickory in there too. So apparently I did several things wrong.

I'll try pizza again soon. Pre-heat the stone, burn off the dirty smoke, clean the plate setter, and no smoke wood. Thanks very much for the tips!

SmokinDAWG82 · February 18

Just ideas that may or may not help but worth trying good luck

pgprescott · February 18

Keep at it, they are fun and delicious.

CeramicChef · February 18

I always let my stone heat for 20 min or so after my Egg has hit my cook temp, usually 500*F. I never let grease or drippings accumulate on my platesetter. I always do a high temp burn at the end of every cook to clean my platesetter, my grates etc. You'll get this thing and look back on this episode and laugh. Honestly! Y'all have nothing but great cooks from now on, ok? :)

cortguitarman · February 19

It has taken me a long time to "perfect" BGE pizza. I've had my egg for just over a year and I.think I've finally got it. My last two pizza cooks, one of those was tonight, were the best pizza I've ever made. As others have said, you need to preheat the stone and leave it in the egg.

At high temps, take off the DFMT and control your temp with the bottom door. I cook my pies at 600 degrees. They never taste of smoke. I let my eggs sit for at least 30 minutes to stabilize the temp. I also cook with my platesetter, legs down. I put a spacers between the platesetter and the stone. I use 1/2 inch plumbing tees for spacers.

FlashkaBob · February 19

cortguitarman said:

It has taken me a long time to "perfect" BGE pizza. I've had my egg for just over a year and I.think I've finally got it. My last two pizza cooks, one of those was tonight, were the best pizza I've ever made. As others have said, you need to preheat the stone and leave it in the egg. At high temps, take off the DFMT and control your temp with the bottom door. I cook my pies at 600 degrees. They never taste of smoke. I let my eggs sit for at least 30 minutes to stabilize the temp. I also cook with my platesetter, legs down. I put a spacers between the platesetter and the stone. I use 1/2 inch plumbing tees for spacers.

Then what about all the other advice that says get it up as high into the dome as possible. Please don't get me wrong, if 1/2 inch above platesetter works for you then I want to know this as well. I have only started making pizzas on the egg and am still learning.

SamFerrise · February 22

Pizza is so easy to cook, yet it baffles most people.

Three most important things.

Dough

Get it right and you will never have a problem again.

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