Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Pizza Dough Failure

Was gonna have pizza last night.  At 5:30 PM both me and SWMBO realized nobody had started any dough.  We had some in the freezer and put it in warm water to defrost.  Made pizza sauce with veggies from the garden that was terrific, but the dough was like a cracker.  Baked then raised indirect at 450 for about 15 minutes.  It all looked good and was golden brown, but not the way we like it.  We've used homemade frozen dough before with no problems, but had never defrosted in warm water before.  Did doing this somehow ruin the dough or did I just have an off-nite?  Thanks in advance.

Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

Comments

  • I've also had success with pizza dough that I've pre-made and frozen. I've never defrosted it with warm water; guess that could have been your problem.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    I wonder if the warm water "over-proofed" the dough and this didn't allow the rise while baking, causing the cracker-like crust. 
  • SaltySam
    SaltySam Posts: 887

    I think Eggcelsior is right.  I've never had luck defrosting pizza dough, in warm water, in the microwave...it's never turned out good.  I think i've ended up essentially pre-cooking the dough each time.  Our crust always ended up tasting like a cracker as well.  It's more work, but making fresh dough has always been my best bet.

    But, I would like to know how you've defrosted your frozen dough in the past.  If you've had success with a certain method, I'd love to hear it. 

    LBGE since June 2012

    Omaha, NE

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    I defrost dough in the refrigerator.Once soft, I let it come to room temp. I typically take it out of the fridge 1 day ahead of time.
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    I'm with @Eggcelsior I take my dough out of the freezer the night before and put in in the fridge. When I get home from work (3:30ish) I take it out of the vac sealed bag, put it in tupperware and set it in the oven with the light on until dinner time. Never had a problem yet, knock on wood.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • SaltySam
    SaltySam Posts: 887
    That's what I thought. It still takes some time (at least a few hours) to defrost completely. Unfortunately there is no super-quick way to defrost pizza dough. Oh well...good things come to those who wait.

    LBGE since June 2012

    Omaha, NE