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Pizza still a work in progress

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grEGGorys
grEGGorys Posts: 168
in EggHead Forum
Made pizza tonight and I am still trying to get it just right. I got the grill to about 550 and put the first pizza in. It cooked in about ten minutes. The top was real good but the crust still needed to brown more. The second pizza cooked at ??? Degrees because the dome thermometer was buried. It cooked in about 8 minutes. The top was once again good but the crust still needed to brown more. I used an Emile stone for both pizzas. I think I will use my cast iron pan next time and see if the crust browns more. I know that if I keep working at it I will one day get it just the way it should be. I might need to buy a steel pizza pan from Baking Steel.
Gulf Coast FL
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  • CarolinaCrazy
    CarolinaCrazy Posts: 585
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    Looks like your tops are nicely cooked. To get the bottoms done you need to get your stone hotter.

    You may want to let your fire get hotter and your stone or pan heat up for a longer time. I will let my rig sit at 650-700 for 30 minutes before I put in the first pizza. Just because the dome thermometer says it's hot enough doesn't mean the cooking surface is ready.

    I'd try more preheating before you go out and buy a new stone.

    1 LBGE in Chapel Hill, NC
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    Agree with @CarloniaCrazy How long did you preheat your stone? If you don't have an IR thermometer, it's a great tool to check temp of the stone.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • grEGGorys
    grEGGorys Posts: 168
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    Thanks for the input. Kind of confirmed what I was thinking.
    Gulf Coast FL
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  • KenfromMI
    KenfromMI Posts: 742
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    I just bought a baking steel to go with my pizza stone. Haven't used it yet for pizza but read a review from American Test Kitchen steel vs standard pizza stone. They actually found the steel heated quicker and cooked the bottom faster than the standard stone. They did however say that the stone made a nicer pizza and that was their preferred method. I believe your Emile Henry is some type of steel isn't it?  I put my stone in at start up and its always hot enough after the VOC's are burnt off and it's plenty hot. I'm trying to figure a way to do two pizzas at once. I'm going to experiment with the steel on the bottom first, then try it over the stone etc.
    Dearborn MI
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  • Randy1
    Randy1 Posts: 379
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    I have a 16in round steel my BIL cut for me. It works great. I like it much better than a stone. I go PS legs down, BGE stone then the steel. I put pizza on when STEEL reaches about 400. It does a great job on the crust. I had trouble with consistency until I started using this set up.
    Maumelle, Arkansas
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  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800
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    FWIW, I preheat my stone in the oven while the fire is getting up to temperature. If you are using store-bought dough, I find that the temp needs to be kept at 500 or below. I also use parchment paper (which it looks like you did too) and I pull it off after 1-2 minutes as the pizza won't stick to the stone. Your top looks delicious.
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
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  • grEGGorys
    grEGGorys Posts: 168
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    The Emile Henry is stone of some sort. I know that the second pizza was put in after the stone was plenty hot and yet the crust seemed about 3/4 done. The dough was bought at Publics. It seems to be decent crust but I need to perfect the cooking progress. Thanks again for the help.
    Gulf Coast FL
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  • KenfromMI
    KenfromMI Posts: 742
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    I make my dough or buy from a small Italian Market by my house when I'm pinched for time. I've used that dough between 550 and 650 degrees with no problems so far. For $1.50 a ball (fresh) sometimes it seems making it myself isn't worth it. 
    Dearborn MI
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  • grEGGorys
    grEGGorys Posts: 168
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    I wish I could buy mine fresh locally. I would for sure.
    Gulf Coast FL
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    grEGGorys said:
    I wish I could buy mine fresh locally. I would for sure.
    You have no pizza joints locally? They will sell you a dough ball for a coupla bucks. Most grocery stores sell it too, but your favorite pizza place would be better.

    If you buy from a pizza place, ask 'em when it was made. If the answer is "today", bring it home and put it in the fridge for at least one day. Two or three would be better. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    edited June 2014
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    Although I rarely make pizza these days. When I do I get the egg and all the ceramics including the stone totally preheated. But, I find the bottom of the crust wants to burn just as the top gets perfect. To overcome that I've been swiping the stone with a damp (not saturated rag) just before I slide a pie on. I go PS legs down w/ stone on top. I don't have a gap between PS & Stone. Suggestions welcome and helpful. Thanks.
    Edit: my dough is for high temps (0% sugar) and I run 650℉-750℉. It seems like I used to have a gap between the PS & stone but, for the life of me I don't remember what I used.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • jllbms
    jllbms Posts: 381
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    A gap helps prevent scorching. I'm using the three feet that came with the Egg.
    Kemah, TX
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  • KenfromMI
    KenfromMI Posts: 742
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    @grEGGorys. I am spoiled in the Detroit area. I can drive in any direction less than 20 minutes , many times less than 5 minutes and find any ethnic market I want. I can but anything from Italian, Indian to Japanese and Sushi grade Tuna fresh daily. I laugh at the cookbooks that have asterisks next to ingredients that says you may have to order...........However that's about the only thing I'll miss in this area when I move when I retire other than the Lions and Tigers.LOL
    Dearborn MI
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited June 2014
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    NPHuskerFL said:
    I don't have a gap between PS & Stone. Suggestions welcome and helpful. Thanks. Edit: my dough is for high temps (0% sugar) and I run 650℉-750℉. It seems like I used to have a gap between the PS & stone but, for the life of me I don't remember what I used.
    You need a gap. Anything will do, from balls of aluminum foil to copper plumbing fittings (T's, elbows) to terracotta planter feet... to rocks, for that matter. I prefer to raise mine higher still. A coupe of bricks turned on edge would do nicely at your temps.

    PS: Don't use rocks from a creek bed. They can explode when heated. :)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
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    @Carolina Q‌ that's what I used. Copper Ts. But, I like the larger gap idea. I'll try that next time I do some pies. Thanks Michael.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    You're welcome...

    image

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • grEGGorys
    grEGGorys Posts: 168
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    I will have to ask the local pizza businesses if they sell the dough. I guess I never thought about that. Thanks for the suggestions.
    Gulf Coast FL
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  • xiphoid007
    xiphoid007 Posts: 536
    edited June 2014
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    I set my stone on the plate setter while the egg is heating up, then I take it out, throw on the grate, and put the stone back on that. The plate setter heats up faster and heats the stone up via conduction faster than the air can. The IR thermo is key too.
    Pittsburgh, PA - 1 LBGE
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  • trasky
    trasky Posts: 5
    edited June 2014
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    Here is my first attempt at pizza - this was a big hit - we ended up doing 3 pizzas...stone was purchased on amazon and laid right on the plate setter. 725-750 degrees for about 7-10 minutes....
    Middleboro, MA - BGE Large w/ wood table - Plate Setter - Pizza Stone
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