When cooking pizza - How to get the top to cook as fast as the bottom?

EggHead_Bubba · June 2015

Did four pizzas last night on a raised CI "stone". Dome temp was 450° and the CI stone temp was 480° when tested with infrared therm. Problem with all four pies was that when the crust underneath was nice and done with a dark brown color and crunch, the top of the crust was still pretty soft. I used parchment for part of two pies and left it there the entire time for the other two. Any suggestions? Thanks

bud812 · June 2015

Raise the stone higher in the dome.

pescadorzih · June 2015

Are you cooking indirect?
If you can get some fire bricks to raise your stone higher, you'll fare better.

Texansurf · June 2015

I have found that if you can cool the dough down a lot before putting the pie together has helped. I found that using the plat setter (legs up) and putting the stone on the grate also helped to lower the stone temp closer to the dome temp. Mostly what I have read is that raising the stone higher in the dome helps.

EggHead_Bubba · June 2015

I was cooking indirect and I raised the CI stone as high as possible until the handles almost touched the dome. It's a large Lodge CI stone so I can only raise it about 1-1/2" from the gasket line. I wondered if using the daisy wheel to maintain temp while at the same time slowing down the exit of the hot air would help. Last night I went without the daisy wheel and just controlled temp with the lower door.

Chubbs · June 2015

Higher dome temp will help. Put stone in later If 480 is your sweet spot

pescadorzih · June 2015

I have the smokeware cap and I use it to keep the heat in the dome. The firebricks help to shield the stone, while also helping to retain heat.
I cook platesetter legs up, grate, 3 firebricks, lying down for minimal height and stone on bricks. This puts my stone about 1- 1/2" above felt line.

Skiddymarker · June 2015

1"-2" above felt line seems to be ideal to get the reflected heat from the dome to cook the toppings - not sure you will get that at 450º. the other solution is to cool the stone so the bottom of the crust cooks slower allowing the topping to catch up. The problem with using too cool a stone is you do not get the spring from the dough, giving texture and chew.
IMO, CI heats pretty fast, faster than a ceramic stone. Raise the stable temp a bit (500º-550º) and give the "stone" less preheat time - catch the stone at 400º-450º as measured with the IR thermo. Works for one pie - for others you may have to cool the "stone" before throwing in the second pie.
Most of us tend to have too much topping, resulting in the crust bottom being done while the top side has not browned at all. You could always cheat and touch the tops with a torch!

pescadorzih · June 2015

I cook mine at 550-600. My dough also has no sugar in it.

EggHead_Bubba · June 2015

Great tips everyone... I really appreciate the input. I think next cook I will try the daisy wheel to control temp in an effort to hold more heat in the dome. Since I always cook a minimum of two pies, cooling the CI stone down between cooks isn't practical. I'll check and see if I can raise it a smidge more. Hopefully I'll find a balance that will get me the desired result.

jtcBoynton · June 2015

Don't bother with the daisy wheel. You need to get the pizza the proper distance from the dome to pick up the right amount of radiant heat. Closing the daisy wheel will actually be counter to your situation. If the dough is cooking the way you want, changing the distance from the dome is the way to adjust for the toppings.

McNuttly · June 2015

EggHead_Bubba said:

Any suggestions?

grab a Blackstone, it's a one trick pony but does it far better than the egg.

EggHead_Bubba · June 2015

@jtcBoynton... problem is I have raised the stone as high as I possibly can. Guess I'll have to investigate a smaller stone or cut the handles off this CI stone I have.

EggHead_Bubba · June 2015

@McNuttly... Blackstone looks like it would certainly do the job but I know the egg can also. I just need to do more testing. Thanks.

Skiddymarker · June 2015

You don't have to take the stone down to room temp, but if you wipe it with a damp cloth it will cool substantially. I even wipe my ceramic stone between pies with a damp cloth. (Too much water and you could crack the stone - but a damp cloth will change the temp)

jtcBoynton · June 2015

@EggHead_Bubba I missed that you are using cast iron. A ceramic stone will transmit heat slower giving more time for the toppings to get finished. You are already cooking at a pretty low temp so I wouldn't lower the temp any. I can't think of any good way to solve your problem with the setup you have. Most straight forward solution is to get a smaller stone so you can raise it to the height you need to balance with the cooking of the dough.

The following suggestion is not ideal but might work. Leave out your cast iron 'stone' and heat the ceramics to a higher temp than you have been using. Insert your CI and let it warm up. Catch the temp of the stone at the right temp and cook the pizza on it before it overheats. The dough should cook as usual and there should be more radiant heat coming off the dome to cook the toppings.

cookn biker · June 2015

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/gz/h4e2ijkb1zks.jpg

Here is our setup. at 700 degrees

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/0k/pkn0t2pyyi7v.jpg

Canugghead · June 2015

Al Roker does not preheat the stone, problem solved, kidding!
http://www.today.com/video/al-roker-grills-pizza-in-a-big-green-egg-457915971972

When cooking pizza - How to get the top to cook as fast as the bottom?

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