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Need a hand with pizza

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kindaquick
kindaquick Posts: 30
in Baking
I own a MBGE and just got my XLBGE delivered earlier this week.  I have a 12" stone for the MBGE and the 21" for the XL.  Here's the question that I have.  In the past, I had cooked pizzas with the platesetter legs down and the stone on the setter.  After reading many posts about that setup wreaking havoc on the gasket, I decided to go legs up with grid and un-elevated stone on that.  The last few pies that I have made I have had trouble with the crust getting burnt.  My guess is that I need to elevate the stone, but I am unsure what to use to do so. 

I have read quite a few posts suggesting to use the "legs" to elevate the stone from the grid.  My guess is the "legs" refers to the Egg legs that came with my egg for setting into a table.  Is that correct?  if so, is that high enough off the grid to not only save my gasket, but to make sure the crust doesn't burn before the cheese is melted?

To further that question, would that same setup work on the XL with the 21" stone?  Or should I buy the grill grid extender?

Thanks in advance!
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  • Wanasmoke
    Wanasmoke Posts: 388
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    This has been discussed on a few other threads but using some kind of fire brick on top of the grid and setting the stone on top of that will get the pizza elevated to brown the top before the bottom burns.  Works great

    LBGE in Elm Grove, WI
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    Your legs up setup sounds okay. If you want more elevation, put a grid on the platesetter and use some fire bricks or pavers to raise the stone. 

    Burned crust could mean you are cooking too hot for your particular dough
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,761
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    upgrade the gasket and get the pie higher works for me, your going to toast the gasket anyways
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • kindaquick
    kindaquick Posts: 30
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    Well, the gasket is the original one that was on the Egg when I bought it home in 2012.  No issues yet.  Temperature of my typical pizza cook is around 450 degrees nominal - give or take 20 degrees.  Store bought pizza dough.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,761
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    kindaquick said:
    Well, the gasket is the original one that was on the Egg when I bought it home in 2012.  No issues yet.  Temperature of my typical pizza cook is around 450 degrees nominal - give or take 20 degrees.  Store bought pizza dough.
    raise the pie up and see what happens cook wise, the guys burning gaskets are cooking 600 to 750 on average, my last one went at 1200 dome cooking a pizza =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    Yeah, 450* is not excessively high.  Like @fishlessman says try raising your stone higher in the dome
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • kindaquick
    kindaquick Posts: 30
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    Thanks guys.  As I'm sure the size of fire bricks vary, any idea of how high I want above the grid?  3 to 4 inches?
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    kindaquick said:
    Thanks guys.  As I'm sure the size of fire bricks vary, any idea of how high I want above the grid?  3 to 4 inches?
    Depends on your stone diameter. You don't want to get it so high that it cuts off air flow. The smaller the stone the higher you can go. Couple of inches might be okay but, I have a large so cannot say for sure
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • kindaquick
    kindaquick Posts: 30
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    TexanOfTheNorth said:
    kindaquick said:
    Thanks guys.  As I'm sure the size of fire bricks vary, any idea of how high I want above the grid?  3 to 4 inches?
    Depends on your stone diameter. You don't want to get it so high that it cuts off air flow. The smaller the stone the higher you can go. Couple of inches might be okay but, I have a large so cannot say for sure
    The dome height is what has me concerned with the height of the fire brick, obviously.  As mentioned, I have a 12" stone for the MBGE (15" cooking grid), and I have the 21" stone for the XL (24" cooking grid).  I'm thinking between 2 to 4 inches, but again, not sure.
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    kindaquick said:
    TexanOfTheNorth said:
    kindaquick said:
    Thanks guys.  As I'm sure the size of fire bricks vary, any idea of how high I want above the grid?  3 to 4 inches?
    Depends on your stone diameter. You don't want to get it so high that it cuts off air flow. The smaller the stone the higher you can go. Couple of inches might be okay but, I have a large so cannot say for sure
    The dome height is what has me concerned with the height of the fire brick, obviously.  As mentioned, I have a 12" stone for the MBGE (15" cooking grid), and I have the 21" stone for the XL (24" cooking grid).  I'm thinking between 2 to 4 inches, but again, not sure.
    You'll just have to try (unless someone had a m or xl and chimes in) the point I was making is that the dome may close but there may not be a sufficient gap between the stone and the dome to allow adequate air flow, thus, you're not trying to raise to the highest possible level
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
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    TexanOfTheNorth said:

    Burned crust could mean you are cooking too hot for your particular dough

    Exactly this.  I started out using bought crusts and frequently burnt them.  You gotta make your own "wetter" dough to go above 450 or more.  High in the dome helps get the top done faster for higher heat pizzas.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

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  • Grillmagic
    Grillmagic Posts: 1,600
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     Everything is relevant in a pizza cook, temperature, how high in the dome and what your dough will handle.  Here is my set up.
    Charlotte, Michigan XL BGE
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  • kindaquick
    kindaquick Posts: 30
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    Thanks for all the input on this, guys.  I appreciate it!  I went out to a masonry and picked up some fire bricks that are 2 1/4" thick.  I'll have to play around with it a bit.  Made a lot of really good pies with legs down.  Just not used to the legs being up on the PS - yet. 

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,761
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    kindaquick said:
    Thanks for all the input on this, guys.  I appreciate it!  I went out to a masonry and picked up some fire bricks that are 2 1/4" thick.  I'll have to play around with it a bit.  Made a lot of really good pies with legs down.  Just not used to the legs being up on the PS - yet. 

    just play around with the setup until you find what you like, then maybe experiment with the dough. when i posted 1200 dome i was serious, and i was using generic storebought supermarket dough. 53 seconds max. i was going for the simplest thin crust i could, 3 pies per dough ball. pizza needs to be experimented with, we all have different likes and dislikes
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • kindaquick
    kindaquick Posts: 30
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    53 seconds to a done pie?  Are you kidding??  That's awesome!
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