Mini Max pizza set up?

Braggart · November 2015

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I recently added a MMax to the stables and love the versatility of the little guy.

We find ourselves doing everything on it, while its bigger (Lbge) brother sits idle waiting for special holiday cooks.

Trouble is, I'm still trying to find the special nuances that I take for granted when cooking on the Large.

Case in point...pizza.

On the Large, pizza is pretty much a consistent lock.

Fill the firebox.
Platesetter legs down.
Alum pie plate upside down.
Bge pizza stone.
Stabilize at 500ish.
Cook like a rock star for hours.

Not so easy on the MMax. Finding that the bottom crust cooks FAST. Black fast. Meanwhile the toppings lag behind. The "maillard reaction" is nowhere to be found. Today in order to finish the process I had to revert to throwing the pies in the oven, under the broiler! Blasphemy! My family is losing all the respect for me that I have built up over the years...

Anyways...here's my set up in pics.

Firebox with lump.
Woo stone.
Shallow alum drip plate.
Standard grate.
BGE pizza stone.
Used parchment for giggles.

Going to try raising the pies up higher in the dome. Trouble is, there isn't a lot of room. I think that's part of the problem, the stone is too close to the fire.

Thoughts? What are you guys doing?

Here's a few more pics...of the finished product...fresh out of the oven I'm ashamed to admit.

NPHuskerFL · November 2015

On the MM I've done PS legs down into the indents in the fire ring, copper fittings for spacers and then stone. And I've most recently done the WOO with deflector stone and then the pizza stone laying on top of the WOO top ring. Both set-ups worked well.
Edit: I've used parchment and cornmeal. Each has their +'s & -'s.

Braggart · November 2015

I must be too hot (400-500F). I'm also using the woo with the stone with the bge pizza stone essentially on top of the top ring.

As mentioned, crust burns black (starting on the edges) while the toppings lag behind.

In the Large, there is a large gap btwn the lump and the platesetter, and another gap provided by the inverted pie plate btwn the PS and the pizza stone. Thinking that because these gaps don't exist in the MMax (or are smaller), I need to be 350F?

Of course it could be my dough. May have to find one that is lighter in sugar (honey in this case) when I'm throwing on the MMax.

coooltroy · November 2015

raised grid if one exists and use small (Naan or other) pizza and close off the top near the end of your cook.... can't say for sure, I don't have a MMax, so others input would be best for sure.

Chef_Hobo · November 2015

I usually cook my pizzas at 425, but on the MiniMax, I find myself having to cook at a lower temperature. I cooked it at 375 last time and it came out good.

NPHuskerFL · November 2015

I find on my dough recipe 650ish with either cornmeal or parchment the crust (bottom) and toppings finish pretty much at the same time. At a lower temp the bottom would likely burn before the toppings would melt etc. NO SUGAR in my dough. Dough w/ sugar will burn faster.

SkinnyV · November 2015

Ps legs up, grid and pizza stone. No issues, the black crust may be hanging over the stone?
Do a search there's some pics of successful pizza MM cooks.
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1177863/mini-max-pizza-test-drive#latestnote I used the stone on top from my mini since I have yet the purchase the medium size.

Chef_Hobo · November 2015

To clarify on my 375 comment, forgot to mention that I usually have thin crust. So for larger crusts, you may disregard.

Braggart · November 2015

All comments read and appreciated. To answer some...

Don't have a platesetter, just a woo/stone combo. (Essentially same).
Pizzas do not hang over the edge.
Dough is stretched thin.
Parchment is used at times, no change.

Thinking its it's a dough issue, as NPHUSKER has pointed out. My recipe (posted in an earlier thread) has honey in it. When cooking on the LBGE, the heat is more even due to air gaps and proximity of coals. When throwing on the MMax, that proximity closes, changing the heat profile.

Now off to find a no sugar dough (high heat) that suits my needs and taste preferences...thin crust and fermented.

Thanks for the conversation everyone.
B

Chillin@5 · November 2015

I use the same set up you are @Braggart at 500 w/ cornmeal and they come out as good as my LBGE. Switch the dough and try.

butert · November 2015

Off topic but I use to use that paper to prevent the pizza from sticking to the peal and stone. I started using corn meal instead of flour when forming the pizza. It rolls right off the peal and onto the stone.

stantrb · November 2015

@Braggart:

100% bread flour with malted barley added (as a browning agent), 63% water, 2% salt, .2% yeast, up to 10% olive oil if you really want a more bready texture.

Mix, rest, knead, refrigerate 24-48 hours. Roll, drink beer, bake, eat, drink more beer. No sugar needed with a long cold-fermentation.

S

Braggart · November 2015

@stantrb thanks for this! I will most certainly give a test run over the next few days.

I do have a question about the malted barley. Is is optional? Where does one get it?

B

stantrb · November 2015

Check the ingredient list of your bread flour. Some brands contain malted barley flour as an additive, and they're pretty easy to find at a regular supermarket. At 450-550F, the barley acts as a browning agent and will give you a better color on your crust than lots of oil or added sugars.

Mini Max pizza set up?

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