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

maybe a stupid question but here goes

Options
Just wondering if you cook your meat toppings for pizza before putting it in the EGG?

Thanks in advance

Comments

  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,485
    Options
    I've tried doing that to pepperoni once before, to reduce the grease amount on my pie.  For me anyway, it wasn't worth the time/trouble.  
    _____________

    "Pro-Life" would be twenty students graduating from Sandy Hook next month  


  • n8er
    n8er Posts: 114
    Options
    I use pepperoni, chicken, etc. that has already been cooked. However there is a local pizza joint around here and their sausage topping is not precooked. I wouldn't think twice about cooking their pizza on the BGE. 
    Egging year 'round in North Dakota
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,757
    Options
    tferk said:
    Just wondering if you cook your meat toppings for pizza before putting it in the EGG?

    Thanks in advance
    only sausage meat in deep dish style, would do it with chicken as well but never made one. have alo cooked hamberger first
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    Options
    Yes, pre cook your raw meat.
    Phoenix 
  • tferk
    tferk Posts: 34
    Options
    Thanks, was just wanted to know if hamburger or sausage would cook enough in the EGG.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,757
    edited August 2016
    Options
    @botch
    i like the way the real pepperoni cups verse the precut store bought, the cups hold the pepperoni juice =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    edited August 2016
    Options
    Ahh, depends on the meat, and the veggie, for that matter.

    The key thing, since the pizza cooks so fast, is to slice all condiments very thin.

    If I'm going to throw a bacon or sausage on the pizza, yes, I cook it first.   I had a pizza place serve me a pie they put raw strips of bacon on one time and it was disgusting.

    Now, when I put shrimp on a pizza I just slice it in half (the direction that reduced the thickness, not to make it shorter).  So, it still looks like a shrimp but it's wafer thin.  ;)   Since shrimp cooks so fast anyway, you do that and it is perfect. 

    Veggies also...all nice and thin and they are cooked nicely.  If I give all non-fatty condiments a light coating of oil (toss in olive oil with S, P & G) it seems to help.

    In the end, pizza is one of those cooks where it's not awful to eat your mistakes.  :grin:
    LBGE/Maryland
  • tferk
    tferk Posts: 34
    Options
    thanks so much, I agree , eating mistake dosen't suck
  • itsmce
    itsmce Posts: 410
    Options
    Sausage, yes; mushrooms, yes (to reduce moisture); most everything else I'd put on a pizza, no.
    Large (sometimes wish it were an XL) in KS
  • Raymont
    Raymont Posts: 710
    Options
    Sausage yes, everything else no.. Thread references several times about moisture, which I struggle with (pizza can get soupy..). I had thought it was the mozzarella (I usually buy Belgioioso brand) but maybe it's the other ingredients (pepperoni). Sorry to highjack but any other thoughts to reduce water/grease amount?

    Small & Large BGE

    Nashville, TN

  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    Options
    I'm with Raymont, definitely the sausage but everything else goes on raw.  I've tried pre-cooking the crust as Bobby Flay did on his show a couple of times but I prefer it to cook along with the other ingredients.  Lately, I've been pleased with just using burrito size flower tortillas for a quick lunch pizza.  I use two of them with some shredded habanero cheese between them.  There's already enough lard in the tortillas to produce a nice crust on the bottom.  

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,757
    Options
    Raymont said:
    Sausage yes, everything else no.. Thread references several times about moisture, which I struggle with (pizza can get soupy..). I had thought it was the mozzarella (I usually buy Belgioioso brand) but maybe it's the other ingredients (pepperoni). Sorry to highjack but any other thoughts to reduce water/grease amount?
    i only use fresh mozz for deep dish now, for thinner crusts i have them cut off a block in the deli and shred my own and add in a little assiago
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • gmbbs
    gmbbs Posts: 110
    Options

    I put sausage on raw, just make sure it's small blobs, and that it sits on top and isn't covered (insulated) under any cheese or any other toppings. 6-7 minutes at 550-600 degrees is sufficient to cook it, as long as the hunks are small. Some people might be squeamish about that, but to each his own.

    If you don't like pools of grease in your pepperoni, you can put the pepperoni slices between paper towels, and sandwich that between a couple microwave safe plates, then give it a quick zap. This removes some of the oils/grease from the pepperoni. 

    You can also press sliced fresh mozz between paper towels to draw out some of the moisture as well. Or just use low moisture mozz.

  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
    Options
    I cook it before I place on pizza, except for meat like pepperoni, salami, etc.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • Jameson19
    Jameson19 Posts: 354
    Options
    I agree with @gmbbs about small blobs of raw sausage. That sausage has to be small pinches and has to be on top of the pizza. I also slice veggies as thin as I can so they get a small char on the edges. 
    Large BGE, Adjustable Rig, Small BGE, 2 BBQ Guru's, 18" WSM, Rockwood, Stage 3 Roush Mustang and a hot wife... 

    Las Vegas, Nevada!
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Options
    there is no need to pre-cook anything you put on a pizza.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    edited August 2016
    Options
    Part-skim shredded mozz seems to give a better consistency.  A pizza parlor told me that trick once and I've noticed it as well.  Less soupy.  Also, some people put too much sauce on.  One ladle for a LARGE pie is all you need.  (I use Don Pepino's 15 oz cans, and it's about half a can per pie.)

    I have par cooked crusts before, but primarily when using a standard oven.  However, once I started to let my stone heat up for a long time, I didn't need to do that.  (I was having issues with the top of the pizza fully cooking and the dough par-cooking).

    I like the little oil you get from pepperoni. Improves overall flavor of pie.  When I make pies without fatty meat, I compensate by drizzling a little olive oil on the pie.  That oil seems to carry lots of good flavor around the pizza.  :plus_one:
    LBGE/Maryland