Actually getting pizza on egg and off the pizza peel????

kjs · October 2016

Ok I hope I am just an idiot. I've tired my hand at pizza now 4 or 5 times.I have the aluminum BGE pizza peel. I put a mixture of flour and corn starch down on the peel before assembling my pizza. The times I have successfully got the pizza off the peel and onto the stone in the egg, I end up with a finished pie with too much flour/corn starch remaining on the bottom. In my efforts to remedy this I cut back on how much four/corn starch I put on the peel. But then I struggle mightily to get the damn pizza on the stone as it wants to stick to the peel.

Help please!

SmokeyPitt · October 2016

Corn meal, not corn starch. I have also heard semolina flour works well.

...but if you want to make it really easy just use parchment paper to transfer it to the stone, then pull the parchment out after a couple minutes.

Grillmagic · October 2016

You could also build your pizza on the Foolproof pizza screen!

northGAcock · October 2016

SmokeyPitt said:

...but if you want to make it really easy just use parchment paper to transfer it to the stone, then pull the parchment out after a couple minutes.

+1 on this one....I with Smokey on this one.

Botch · October 2016

Get a wooden peel. Build your pizzas on the wood, remove them with the metal.
This may seem extravagant, but you'll be glad to have two peels when you cook for more than two people (build next pizza while first is cooking).
Parchment works in a pinch, but it's a bother to remove, and no professional operations do that.
My 2 scents.

leemschu · October 2016

I highly recommend parchment paper method. It's extremely easy and I can't tell any difference.

Lit · October 2016

Grillmagic said:

You could also build your pizza on the Foolproof pizza screen!

These work great. I turned many pizzas into calzones before I tried this. Parchment paper is my go to now though. Cheese and stiff always drops off on my screens and I'm bad at cleaning burnt on crap.

tikigriller · October 2016

Sorry to HiJack, but these threads always make me think of other issues I have had...

My brain immediately said parchment paper for this one, but since I never made a pizza from scratch, I did not want to post my opinion...and the one pre made pizza I made, I forgot to take the small piece of cardboard out from under the frozen pizza!!!

My question...when I make cookies, I use parchment paper.....I should be removing this parchment paper after a few minutes on the stone and the cookies start to take some shape, or leave it on the parchment paper on it's own?

I can start another thread on this question if need be, as I do not want to Hijack, but it seems like the same basic question, just a different food cooking......

smokeybreeze · October 2016

I'm with @Botch on this one.
Using parchment tells you that you're doing it wrong - learn to listen to your dough, be it pizza dough, pie crust dough, or bread dough. It's talking to ya constantly...

Lit · October 2016

smokeybreeze said:

I'm with @Botch on this one.
Using parchment tells you that you're doing it wrong - learn to listen to your dough, be it pizza dough, pie crust dough, or bread dough. It's talking to ya constantly...

Pretty sure you are way off here. You can't tell in the slightest if someone used parchment and it's so much easier. I have 2 peels and they are only used to pull pizzas never to put them on. When I make my own OO thin crust pizzas even a slight bit of pull from the peel can put a hole in the dough why make something harder than it needs to be.

caliking · October 2016

SmokeyPitt said:

Corn meal, not corn starch. I have also heard semolina flour works well.

...but if you want to make it really easy just use parchment paper to transfer it to the stone, then pull the parchment out after a couple minutes.

Nailed it.

The parchment helps the top get a slight head start as well. I pull the paper after 2-3 minutes. My pies cook in about 6-7 mins.

I do recommend getting a second peel (wood) though, so you can build a second pizza . And practice launching off a wood peel if you want to.

Semolina flour works well if you are launching off of a wood peel.

TideEggHead · October 2016

Parchment paper has been key! I start by rolling out the dough with a little flour then transfer to parchment paper with some corn meal. It just sucks because the dough shrinks some due to the corn meal but I haven't had problems getting it on or off the grill. I've done mine at 450 for 11 mins and they come out great! +1 for a second peel or you could be cheap like me and use a flat cookie sheet

Skiddymarker · October 2016

Lots of good advice here re-parchment. Like duct tape is the handyman's secret weapon, parchment is the pie maker's friend.
For me, making the parchment about 1/2" smaller than the stone (trace the pattern of the cold stone onto the paper and just eyeball cutting it smaller). Put the parchment on the peel, add and shape your crust right on the paper on the peel. no flour, no meal required. Build your pie, again about 1/2" smaller than the paper. To help avoid sticking, check the pre-heated stone on the egg and if it is covered with crap that has fallen from the dome, use a pair of tongs and a damp cloth and give it a quick wipe. Put pie onto the stone. After three or four minutes check and if the crust has sprung, grab the paper with tongs and holding the pie still (i use edge of lifter), pull and discard the paper.

Botch · October 2016

tikigriller said:

My question...when I make cookies, I use parchment paper.....I should be removing this parchment paper after a few minutes on the stone and the cookies start to take some shape, or leave it on the parchment paper on it's own?
I can start another thread on this question if need be, as I do not want to Hijack, but it seems like the same basic question, just a different food cooking......

Not a hijack at all.
Do this: cut the parchment in half, and remove one half after a few minutes, leave the other half. Finish the cook, then report back!

I have no problem with folks using the parchment method, and I seriously doubt anyone could taste the difference.
But, its not necessary (dust the bottom of the dough with flour, and the top of the wood peel with cornmeal) and much simpler to go without. Whatever works for you.

KiterTodd · October 2016

I'm with @Botch ...

Put cornmeal on a wooden peel. Build your pizza. Those little guys will have it slide off the wooden peel like ball bearing!
Then use your metal peel if you have to re-position the pie for even cooking, and for removal.

One note, if you let your dough sit on the wooden peel for too long, condensation will form between the dough and the wood, and it may still stick. You don't have to rush like mad, but don't have it sitting on there forever. Don't put it on the peel until you are ready to build your pizza. You can build it slow (like if the kids are doing it) but when it's up there, it's being made.

I tried parchment a bit, but for me it was a hassle because sometimes it would burn and stick to the dough. Particularly for higher temp cooks. And it was an extra step that I didn't find I needed or wanted to deal with (cutting paper, pulling paper). I usually put the first pizza on, build the next pizza, and when that is done it's time to remove the first pie. Didn't want to have to run back to the egg for other chores. Your mileage may vary. Call me Tommy Two Peel!

That said, I also tend to make large pies. I like to fill the stone and it could be that my pies are too heavy to easily yank out parchment. In any case, I'm fine with the two peel method.

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EggHeadinFlorida · October 2016

My pizzas after giving up a year ago. It's better to make smaller ones than it is to make 18"'pies. Load up the peel with corn meal, throw your already rolled out dough on there add toppings then sling it on ththe egg!

TideEggHead · October 2016

@EggHeadinFlorida Good call I've also had better luck with smaller pies!

NPHuskerFL · October 2016

Semolina

Carolina Q · October 2016

Tried parchment a couple of times. Didn't like the crust. At all. Tried a screen once. It was worse.

Semolina on a wooden peel. Not much, just a pinch will do. Shake it a bit after each ingredient is added. I have two peels, identical wood.

Here's my peel with semolina... haven't lost one yet.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/w6/v5grd52c9ik8.jpg

KiterTodd · October 2016

@EggHeadinFlorida , AND I have had plenty of burnt bottom results that look like the ones you posted! It's funny...when I do that, I still think they taste good, but nobody else will eat 'em.

Focker · October 2016

Yep^^^^
I like to sprinkle both semolina and flour, swirl it together. Key is to work quickly from dough opening to launch, and keep it moving. Shake it after each step. Once dough is open. After sauce. After cheese. After each topping. Right before launch.

Assemble, launch with wood.
Spin, pull, slice with metal.

Screens lift the dough off the surface. The same hot surface that helps give you spring, and spotting.

Parchment and screens are for pansies. You won't see any in Naples. Learn the curve, respect it. This isn't as hard as everyone makes it to be.

Real pizzaiolos, have been baking without the handicap of parchment and screens for a long, long time.

smokeybreeze · October 2016

Lit said:

smokeybreeze said:

I'm with @Botch on this one.
Using parchment tells you that you're doing it wrong - learn to listen to your dough, be it pizza dough, pie crust dough, or bread dough. It's talking to ya constantly...

Pretty sure you are way off here. You can't tell in the slightest if someone used parchment and it's so much easier. I have 2 peels and they are only used to pull pizzas never to put them on. When I make my own OO thin crust pizzas even a slight bit of pull from the peel can put a hole in the dough why make something harder than it needs to be.

It's not necessarily harder to do something a different way. Do you prefer reverse sear over traditional sear? Do you use the "Texas crutch"? There are lots of techniques to produce great food. You and I have a different opinion of what that is. This discussion is great to bring out those nuances and I appreciate your passion for your technique.

You may prefer the option of using parchment, and I'm Ok with that, I just think that's the wrong technique, but I appreciate our differences.

dougcrann · October 2016

Bit confused...pizza gets cooked at 600+*....parcement has a 400* igniting temperature?

blasting · October 2016

All these guys saying they can't tell a difference... smh

Parchment paper kills off the brain cells. If you can't tell the difference, that means it's already happened.

Oh yeah, +1 for the semolina. Cornmeal reminds me of dominos.

Skiddymarker · October 2016

dougcrann said:

Bit confused...pizza gets cooked at 600+*....parcement has a 400* igniting temperature?

Depends on the dough. If you make your own and use the right flour, high temp cooking is possible. Many store bought doughs, designed for home ovens, cook at 500ºF, as that is often near the high end of the big white kitchen clock. Many pre-made doughs have a sugar content and at high temps the trade off with taste is burning. Parchment will work fine at temps over 600ºF if the parchment is at least 1/2" smaller than the stone and if the paper is removed 3 or four minutes into the cook. With all due respect to those parchment haters, with a stable egg in the 600º-700ºF range, I defy you to tell the difference if the crust springs (first 180 seconds) and then paper is removed. I've used flour to dust and screens with success, paper is just easier. A side benefit is I have access to Canadian flour, Silver Star from Rogers. Not as good as a 00, but very good for pizza and other breads.

blasting · October 2016

Skiddymarker said:

A side benefit is I have access to Canadian flour,

@Skiddymarker when my folks come down for the winter, the Canadian flour makes the trip down every time.

Skiddymarker · October 2016

blasting said:

Skiddymarker said:

A side benefit is I have access to Canadian flour,

@Skiddymarker when my folks come down for the winter, the Canadian flour makes the trip down every time.

Last week took a bag to a friend in Bellingham, under $10US for 40# ($13CDN at Costco), His wife loves the stuff. With the Loonie at 75 cents US, we are starting to see a lot of US folks doing grocery cross border shopping, never thought I'd see it.

blasting · October 2016

Focker said:

"I too, prefer Canadians, flour."

You posted something from your "favorites" folder instead of the "flour" folder.

tikigriller · October 2016

@focker I want to hit like, but I just don't like!!!!

KiterTodd · October 2016

Carolina Q said:

Tried parchment a couple of times. Didn't like the crust. At all. Tried a screen once. It was worse.

Semolina on a wooden peel. Not much, just a pinch will do. Shake it a bit after each ingredient is added. I have two peels, identical wood.

Thanks, I'll try Semolina next time! I've been using corn meal, it works, but semolina may be a little smaller, more likely what I see at an authentic pizzeria on the bottom of my crust, eh?

fljoemon · October 2016

Video for parchment paper method
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jHQk9xy3_fA

Actually getting pizza on egg and off the pizza peel????

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