You can CHEAT on your pizza!

Gretl · January 2002

Hi all,
First of all, what in the world was I thinking, an ALL Pennsylvania Super Bowl? I must have been hallucinating. That varimint, Jim, is a closet Pats fancier, him being from Beantown and all. I caught him grinning a couple of times during the game. Upside the head is what I gave him! <vbg>[p]Anyway...I made fabulous some FABULOUS pizza tonight on Mr Big. Here's how I cheated. I made a batch of dough that yielded three dough balls, and I made up the pizzas in three 13-inch pans that just fit on top of the stone. Conseculatively (of course!) I baked each for about 8-10 minutes and then slid the pizza off the pan and onto the stone to finish baking. About 5 minutes, more or less. What happened here was good for a couple of reasons: first, I could make up the pies in advance, knowing they'd be the perfect size to fit the stone, and second, no frantic prayers to St Jude that the raw dough and filling wouldn't slide off the peel, miss the stone entirely, and end up in the fire. Just a spatula was all I needed to coax the half-done pizza out of the pan and onto the stone; same spatula transferred the finished pie off the stone and onto the cooling rack. The results were just great. We all agreed that the crispy finish to the crust was the best ever. These were awesome. [p]One of these days I'll take pix for credibility!![p]Hey, NB...did more of those yakitori numbers yesterday and added a big old batch of chunked-up onions, poblanos, and red peppers on the grill topper wok on the side. Fab-u-loso on some good basmati rice. We toasted you with Yuengling Chesterfield Ale. I trust you felt the good vibes.[p]Cheers,
Gretl

Nature Boy · January 2002

Gretl,
Man I love your stories. I did indeed feel the good vibes yesterday! Had a few of the guys over, and 4 or 5 of us devoured a massive chunk of brisket...and a few sausages...then threw on some Appledog-style jerked tukey breast and salmon for a bit later in the day. The guys were happy with just the meat and beer. Though we did manage to throw on some taters...havta have them veggies! :-) [p]Gotta love that Yuengling. Thanks for thinkin about me!
NB

char buddy · January 2002

Gretl,[p]
A sad day for us over in Eagletown as well. Congrats to the Rams and Pats. I made awesome wings. I put'em in buttermilk for a day, dried'em, grilled'em, dunked them a buffalo wings hot sauce. Made it a little easier to deal with a close game that didn't go our way.

Gretl · January 2002

char buddy ,
I feel your pain. I'm preparing wings and spicy shrimp next Sunday but I must say that my heart's not in it. Sob. Perhaps after the wings and shrimp, though my heartBURN will be in it! Have a great Monday in this weird but glorious weather.
Cheers,
Gretl

Marvin · January 2002

Gretl,
That's a neat trick! Was the stone heated to the dome temp or was it put on shortly before adding the pizza?

Gretl · January 2002

Marvin,
The stone was heated, but perhaps for about 20 minutes and therefore, probably not to dome temp when the first pizza was put on. The coals were chugging mightily, dome temp about 450-500, but the pizza stone was resting above two flat firebricks and supported by two on edge at the ends. This brought the level of the stone to the level of the dome opening, and made a nice shield from the direct heat. I'm sure by the time the third pizza hit the stone that it was hotter than the first one. But none of the crusts became overly dark. Just a nice brown. The dome temp, by the way, wasn't over 500 at any time.
Cheers,
Gretl

Marvin · January 2002

Gretl,
Thant's helpful. Thanks

You can CHEAT on your pizza!

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