pizza help

doccjb · April 2009

Need some wise counsel on pizzas. I've been having a lot of trouble with the crust winding up burned on the bottom. My setup is typically 500-550, indirect, plate setter with legs down, and an old Pampered Chef pizza stone atop either 3 small bricks or three of the little green feet. Tonight I was only cooking my pies for 2-3 minutes, and they were still coming out black on the bottom. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

civil eggineer · April 2009

I have found the best cooking arraingment to be indirect, pizza stone elevated slightly above platesetter, at 400 dome temp for 30 minutes. I also cook my pies on top of parchment paper to make it easy to transfer on and off the pizza stone. Whenever I have tried higher temps I get burnt crusts. I will say I like to load up my pies with goodies so the longer cook time brings everything up to temp together.

MilitantSquatter · April 2009

a few variables to consider

1) change the thickness of the dough
2) Try a different dough...
3) Check accuracy of the thermometer
4) try some parchment paper in between dough and stone for the first few minutes
if all else fails... consider a new stone.

doccjb · April 2009

I was wondering about the stone. We have had this one since we first got together--do they work less well over time?(the pizza stone, not my wife :laugh: )

Roudy · April 2009

It just so happens I was working on my pizza skills tonight. I find that the thicker BGE pizza stone gives me better results than the Pampered Chef one. My setup tonight was identical to what you described - platesetter with legs down, the BGE feet holding the stone slightly elevated from the platesetter. I baked three pies at ~475-500 for 12 minutes and got really good results. Someone on this forum recently shared Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough Recipe and I followed it to the letter for my best results by far.

Bluecrab3 · April 2009

I had the same problem. Here is the original post used to fix the problem, and then a picture of how I do it. Works perfectly every time.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=112&func=view&catid=1&id=600545#600545

And here is mine. I start it on parchment paper and remove the paper half way through the cook. Perfect.

Willie Lump Lump · April 2009

There is a direct correlation between the dough hydration and the temps it can be cooked at. I use dough that is at 68% and do not have a “black bottom” at 650 degrees . If you are using a pre-made dough you should keep the temps lower.

TTFN WLL

Willie Lump Lump · April 2009

I searched for Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough Recipe no result. Can you give me a link?
Thanks WLL

Never Summer · April 2009

Here's a link: http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=629969&catid=1# He got the recipe from 101cookbooks.com.

Patty

doccjb · April 2009

Thanks, you have just provided me with a good reason to justify another BGE accessory purchase :laugh:

Florida Grillin Girl · April 2009

I was going to suggest, like Willie Lump Lump, that you lower your temperature. I have cooked pizza on 400 degrees that came out great! Just keep eggsperimenting.

Faith
Tampa, FL

JLOCKHART29 · April 2009

I do mine high up in the dome at 400-450 and have to turn 1/4 turn every 3 or 4 min to keep it from burning on edges. As said the thickness of crust and temp will change things. The thicker crust and toppings the lower the Egg temp needs to be to keep from burning crusst but center being raw.

Knauf · April 2009

I do mine Plate setter legs up, grid, grid extender then BGE stone. Gets the pie high in the dome for better convection and keeps gasket safer .

doccjb · April 2009

Thanks for the tips gang. Seems like the consensus is for a better stone, higher in the dome (sweet, two excuses for additional purchases) and maybe a slightly lower cook temp for a bit longer time on a somewhat thicker crust. Pics of future endeavors to follow.

Jersey Doug · April 2009

FWIW I cook thin crust pizzas for 10-11 minutes at 450º. The setup is the 12" BGE pizza stone on the Spider as a heat deflector, the porcelain grate on the Adjustable Rig, and the 14" BGE pizza stone on the porcelain grate. I let the whole thing heat up for 30 minutes after the temp stabilizes.

Unknown · April 2009

I'm definitely NOT following the herd on this one. For a real thin crust pizza, use the platesetter, legs down, with the stone directly on top. Get the stone really hot--550 at least--and press out the crust as thin as you'd like. Top it lightly and transfer to the stone. If you don't have a peel, do it on parchment, but slide it off of the parchment within a minute or two of sticking it onto the stone. If the temp is high enough, your crust will cook to perfection just as your cheese or toppings are cooked. The whole process takes three or four minutes, tops, but you can't put a big-fat-American-load of toppings on the poor pie. Restraint is key for pizza neapolitana.

pizza help

Comments

Categories