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1st Time Pizza-Oy Vey!

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GeorgiaBorn
GeorgiaBorn Posts: 178
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hey guys and gals. Took the pizza plunge last night for the first time. I spent a lot of time the last couple of days reading posts here and even watching some YouTube pizza videos.

I decided that cooking HOT for a short time was the most popular way to achieve that crispy crust. So, I fired up the BGE to roughly 650. I had the PS in with the legs up (I think this was my first mistake), BGE risers under the pizza stone (non BGE stone, which was probably my 2nd mistake).

Put the first pizza in and set the timer for 4 minutes. I opened the lid and the inside of my BGE looked like the depths of hell! Even the pizza was on fire on one side. Flames shooting all over the darn thing. It was actually kinda funny. Got the pizza off without going to the hospital. Cooked the 2nd one at 400 for about 15 minutes on parchment paper, but did not achieve the crust I was hoping for.

So, here I am asking you fine people....what did I do wrong? I think I was suppose to have the PS legs down and not up and I have read that you really need a BGE stone. How could these two changes stop the hellfire and damnation that was going on inside my Egg? I want to cook it at a high temp but don't want to end up burning it again. Any suggestions?

Thanks, as usual!
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Comments

  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
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    Yes you are correct Platesetter legs DOWN. I use a BGE stone with cut fire bricks under it. 500 for about 10 minutes. Hope this helps.
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
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  • Adult ADHD
    Adult ADHD Posts: 150
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    Try PS with legs down, grill, then pizza stone at 550-600 for 6min. You kept your humor; you will be fine.
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  • MJF24
    MJF24 Posts: 146
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    I've done them with the platesetter with legs up, but I put the grill on the platesetter and then put the pizza stone on the grill. They turn out fine that way.
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  • Dreggs
    Dreggs Posts: 147
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    Also works without the stone using a pizza screen. The plate setter gets very hot, and much faster.
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  • BobS
    BobS Posts: 2,485
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    I cook with the plate setter, legs down, spacers between the plate setter and the pizza stone (1 1/4" copper pipe couplings. I use BGE, but I am not sure that is a key factor).

    28-03-10Pizza4.jpg

    06-03-10PizzaSetuponBGE.jpg

    28-02-09CopperSpacers.jpg

    I think it is also key never to cook to time!!! You can use a flashlight, stand to the side and look at the top of your pizza. Lots of things can change from the calibration of your thermometer to the time you preheat everything, so looking is much better than time -- especially to establish a pattern. Also, if you are going to cook that hot, you need to make your own dough and have at least 60% hydration (water weight 60% of flour weight).
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    I do them this way also but I put an extended grid on the main grid before the stone, I like getting it higher up in the dome. I go with 500 for about 11-12 minutes. -RP
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  • EGGs N@
    EGGs N@ Posts: 50
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    Make sure your PS and stone heat up for at least 30 minutes prior to putting on your first pie
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  • GeorgiaBorn
    GeorgiaBorn Posts: 178
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    Thank you all for your input here. Do any of you have an idea as to why my first pie burned so badly? I had the BGE at 600 and the pie was in there for about 4 minutes and it was burnt beyond recognition. As a matter of fact, the Egg was flaming so much that it actually did a great job of cleaning the inside walls. When I removed the plate setter tonight, the walls were completely white!

    Again, I had the plate setter with legs up, grid on top of that, and I was using a baking stone my wife had bought years ago and it was raised on the Egg green things (not sure what they're called)

    Thanks again guys!
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  • BobS
    BobS Posts: 2,485
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    My guess is that your thermometer is not calibrated or the fire was not really stable.

    Someone commented about 30 minutes to warm the pizza stone, but I think 45 min to one hour is better.

    If your temp is right and your fire is stable, that will not happen.
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  • GeorgiaBorn
    GeorgiaBorn Posts: 178
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    Thermometer is definitely calibrated and I am not entirely sure what you mean about a "stable fire". I light the fire the same way each time, no matter what I cook. Coals burnt the same as they always do. And I did preheat the stone for about 45 minutes before cooking.

    Perhaps it was the stone I was using? Many have posted on the forum here that you really need a BGE stone for making pizza.
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