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CGS AR setup for pizza

Brimo
Brimo Posts: 53
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have the CGS AR with 13" stone, 13" drip pan, spider, and a Pampered Chef pizza stone. Can I make this work or should/could I use a larger drip pan and/or stone? I am thinking that the drip pan could help break up a little more of the heat under the pizza stone to prevent crust burn that I have read about in previous posts on the forum. Hoping I'm on the right track, any help would be appreciated.

Comments

  • Bulldog Mom
    Bulldog Mom Posts: 242
    Be careful using the Pampered Chef pizza stone, they have been known to explode due to the extreme heat.
  • BobS
    BobS Posts: 2,485
    I do not have any experience with that set-up, but my drip pan (from CGS) is aluminum and would not stand up to pizza cooking temps.

    At the end, it probably depends on how hot you are trying to go.
  • Brimo
    Brimo Posts: 53
    Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here. I was assuming I would be cooking at a temp. range of 375-400. What temp. should I be baking my pizzas at?
  • uglydog
    uglydog Posts: 256
    The setup that is frequently used for pizza is to place the platesetter, legs down, on the firebox. Put the three little egg feet on the platesetter, then put the BGE pizza stone on the feet. The egg feet provide an air gap between the platesetter and the pizza stone. You can also use 3/4" copper pipe elbows as spacers. The BGE pizza stone has the best reputation for standing up to the high heat we usually use for pizzas. Some of the other stones have not survived as well. Typical dome temps for pizza are 600-700°F, although some people bake them even higher.Post some pics to let us know how it works out, or send me some of your finished pizza to sample.

    Uglydog
  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    Leave your pampered chef pizza stone in the oven. I put mine in the Egg and it cracked :angry:
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    When I have bought unbaked pies from a local pizza joint, I did them at 550 to 600° for 6-7 minutes.

    When doing any kind of frozen pizza, follow the instructions on the box.

    Neopolitan style pizza can be done at 700-800° for 60-90 seconds.

    It all depends on the type of pizza you are doing. But yes, leave the pampered chef stone in the kitchen and get a more substantial stone. Here's a photo of a PC stone:

    pchef.jpg
    The Naked Whiz
  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    Here is a post about my setup with the new oval grid...2 pizzas at once...schweet.. ;)

    http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1072494&catid=1
  • Brimo
    Brimo Posts: 53
    Thanks for the pictures and to the rest of you for your advice. I think you saved me from ruining the wife's Pampered chef stone. I think I only need to pick up a large stone (16")? Is there much difference in the BGE pizza stones and the CGS stones? Looking forward to making our first pizza. Also is a peel necessary and if so aluminum or wood?
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    If you are doing thin crust pizza, I'd first try the 13 stone atop the adj. rig. Run around 375 dome temp and see how the bottom crust turns out. If it burns too much, then you'll need another stone to act as a deflector. Key to making this work is not over doing the lump.

    If you go two stones, you'll want a bigger stone on the bottom, Bge's 14 or CGS's 16 and the 13 as the pizza stone. Bigger Stone on the bottom protects the za edges from burning. Put the deflector stone on rig level 1.5, lowest bracket setting and 13 stone atop the rig. This will give over 4 inches of spacing between stones.

    I do pappa murphy thin crust atop the rig extender and 16 inch stone, no second stone below. Dome temp just north of 400ish. Works fine for me.

    Pizza is truly a personalized cook given the differences in dough moisture, dough thickness, toppings and such. It will take a couple cooks to get your method down.

    couple benefits to having the pizza stone high in the dome: 1. Stone is above the felt line, so minimal impact on burning the felt. 2. top of pizza is up in dome where heat builds: the reflective heat off the dome concept. 3. you can see how the lump is burning, want an even burn across the lump so heat rises evenly within the cooker and over stone.

    Picture009.jpg

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • Brimo
    Brimo Posts: 53
    Thanks T, you must be reading my mind as a Papa Murphy is one the purchased pizzas we want to try on the egg.

    Sound like I need that 16" stone.
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    the 16 stone matches up well with the pappa murphy zas. the pizza in the picture is a pappa murphy on the 16 stone. note, i use the cardboard tray between the stone and za. t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.