PIZZA HELP PLEASE!!!!

Ashford85

So I did a pizza once before and I did not pre heat stone, I know that was my first mistake! The crust was gooey! So my plan tonight is plate setter legs up, pre heat stone, but what temp and how long do I cook it? And add flour to stone?

Village Idiot

I'm not an expert like many here, but I put the platesetter legs down, have a little space between the plate setter and the stone (aluminum foil, ex:) and cook around 500 degrees.  I put my pizza on parchment paper and cook it with the paper still on it (easy to slide on and off and no sticking).  Length of time depends.  You want the topping melted and the crust golden brown.

Ashford85

Well roughly how long do u cook it?

nolaegghead

I always cook pizza until it looks done.  If the top is done before the dough, I'll let the stone get hotter or lower the stone in the egg. If the reverse is true, I'll raise the stone in the egg. 

You really need to cook your first pie, make adjustments.  Where you get a good combination of temp and setup and time, you can remember that and reproduce it.  Once you get some practice, it's really easy to reproduce a consistently good pizza.  Keep cooking.

Village Idiot

Ashford85 said:

Well roughly how long do u cook it?

Just raise the dome and take a peek.  I asked my grandma once when the meal would be done.  She said "when it's done".  Looking back, that was the perfect answer.

jeroldharter

If your crust is reasonably thin then it should not be doughy and should cook very quickly. 

I put the platesetter in with legs down, and place the pizza stone directly on top of the platesetter.

No need for flour on the hot pizza stone. When the pizza is done, the dough is crispy and releases without a fight. Those who use parchment use it for ease getting the uncooked pizza onto the stone - getting the cooked pizza off the stone is easy.

Make your pizza so you don't have cheese spilling off the crust because that does make a mess.

I shoot for a dome temp of ~600 with the daisy wheel removed. I peak in the top hole of the egg with a flashlight to spy on the pizza. Be careful because that is some hot air. Putting your face too close will give you an instant haircut. But that way I don't have to open the lid. When you open the lid at high temps, make sure to burp the egg. If you experience one of those flare-ups you are unlikely to experience another.

jeroldharter

Forgot to mention that it takes 5-8 minutes.

nolaegghead

I forgot to add, I used to do legs down on the plate setter.  Since I destroyed my old felt gasket and put on a Nomex, I've been doing legs up, grate, then bricks then stone on the bricks high in the dome.  This works perfectly for me cookin' pies around 600-700 with a Tipo 00 thin dough. 

There are a lot of different types of pizzas and doughs, so you just have to find out what works for you - my setup may be inappropriate for a different kind of dough.

Skiddymarker

Legs up preserves my gasket, but legs down does a better pizza, IMHO. 

I put my stone on top of the setter directly, lots of thermal mass, temp at 500. Like Nola said, your cook depends on the pizza, topping, thickness of crust, which way you hold your mouth during the cook, it is all witchcraft.....

SamFerrise

You will ruin a lot of dough until you get it right.

merlyncarroll

did my first pizza tonight, awesome ,nice churst ( i like)  rest well done , love my BGE

Doc_Eggerton

Your dough recipe or the bakery where you got it should have a recommended cook temp. Put the stone in and hold at temp for at least 30 minutes (more like an hour) before cooking.

Get as high in the dome as you can.  I do PS legs up, grid, upside down Woo, and stone.

Lit

I have good luck with almost the exact setup doc does but I use my spider instead of woo. I cook at 500-550 and usually 10-12 minutes with standard thickness dough.

Ashford85

Thanks guys, first pizza stuck to the paddle, last one I put everything on it in the egg, we will see

ChokeOnSmoke

Ashford85 said:

And add flour to stone?

If you preheat your stone for at least 15 minutes, there's no need to use corn meal or anything on your stone, it won't stick.  Use flour on you pizza peel and "shake it" every minute or so while assembling your pie and the raw dough won't stick.  Do whatever you can to get your pizza as high up in the dome as you can - I go plate setter legs up, grid on top, then green feet, then pizza stone.

HDumptyEsq

I did a couple of pizzas last weekend on my medium - legs down on the place setter at 500 degrees.. I used one of those aluminum pans - the one with a gazillion holes in it, straight on top of the plate setter. It was convenient and easy to handle. 18 to 20 minutes for a loaded pie. It was melted beautifully on top and had that grey/gold crispy crust. Family devoured them in seconds - delish