Pizza gone way wrong

columbusBGEgg

I have attached a few pictures from my first and last attempt at cooking a pizza on the egg.  As the pizza cooked the ash and smutt caked the pizza in a black cloud.  What do you think I did wrong?  My only guess is that I started the charcoal to low in the pile, and as it burned it burnt up instead of down.  

henapple

Others do differently but I light the top. Any left over grease from a previous cook?

BckPorchGriln

How long did you let it burn/come up to temp before putting the pizza on? And at what temp were you trying to cook at? Agree wit @henapple that you may have lit the coals to low and didn't wait till all of the VOC's burned off before putting on the pie. Also like he said possible leftover grease?

DMW

What was your setup?

Rzeancak

To me, it looks like you didn't heat up the lump long enough and whats on the pizza is ash or there was something in your lump, 

When i do mine i cook at 400 for regular crust and 700 for thin crust.

BckPorchGriln

+1 on @DMW

SmokeyPitt

You didn't put the lump on top of the pizza did you?? :P

On a serious note- for pizza you need to make sure the fire is burning nice and clean.  Light the egg and let it burn at around 500, until there is no more smoke.  May take 30-45 minutes depending on the type of lump you use.  

Tjcoley

Is it ash on top or just a burned pizza. From the pic it looks like it just over cooked.

Eggcelsior

Mickey: "That pizza looks great! You should try my wings!"

Jokes aside, I'm with the comments about the time from lighting to cooking.

caliking

I f you saw a cloud of ash, did you stir the coals during the cook?

Search the forum for pizza threads and you will be able to see what setups people use. Its very doable, and you'll enjoy the results if you're a fan of pizza. 

Some basic tips include:

-Dome temp 600ish

- Platesetter legs up, then grid, then pizza stone. If you go platesetter legs down, you may want to search the forum for Rutland gasket too, since you will likely fry the original gasket. You'll need an air gap between the top of the platesetter and the pizza stone. 

- Build your pizza on parchment paper, so it will slide easily onto the hot stone from your peel. Some remove the parchment after a few minutes.

- Go easy on the toppings, so they have a chance to cook before the crust burns.

-Get the pie as high up in the dome as you can.

There are many variations of pizza setups. It may take some trial and error. 

TexanOfTheNorth

@caliking... I thought it was just the opposite regarding the plate setter legs up vs. legs down and the gasket?

caliking

TexanOfTheNorth said:

@caliking... I thought it was just the opposite regarding the plate setter legs up vs. legs down and the gasket?

Good eye! I corrected my post. Thanks

TexanOfTheNorth

caliking said:

TexanOfTheNorth said:

@caliking... I thought it was just the opposite regarding the plate setter legs up vs. legs down and the gasket?

Good eye! I corrected my post. Thanks

No problem... that's what I'm here for!

awm

I defintely wouldnt let it be your last pizza cook, cause when you get it right it will be well worth it.

NDG

Very unusual, never heard of ash/smutt going airborn.  Your using "hardwood lump charcoal" and you let the charcoal burn for a good 30 minutes before putting on your pie?  Anyway, you got some good tips here, give it another try.

So are you located in Columbus, Ohio?  

Egglegal_Alien

If what the picture shows is soot, then you probably didn't wait long enough for the charcoal/wood to start burning clean (you need to get rid of all those volatiles and minute particles)...

 

If it's not soot, I would way you over shot the cooking temp/time...

 

I regularly use Plate Setter legs up + Grid + Pizza Stone, let the temp reach 600+ (you can go all the way to 750) and hold it there for 30 minutes before starting to cook. Each pie takes about 7 minutes to cook this way.

 

Cooking the pies at 450 would give you a little more time to avoid overcooking at the expense of crust thinness / crunchiness.

 

Don’t give up, I actually messed up my first as well, but got better real fast, ok by the second try, and consistent excellent pies starting with the third try.

 

A few extra hints:

1. Use plenty of cornmeal (instead of plain flour) as a spacer between your pizza stone and your crust to avoid stick ups / burnt crust.

2. If cooking at 600+ place your toppings first and cover them with a little cheese so they don’t crisp up.

3. Fresh arugula, basil or any other herb (some exceptions like spinach) should be placed on the pie right AFTER it’s cooked.

4. When you take the pie off the cooker, place it on a wooden or cardboard tray or platter so it can absorb part of the moisture and let it rest a couple of minutes before cutting it.

smokesniffer

@ColumbusBGEgg don't give up, pizza from the egg is awesome. Just refine your set up, as others have said, the egg needs to get up to temp and stay there for a while, so that everything PS, pizza stone are all good and hot. Then get the "za" on and I turn mine a couple of times while the cooking is taking place, it just prevents a burnt crust if you are running higher heat. Also be sure to burp the egg, to save any hair on your knuckles and arms. It can flash back at the higher heats.

grege345

You burnin straight coal in the egg?

SmokeyPitt

@Egglegal_Alien that is a dayum purdy lookin pie! 

Egglegal_Alien

Thanks @SmokeyPitt

Egglegal_Alien

Thanks @smokeypitt !

GeorgeS

I'm with the others, don't give up that's half the fun! Make sure your burning of the bad smoke, adjust your setup if need be and try again. My family loves just about any pizza off the Egg.

columbusBGEgg

From what i have taken from the conversation is that i need to try again making a few modifications.  i know for a fact that i didn't let my charcoal heat up for more than 20 minutes, and i had the plate setter legs down, not leaving much of an air gap between the stone and the plate setter.  i cooked my pizza at roughly 500deg. 

GeorgeS

Legs up legs down seems to be a Chevy vs Ford conversation here on the forum. I cook mine legs down with tinfoil balls about 1/2 thick to separate the stone from the plate setter and it works perfectly.

Miked125

OPPS! Oh well, you live you learn.... I screwed up so many pizzas when I first started.

plumbfir01

Did my wife cook that for you?  )

PoshPatios

columbusBGEgg said:

I have attached a few pictures from my first and last attempt at cooking a pizza on the egg.  As the pizza cooked the ash and smutt caked the pizza in a black cloud.  What do you think I did wrong?  My only guess is that I started the charcoal to low in the pile, and as it burned it burnt up instead of down.  

No disrespect but that (pics) is HILARIOUS! I fudged up my first pizza as well. I didn't use a stone. I have yet to redeem myself but will post pics when I do.

Cookinbob

I have to say, I have never seen a pizza look like that.  Usually if you overcook the crust goes from brown to black, not grey.  There also appears to be a lot of dirt on the pie.  Were you blowing air through the vent trying to get it hotter?

As others have said, details on your setup will probably help us pinpoint your problem.  I have made many pizzas without a problem, Plate setter legs up, grid, then the stone - I raise it an additional 4" using flour pots to get it higher in the dome. Always build the pie and cook on parchment, cook at 450 - 500 and always a success.

wkearney99

columbusBGEgg said:

My only guess is that I started the charcoal to low in the pile, and as it burned it burnt up instead of down.  

What kind of material were you burning?  Was it wood charcoal?  Which brand?

jcaspary

Whatever you do don't give up.  When starting up everyone here has screwed something up at one time or another.  Sometimes more than once.  By giving up before a couple of tries you limit what you can do on the Egg.  That is the real crime, not a screwed up pizza.

bcsnave

Cookinbob said:

I have to say, I have never seen a pizza look like that.  Usually if you overcook the crust goes from brown to black, not grey.  There also appears to be a lot of dirt on the pie.  Were you blowing air through the vent trying to get it hotter?

As others have said, details on your setup will probably help us pinpoint your problem.  I have made many pizzas without a problem, Plate setter legs up, grid, then the stone - I raise it an additional 4" using flour pots to get it higher in the dome. Always build the pie and cook on parchment, cook at 450 - 500 and always a success.

Hey cooking bob.........that almost looks better than a Nick Tahoe cheese burger garbage plate....