How About a Great Pizza Thread

xiphoid007

Still trying to master pizza, but getting closer. I'm trying to get the stone temp, dome temp perfect for a crispy but not burned crust, but also with some browning on top.

I was aiming for 500 dome and stone temp (IR thermo for stone). It got a little hot while I was waiting for my wife to get home with the rest of the fam from a bday party, so the first was a little scorched on the bottom when the top was done. I closed it down and go it back down to 500. Drifted down to 450, as either the fuel ran low or my OEM grate started to clog with ash.

Final result was the best yet. Crispy, not burned crust. A little browning on top, but not enough yet.

I think part of my problem is I'm looking too much. I read/watched a video before about making pizza and it said to keep it moving and not to worry about opening the dome a lot. I'm starting to think that is bad advice. My plan for next pizza cook is 500 and keep the top closed for improved browning on top.

Setup was PS, grill grate, and stone on grill grate to keep stone from getting too hot. I set the pizza stone on the PS to get it up to temp faster, then removed carefully and placed grate on PS and stone on grate.

xiphoid007

Please add your pizza tips here. Let's get a great pizza thread going!

berndcrisp

Doesn't look anything like the pizzas I make, those pies gotta be good!

I can you how not to make them.

tjosborne

Just open once, to turn pizza 180° halfway through cook. Those pies look good too, btw.

Wolfpack

I have found that cooking as high as possible in the dome helps cook the toppings more than if the stone is more in the middle.

BigWings

I cook pizzas by sight, but instead of opening I just look down through hole in top.   I'll use a flashlight if need be, but it is the best way to ensure you've got optimum golden browning on top.  I am pretty tall though so technique may or not be for you.

ElCapitan

BigWings said:

I cook pizzas by sight, but instead of opening I just look down through hole in top.   I'll use a flashlight if need be, but it is the best way to ensure you've got optimum golden browning on top.  I am pretty tall though so technique may or not be for you.

I do likewise and started to melt one of my cheap plastic flashlights!

I've started using parchment paper to help with the transfer from peel to stone and stopped using corn meal.  

Carolina Q

BigWings said:

I cook pizzas by sight, but instead of opening I just look down through hole in top.   I'll use a flashlight if need be, but it is the best way to ensure you've got optimum golden browning on top.  I am pretty tall though so technique may or not be for you.

Careful. (Fish's egg)...

fishlessman

Carolina Q said:

BigWings said:

I cook pizzas by sight, but instead of opening I just look down through hole in top.   I'll use a flashlight if need be, but it is the best way to ensure you've got optimum golden browning on top.  I am pretty tall though so technique may or not be for you.

Careful. (Fish's egg)...

no looking with a 1200 degree pizza cook, the 180 degree dome opening pizza turn is hard enough
)

Randy1

Your pizzas look great. I agree that it is easy to look into the top opening to see how the pizzas are cooking. A light or reflecting light in the top with my metal peel works too. I cook pizza setter legs down then stone then 16" steel plate. I use a raytec temp gun and wait until the steel reads 430 degrees to put the pizza on.

Carolina Q

fishlessman said:

no looking with a 1200 degree pizza cook, the 180 degree dome opening pizza turn is hard enough

)

Okay, how about this one?  I forget who's pic this is.

xiphoid007

I try to look through the top as I'm pretty tall as well. Still a little nervous I may lose some eyebrows doing this.

I haven't used parchment yet either. I think the cornmeal works pretty well and I really like the roasted cornmeal flavor the crust gets from the cornmeal roasting on the stone.

Those who cook on the afterburner, have you measured your stone temp? How long do you have the grill at 1200 before you start cooking?

tjosborne

Its there. This is a great thread now.

tjosborne

Lets keep it coming, make this the greatest pizza thread ever!

kdink

xiphoid007 said:

I try to look through the top as I'm pretty tall as well. Still a little nervous I may lose some eyebrows doing this. I haven't used parchment yet either. I think the cornmeal works pretty well and I really like the roasted cornmeal flavor the crust gets from the cornmeal roasting on the stone. Those who cook on the afterburner, have you measured your stone temp? How long do you have the grill at 1200 before you start cooking?

Does the cornmeal burn?  When I used it, the cornmeal turned black right away?

Ktim

I do not know how to post pictures or I would, but the way I do pizza is with platesetter legs down with the grid right on it, then a BGE grid extender on that than the pizza stone. I let everything get to temp at 600 degrees for about 30 mins. Dust pizza peel with cornmeal and make the crust  on the cutting board dusted with cornmeal, put it on the peel,working quickly I add the toppings,shaking the peel often to keep pie from sticking.On to the stone for 5-6 mins turning with the peel often.

TexanOfTheNorth

Recently bought one of these for slicing mine... lot easier to use than those cutting wheels and results in disturbing the toppings less.

Mr_Egg

Interesting theme here seems to be to open the egg and turn the pizza - that right? I have had so many different results doing pizza. The two great ones have had me wanting to try again but it's not consistent. We have done legs down, grate then up turned pan with stone on top 600. Mixed results

CarolinaCrazy

I agree w/ @wolfpack and raise the stone - I go PS legs up, grate, bricks on edge, and then stone - that puts the stone 3" above the felt line and helps the top brown & the cheese melt.

xiphoid007

Does the cornmeal burn?  When I used it, the cornmeal turned black right away?

It turns black but has never tasted burned. I scrape off any extra cornmeal between pizzas. I use a wooden pizza peel and a metal megalifter from pampered chef to scoot, turn, and adjust the pizzas. I use that to scrape the cornmeal off.

vapilotda

xiphoid007 said:

Does the cornmeal burn?  When I used it, the cornmeal turned black right away?

It turns black but has never tasted burned. I scrape off any extra cornmeal between pizzas. I use a wooden pizza peel and a metal megalifter from pampered chef to scoot, turn, and adjust the pizzas. I use that to scrape the cornmeal off.
It looks burned but doesn't taste burned. (If that makes sense) I have found that it's a tough balance not to use too much corn meal as it will kind of overpower/texture the bottom of a pizza.

Monty77

Arugula Pizza  Soaked sliced tomatoes for 2 days in a fresh herbs and vegetable oil mix, then added the soaked tomato to a thin crust, covered with provolone cheese circles, added diced chives and garlic, a few herbs and topped with a 5 cheese mix. Cooked at 400* on the Egg with pizza stone for approximately 20 minutes! Once off the Egg I hand shred fresh arugula and toss onto the melted cheese. Let stand for a few minutes while I took the shots and then served!I often toss on some pulled pork and bbq sauce, that really gives this pizza a jolt!  On this cook, the group request was for a light snack style appetizer.  When I do the meats on top covered with a light cheese, I would also brown up the cheese a tad more as well. 

500

A "Delia" and a Caramelized Onion and Prosciutto.

500

Another time we've made a Delia, copied from Cane Rosso in Dallas. The bacon jam topping was killer. It also had roasted tomatoes, EVOO, arugula, and asiago.

500

A Mediterranean white with EVOO, garlic, basil, oregano, black pepper, sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, banana peppers, feta cheese, and mozzarella.

jad

Lots of good looking pies with great toppings but I don't see any pizza sauce?

dfrelich

My family likes pizza sauce, not as a base to our toppings but as dollops on top.  

We do ½ spoonful of sauce... like so.

jad said:

Lots of good looking pies with great toppings but I don't see any pizza sauce?

Focker

One can Cento San Marzanos, hand crushed, remove the fibrous parts and basil

A few cloves of minced garlic

Sugar to taste, usually 1t

Sea salt to taste, usually 1t

Freshly ground white pepper to taste, usually 1t

Colavita aged red wine vinegar to taste, usually 2T

Of the three(sweet, salt, and acidity), acidity would be the most critical at balancing the entire pie(creamy cheese, crust flavor, toppings, etc). 

 Slowly bring to boil to meld, simmer for 15 minutes or so.

henapple

The family likes no sauce...heavy olive oil, sliced tomatoes, basil and cheese...

GeorgeS

White pizza, EVOO, garlic, spices, grated Italian three cheese, fresh mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil.

xiphoid007

What dome/stone is everyone cooking these great looking pies at? Try to post your temps, times, and setups, although the pics of setups are even better, so others can attempt to replicate your success!

Thanks to all who are contributing to this! Bookmarking now!