Pizza - Adding wood; what, when, how.

grin_phi

Cooking Pizza again tomorrow and have a question about adding wood. 

During my last cook (discussed here: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1534331) I added some hickory wood chips once the egg stabilised at 600. Well, as I might have expected, the chips ignited instantly and I have a small inferno on my hands until they burned off. 

So my question is, to get a good, authentic taste - do you add wood? If so when? Chips or chunks? Anything else to bear in mind?

All advice greatly appreciated.

Botch

I add chips, right before the pie goes on.  I use a garden trowel to "aim" them between the bowl and the platesetter onto the coals.  Yes, they do burn up pretty darn quick, but the pie isn't in there for very much longer.  

Botch

Oh, and wood: I've tried several and haven't really found a "favorite" yet.  

anzyegg

My wife don't like smoked taste for pizza. No wood.

berndcrisp

No need to smoke a pizza IMHO. The lump and oven affect suffices for me.

Carolina Q

Pizza should not have a smoky flavor. Even wood fired ovens don't impart much. No wood in the egg please. In fact, that's partly why I do mine in the oven now. Plus it's easier and tastes just as good.

Grill66

I find the charcoal imparts enough taste for bread products that I don't need to add any wood.  However, when cooking at those temperatures you can just put the wood in the bottom through the draft door and push it in with the ash tool.

Skiddymarker

A few other threads recently on different brands of lump bring to mind the use of Royal Oak as a favourite pizza lump in our house. It adds just a touch of wood fire taste. Maple Leaf seems to burn too clean and the pie is very neutral, almost oven cooked. 

Have never used smoke wood when egging pizza. 

grin_phi

Thanks all - tried no wood and was very happy with the result.

thegreategg

Funny, my wife said my pizza tasted smokey and didn't like it. So now I'm learning how to heat the coals past the smoke burn off to avoid it. Now that she mentions it...I would like it better without the smokeyness too. Save that for the burgers and steaks....and BBQ

NPHuskerFL

At higher temps I find that even w/ wood chunks (not going crazy of course & so long as the creosote has cleared) you really don't get a slap in the face smokieness like that of a brisket or ribs. Try it w/out wood chunks if you prefer less. Lump is going to have a certain amount of flavor all on its own that you may prefer.

Redskull

I agree, no wood with a pizza cook.  there should be plenty of wood flavor with just some good lump charcoal...