Pizza on the Plate Setter?

TheEggRocks

I'm new.

Now that is out of the way... a question. I have read differently how to make a pizza. I have the stone plate setter with 3 legs. Some seem to say set it legs up and put the pizza on a stone over the grate. Some seem to say set it legs down with the stone on the face. I did it the second way. I could only get the heat up to 500 which might be normal. I think the plate setter will reduce heat. Could be wrong. Any ideas would be great.

Thanks to everyone who makes this site. I have read much and have some ideas from it. Hoping to be a good contributor as I learn my way with my new egg.

platypusrex

I always do mine on the platesetter, feet down, and I cover it with foil. We also put parchment paper underneath each pie as it cooks. We use the 12" Mama Mia thin crusts, and I typically cook at 500 or 550. You should be able to get your egg that hot, maybe just remove the cap at the top and control the temp using the bottom vent. Have fun, and welcome aboard!

NPHuskerFL

I go PS legs down and then create an air gap using copper fittings. I use parchment under the pie and then sometimes pull it after 1-3 minutes depending on the dough I'm using and the temp I'm baking them at. 
Correct leave the DFMT, Smokeware or top off on pretty much anything north of 350℉/400℉ & control from the lower vent. 

brphillips

I just got my first Egg this past weekend. Cranked out a couple pizzas last night. This is a bit different from the norm, but I did mine directly on the grate. So, "plate setter" feet up, grate on top of the feet. Got my temp to around 650, then slid the pie directly off my peel, onto the grate. Have to be a bit careful using this method because the pie will bake quickly and it's a tricky balance to make sure your toppings melt adequately, but the bottom doesn't over char (some char is good though).

Eager to try with a stone at close to 700. I use a good basic dough technique that yields pretty high moisture content. Once I experiment a bit more and take notes, I will post my dough technique.

Skiddymarker

Welcome. The original BGE videos for pizza used the setter feet down. I think that gaskets get more exposure this way and BGE changed a few years ago suggesting setter feet up. Like @brphillips notes: setter, grid on setter, stone on grid will work. 
Pizza depends on many factors, moisture in the dough, amount and type of toppings and temp. Find what works for you and change only one thing at a time. Truth is there are many ways to do pizza and all of them are right. 
Generally, higher in the dome is better to get reflected heat on the toppings. Store dough tends to be made for 550ºF max as most ovens do not get much hotter. Home made dough or 00 flour might spring much better at 600-700º. Good luck! 

Trixie_Belle

Such good info!  I'm having family over tonight for make your own pizza.

jfm0830

You can get the Egg up to 700 (and more) either way. I know because I used to do Platesetter legs down with the Big Green Egg pizza stone set on copper plumbing T-s to create an air gap. After talking to some folks who were completion level cooks who used the Egg, I switched to legs up with the s/s grid on the legs and the pizza stone on the s/s grid. I also didn't like the idea of the platesetter being at the gasket level when installed legs down.

Sometimes I do the Platesetter legs up with the double tier swing rack and two Big Green Egg pizza stones if I am doing 2 pizzas at 500 degrees or so. I don't go higher with the swing rack.

Now that I have the Adjustable Rig, I use it with the oval pizza stone at Level 1.5, the s/s grill grid and a pizza stone at Level 6. This gets me into the dome a bit and evens out the cooking.

Anytime I am doing a cook at 450 or 500 degrees or above, I give the Egg a thorough cleaning. I remove and set aside any good decent sized pieces of lump and toss the little stuff. Then I sweep out or vacuum out the firebox. If you have any kind of clogging or air flow issues, you are going to have trouble reaching high temps. If you get there at all it is going to take forever. If I am cooking something at 400 degrees or below, I do a simple cleaning with the ash tool through the lower draft door. After 4 or 5 times with this type of cleanup, I will do the full cleaning the next time.

Jim

BIll-W221

Great info in this thread, I have my first pizza built and ready to go on the egg, wish me luck