Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

My first Pizza cook on my new BGE - Amazing

run53
run53 Posts: 121
It was so delicious! Perfect crust that was crispy on the bottom and light and airy on the inside. I'm so excited about my new toy!!!!!


Large BGE - 2017
PSWoo with extention
Thermopen and DOT

Boston, Mass
«1

Comments

  • Looks great, 1 of many to come
  • Nice pie and welcome to the forum.
    Snellville, GA


  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
    Welcome. Pizza was actually one of the harder things for me to dial in. Yours looks great! 
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
  • Pizza looks great! Definitely one of my favorite reasons to fire up the egg. 
    XL BGE - Adjustable rig combo, Rutland gasket, 4:11 Positrac outback, 750 double pumper, Edelbrock intake
  • 100% goodness right there!
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Nicely done. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • run53
    run53 Posts: 121
    Hans61........I have to admit that I've been making pizzas for 10 years or more so I have the art of pizza making dialed in. They just never came out this good in my kitchen oven. I was worried about the egg process being the first time But I stabilized the egg at about 550 for about 40 minutes then cooked the pie about 8 minutes. Perfection! 

    I'll continue to experiment with higher temps and lower temps and different dough types. The dough I used for this one was the one in the BGE pizza book. A little higher hydration than I used when I made dough for my regular oven. 

    I cant wait for my next batch. Now I need to figure out how to make 2 at a time because I usually have a large crowd on
    pizza night. 
    Large BGE - 2017
    PSWoo with extention
    Thermopen and DOT

    Boston, Mass
  • 550* is the magic number for pizza.  It is for me, at least
  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Welcome aboard.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 12,054
    Welcome aboard and great job on the pizza! This may be your answer for making two pizza at a time, you probably need to switch top & bottom for even cooking though ... https://smokeware.com/products/roswell-double-pizza-rig
    canuckland
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,189
    run53 said:
    Now I need to figure out how to make 2 at a time because I usually have a large crowd on
    pizza night. 
    If you don't already have them, get one metal peel (for removing the cooked pies) and one wooden peel (to build the pies, and slide them off successfully without sticking).  
     
    I've not tried cooking two at once; I usually make thinner pies that cook a lot quicker, and its all I can do to build the next one and have it ready to go on, as the previous one is cooked and ready to come off.  I've done, maybe five pies in a row that way (and that's one cook that I don't sit down with my guests until the end, but that's okay).  
     
    Have fun, and Welcome!  
    ___________

    "When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set."

    - Lin Yutang


  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,171
    Very nice pie. I struggled for a while with the pizza....you have clearly come out swinging for the fence. Look forward to many more to come.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
  • run53
    run53 Posts: 121
    Botch said:
    I've not tried cooking two at once; I usually make thinner pies that cook a lot quicker, and its all I can do to build the next one and have it ready to go on, as the previous one is cooked and ready to come off.  I've done, maybe five pies in a row that way (and that's one cook that I don't sit down with my guests until the end, but that's okay).  
     
    Have fun, and Welcome!  
    Sounds like I may need to experiment with some thinner pies. How thin do you roll them out and what temp do you cook at? 
    Large BGE - 2017
    PSWoo with extention
    Thermopen and DOT

    Boston, Mass
  • run53
    run53 Posts: 121
    Welcome aboard and great job on the pizza! This may be your answer for making two pizza at a time, you probably need to switch top & bottom for even cooking though ... https://smokeware.com/products/roswell-double-pizza-rig

    That looks like it should work but it only supports 14" stones and I have 16" ones. I suppose I could get new stones to go with it. 
    Large BGE - 2017
    PSWoo with extention
    Thermopen and DOT

    Boston, Mass
  • Welcome aboard and great looking pizzas!

    I've cooked pizzas for a party, but one after the other. I cook thin crust at 750F/400C (not recommend for your first few Egg cooks though), they take about 4 mins each. Maybe that's an option?
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Cooking and blogging with a Large and Minimax in deepest, darkest England-shire
    | My food blog ... BGE and other stuff ... http://www.thecooksdigest.co.uk
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------


  • Welcome aboard and great job on the pizza! This may be your answer for making two pizza at a time, you probably need to switch top & bottom for even cooking though ... https://smokeware.com/products/roswell-double-pizza-rig
    Have you used one of these?  How do you swap the pizza's around without taking the whole thing off?  The problem with my setup is the legs of the upper rack are too narrow to slide the bottom pizza on and off so I have to take the top stone and rack off to get to the bottom pizza which is a pain. 
  • bluebird66
    bluebird66 Posts: 2,785
    Beautiful pizza!
    Large Egg with adjustable rig, Kick Ash Basket, Minimax and various Weber's.
    Floyd Va

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,131
    Damn, my first pizza was not even close to being round. And it might have stuck to the peel and been flipped over to make a calzone...I have blocked that cook from my memory.
    Nice first pie!
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,171
    Photo Egg said:
    Damn, my first pizza was not even close to being round. And it might have stuck to the peel and been flipped over to make a calzone...I have blocked that cook from my memory.
    Nice first pie!
    I had the same cook! Maybe more than once.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
    Nice work!  Pizzas are one of my favorite cooks on the BGE. 
    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
  • SSQUAL612
    SSQUAL612 Posts: 1,186
    Welcome Aboard!!!  Nice looking pie. I have all the accessories for making pizza and it's the one thing I haven't tackled yet.   Still a little unsure of the dough making process and whether or not I should invest in a scale to make by weight or is measuring okay?   Already running low on space with all the gadgets I've purchased and SWMBO is about ready to kill me if another package shows up from Amazon, but maybe I can sneak one in with it being Christmas and all  ;)
    Tyler, TX   XL BGE 2016, KJ Classic 2019,  MES, 18.5 WSM,  Akorn Jr,  36"&17" Black Stone, Adj Rig, Woo, Grill Grates, SS Smokeware Cap, KAB,  FB 300, Thermapen 
  • SSQUAL612 said:
    Welcome Aboard!!!  Nice looking pie. I have all the accessories for making pizza and it's the one thing I haven't tackled yet.   Still a little unsure of the dough making process and whether or not I should invest in a scale to make by weight or is measuring okay?   Already running low on space with all the gadgets I've purchased and SWMBO is about ready to kill me if another package shows up from Amazon, but maybe I can sneak one in with it being Christmas and all  ;)
    My scale cost $11 and I use it for everything I bake. Much more consistent results than measuring cups. Well worth it in my opinion. 
    Large BGE
    Huntsville, AL
  • SSQUAL612
    SSQUAL612 Posts: 1,186
    run53 said:
    Hans61........I have to admit that I've been making pizzas for 10 years or more so I have the art of pizza making dialed in. They just never came out this good in my kitchen oven. I was worried about the egg process being the first time But I stabilized the egg at about 550 for about 40 minutes then cooked the pie about 8 minutes. Perfection! 

    I'll continue to experiment with higher temps and lower temps and different dough types. The dough I used for this one was the one in the BGE pizza book. A little higher hydration than I used when I made dough for my regular oven. 

    I cant wait for my next batch. Now I need to figure out how to make 2 at a time because I usually have a large crowd on
    pizza night. 
    Can you share some details...did you use parchment paper?  Was stone raised in the dome?  Maybe some pics of your setup.  Thanks
    Tyler, TX   XL BGE 2016, KJ Classic 2019,  MES, 18.5 WSM,  Akorn Jr,  36"&17" Black Stone, Adj Rig, Woo, Grill Grates, SS Smokeware Cap, KAB,  FB 300, Thermapen 
  • run53
    run53 Posts: 121
    Welcome aboard and great looking pizzas!

    I've cooked pizzas for a party, but one after the other. I cook thin crust at 750F/400C (not recommend for your first few Egg cooks though), they take about 4 mins each. Maybe that's an option?
    I think you are right.....I'll have to work up to thin crust at higher temps. Probably the best option the more I hear from folks here. Will require some practice for sure!
    Large BGE - 2017
    PSWoo with extention
    Thermopen and DOT

    Boston, Mass
  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,602
    edited November 2017
    Photo Egg said:
    Damn, my first pizza was not even close to being round. And it might have stuck to the peel and been flipped over to make a calzone...I have blocked that cook from my memory.
    Nice first pie!
    I had the same cook! Maybe more than once.
    My first pie looked like a starfish....nowhere close to round
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,868
    SSQUAL612 said:
    Welcome Aboard!!!  Nice looking pie. I have all the accessories for making pizza and it's the one thing I haven't tackled yet.   Still a little unsure of the dough making process and whether or not I should invest in a scale to make by weight or is measuring okay?   Already running low on space with all the gadgets I've purchased and SWMBO is about ready to kill me if another package shows up from Amazon, but maybe I can sneak one in with it being Christmas and all  ;)
    You definitely should invest in a scale for anything involving flour and water. you will love yourself when you nail it consistently thereafter.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,868
    @run53 - fabulous first cook. That pie is lovely :)

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • run53
    run53 Posts: 121
    SSQUAL612 said:
       Still a little unsure of the dough making process and whether or not I should invest in a scale to make by weight or is measuring okay?   
    Hmmmm....when I make my pizza dough I use rough measurements. I make it by feel. Some days I need a little more water and some days I need a little more flour. The weather can even impact the dough. I start out with  about 1 3/4 cups warm water and 1 package yeast to 4 cups flour. Then add a little EEVO (maybe a TBSP) and about a TBSP salt. Once it comes together in my kitchen-aide mixer (with the dough hook), I feel it for stickiness. If it really sticks to my fingers, I add flour 1 TBSP at a time until it "feels right". Usually only 1 or 2 TBSP at more. Should be soft and smooth but not sticking too much ( a little sticky is ok).  After mixing, I knead by hand a little and then cover it and let it rest for about an hour(it should double in size). Then I hand Knead it again and split into 2 balls and cover for the final rise of about 15-30 minutes. I guess after making pizza dough for 20 or so years, I can just tell by feeling it.  If I want to get really fancy and tasty dough, I do a starter and put it in the fridge overnight and use that the next day to make my dough. Very tasty that way as it seems to ferment more, but I don't always remember to make my starter the night before and to be honest, I'm the only one who usually notices the difference. Based on my experience with pizza dough.....you really can't mess it up too much if you stick with that basic recipe. Exact measurements are not critical in my opinion.
    Large BGE - 2017
    PSWoo with extention
    Thermopen and DOT

    Boston, Mass
  • run53
    run53 Posts: 121
    SSQUAL612 said:
     
    Can you share some details...did you use parchment paper?  Was stone raised in the dome?  Maybe some pics of your setup.  Thanks
    No parchment paper. I form the dough into a circle on my well floured kitchen counter by hand (never had to use a roller). once I have the desired size (usually 14-15 inches) I spread corn meal on my wooden pizza peel and place the circle of dough on the peel. The I top it. If you use enough corn meal, it should slide right off the peel onto the stone in your egg. I've never had a failure doing it this way as I used to use the same stone in my kitchen oven. This was the first time I tried it on the egg and it works the same.

    My Egg setup was the diverter (legs up), grate, then 16" stone on top of the grate. I let the setup heat up at 550-600 for about 30-40 minutes and cooked for about 8 minutes. 

    I would like a little more char on the crust than what I got, so next time I may try thinner crust and higher temps but shorter cook time. I just didn't want to take that risk on my first egg pie. I will continue to experiment with the temps and crust thickness though.


    Large BGE - 2017
    PSWoo with extention
    Thermopen and DOT

    Boston, Mass
  • SSQUAL612
    SSQUAL612 Posts: 1,186
    Thank you for all the great info...it will come in handy when I try to tackle pizzas on the Egg. 
    Tyler, TX   XL BGE 2016, KJ Classic 2019,  MES, 18.5 WSM,  Akorn Jr,  36"&17" Black Stone, Adj Rig, Woo, Grill Grates, SS Smokeware Cap, KAB,  FB 300, Thermapen