First Time Pizza Attempts

Gburner

Been a minute since I sat down and posted one of my latest BGE attempts.  This was done the other weekend, pretty simple dough (Bread Flour, Active Yeast, Salt + Sugar, Water).  Made enough for 5 pizzas, but only got two photographed before the others were devoured by family and friends.  I almost couldn't get them on/off the egg fast enough.

One is just a simple Cheese with a simple pizza sauce.  We had quite a few kids over and they all seemed to enjoy it.  The other was making use of some leftover skirt steak and chicken that I used with some homemade chimichurri sauce.  Was by far my favorite because it had a TON of flavor.

Set the Placesetter Legs down, full to the brim with Rockwoood Lump, Pizza stone on top.  The temp is actually after I left the egg open for 45 minutes as I took my SmokeStack off the top and had it going about 850 before I caught it.  Pizzas cooked in maybe 4 minutes with some subtle turning of the pies while on the stone.  

I did do a few with Fresh Mozzarella and one issue I found is the moisture content of it.  Made some of the pies waterlogged so need to find a solution for those as Margaretta Pizza is my fav.

grillman14

looks great but I rarely use my platesetter legs down when cooking pizza, I always go legs up with the grid and a baking stone on top for air flow underneath and doesn't burn the crust....if I do go legs down I will use fire bricks to elevate the pizza stone off the platesetter for that airflow and no chance of burnt crust... nice work!!

SaltySam

Nice work! Are you in Nebraska?  

Go Big Red!

SaltySam

Aaaaaand I’m an idiot.  I asked you this a few months back. You’re in Bennington.  

Still, Pizza looks great.  

Gburner

SaltySam said:

Aaaaaand I’m an idiot.  I asked you this a few months back. You’re in Bennington.  

Still, Pizza looks great.  

Haha no worries Salty

Gburner

grillman14 said:

looks great but I rarely use my platesetter legs down when cooking pizza, I always go legs up with the grid and a baking stone on top for air flow underneath and doesn't burn the crust....if I do go legs down I will use fire bricks to elevate the pizza stone off the platesetter for that airflow and no chance of burnt crust... nice work!!

I'll have to try that configuration next time.  Luckily I didn't have any with burnt crust but I was definitely hovering over them as they cooked.

mlc2013

when you say fresh mozzarella are you talking a small mozzarella ball in liquid or a larger ball about 1lb plus wrapped in plastic wrap or freshly made from curd?
The reason why I ask, small balls in liquid will need to be separated for the liquid to dry out (this is something I have never done so dont know how long) and if its larger balls in plastic wrap depending on whether or not it has been refrigerated yet you can unwrap let sit out for a while 30-45 minutes so it starts to milk out then cut and place on paper towel for another 30-45 minutes as it will still continue to milk out and then try using as for fresh made never refrigerated same as the large balls just need a little less time for it to milk out.
disclaimer I have never made pizza on an egg so this may be useless info but I do make mozzarella all the time and have used it in my cooks and these are things I do to prevent milky cheese.
Im calling it milk but its really watered down curd

bluebird66

Nice work!

Gburner

mlc2013 said:

when you say fresh mozzarella are you talking a small mozzarella ball in liquid or a larger ball about 1lb plus wrapped in plastic wrap or freshly made from curd?
The reason why I ask, small balls in liquid will need to be separated for the liquid to dry out (this is something I have never done so dont know how long) and if its larger balls in plastic wrap depending on whether or not it has been refrigerated yet you can unwrap let sit out for a while 30-45 minutes so it starts to milk out then cut and place on paper towel for another 30-45 minutes as it will still continue to milk out and then try using as for fresh made never refrigerated same as the large balls just need a little less time for it to milk out.
disclaimer I have never made pizza on an egg so this may be useless info but I do make mozzarella all the time and have used it in my cooks and these are things I do to prevent milky cheese.
Im calling it milk but its really watered down curd

What I normally use is BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella that I buy from the local grocery store.  Sometimes I'll venture to Whole Foods and buy the mozzarella that is in small balls suspending in water.  But to for these pizzas, it was the BelGioioso.  Next time I'll have to try and let it start to expel some of the "milk" before using it.   Good tip, and wouldn't have thought of it