Pizza Tips

ZacAttack

I'm fairly new to cooking with a BGE.  Just got mine back around the 4th of July.  Found an amazing deal at a Lodge Cast Iron store that I couldn't pass up.

Looking to cook my first Pizza in the egg, and just been looking for a few tips.  What does everyone here prefer as far as cooking about the felt line?  Preferences between metal pizza pan and a pizza stone?  Any help would be appreciated.

MO_Eggin

A few suggestions -

cook above the felt line as high in the dome as you can manage so the top of the pie cooks at roughly the same rate as the bottom,

use a deflector (plate setter/conveggtor, etc.) in addition to the stone/lodge,

preheat the stone/lodge for at least 30 minutes,

make sure to burp the egg when opening the dome to avoid flashback  

make sure your dough recipe aligns with your cooking temps - doughs with sugar or oil will high temperature

after the cook, make sure to check your bands are still tight

Personally, I use a stone and no experience with the Lodge pan, and I usually cook at around 550*, I'm not trying to do neopolitan pies in under 2 minutes.

Good luck and welcome.

MO_Eggin

oops, forgot a couple of words - make sure your dough recipe aligns with your cooking temps - doughs with sugar or oil will BURN AT high temperature

buzd504

MO_Eggin said:

A few suggestions -

cook above the felt line as high in the dome as you can manage so the top of the pie cooks at roughly the same rate as the bottom,

use a deflector (plate setter/conveggtor, etc.) in addition to the stone/lodge,

preheat the stone/lodge for at least 30 minutes,

make sure to burp the egg when opening the dome to avoid flashback  

make sure your dough recipe aligns with your cooking temps - doughs with sugar or oil will high temperature

after the cook, make sure to check your bands are still tight

Personally, I use a stone and no experience with the Lodge pan, and I usually cook at around 550*, I'm not trying to do neopolitan pies in under 2 minutes.

Good luck and welcome.

Yep, all of this.

Also, I find it helps to build your pizza on parchment paper - it will help you launch the pie onto the stone.  Then just pull it out after the first couple of minutes of cooking.

Watch your wet ingredients so your dough doesn't get too soggy.

Lit

You planning on making your own dough?

ZacAttack

Thanks for all the information. 

Yes, I was planning on making my own dough. Seemed like it was worth the effort, and I've never personally had really good pre-made dough.

JNDATHP

We like this recipe. Simple and quick. Rolled out to about 3/16” gives a nice crispy crust. 

https://www.jennycancook.com/recipes/20-minute-pizza-dough/

We use parchment paper while rolling out the dough and put it all in the egg. After a minute, we remove the parchment paper (once the dough has cooked a bit and won’t stick to the parchment paper). 

Hoster05

- pizza steel heated to 550 degrees for at least 30 min
- wooden pizza peel dusted with semolina flour to get pie off and on to the steel.  once you set the dough on shack it back and forth to make sure the dough isn't sticking.
- plate-setter turned upside down with a brick or two to hold the steel up.  

1voyager

I use this configuration:





The stone is heated @ 550 degrees for 1 hour prior to loading the pizza. It takes about 8 minutes to cook for a crisp crust. 

Gmnorris74

1voyager said:

I use this configuration:





The stone is heated @ 550 degrees for 1 hour prior to loading the pizza. It takes about 8 minutes to cook for a crisp crust. 

Can you tell me more about those stone risers you have there?

Carolina Q

Gmnorris74 said:

Can you tell me more about those stone risers you have there?

Terra cotta planter feet from any garden shop. Got mine at Lowes.

1voyager

Yep. Terra cotta planter feet. Picked them up at a garden store for something like $1.50 each.

Longtrain

My BGE and I are new to the forum. Making pizza was a goal as we love a good margarita wood fired pizza.

My dough, never found a better recipe.

2 1/4 c Unbleached Flour
1 c water
1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt

i use a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix all but salt into a ball, let it sit for 10 minutes, add salt and mix on medium high for 8 minutes. Form into a ball with bit more flour, rise to double in size, punch down and let it rise again. I can make three 9” thin crust pizzas with this recipe.  

Put a pizza stone on top of the grate indirect setup, 6 minutes @ 600F. I usually use a piece of parchment to help it slide off the peel, then remove the parchment 1/2 way though. Grab an edge and pull it from under the pizza.  So good. 

Rwood

This is my setup and if work great!!

dstearn

My setup using the adjustable rig. Dome temp at 425-450 for 14 minutes. Pizza is crisp but not burnt.

EllaJones

Use Best Bread Machine for Pizza Dough which makes the crust softer. You need to have all the right ingredients to make the whole dish shine

• Bread flour (3 cups) (Make sure to get an Unbleached all-purpose flour)
• Salt (1Tbs)
• Sugar (2Tbs)
• Olive Oil (2Tbs)
• Water (1 cup, 1 tablespoon)
• Yeast (1Tbs, active dry)

So make sure to get all the fresh ingredients to make the best pizza dough!

RyanStl

I second the parchment paper method.  It solves the problem of assembled pizza sticking when transferring to the stone.  It sucks having your pizza rip apart putting it on the stone. Some will say use corn meal, but that alters the taste/feel of the pizza.

jdMyers

Couple things.  pecorino romano cheese lightly hand ground into your sauce and or on your dough is your best friend.  When making sauce only use italian whole peeled plum tomatoes, no need for pastes etc. Use fresh herbs like basil etc.  Let sit for a day or so before using.  If its to thin use the pecorino romano lighly to thicken.  In pizza dough use caputo OO flour not unbleached flour.  The egg still has hot spots like any other oven.  Rotate the pizza during the cooks.  Use low moisture real cheese.  Melts better.  Keep the pizza above the felt or its difficult to get it out.  Higher is better.  If doing more than one pizza allow grill to heat back up. Pizza mats work well.  

jtcBoynton

jdMyers said:

....  In pizza dough use caputo OO flour not unbleached flour.  .... 

If you are going to state one flour is better than another please be more specific. First, Caputo is unbleached flour. Second, Caputo makes many different flours. Some are designed for pizza making and some are not. 

RyanStl

I use regular all purpose flour and get good results. However, I don't like to go above 600 degrees.

4TheGrillOfIt

I use an infrared temperature gun to make sure my stone is near 500F before putting on the pizza.  This ensures fantastic crust and properly cooked toppings.

jdMyers

jtcBoynton said:

jdMyers said:

....  In pizza dough use caputo OO flour not unbleached flour.  .... 

If you are going to state one flour is better than another please be more specific. First, Caputo is unbleached flour. Second, Caputo makes many different flours. Some are designed for pizza making and some are not. 

Thanks.  And your absolutly right.  Just that since we were specifically talking pizza I failed to point out usage of caputo OO pizza flour for better results over kroger unbleached flour.  Sorry I let that slip by.  My goal was to give a tip to strive for a better pizza.  

alaskanassasin

How you liking the pizza oven @jdMyers? 

jdMyers

Its actually very fun.  Now my wife looks at me like im crazy because i have it down to a science getting everything outside.  Easier learning curve than learning BGE.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Its my stress reliever for sure.  Started going to all my favorite places, talking to the owners, and most of them gave me kitchen time to learn hands on.  So that has been a blessing too.  Thanks for asking.

alaskanassasin

Who’s your favorite 3 pizza shops in Cbus? I am always looking for a good pie in town.

alaskanassasin

@jdMyersdon’t leave me hanging it is hard out here for a pizza fan. For the uninitiated Ohio pizza has toppings that were ran through a food processor and is cut into 2”squares.

jdMyers

alaskanassasin said:

Who’s your favorite 3 pizza shops in Cbus? I am always looking for a good pie in town.

Sorry. So not actually columbus but close enuff.  #1 by far elliots pizza newark.  Ill make the drive every time.  #2 amattos pizza Delaware again ill make the drive.  Little italys in canal winchester has a really good pie, but I like ezzos pepperoni and they have it.  By the way if you ever meet the owner he will become a source for you.  Good guy.  Then oddly D&ezzo pizza on west side.  I still order from each of them.  Oh an oddly I like jets pizza, who will sell you dough for .$50 cents

jdMyers

Are you in cols.