Pizza Tips and Tricks

jetman96

I wrote a separate long post for my pizza making process (here), but thought I would post separately for the tips and tricks I use to ensure a good, consistent pie every time. These are what works for me for my style of pizza making. Hope this helps!

1. Match recipe to cooking temperature. If you use sugar or oil in your recipe, don’t go much higher than 500 F.
2. Match flour to temperature. Red bag Antimo 00 is lower temperature (500-600 F) than blue bag Antimo 00 (700+ F). Fermentation times also vary.
3. Make sure you have good airflow in the egg.
    - Firebox hole lined up with bottom vent
    - Knock off ash on any old lump remaining
    - Clean out old ash, as needed
    - Holes in firebox are not clogged with ash
4. Ensure you have enough fuel. Fill to top of fire ring (or plate-setter notches) with lump.
5. Use a ceramic deflector (not CI*) on lower level (plate setter or oval ceramic on AR R+B*, or other)
6. Get pizza stone high in the dome. AR with extender or other.
7. Use IR* gun to get pizza stone to the temperature you want.
8. Use corn meal or parchment paper to launch pie
9. Roll out dough, let rest and shrink, then roll again before putting on peel.
10. Don’t start building pie on peel until pizza stone is close to temp. Otherwise, could stick to cornmeal.
11. Check pie 4-5 minutes in to rotate pie if there are any hot spots.

*
AR R+B = Adjustable Rig Ribs and Brisket
CI = Cast Iron
IR = Infrared

EggNorth

Great tips.  Thanks.

paqman

Good general advices.  I would add that sticky dough doesn’t stick to wet hands.  

The W rating of Caputo red is greater than blue.  Red has a longer optimal fermentation time.   At optimal fermentation, they have a similar tolerance to heat.

The specs for the red have changed twice I think over the last 5 years or so.  Blue has some kind of certification for VPN and specs haven’t changed in forever as far as I can tell.