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Pizzas

Neal
Neal Posts: 11
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have now tried two times to do pizza on the Egg and both times have had the same result. The pizza was great but due to the heat coming around the pizza stone, the felt literally fell off and partially melted. I tried to do the pizza at about 450 degrees the first time and 350 the next time and had the same result. Any suggestions on this. Replacing the felt is not a good dessert for a great pizza. I am doing SOMETHING wrong. Thanks for any advice. I called Green Egg and they had not suggestions since this is obviously not a big problem. Am I doing the pizza too hot?

Comments

  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    Neal, you mean it only happens when you cook pizza? You cook other things in the 350-450 range with no felt problems? Sounds strange but someone will figure out the quirk that is causing this.

  • Tim M
    Tim M Posts: 2,410
    Neal,[p]It melted and came off at 350 deg too? That is not right. I had one loosen and move once when I was at 800-900 deg but never ever at 350° or even 450°. You say it gets loose, is it secure when its cold? If it's loose at those low temps then something is not right. How long where your pizza cooking? Dome is closed - right? The dome thermo has been checked in boiling water? How old is the gasket?[p]Tim
  • Neal
    Neal Posts: 11
    Tim M,[p]Thanks for the response. I have been cooking for 3 years on the egg and never had a problem even at 700 + degrees except when I did the pizza. I am thinking that the heat is coming around the pizza stone and melting the felt. I do keep the lid closed and the felt is not loose when it is cold. I am thinking I need to replace once more, make sure it is secure and try again. What temp do you do pizza?

  • Neal
    Neal Posts: 11
    Wise One,
    Cook many other things at that temp with no problem. Thanks for the reponse. Maybe someone will know the solution to the problem

  • Zip
    Zip Posts: 372
    Neal,[p]The pizza stone is forcing the heat out and directing it to the seal/felt. If your pizza stone is even or below the felt raise it above it. Try some simple "Elmers White Glue" to glue the felt back into place. This happened to me several months back and the "Elmers" is holding just fine.[p]HTH,
    Ashley

  • Neal
    Neal Posts: 11
    Zip,
    Thanks...makes sense. I will try this next weekend. What temp do you use to do the pizza?

  • Zip
    Zip Posts: 372
    Neal,[p]I'm sorry about not answering that question. I use 550º - 575º for thin crust or hand tossed directly on the stone. For deep dish in a heavy pan or cast iron, I like 400º - 425º with the pan sitting on the stone.[p]HTH,
    Ashley

  • sdbelt
    sdbelt Posts: 267
    Neal,[p]When I first read your post, I assumed you were cooking your pizza with the dome open the entire time, but then you responded to Tim M that you aren't doing that. [p]I cook thin crust pizzas between 600 & 700 (prefer 650), and though my felt is very, very charred, it hasn't melted. The inner edge has crumbled away, but there's at least 75% of the width of the felt that's there, and that is serving the purpose of keeping the smoke in and providing a reasonable seal. I've never considered pizza cooking any harder on the felt than searing a steak or burgers at 750. [p]At 350, cooking a pizza, that seems no different than cooking a chicken indirect, so I too am confused why you are having a problem specific to pizza.[p]--sdb
  • Bamabob
    Bamabob Posts: 246
    Neal,
    That does sound strange.I assume that the top hasn't slid up in the band causing a little heat to escape and burn the seal.I fried mine, but had forgotten and left wide open for awhile it stayed in 1000° range long enough to cook my seal;-( I replaced the felt with a Rutland fiberglass flat seal about a year ago and haven't had any more problems.I only put the new seal on the bottom edge and left top unsealed.Good luck. Bob

    [ul][li]Rutland site[/ul]
  • Sippi
    Sippi Posts: 83
    Neal,
    Are you by chance using a stone with an extra wide diameter?

  • Neal
    Neal Posts: 11
    Sippi,
    Just using the standard pizza stone. I actually thought about that and did try a smaller one. I think after hearing several responses, that I will simply pull off the old one, clean the area well, place a new gasket on there, and try again.

  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    Sippi, you had the same question I did. Neal, how much space between the edge of the stone and the grill?

  • elFloyd
    elFloyd Posts: 50
    Neal,[p]What size BGE are you using? I've never had a problem with my large BGE because there is plenty of space between the pizza stone and the side of the egg. But, if you are using a smaller egg, perhaps there is only a little space which is causing a problem. Still.... 450° should cause any problems.

  • Spin
    Spin Posts: 1,375
    Neal,[p]I do feel that you will have the same problem again as you have an airflow problem that is over heating your seal. I looked for information about the Egg you use in the visitor profiles, but you are not yet listed. [p]What size Egg do you use, and describe the setup employed to support the pizza stone (details please)? Does the seal stick evenly around the entire dome, or does it stick/burn in only a portion of the seal? The more details, the better we can understand your difficulties, and then be able to help.[p]All four Eggs can make excellent pizza without burning the seals. I have fried seals and it has always been a setup problem causing hot air to contact them.[p]Spin