Looking for opinions from grid experts please

Aussie_Hugh

Hello,[p]I am planning on purchasing a couple of extra grids with the aim of making extenders. Part of my aim is to be able to cook two pizzas at once. What I am considering is having one grid at the level of the dome opening. This is to make it easier to get the pizza in and out. Just slide it in/out rather than drop in and lift out.[p]Then, and this is a big if, if it does not overload the egg (large with spring lid) having another smaller grid elevated above that.[p]My phone enquires with BBQ suppliers have come up with the Weber (47cm/18") grid which would fit in nicely. For the smaller grids there is a 15" and 14" Unlike the Weber, which I assume is stainless steel, the smaller ones are cast iron (possible heat sinks, and thicker).[p]OK for the grid experts, will my above suggestion work (i.e., two levels ~ 2 pizzas at once)? If yes, then which size grid and how high off the lower one (need air space between the two grids to allow heat radiation, but also some space around the edges for air and heat to reach the upper deck)?[p]What temp, I was thinking around 450F?[p]Thanks,
Hugh.
PS: I just bought a 5lb topside roast for my second BGE attempt tomorrow. Any tips on temp/duration using standard grid set up (I do not have the extra grids yer nor firebricks). Just a drip tray and V rack.[p]PPS: It is for my mother-in-law so I want it to be tastey.

Mike in MN

Aussie_Hugh,
The pizza experts want you to use a pizza stone so the crust is properly browned. 2 layers might be a problem....kinda like the child that is posting here way past his bedtime. (That's 209.249.147.16)[p]Mike in MN

Nessmuk

Aussie_Hugh,
Pizza cooking temp. I posted this recently. A local Italian restaurant has a dome pizza over about 6 meters in diameter & 1 to 2 meters high. It replicates those used in Italy.[p]With a small amount of wood, John builds a fire off center. He cook pizza at 600 to 700 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes.[p]Il Trullo is the name. He & his brother travel to Italy each year to find new recipes.[p]On my Traeger, pellet grill there is room for 2 pizza stones...625 si. It works OK.

QBabe

Aussie_Hugh,[p]To do pizzas, we use a platesetter, legs down, then pizza stone. No grid at all, only ceramic mass. They are usually done at around 550° for 8-10 minutes, depending on if they are just cheese, or with meats and veggies. [p]Here are some pics....[p][p][p]I think it'd be pretty hard to get a second grid up and have it work without having the two pizzas cook unevenly, but let us know how the "egg"speriment works out![p]QBabe
:~)[p]

QBabe

Oops, forgot to mention...we also use a pizza screen, which helps keep the bottom of the pizza from burning. Others use cornmeal. [p]Also, to do multiple ones, we usually get one in and while it is cooking, prep the second one, take the first one off, start munching on it while the second one is cooking, then off with it....[p]Works out pretty well usually.[p]QBabe
:~)

JK

QBabe,[p]I was wondering what that screen thingy was. I've just used cornmeal. Is this easier/more efficient than cornmeal?

Unknown

Nessmuk,[p]Didn't know the traeger could get that hot. Does it do high temp cooks well?

TRex

QBabe,[p]Aren't those pizza screens great? I just got a few about a month ago and haven't burned a crust since![p]TRex

Unknown

QBabe,[p]Where do you get the screens? I don't like all the extra cornmeal in my crust.[p]-- BBQ Prof

Aussie_Hugh

QBabe,[p]Thanks for the details. The production line approach is my fall back and may be the best option at the end of the day.[p]Unfortunately plate setters are not available in my part of the world but they certainly look versatile. I have seen plenty on this forum about them.[p]In fact we have no BGE accessories down here :( However thanks to this forum I have made contact with a small number of other Aussies so we are going to swap ideas on substitutes etc.[p]Have a nice w/e.[p]Cheers,
Hugh.

QBabe

Aussie_Hugh,[p]Our egg dealer in my town is pitiful, so we deal directly with headquarters in Atlanta. I'm sure BGE can ship a plate setter directly to you, though shipping costs may be a consideration. You might think about putting in a mutual order with your other Aussie eggers to minimize the shipping costs....just a thought.[p]You can also get some firebricks and build a ceramic mass yourself...then put the grid on top of those and then your pizza stone. TimM has a great graphic of a firebrick setup. It's on a page where he's doing ribs, but if you can't get a platesetter, this just might work....[p]I'll try to include the link (hopefully it'll work)...[p]QBabe
:~)

[ul][li]TimM's firebrick setup[/ul]

QBabe

JK,[p]Yes, for us it has given us a very consistent crust with little to no burning. Works very well.[p]Tonia
:~)

QBabe

TRex,[p]Yep, we've used them since Mr. Hyde was a young man throwing pizzas in a local shop many years ago. When we got our eggs, they seemed a natural "egg"cessory to add to the arsenal![p]QBabe
:~)

Unknown

QBabe,[p]Another option would be to look for kiln supplies locally. He may be able to find a comparable plate setter from a local source without having to pay a huge shipping fee.

QBabe

BBQ Prof,[p]We got our 12" ones at a local restaurant supply, but recently ordered a 16" one from Fantes Kitchen Wares Shop. Be careful when you start browsing their site, though. They've got lots of GREAT stuff in there and we found it's impossible to order just one thing![p]QBabe
:~)

[ul][li]Fantes Kitchen Wares Shop[/ul]

QBabe

paulH,[p]Excellent suggestion! I hadn't thought of that and many kiln shelves would offer the flexibility of a single piece rather than multiple bricks next to each other, as well as coming in many different sizes....[p]QBabe
:~)

Unknown

Aussie_Hugh,[p]Have you done an internet search for kiln supply houses? There must be potters in Australia that have kilns and buy suplies (like plate setters) from someplace. The geometry may be somewhat different, but the basic function should be the same.[p]

Aussie_Hugh

QBabe,[p]Thanks, the link works fine for me. I will have a look through Tim's site.[p]In the next week or so I am off to a BBQ shop that seems to be OK. I think they make as well as sell BBQ rather than being simply a retail outlet. E.g., they are willing to cut fire bricks to suit. Also they mentioned that they have some ceramic tiles so I am interested in having a look at those. There was some forum discussion recently about using ceramic tiles and I do not know whether these ones are special ones for fire places. If they are then perhaps they would be also handy for indirect cooking without creating too much internal mass.[p]Your suggestion of banding together and putting a request to BGE Atlanta is a good one.[p]Also my wife has a cousin in the States (non egger). Further down the track I might see if I can 'button hole' her into finding out the postage on a setter. Surely sea freight cannot be that dear???[p]Although I suppose at the end of the day the challenge of improvising can be satisfying (or at least I am trying to convince myself that it can be).[p]Thanks,
Hugh.

Aussie_Hugh

paulH,[p]Good idea. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have a look through the net and Yellow pages.[p]Regards,
Hugh.