New pizza setup, adj rig + platesetter (pic heavy)

JB

I posted earlier today that I had just received my adjustable rig/ spider from ceramic grill store. Since I already planned pizza for tonite I was looking to find a way to use it and the platesetter for an indirect, high in the dome cook. After a bit of experimenting, here's what I came up with. Would be interested to hear if anyone has used this same setup for pizza. It delivered a damn good result, and, like any kid with a new toy, I just had to play with it out of the box. :P

Here's the setup, step by step. Removed fire ring, filled firebox with lump and lit her up.


Next goes the spider on top of the firebox


Next, platesetter legs up on top of spider


Then the rig on top of platesetter legs (tested for stability)


Standard large BGE grid on top of adj. rig


Pizza stone on top of grid


Pizzas ready to go, used some leftover Egged ham for the Hawaiian pie


Thin crust, on at close to 700*


Up close and personal


First one almost done


Second one done, both took 6-7 mins. A little longer than my normal platesetter legs down/ ceramic feet/ stone setup at same temp.


Just right

Grandpas Grub

 
Ooooh, ham and pineapple, need a slice of that pie too.

I also like BB Bacon (Canadian Bacon) and pineapple and ham & tomato.

That is one of the nicer equal done top/bottom cooks. Those same toppings

Nice set up using the plate setter. I use AR, grid on top and then the stone.

Excellent cook.

GG

JB

Thanks GG, very kind of you to respond. Was just playing around with the new toy but will do this again on the next pizza. Do you not use an indirect piece with the rig for pizza? What temp do you cook them? I figured 700 would be too hot direct, even with this very raised grid setup, and I prefer my thin crust pizzas cooked at high temp, just preference thru experimentation. I've done them from 400-700 in 50* increments.

GoonSlapper

That's a great set-up. I'll have to try something similar...even though I have slightly different eggcessaries.

My first two pizza's came out horrible, but my last one came out half decent. But, nothing compared to what yours looks like. Thanks for posting that!!!

BENTE

i have always just put the rig in, put the platesetter into the rig (this is difficult but possible) the put the pizza stone on top of the grid like you did... but i never take anything out of the egg that i don't have to i am always scared i will drop it...



your pies look good though

JB

Thanks Ken. My first few pizzas were average too, have done a lot of experimenting to make them better. Keep at it and you'll find just the right method that works for you.

JB

Thanks Bente. I tried getting the rig around/ between/ under the platesetter but just couldn't get it too fit. This was the only way I could find to make it all fit.

BENTE

i will take a picture next time for you


the platesetter sits on the bottom ring of the rig! you have to stick it in one leg at a time


like i said i will take a picture as soon as i can figure out how to use this computer :pinch:

JB

Thanks Bente, I want to see that setup.

Grandpas Grub

 
I get the best top/bottom cook when I have the dome at about 500°. Most of the time I don't use a indirect piece. However, I don't load the egg with a lot of lump, usually about 1/2 way between the top of the fire box and the air vents in the fire box.

I can't tell much difference between a really hot pizza cook or a lower temperature pizza cook. I do like to cook the meat on the pizza sausage, beef, peperoni, ham and such. 500° seems to be a good match for crust done and meat done at the same time.

Thin crust buckboard bacon and tomato pizza is to die for. I like the thin crust pies to have a little black or almost black on the bottom. I either cook the pie with the dome open for a few minutes then close or put the pie on before the egg dome is fully warmed up. The latter is more of a guessing game. I cook as high in the dome as possible as I want the dome cooking as well as the stone.

GG

JLOCKHART29

Great job. I love the rustic looking crust! The perfect ones look to good like store bought some times even though they are not.

BobS

Very nice.

Village Idiot

You're pizzas look fantastic, JB, but I don't understand why you set it up that way. I just put in my plate setter, legs down, then pizza stone (it has legs on it) on top of the plate setter. Does your way get the stone hotter and does that make the crust better?

I've only made 2 pizzas, so I'm not an expert by any means. Always looking for a better way. :cheer:

SteveinTN

gary
i do it just like you say, i have the other stuff but would never think to do it like that for pizza.

All,
what is the big advantage. plate setter feet down, raised pizza stone is fast and easy.

Garnerac

There are alot of ways to do things.
Half the fun is putting all the pieces together to make a good end result.
I have done it several ways. Usually PSetter legs down with a Pstone on top with a gap.
Another way is put a BGE Pstone in the spider, then another stone on top of the AR and grid. 500-600 degrees with the BGE well heated up.

JB

Gary, that was my typical setup too, platesetter legs down, ceramic feet then stone. The only reason I did this setup was that I just received the adjustable rig and wanted to try it out.

JB

Steve, I was just experimenting with a new toy. However, I did like the evenness of cooking higher in the dome and will do some more with this setup. It's not difficult to set up, takes about a minute.

Village Idiot

Good. You just saved me some money. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Thanks!

JB

JLOCKHART29 wrote:

Great job. I love the rustic looking crust!

Haha, "rustic" crust. That's a very nice way of saying oddly shaped. :laugh: I used to spend a lot of time trying to get them shaped perfectly, now anything remotely close to round is fine with me.

Ripnem

Nice JB! Definately one of the coolest things about cooking za is the viewing through the dome hole. :P

2Fategghead

JB, I wish I had a rig and spider to cook with. What else did you get with the rig and spider? Tim

Do you use the large pizza stone on the spider for indirect with the rig? and did you get the small CI grate for searing? Did you get a wok?

Did you get the rectangle sliding food grates or the 16.5" round food grates for the inside of the rig?

JB

Hey Tim, I ordered the adj. rig/ spider with the oval grid. I do plan on getting the small CI grid for searing with the spider. I have a pizza stone already that will work on the spider for indirect and as you can see above I was able to utilize the platesetter for indirect on this one. No plans for a wok yet, but sooner or later I'll probably have that too.