Suggestions for a better bake on pizza

Stuart

I baked my first pie last week and it turned out pretty good. My only complaint is that the bottom of the crust got too done while trying to acheive a good browning of the cheese. I used a pizza stone placed on top of 3 fire bricks (thick ones) and cooked the pies at 500 for 13-15 minutes.[p]Do I need to use a cold stone? Or perhaps two stones or hang a grate below the main grid with a tin or something to block the direct heat?[p]
Thanks, Stuart

Gfw

Stuart, based on some advice from Spin, I now do Pizza with the bottom vent open and control the heat only using the top vent - actually use 1/2 a firebrick - result, the top gets done evenly about the same time as the bottom.

Spin

Stuart,[p]Raise your cooking temp to 550-575F and cook on a preheated stone. Make sure your Egg will very quickly recover the heat lost when inserting the pie. Cooking on two stacked pizza stones really helps insulate the direct heat of the fire.[p]You may have to shorten the cook a bit. Good luck.[p]Spin

Unknown

Stuart, I use a very thin crust and have found that 500+ is too hot. My first pizzas were conpletely black on the bottom before the top browned. I now use 375 or thereabouts with great results. Don't put a cold stone into a hot BGE--it will most likely crack. It has to come up to temp with the BGE.

Tim M

Stuart,[p]Let me just tell you what works for me and it may for you too. You use a 3 firebrick setup so you really don't have any extra ceramic to help insulate the stone from the direct heat of the fire. I have had nothing but great results when I have two layers of ceramic - one is the pizza stone and the other is now the plate setter but I used the firebricks before I got it. I always used 4 or five bricks with 2 flat on the grid and two or three upright to support the stone.[p]I get the Egg up to 400 deg (bottom open & slide/dasiy top open) and add the pizza stone. By the time its up to 575 deg - I wait 2-5 min and add pizza #1. 13-17 min for one of my 12" pies. I find that if the crust is too done, try raising the temp and don't preheat the stone. My theory is that the high dome heat is needed to cook the toppings and you want the crust to cook slower. Works for me.[p]Tim > pics on my website under pizza (none showing firebricks & pizza though)