Help - Burnt Pizza

Unknown · February 2005

The past 2 Pizza's prepared on the egg have been burnt on the bottom. I'm talking black, and as hard as wood. The cheese and toppings comes out OK though. [p]I get the egg to about 550F, put the pizza and stone on the egg, usually for about 10 minutes. The pizza stone is placed directly on the grill (the grill is not raised). During cooking both vents are wide open to keep the dome at 550F, sometimes I need to slightly close the top after 5 minutes to keep the tempurature from getting too hot. [p]Do I need to raise the grill? It's really the only thing I can think of, as I have made perfect pizza this way before. [p]I'm also curious how others regulate temperature, not for pizza, just in general. I usually only adjust the top vent, 95% of the time my bottom vent is fully open. I generally only adjust the bottom vent if I'm doing long cooks in the 200~400F range.[p]I really need some help here.[p]thanks
B&C

TRex · February 2005

B&C,[p]First of all, I would recommend using a putting your pizza stone on top of your platesetter, which should sit feet side down on your firering. This will elevate you away from the fire and give you additional ceramic mass between the fire and your pizza. Also, did you preheat your stone and for how long? I've found the preheating any longer than 10 minutes can sometimes give you trouble with the bottom. And how long did you cook the pizzas? Sometimes if your Egg is preheated enough you will leave the pizza on there long enough to get the toppings melted but as a result you burn the bottom.[p]Cooking pizza is a tricky balance of heat and time, but a while back I discovered these pizza screens, which I put between the pizza stone and my pizza. I have yet to burn a pizza while using these screens. You can find them online at restaurant supply sites or, if you make friends with somebody who works for Papa Johns, they might just give you some of theirs (that's how I got mine).[p]Check out the link below for pics on my website showing the pizza screen and my pizza setup and cooking times.[p]Good luck!
[ul][li]Pizza[/ul]

Yazoo · February 2005

B&C,[p]I think the problem is placing the pizza stone on the grid so close to the heat. I place the pizza stone on top of a platesetter, which puts an extra layer of ceramic between the pizza stone and fire, plus it's higher, about even with the gasket. Some folks invert the plate setter, legs up, place the porcelain grid on top of the legs and pizza stone on the grid. I think both ways work well.

badbruce · February 2005

Mornin' B&C,
You can also try a little cornmeal sprinkled on you pizza stone. Elevation & a pizza screen as posted by Yazoo & TRex
are good tips, but be careful with the screen. On my first attemp with the screen I forgot to replace the daisy wheel & came back to a 650 degree egg & a melted screen.
bruce

Julie R · February 2005

B&C,
Having had this same problem, I have gone to putting my pizza stone on a grill extender or upside down plate setter. I have also lowered my cooking temp to about 325 degrees and having it cook longer (about 1/2 hour). Not only is my bottom and top at the same time, but the smoke gets a chance to get absorbed in the meat and crust.[p]As far as regulating temp, I usually regulate my lower temp cooks by shutting the bottom vent to between a finger's width to credit card open and using the top daisy wheel as a fine tuner (like your TV before you had cable). The only times I keep the bottom fully open are when I'm doing steaks, I have old/little bit of charcoal, or on an extremely windless day.[p]Hope this is helpful in some way.[p]Julie

The Naked Whiz · February 2005

B&C,
Here is a link to my pizza hints and tips page. I would recommend using a plate setter with the stone on the plate setter. What temp you use depends on what kind of dough you use. Also, you can use the pizza parlor trick of using a damp (NOT WET) cloth to wipe the stone down to get the temperature down a little. After a little trial and error you will find the right temperature for your pizzas. [p]TNW
[ul][li]Pizza Hints and Tips[/ul]

Help - Burnt Pizza

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