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Pizza help!

I am sure there are many topics already on this but I would like to have this answered personally! I have tried to make pizza probably 10 times on the egg but it NEVER cooks right. The crust always gets way done before the top gets done. So I always have to choose whether I want nice crust and cold toppings or burnt crust and warm toppings... 


I figured the stone was too hot so I tried flipping the plate setter feet up, placing the grid on top of the feet and then putting the pizza stone on that (just so I can get some separation). It did help but the cheese still doesn't brown at all... and by the time I get the 2nd or 3rd pizza on, the stone gets too hot anyway. I can't win! I think I have found out, though, that a good temperature for the stone should be around 400. But I can't keep it at that temperature if I want to increase the dome temperature to cook the top! Any suggestions at all?!


By the way I have and XL egg and when I cook pizza I try to get the temperature around 600 degrees while keeping the top completely off.

Comments

  • Mkline
    Mkline Posts: 180
    Get the pizza as high as you can into the dome!

    The experts on here will have details, but I had the same problem until I got the stone about an 1.5inch above the gasket. I cook at 500-550 and now have no issues.
  • Mkline
    Mkline Posts: 180
    Here is a pic of what I mean.
  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    I go plate setter, legs down, cheap pie pan, Egg feet, then pizza stone, running at 500*-550*.  Get a clean burn on the lump; stabilize everything about 20-30 minutes before putting the pizza in.  Takes about 10-12 minutes.  Like others have said, get it up high in the dome.  Also, shred the cheese yourself.  The preshredded stuff doesn't melt good.

    And Welcome dstevenshall!
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    Sounds to me that you are really not totally stabilized and 600 is too high.  I do PS legs up -- grid supported by PS legs at gasket level  -- pizza stone on top of grid.  Let everything get stabilized at 400 to 450.  I have the wife make up the pizzas and they come out in a none stick pizza pan that has hundreds of tiny holes in it.  The bottom crust gets a nice crisp tan on it and the top cheese is perfect.  After it is sliced, you can take a slice of the pie, and hold it straight out to eat.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I don't agree with platesetter legs up for pizzas. I think that still leaves enough space for the convection heat to overheat the stone. A small spacer like the egg feet, some 3/4" nuts or 1/2" copper plumbing tees work much better. As has been said, the higher in the dome the more convection heat from above.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • ddegger
    ddegger Posts: 244
    +1 on the high dome thing.  I've done pizzas two weekends in a row and they've turned out great.  My set up is PS legs up, grate, then BGE raised grate, which puts me a couple of inches above the gasket.  I let the lump burn for about 10 mins to clear the bad smoke then drop the stone on the raised grate.  I give that about 30 mins to get hot and keep my temps at 500 - 600.  Pizza (about 13" or so) slides off the peel with some corn meal, hits the stone, and bakes in 7 - 9 minutes.  Crispy crust, melted toppings.  I did five pizzas in a row last Friday for a party and all came out fine.  Stone started at ~600 and dropped to about 500 after lots of opening and closing the EGG, but last pizza was every bit as good as the first.  Good luck!
  • Thanks for the replies! I think what I need to try is to raise the stone up a little and cook at lower temperatures... So should I just start to close the top when it approaches 500 and then let it sit for 30 minutes or so? Or do you guys just leave the top off? 
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    Thanks for the replies! I think what I need to try is to raise the stone up a little and cook at lower temperatures... So should I just start to close the top when it approaches 500 and then let it sit for 30 minutes or so? Or do you guys just leave the top off? 
    When you say leave the top off are you meaning leave the dome of the egg open?  If you are leaving the dome open during cooking then that is your problem.  Quickly open the dome put the pizza in, check it at about 5 minutes, you may need to rotate it some.
  • Jellyworm
    Jellyworm Posts: 96
    As a newbie, only having my large BGE since Christmas, I cooked 3 pizzas this weekend with great results. PS was legs down, then grill with 16" stone on grill. Temp was 500-550. Crust and toppings were awesome.
    Large BGE
    Houston, TX
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    If by top, you mean the Daisy Wheel (more likely) I leave it completely off during a pizza cook and control the temp with the bottom vent.
  • TFols
    TFols Posts: 241
    My setup is PS legs down, inverted Woo then stone. 550-600 dome, rotate at 3min, pull at about 6min. Comes out great every time. Must admit that I am buying the doe from a local pizzeria.
    Bloomfield, NJ
  • ddegger
    ddegger Posts: 244
    Duganboy said:
    If by top, you mean the Daisy Wheel (more likely) I leave it completely off during a pizza cook and control the temp with the bottom vent.

    This
  • Yes I was talking about the Daisy Wheel.. Alrighty I think I will give it another go and see what happens, Thanks!
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Here's something nobody has brought up: What kind of cheese are you using?

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • i agree with getting the pizza higher in the dome. i use three rocks that are smooth and all the same size in between the plate setter and pizza stone to get airflow underneath the pizza stone. 

    Griffin might have something there, provolone browns way nicer then most cheese i have found.  
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Get yourself a good block of cheese and shred it yourself. It won't have all the stuff added to it to prevent it from clumping like pre-shredded cheeses do and it will melt better and brown up.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings