Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Newbie

Got a BGE for Xmas. Absolutely love it. Thanks you to the people who post info in this forum. It's provided a nice building block. I have a question about pizza. I like thin crust, crispy pie. How long is about right to preheat the pizza stone if the dome temp is around 500. Hello again to all and you'll be seeing a lot of me.

Comments

  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,838
    I want to be the first to welcome you but pizza is not my forte'.
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    edited January 2014
    First of all welcome to the collective, you have been assimilated.

    Most recipes I use (and not just for the Egg) that call for a pizza stone, say to preheat it for 30 minutes prior to use. I preheat my Egg with the stone in it and once I am stable at my desired cooking temperature, I then go another 30 minutes beyond that. In your case that would be stable at 500, not reached 500. I happen to like my pizzas at 650. Another side benefit to having a stable Egg that has been going for another 30 minutes is you will get a fast recovery if you are cooking multiple pizzas in cold weather.

    Jim
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • Welcome! I also preheat my stone for no less than a half hour. I like to get it nice and hot, it really helps to crisp up that crust and helps in the whole non-sticking process
    Pure Michigan
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Mini BGE, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Performer.
    If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    About 1/2 hour after I reach 550. You need to find the temp that gets the crust just the way you like it! Personal preference. I have seen folks from 500 to 700. For that's 550.
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
  • 550 for me seems right, any higher and the bottom of pizza starts to get burnt.  My setup is PS legs down, 4 1/2" copper tees on top of PS and then pizzza stone on top of that.  Doing this is supposed to allow for more airflow and less burnage on bottom of pizza.  I have done pizza on aluminum pizza pan and it came out nice and crispy, and also pizza directly on stone.  I like directly on stone to get a little color on the bottom of crust, but kids don't like that.

    If needed, here is a decent pizza dough recipe that requires little work and the dough keeps well for up to a couple weeks in the fridge:

    Gregg
    Large BGE Owner since December of 2013!
    Marietta, GA
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    About 30 minutes after preheat. Depending on stone thickness, outdoor temp etc. I always use IR to check stone temp. Sometimes stone will go way to high so I keep a damp cloth handy to wipe stone and it keeps me in the 550-650F. I have done 800F once or twice but, prefer 650-700F.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Thanks for the help guys! It appears 30 minutes is the magic number for preheating. In retrospect I probably preheated my stone for 10ish minutes last night, hence the less than crispy crust. Doofus do those copper pieces just sit atop the PS with the stone stitting on top in the same fashion your picture shows? 
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,528
    @DoofusOfTheDay - In my MBGE I found the best set up to be setter egs up, grid on the setter legs, "Ts" on the grid. Provided better temp control and is a touch easier on gaskets. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • DoofusOfTheDay
    DoofusOfTheDay Posts: 401
    edited January 2014
    @DoofusOfTheDay - In my MBGE I found the best set up to be setter egs up, grid on the setter legs, "Ts" on the grid. Provided better temp control and is a touch easier on gaskets. 
    Your setup makes more sense to have even more air flow under stone.
    Gregg
    Large BGE Owner since December of 2013!
    Marietta, GA
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    If you go real high temperatures remember to burp the egg. Welcome.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Thanks again guys...I will get some of those copper pieces and go for 30 minutes of preheating @skiddymarker and @doofus.