Pizza Fail!

johnl350 · February 2016

I cooked pizza for the game on Sunday night and used Publix pizza dough. The first pizza came out ok, but the second one i absolutely burned the crap out of the bottom of it. I couldnt really tell that it was burning because the top looked fine. The egg was up around 600 Degrees, set up was platesetter legs down with pizza stone on top.
So trying to figure out what i can do to fix the issue I purchased a laser thermometer gun off of Amazon Lightning Deals for 16.00! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013X0NQT0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
My question for those of you that use these thermometers, what is an ideal temp for the pizza stone?
I also didnt like the Publix pizza dough. It just didnt taste right to me. Anybody have any other doughs they recommend? I made my own a couple of times but i dont have enough time for that usually.

Thanks in adavnce for your help!

jtcBoynton · February 2016

There is no ideal temperature for a pizza stone. It depends on the dough used and the style of pizza you are cooking.

Publix dough is designed to be cooked around 450º. Did you have a space between the plate setter and the pizza stone - it sounds like you did not. The pizza stone was getting direct heat from the fire, which tracks with your result of the bottom burning while the top still looked fine. Also most people get better results if the pizza stone is higher in the egg (2-3 inches above the felt line).

CPARKTX · February 2016

I've had okay results with store bought dough, but don't let making your own intimidate you...well worth the effort.

I would recommend a different setup: plate setter legs UP, grate, then stone.

northGAcock · February 2016

I hear you on the Publix dough. I have actually had success with it for calzones (Egg) and pizza's cooked in the oven. I quickly moved away from in when it came to egged pizza. Your stone is likely not maintaining a consistent temperature. It is important to let it sit in the egg (heating) for at a min of 30 min and 45 - an hour is really better. That said, I moved over to a 00 flour (making my own dough) which seems to be more conducive to the heat and to an extent, more forgiving with in consistent temperatures. All I can tell you is that I struggeled with pizza quite a bit until I got it where I wanted it to be. See my finally post as proof.

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1187359/a-long-time-coming-finally-mastering-the-pizza#latest

My advice is to just continue to work at it. It takes the right combination of dough, heat, time and learning's to master it. While you are on the journey, I can assure you that you will have some successes (good pizza) along the way to great pizza.

Lit · February 2016

Yes go legs up with the platesetter and I use the publix dough all the time but I preheat at 500 for a half hour atleast with the stone in then once I put the pie in I open top and bottom vents fully. Usually takes around 10 minutes to cook. You can also call around to any smaller pizzerias and see if they sell pizza dough I have found some that will.

MelSharples · February 2016

When I have used Publix dough in the past I stabilized the egg at 450° and followed the directions on the bag. Turned out pretty well for store bought dough although I watched it very carefully to make sure the bottom didn't burn. Our local Mellow Mushroom sells their dough, FWIW.

mlamb01 · February 2016

You need for the stone temp and the air temp to be about the same. To do this in the egg, you need a heat shield to protect the stone from the intense radiant heat of the coals. I use a second pizza stone of the same size to do this. You can't just sit your stone directly on top of the platesetter, the heat transfer will be too high. Every once in awhile you might get the temp just right as the temp of the stone is coming up, but your second pie will be toast, as you discovered.

Here is my setup:

(top)
pizza stone - stone the pizza actually cooks on
non conductive spacers - I use three 3/4" copper elbows on their side
pizza stone - just used as a shield
steel cooking grid
platesetter legs up
fire ring
firebowl
(bottom)

So the pizza stone you cook on will get its heat from the air surrounding it, not the coals beneath it. After my dome temp reaches my cooking temp(500 degrees), I'll hold it there and wait at least half an hour for everything to pre-heat before putting the first pizza on. Its usually about an hour from lighting the egg till the first pizza goes on.

chadpsualum · February 2016

I put a spacer between the Platesetter and the Stone to get some airflow underneath and not have stone-PS direct contact. I used the ceramic feet I have.

johnl350 · February 2016

Thanks for all the great feedback! I will definitely try a different set up. I dont have those little feet that i can use, but im going to HQ on Saturday for a cooking class so im going to see if they have any they can sell me.

@MelSharples thanks for the tip on Mellow Mushroom. They have my all time favorite dough

Carolina Q · February 2016

It doesn't matter what you use to raise the stone. Anything that won't burn is fine, even a couple of bricks turned on edge. They don't have to be fire bricks either.

Here's my setup from 2-3 years ago when I did pizza in the egg (now I just do them in my oven). Platesetter, legs down, flower pot feet, mini woo, pizza stone. Any spacers will do. This is about a 4" gap.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/th/5o84ss4y76sn.jpg

Hope this helps.

Jupiter Jim · February 2016

I agree with the previous comments, one thing I have learned is that the higher in the dome you can get the pizza the better it is the radiant heat in the dome will brown up the cheese without burning the bottom. I now use the Roswell Rig for pizza, it allows you to cook two pizza's at the same time. The top stone is very high in the dome and if I'm only cooking one pizza I just use the top stone.

http://www.innovationsbychance.com/the-roswell-rig.html

NPHuskerFL · February 2016

I'm in the PS legs down camp. Also regardless of air gap on the stone preheat with stone etc. Publix dough has a decent amount of sugar. I wouldn't go much higher than 450℉. I'm not a huge fan of their dough balls but, in a pinch I've used them. Much prefer making my own dough. No sugar....period.

blasting · February 2016

johnl350 said:

Anybody have any other doughs they recommend? I made my own a couple of times but i dont have enough time for that usually.

Hi John. I've been on a pizza mission lately. Recently I've got the book below and have been using Lehey's no-knead dough for the last six pies. This dough is terrific. I can make this dough quicker than it takes to go through the check out line with store bought. It is crazy simple, taking less than 5 minutes. Let it sit on your counter for one day. Great dough.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307886158?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Pizza Fail!

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