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Pizza - Crust Not Blistering?

SteelCitySmoke814
SteelCitySmoke814 Posts: 112
in EggHead Forum
I'm curious.  My family has been plenty satisfied with these pizza off the egg, but I'm a bit stuck on a visual aspect. 

I see plenty of pizzas come off BGE(s) with a nice blistery crust that looks true to the somewhat Neapolitan look.  I seem to struggle to get that charred crust, and I'm curious if it's my dough (I doubt) or process/temp/other?

My setup is roughly 500 degrees, with a stone over direct flame on the upper rack of an AR.  It seems, to me, I'm not getting enough heat above the pie to achieve that crust look, but that seems like an awful theory given I'm getting the pizza so high in the dome. 

Any thoughts are appreciated.  Thanks!
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Comments

  • HellrodKC
    HellrodKC Posts: 174
    Don't take any of this as gospel... But it might be your setup. The way I understand it, an indirect setup sends heat up and around the egg and into the dome, which redirects down into the food. Your setup of a stone raised direct may not be creating this effect. 

    That being said, if the pizza tastes great, don't worry about the blistered crust! Great taste is great taste and that's what matters 
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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,896
    How long are you preheating the pizza stone before adding the pizza? I'm no pizza expert compared to many on here, but my results haven't been as good when I've rushed that part of it. Patience is required.
    Stillwater, MN
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    edited May 2016

    I'm with you on the quest for the perfect pie.  I'd agree with @StillH2OEgger about getting everything nice and hot.  Might also try raising your target temp until you reach the result you want.

    Phoenix 
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  • EggDan
    EggDan Posts: 174
    Try putting a little butter on the outer crust.  That should add some color. 
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  • Stormbringer
    Stormbringer Posts: 2,477
    edited May 2016
    Assuming your 500 degrees is 500F, I think you should try with a higher temperature and as others have said, make sure everything is hot.

    I cook at 400C/750F, indirect and using fire bricks to raise the pizza high into the dome, to the point where the temperature gauge is almost touching it. The heat reflects in nicely for a slightly charred effect. I have the pizza stone in the egg set up like that for at least 20 mins to get the stone warm.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Cooking and blogging with a Large and Minimax in deepest, darkest England-shire
    | My food blog ... BGE and other stuff ... http://www.thecooksdigest.com
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  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
    I use platesetter legs up, grate on top of that, thn little ceramic feet, then stone. Your temp should be fine but give your egg plenty of time to come to temp and reach heat absorb ion (I try for at least 90 minutes)
    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
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  • bigbadben
    bigbadben Posts: 397
    I go 750 F. Stack two stones with a third stone above the pie. No sugar or fat in my dough. Less is more with topping. 

    I just started reading ken forkish's new pizza book. Looks like a great find. 
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  • SteelCitySmoke814
    SteelCitySmoke814 Posts: 112
    Thank you all!  I'm having a couple friends over tonight for a pizza night (making a few pies with whatever we feel like), and will report back.

    I'm thinking it's a combination of me doing "raised direct" (in comparison to an indirect down low then stone up higher) and my cooking temp (I'll bump to 550-600).  We shall see!
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  • SteelCitySmoke814
    SteelCitySmoke814 Posts: 112
    bigbadben said:
    I go 750 F. Stack two stones with a third stone above the pie. No sugar or fat in my dough. Less is more with topping. 

    I just started reading ken forkish's new pizza book. Looks like a great find. 

    He has a pizza book!?  About two months ago I came to own his Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast book, and I can't love it any more than I do.  I'll be ordering this!
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    bigbadben said:

    I just started reading ken forkish's new pizza book. Looks like a great find. 

     Thanks for the heads up on the book.  Just put it in the cart.  These are two other good pizza books, fyi.

    http://www.amazon.com/My-Pizza-Easy-No-Knead-Spectacular/dp/0307886158/ref=sr_1_24?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1463324442&sr=1-24&keywords=pizza

    http://www.amazon.com/American-Pie-Search-Perfect-Pizza/dp/1580084222/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1463324487&sr=1-7&keywords=pizza
    Phoenix 
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    My guess is that you need to address three areas:
    1. Dough - high hydration recipe
    2. Temp - get over 700° And long warm up period
    3. Setup - indirect with pizza stone high in dome


    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • SteelCitySmoke814
    SteelCitySmoke814 Posts: 112
    So, as mentioned had friends over for a pizza night. I only took pics of one of the three, but silly me I think I somewhat backed into what may have been my biggest combatant aside from cooking temp.

    I once read that commercial places who run pizza stone all day dampen them between pies with a wet tag to cool them a touch before every pie since they're on heat nonstop.  We did 3 pies tonight, and I wet it normally for the first, backed down on how much water on the second, and did none on the third.  The third is pictured. 

    Pie 1 - Margherita 
    Pie 2 - White anchovy w/ artichoke heart
    Pie 3 (pictured) - smoked pepperoni with caramelized red onion



    Taste was fantastic, and our friends were truly impressed at all 3 pies. 
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    You're heading in the right direction, looks nice.

    On such a longer bake in the egg, the wet rag is useless.

    Are you baking with the screen?  If so, you will get better spring, "blistering", without them. 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • SteelCitySmoke814
    SteelCitySmoke814 Posts: 112
    Focker said:
    You're heading in the right direction, looks nice.

    On such a longer bake in the egg, the wet rag is useless.

    Are you baking with the screen?  If so, you will get better spring, "blistering", without them. 

    Thanks!

    To date, I usually cook it on the screen for 4-5 min til the pie slides off with next to no effort then finish it up directly on the stone. 
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  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
    jtcBoynton said:
    My guess is that you need to address three areas:
    1. Dough - high hydration recipe
    2. Temp - get over 700° And long warm up period
    3. Setup - indirect with pizza stone high in dome


    Jtcboynton has it right on the money

    High heat, high in the dome stone and high hydration will all give a bubbly crust
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    bigbadben said:
    I just started reading ken forkish's new pizza book. Looks like a great find. 

    I received my copy today.  Have not read it yet, but it is one of the best looking cookbooks I own.  Tons of beautiful, full color pictures.  Thanks again for the recommendation.

    Phoenix 
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    SteelCitySmoke814 said:
    Focker said:
    You're heading in the right direction, looks nice.

    On such a longer bake in the egg, the wet rag is useless.

    Are you baking with the screen?  If so, you will get better spring, "blistering", without them. 

    Thanks!

    To date, I usually cook it on the screen for 4-5 min til the pie slides off with next to no effort then finish it up directly on the stone. 
    Lose the screen. Direct contact of the dough on the stone allows for heat transfer by conduction which is important if your want the blistering.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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