Pizza methods

Powak · November 2016

I'm looking to upgrade my pizza cooking methods on the Egg. Right now I get a decent amount of cornmeal on the peel, assemble my pie on it and work to slide it off onto the stone in the egg. Sometimes I loose all my toppings other times I've had too much cornmeal on there. Has anyone ever tried using pizza screens like some of the pizza joints do? I'm thinking about possibly getting a couple of those, building the pizza right on the screen and then placing on the stone or maybe just the grate? Another idea I had was doing what I've seen at some local pie joints - assembling the pizza in a steel pan, toss that on top of the stone, bake it until the crust is starting to harden and then slide the pie off the pan and finish directly on the stone. Suggestions?

fishlessman · November 2016

you can change things up, i associate thin crust pizza with little sauce and sparse toppings if any at all, thicker crusts, more sauce and cheese and toppings are great in cast ironn pans, really thick crusts like deep dish i use a pan. temps for each style are different as well. too much sauce on thin crust pizza makes things stick and i do NOT want cornmeal on a thin crust, i use flour for those and find i need to work very quick with them, thats the beaty of the thin crust pies

Nashville_Egger · November 2016

You should try assembling your pizza on a piece of parchment paper. Then just place the pizza and parchment paper directly on the pizza stone. After a few minutes you can pull the paper out from under the pizza.

I used to fool with pizza peels and cornmeal but ever since I tried the parchment paper method my pizza making has gotten a lot easier. And there's a lot less cornmeal all over my kitchen...

JT272929 · November 2016

I actually thought about asking a couple of pizza place owners I know if I could buy some of the "broke in" pizza pans from lets say a pizza hut. wonder if anyone has tried it

Grillmagic · November 2016

Powak said:

I'm looking to upgrade my pizza cooking methods on the Egg. Right now I get a decent amount of cornmeal on the peel, assemble my pie on it and work to slide it off onto the stone in the egg. Sometimes I loose all my toppings other times I've had too much cornmeal on there. Has anyone ever tried using pizza screens like some of the pizza joints do? I'm thinking about possibly getting a couple of those, building the pizza right on the screen and then placing on the stone or maybe just the grate? Another idea I had was doing what I've seen at some local pie joints - assembling the pizza in a steel pan, toss that on top of the stone, bake it until the crust is starting to harden and then slide the pie off the pan and finish directly on the stone. Suggestions?

I use pizza screens and recommend them, in 1973/74 and 75 I worked in the number one pizza joint in my hometown and we used cornmeal on a pizza peel and worked great however when I came back in 1976 to work the summer from college they switch to pizza screens and I could not tell a difference in the quality of the pie I did notice it was a lot easier to build and transfer the pie to the oven and it's what I've used ever sense, I build the pie on the screen and put it on the Egg and when it firms up enough I slide it off the screen direct the stone to finish, I bake at 475/500 and they come out great. There is a excellent cook/chef that would call you names and tell you how wrong you are for using this method but hey for 6.99 at GFS you can give it a try and see what you think for your self. No matter what method you use the Egg makes great pizza. Here are a couple picks if interested.

Powak · November 2016

Grillmagic said:

Powak said:

I'm looking to upgrade my pizza cooking methods on the Egg. Right now I get a decent amount of cornmeal on the peel, assemble my pie on it and work to slide it off onto the stone in the egg. Sometimes I loose all my toppings other times I've had too much cornmeal on there. Has anyone ever tried using pizza screens like some of the pizza joints do? I'm thinking about possibly getting a couple of those, building the pizza right on the screen and then placing on the stone or maybe just the grate? Another idea I had was doing what I've seen at some local pie joints - assembling the pizza in a steel pan, toss that on top of the stone, bake it until the crust is starting to harden and then slide the pie off the pan and finish directly on the stone. Suggestions?

I use pizza screens and recommend them, in 1973/74 and 75 I worked in the number one pizza joint in my hometown and we used cornmeal on a pizza peel and worked great however when I came back in 1976 to work the summer from college they switch to pizza screens and I could not tell a difference in the quality of the pie I did notice it was a lot easier to build and transfer the pie to the oven and it's what I've used ever sense, I build the pie on the screen and put it on the Egg and when it firms up enough I slide it off the screen direct the stone to finish, I bake at 475/500 and they come out great. There is a excellent cook/chef that would call you names and tell you how wrong you are for using this method but hey for 6.99 at GFS you can give it a try and see what you think for your self. No matter what method you use the Egg makes great pizza. Here are a couple picks if interested.

That looks amazing!!! I'm definitely gonna pick up some screens.

NPHuskerFL · November 2016

Ditch the cornmeal and use semolina.

Carolina Q · November 2016

I used a screen. Once. It was awful. I used parchment once too. Almost as bad.

Learn to use a peel. Here's mine with just a pinch of semolina - that's all you need! Shape the dough, place it on the peel and all toppings. Been doing it for years. Haven't lost one yet and the bottom of the crust is like the crust is supposed to be.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/9u/5uclkevwh845.jpg

SPRIGS · November 2016

Parchment works for me.

JohnnyTarheel · November 2016

Parchment for me... so simple

bgebrent · November 2016

Parchment simplifies the cook. Thats with semolina. Not a cheat, a fix.

Focker · November 2016

Grillmagic said:

Powak said:

I'm looking to upgrade my pizza cooking methods on the Egg. Right now I get a decent amount of cornmeal on the peel, assemble my pie on it and work to slide it off onto the stone in the egg. Sometimes I loose all my toppings other times I've had too much cornmeal on there. Has anyone ever tried using pizza screens like some of the pizza joints do? I'm thinking about possibly getting a couple of those, building the pizza right on the screen and then placing on the stone or maybe just the grate? Another idea I had was doing what I've seen at some local pie joints - assembling the pizza in a steel pan, toss that on top of the stone, bake it until the crust is starting to harden and then slide the pie off the pan and finish directly on the stone. Suggestions?

I use pizza screens and recommend them, in 1973/74 and 75 I worked in the number one pizza joint in my hometown and we used cornmeal on a pizza peel and worked great however when I came back in 1976 to work the summer from college they switch to pizza screens and I could not tell a difference in the quality of the pie I did notice it was a lot easier to build and transfer the pie to the oven and it's what I've used ever sense, I build the pie on the screen and put it on the Egg and when it firms up enough I slide it off the screen direct the stone to finish, I bake at 475/500 and they come out great. There is a excellent cook/chef that would call you names and tell you how wrong you are for using this method but hey for 6.99 at GFS you can give it a try and see what you think for your self. No matter what method you use the Egg makes great pizza. Here are a couple picks if interested.

Focker · November 2016

JT272929 said:

I actually thought about asking a couple of pizza place owners I know if I could buy some of the "broke in" pizza pans from lets say a pizza hut. wonder if anyone has tried it

I would love to get a hold of one. I doubt Pizza Hut even uses the old pans from the 90s, after going downhill.

Here's one, always thought they were iron. At 50, I'm good using the Griswold. But cool to see one out there.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-14-5-Pizza-Hut-Italian-Pie-Aluminum-Pan-With-Plastic-Holding-Tray-/112152839754?nav=SEARCH

Focker · November 2016

From what I have gathered, one needs to use certain pizza styles in the BGE.

Chicago, St Louis, Detroit, QC, cracker, pan, thin crust, I'm sure there are a couple of others, are good in the BGE. These styles are often baked in the BGE sweetspot of 450-550.

I've had the egg fully loaded and wide open often, timing the launch at peak BTUs. Fastest I could get was a 3 min bake. So a Neapolitan is impossible, without some serious modifications.

NY style can be done, but they're not in the BGE wheelhouse. The bake times are too long IMO, for a true NYer. The Blackstone Pizza Oven is perfect for this, and Neapolitan.

Good thing about a few of the styles listed above, Chicago, pan, Detroit, they are assembled in the baking vessel of your choice.

Screens are good for resting after the bake.
Parchment is good for nothing.

Powak · November 2016

Carolina Q said:

I used a screen. Once. It was awful. I used parchment once too. Almost as bad.

Learn to use a peel. Here's mine with just a pinch of semolina - that's all you need! Shape the dough, place it on the peel and all toppings. Been doing it for years. Haven't lost one yet and the bottom of the crust is like the crust is supposed to be.

My peel's aluminum. Maybe that's the issue!

Carolina Q · November 2016

Powak said:

Carolina Q said:

I used a screen. Once. It was awful. I used parchment once too. Almost as bad.

Learn to use a peel. Here's mine with just a pinch of semolina - that's all you need! Shape the dough, place it on the peel and add toppings. Been doing it for years. Haven't lost one yet and the bottom of the crust is like the crust is supposed to be.

My peel's aluminum. Maybe that's the issue!

Could be. I don't use an aluminum peel so I can't say from experience, but I understand that dough tends to stick to them more readily. Many folks have one of each. They use wood for building the pie and launching it and aluminum to turn it and retrieve. I just use wood.

As for screens or parchment paper, have you ever seen either used in a pizza joint? I haven't. There are reasons for that. Time, cost, process... and quality of the crust.

fishlessman · November 2016

Focker said:

From what I have gathered, one needs to use certain pizza styles in the BGE.

Chicago, St Louis, Detroit, QC, cracker, pan, thin crust, I'm sure there are a couple of others, are good in the BGE. These styles are often baked in the BGE sweetspot of 450-550.

I've had the egg fully loaded and wide open often, timing the launch at peak BTUs. Fastest I could get was a 3 min bake. So a Neapolitan is impossible, without some serious modifications.

NY style can be done, but they're not in the BGE wheelhouse. The bake times are too long IMO, for a true NYer. The Blackstone Pizza Oven is perfect for this, and Neapolitan.

Good thing about a few of the styles listed above, Chicago, pan, Detroit, they are assembled in the baking vessel of your choice.

Screens are good for resting after the bake.
Parchment is good for nothing.

years ago i had it down to under a minute, 53 seconds, but its too scary a cook opening that dome

i should try it again, the knowledge of dough making on this forum is way above what it was then, ive never made a dough for that style, was just buying store bought

Carolina Q · November 2016

fishlessman said:

years ago i had it down to under a minute, 53 seconds, but its too scary a cook opening that dome i should try it again, the knowledge of dough making on this forum is way above what it was then, ive never made a dough for that style, was just buying store bought

These were scary enough.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/08/m5lscifl1ihh.jpg

I can only imagine 1200°!

Zippylip · November 2016

fishlessman said:

years ago i had it down to under a minute, 53 seconds, but its too scary a cook opening that dome i should try it again, the knowledge of dough making on this forum is way above what it was then, ive never made a dough for that style, was just buying store bought

Fish, of course the issue is not attaining those temps in a ceramic cooker but rather controlling them - that build up of heat under the dome that rushes out when you open it to put your pie on creates 2 problems, a horrifying blast of heat where you don't want it (bathing the poor bastard opening the dome) & a corresponding horrifying loss of heat where you do want it (bathing your pie inside the cooker). While not a design flaw (doubt they were thinking about 1000 degree pizzas bakes 3000 years ago when they were slapping clay together to form Kamados), it has nonetheless proven to be an impediment to super-high/even temp baking. Enter open door WFO's & blackstones which effortlessly eliminate these problems allowing you to bake at any temp you want painlessly and evenly.

fishlessman · November 2016

Zippylip said:

fishlessman said:

years ago i had it down to under a minute, 53 seconds, but its too scary a cook opening that dome i should try it again, the knowledge of dough making on this forum is way above what it was then, ive never made a dough for that style, was just buying store bought

Fish, of course the issue is not attaining those temps in a ceramic cooker but rather controlling them - that build up of heat under the dome that rushes out when you open it to put your pie on creates 2 problems, a horrifying blast of heat where you don't want it (bathing the poor bastard opening the dome) & a corresponding horrifying loss of heat where you do want it (bathing your pie inside the cooker). While not a design flaw (doubt they were thinking about 1000 degree pizzas bakes 3000 years ago when they were slapping clay together to form Kamados), it has nonetheless proven to be an impediment to super-high/even temp baking. Enter open door WFO's & blackstones which effortlessly eliminate these problems allowing you to bake at any temp you want painlessly and evenly.

it can be done though, but i dont suggest the timid to try it

the loss of heat really isnt a big issue, the blue fireball is literally hovering over the pie within seconds after shutting the dome. but it is safer, more practical,to use the right tools and the chance of losing the dome is high if your not watching how loose those bands get during the cook. do those wfo's and blackstones get to 1200 f

jtcBoynton · November 2016

fishlessman said:

Zippylip said:

fishlessman said:

years ago i had it down to under a minute, 53 seconds, but its too scary a cook opening that dome i should try it again, the knowledge of dough making on this forum is way above what it was then, ive never made a dough for that style, was just buying store bought

Fish, of course the issue is not attaining those temps in a ceramic cooker but rather controlling them - that build up of heat under the dome that rushes out when you open it to put your pie on creates 2 problems, a horrifying blast of heat where you don't want it (bathing the poor bastard opening the dome) & a corresponding horrifying loss of heat where you do want it (bathing your pie inside the cooker). While not a design flaw (doubt they were thinking about 1000 degree pizzas bakes 3000 years ago when they were slapping clay together to form Kamados), it has nonetheless proven to be an impediment to super-high/even temp baking. Enter open door WFO's & blackstones which effortlessly eliminate these problems allowing you to bake at any temp you want painlessly and evenly.

it can be done though, but i dont suggest the timid to try it the loss of heat really isnt a big issue, the blue fireball is literally hovering over the pie within seconds after shutting the dome. but it is safer, more practical,to use the right tools and the chance of losing the dome is high if your not watching how loose those bands get during the cook. do those wfo's and blackstones get to 1200 f

Have they changed the Blackstones? The ones I see have a maximum design temp of 800°. Still plenty hot for pizza, but 1200° is way above their design max.

hondabbq · November 2016

I have found that when opening fresh dough, that if you take too much time assembling your pizza on the peel it has a tendency to stick tot he peel. Even after flouring or using semolina.

Parchment will of course work but just speeding up the process of assembly I found helps too.

Focker · November 2016

fishlessman said:

Focker said:

From what I have gathered, one needs to use certain pizza styles in the BGE.

Chicago, St Louis, Detroit, QC, cracker, pan, thin crust, I'm sure there are a couple of others, are good in the BGE. These styles are often baked in the BGE sweetspot of 450-550.

I've had the egg fully loaded and wide open often, timing the launch at peak BTUs. Fastest I could get was a 3 min bake. So a Neapolitan is impossible, without some serious modifications.

NY style can be done, but they're not in the BGE wheelhouse. The bake times are too long IMO, for a true NYer. The Blackstone Pizza Oven is perfect for this, and Neapolitan.

Good thing about a few of the styles listed above, Chicago, pan, Detroit, they are assembled in the baking vessel of your choice.

Screens are good for resting after the bake.
Parchment is good for nothing.

years ago i had it down to under a minute, 53 seconds, but its too scary a cook opening that dome i should try it again, the knowledge of dough making on this forum is way above what it was then, ive never made a dough for that style, was just buying store bought

Did you use a tortilla for your dough?

To add on to Marc, the BGE can get up to temp no problem, it is it's design, that is flawed for this. The heat just blows right throw the egg too fast, instead of arcing it where you need it, like the beautifully designed Blackstone, and WFOs.

I forgot to add the style of pizza that is most popular on the egg...the Muricano.

A wannabe NYer, little to no spring, usually overtopped, overbaked, with a rock hard cornicione. Murican eggheads love it.

cazzy · November 2016

I've been on a huge pizza kick the last year or so. I love experimenting, and am fascinated how subtle changes leads to different texture and taste. I went through the who Neo thing, but I've been stuck on NY style the past 6 months.

No need to do all that, as @Carolina Q said, learn to use your peel and go from there. I honestly haven't used an egg or oven for pizza since I bought a Blackstone. Maybe one day I'll get a WFO, but it's just too easy to fire up my BS and get consistent results.

Some recent bakes.

Good luck!! Lots of good info on YouTube and pizzamaking forum.

Carolina Q · November 2016

@cazzy, nice lookin' pies!! One of these days, I'll get a Blackstone. Until then, my oven with a steel will have to do.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/3g/0qy344xv4brt.jpg

cazzy · November 2016

Carolina Q said:

@cazzy, nice lookin' pies!! One of these days, I'll get a Blackstone. Until then, my oven with a steel will have to do.

Thanks! Nobody has an oven like yours though, so I don't blame you. Nice looking pie!

Carolina Q · November 2016

cazzy said:

Carolina Q said:

@cazzy, nice lookin' pies!! One of these days, I'll get a Blackstone. Until then, my oven with a steel will have to do.

Thanks! Nobody has an oven like yours though, so I don't blame you. Nice looking pie!

Tru dat, but I haven't been using it's capabilities lately. 550° for most pies. The steel/broiler combo is awesome!

Zippylip · November 2016

fishlessman said:
it can be done though, but i dont suggest the timid to try it the loss of heat really isnt a big issue, the blue fireball is literally hovering over the pie within seconds after shutting the dome. but it is safer, more practical,to use the right tools and the chance of losing the dome is high if your not watching how loose those bands get during the cook. do those wfo's and blackstones get to 1200 f

I don't know about a wfo & as for the blackstone I have to extrapolate as I don't have an inferred thermometer either however baking a pie in 90 seconds takes wicked high temps. The thing about the blackstone is that it can sprint to those temps in 15 minutes (weather permitting), so I can imagine if you let it rip for 30 minutes it has to be at or near 1200.

* edit: Fish, yea, I've done it too, years ago & agree it's not for the timid or the novice, in fact it's probably really not for anyone - I wouldn't put my egg through that repeatedly for fear of damage... it does fine chugging along at 550 anyway

jtcBoynton said:

Have they changed the Blackstones? The ones I see have a maximum design temp of 800°. Still plenty hot for pizza, but 1200° is way above their design max.

'Design temp max', is that like 'max weight' warnings I see on everything that are always undervalued for our protection hahaha. If you're referring to the read on the thermometer that's installed I've found that thing all but useless, basically an ornament. It will typically read 450 when I'm doing 2 minute pies, at true 450 a pie will take a minimum of 10 minutes if not more so that thermometer is way way off.

Zippylip · November 2016

cazzy said:

that's exactly about perfect right there, bet that thing was delicious

cazzy · November 2016

Zippylip said:

cazzy said:

that's exactly about perfect right there, bet that thing was delicious

It was definitely a memorable pie! My FIL and I went back for 2nds and 3rds.

Also, I've been using your Italian sausage method ever since you posted it, so many thanks!

Focker · November 2016

The heat arcs and hits the pie, then exits the front of the BS, I think the therm is somewhat accurate in its given location.

Fish, I love ya, but gonna have to call BS on this 53 sec pie. I don't even think its possible with a flour tortilla. Unless your adding a mod to push the heat down.

Have wrapped the needle to launch many times completely full load of lump hitting the inverted platesetter, wide open screen and all, even as far as a Weber grid and u bolts with an additional preheated stone 3 inches above, closest I could get was 3 min, this one.

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