Perfecting Pizza // Doneness on top

kwdickert · April 2018

While everyone agrees the BGE does a good pizza, it's never the same doneness I want on top.

Has anyone tried putting the pizza on between two stones instead of the highest one?

I have two stones, one used as deflector, and one used to cook on, PLUS firebricks.

I was thinking of putting the smallest stone as deflector, putting my biggest stone in AR rig, and then putting the AR extender on and using firebricks for close proximity heat on top of pizza.

Has anyone tried this method?

Thoughts?

dmourati · April 2018

Will be easier to just use the dome lid for the same purpose. Get the pizza up higher.

fishlessman · April 2018

im with raising the pizza and raising the temps. undercooked tops are usually cooked at too low a temp. been along time since cooking a pie but 725 dome was low end in temps for thin crusts with slight charring. 550/600 for regular crust, 350 for deep dish

Focker · April 2018

In the past I've done a stone/stone steel/stone sandwich using a sand filled wok, weber grid with u bolts, to create about a 2 inch gap. I now use a Blackstone.

Give it a whirl.

Carolina Q · April 2018

I did this last time. Stone on top of a 5" high contraption (scroll down for riser pic).

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1212516/pizza-on-my-egg-not-a-typo/p1

fishlessman · April 2018

the sand filled wok that focker mentioned sends more heat to the dome than flat indirect methods. creates more of a broiler effect in the egg. flat indirect stones/setters reflect a ton of heat down, not up.

KiterTodd · April 2018

Early on I had issues with high temp cooks causing a perfect crust but an undercooked top.

Lately I have found that a 550 temp cooks a perfect thin crust pizza. You have to let the egg soak at that temp for a while so there is a lot of ambient heat in the stone and ceramic to radiate back after you open the grill. Also, opposite of what you suggested, I put a second stone (with an air gap) under my pizza stone. Seems to do a better job of preventing hot spots or flare ups so that my pizza stone temp is more consistent.

That said, once I figured this out, I haven't gone back and tried a high temp cook with a long soak.

I see a lot of pizzas posted online these days that are an overcooked brown mess on top. If that is your thing, this method may not work as you will need more heat up top. If my pepperoni curls and my cheese is just starting to brown, that's good for me.

Image: https://media.fotki.com/2v2JttQpgxvn42L.jpg

I think your stone on top method, though, is worth trying. Let it all soak good and long and you should get great radiated heat back on top.
Of course, if you do that, you can't peek in through the vent to check the cook!

kwdickert · April 2018

I should have mentioned, right now my setup is stone beneath regular grate. firebrick layer on grate. AR, pizza stone on top of AR. Pizza on that. It's HIGH up in the grill. I cook at 550-600. I just think the broiler effect is key and i'm not getting it. I preheat for over an hour. @Carolina Q's pictures are the most impressive i've seen so far! Just wondering if i build a small house out of stones and firebricks while still having a deflector below is the best for this.

Ive seen the rigs where people are cooking two pies at once and always expected that the lower pie sandwiched between two stones was the better cooked pie.

Can anyone confirm or deny that?

EDIT: Reason why im thinking deflector sandwich is that when you open the lid, the top heat source is removed, but in a sandwich like this, when the lid is open, there is still hot mass cooking the pizza.

fishlessman · April 2018

kwdickert said:

I should have mentioned, right now my setup is stone beneath regular grate. firebrick layer on grate. AR, pizza stone on top of AR. Pizza on that. It's HIGH up in the grill. I cook at 550-600. I just think the broiler effect is key and i'm not getting it. I preheat for over an hour. @Carolina Q's pictures are the most impressive i've seen so far! Just wondering if i build a small house out of stones and firebricks while still having a deflector below is the best for this.

Ive seen the rigs where people are cooking two pies at once and always expected that the lower pie sandwiched between two stones was the better cooked pie.

Can anyone confirm or deny that?

EDIT: Reason why im thinking deflector sandwich is that when you open the lid, the top heat source is removed, but in a sandwich like this, when the lid is open, there is still hot mass cooking the pizza.

ask q more specific questions, from looking at it it looks like he slices his own pepperoni, helps the grease cupping. raised grid shooting for 700 dome with an inderect setup. cheese makes a difference, soggy fresh mozz verse bagged cornmeal shredded, or a drier fresh grated from the deli. carolinaq has probably 5000 more pizza cooks under his belt than most here, notice the long ferment on the dough, big plus.

kwdickert · April 2018

With A Second Stone

Now that I have both a stone and a steel in my oven, for my next test, I tried emulating a more traditional pizza oven by placing my stone on one shelf with the steel on the shelf just underneath it. The idea is that radiant energy from the stone would help cook the top of the pizza faster, creating better charring on the top surface, and hopefully reducing cook time even more. Here's what I got:

20120826-pizza-lab-pizza-steel-testing-10jpg

The pie stuck to the peel a tiny bit as I was transferring it, which it why it's not perfectly round. Don't you hate when that happens?

Nonetheless, the browning was indeed superior, with an even poofier edge crust and some great blistered bubbles. Unfortunately, most folks don't have two stones. No matter, there's an even better way to cook pies:

This is from serious eats and affirms my suspicion!.

Thanks,

Grilltastic · April 2018

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/0s/actrzz2qotyl.jpg

Grilltastic · April 2018

This was my latest pizza using the Ken forkish method from his book Elements of Pizza. Done in the oven and was the best one to date. Better than what I was getting on my egg

Carolina Q · April 2018

@kwdickert, fine looking pizza! When I do pies in the oven, I use a steel on the center rack. Preheat oven to target temp and leave it for a while. Then, switch to broil, wait a couple of minutes for the broiler element to heat up and launch the pie. Steel is already hot so the bottom cooks nicely. Broiler takes care of the top. DO NOT LEAVE PIZZA UNATTENDED! Don't ask how I know.

re @fishlessman comments, yes hand sliced roni and no fresh mozzarella.

The post I linked earlier was my first (or second?) on the egg in several years. Setup as pictured. No special stuff. 650-700ish as I recall.

thetrim · April 2018

I like doing pizza around 600 degrees. I start it on a thin pie pan. I pull the pan and the pie goes right onto the stone after the top looks to be about done. It will cook on the pan for about 7-8 mins with me moving it around every two minutes. I'll finish directly on the stone for a couple mins & move it 90 degrees every 30 secs