Chop Top Pizza Oven Mod


 
Brian Moriarty

Brian Moriarty

TVWBB All-Star
I wasn't happy with my kettle pizza clone and got this idea from a guy on the forums. I call it the Chop Top Pizza lid.

Just to see if it would work, I sacrificed a couple lids and came up with this-

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It is double insulated with a lid inside the lid.

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I was pretty happy with the results

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So I took the next step and went with a RED lid. Lets just say it had "issues" and it was a good candidate for this sacrilege!

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A door for pre heating

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It gets HOT!

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I use a Big Green Egg pizza stone (L) banked coals in the back and a small layer under the stone.
 
Interesting. I was thinking of picking up the Pizzaque to try but I may just grab an old 22" off CL and try this. How did you make the cuts! I was thinking a diamond blade on a dremel?

What was the thought behind the double lid in your trial version? Does the red get just as hot?
 
I like the idea!
How do you get so many extra lids?

And it looks like red might be your favourite colour ;)
 
MarkMac said:
Interesting. I was thinking of picking up the Pizzaque to try but I may just grab an old 22" off CL and try this. How did you make the cuts! I was thinking a diamond blade on a dremel?

What was the thought behind the double lid in your trial version? Does the red get just as hot?
Click to expand...

I built a Kettle Pizza clone out of a 55 gallon drum and had 2 steel plates secured to the top grate - sort of a Baking Steel mod.

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It worked fine, but was kind of a PITA when it came to adding fuel, so I took the cue from others that sought to simulate the Weber Pizza Oven available in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9X3UROLQWY

The double insulated lid is an attempt to try to retain heat- The Summit Charcoal grills are - so why not give it a shot?

I used a China Freight 3" cut off tool, this would burn out a Dremel. Drill pilot holes at the edges for clean cut corners.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-heavy-duty-electric-cut-off-tool-68523.html

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I understand the fondness for the redheads! I am looking for that model gasser for the right price.
Classic black 22, Maroon 18, I NEED the red gasser! And a WSM in green? Yellow? Ooooh, copper! Yeah, that's it!
 
That design looks pro, Brian! How did you manage to get your kettle that hot by the way? Is it the huge opening only which helps your kettle reach over 650F or is there some other trick here? How much fuel did you use?

I tried to bake pizzas over lump charcoal a few times in an unmodded 18" but no matter what I tried, I couldn't really get my kettle over 450F with the pizza stone inside and I couldn't stay even at this temp for too long.. I feel a bit lost here on doing this properly.
 
The pizza kettle instructions clearly states that CHARCOAL alone will not get the temps over 500 degrees and that you will need pieces of soft wood to be able to reach temps above 700 degrees.
 
You need air flow and pretty much use charcoal to start burning wood. Wood is more or less the fuel. You don't want that heat under the stone other wise you will burn the bottom before the top gets done.
 
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