Ken Chapman
TVWBB Fan
Friday started off to be a family pizza cook. I figured we could use the grill with the Kettle Pizza. I've had very good luck with the KP in the past and set out to have another fun evening cooking and eating pizza. The pizzas came out pretty good just not "done" enough for me. My wife doesn't like the charred bottom so to keep the wife happy I had to pull the pies a little early. Here's the KP heating up
I should let it heat a little longer. I also used some left over coals which I should have rearranged. Here is a shot of the oak splits I used to get the temps up.
they are about 8-10 inches long. You can see the SJ silver legs in the background for reference. I didn't get any pics of inside the kettle or the fire layout because it was just too hot.
I took a shot of the dusted peel. I use quite a bit of semolina on the peel but I do clean it off for each pizza. I had no problems with any of the pizzas sticking to the peel.
Here is a pesto, ham, mushroom and artichoke pizza. It's the wife's favorite combo.
The crust looks done but the cheese needed a little more time to finish. The bottom looks pretty good as well.
I was too busy cooking to get many more pictures but here is one more. It was a fun night but I think I would need to let the stone and kettle heat a little more before use. Everyone was hungry and wanted to eat so I rushed it a little.
And I really need to teach someone else in the house how to throw out a pizza. It sure is a PITA to have to run in, get the next pizza going and run out before the pizza on the grill burns. We cooked four pizzas and I think the cook time was averaging at about three and half minutes per pizza. I don't have an IR thermometer and FWIW the KP thermometer was pegged out. Ity says 700 but I never calibrated that thermometer so who knows.
The pesto pizza was the American Style dough and the other ones were the NY style dough out of the American Pie cookbook by Peter Reinhart. Great book! I cant recommend it enough.
All in all I say it was successful. The pizza tasted great, the family was happy and the beer was cold. What more do you need?
I should let it heat a little longer. I also used some left over coals which I should have rearranged. Here is a shot of the oak splits I used to get the temps up.
they are about 8-10 inches long. You can see the SJ silver legs in the background for reference. I didn't get any pics of inside the kettle or the fire layout because it was just too hot.
I took a shot of the dusted peel. I use quite a bit of semolina on the peel but I do clean it off for each pizza. I had no problems with any of the pizzas sticking to the peel.
Here is a pesto, ham, mushroom and artichoke pizza. It's the wife's favorite combo.
The crust looks done but the cheese needed a little more time to finish. The bottom looks pretty good as well.
I was too busy cooking to get many more pictures but here is one more. It was a fun night but I think I would need to let the stone and kettle heat a little more before use. Everyone was hungry and wanted to eat so I rushed it a little.
And I really need to teach someone else in the house how to throw out a pizza. It sure is a PITA to have to run in, get the next pizza going and run out before the pizza on the grill burns. We cooked four pizzas and I think the cook time was averaging at about three and half minutes per pizza. I don't have an IR thermometer and FWIW the KP thermometer was pegged out. Ity says 700 but I never calibrated that thermometer so who knows.
The pesto pizza was the American Style dough and the other ones were the NY style dough out of the American Pie cookbook by Peter Reinhart. Great book! I cant recommend it enough.
All in all I say it was successful. The pizza tasted great, the family was happy and the beer was cold. What more do you need?
