Making pizza on the WSM.

[Paul M]

Are you using the Kettle Pizza on a WSM?

 

[Arun L.]

Thanks. Looking at that Kamado, it has similar shape features to a WSM. So if you're struggling, then I can see why I'm struggling.

I'll do the best I can a few more times. There may be a point at which I realize I can't make it any better than it is.

Question: Should I try again with the Kettle Pizza on top of the charcoal grate, or is that too close to the fire and that causes the bottom to cook too quickly? And it's better to use the middle cooking section and just cook longer because there's less heat?

I forgot why I didn't use the lid on the 7/31 attempt. I had some reason on that day, but don't remember it anymore. I did use the lid on the 8/24 attempt.

Are you using the Kettle Pizza on a WSM?

Yes, as it's the only charcoal grill I have.

 

[JBooker]

Thoughts anyone, bump? Thanks.

Either way your going to have a hard time getting even heat between the top and bottom of the pizza. I would probably use the mid section so you at least away from the hot heat. Id figure out a way to cover up the top of the pizza kettle without using the WSM's big dome lid. Something like a metal pizza pan covered in foil.

 

[Arun L.]

Either way your going to have a hard time getting even heat between the top and bottom of the pizza. I would probably use the mid section so you at least away from the hot heat. Id figure out a way to cover up the top of the pizza kettle without using the WSM's big dome lid. Something like a metal pizza pan covered in foil.

I like your metal pizza pan covered in foil idea. It's a cheap and easy thing to try before trying to get something manufactured.

Should I get an 18" pan or a 20" pan?

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00EAXVSEA/tvwb-20

One reason to get a 20" would be because if I get an 18", it might not cover the whole area and fall through a little bit.

On the other hand, if I cover an 18" in aluminum foil, it might make it wide enough so that it will stay in place and not fall through the top. The foil would add a little bit of thickness.

 

[Arun L.]

I attempted to make pizza yesterday.

Pics:

http://imgur.com/a/x1xhK/layout/grid

One thing I liked about Barb's dough recipe was that it recommended making final dough ratio adjustments using tablespoons. That's a good tip, and something I hadn't done before.

I used my food scale to measure the water and dough. I used 326 grams of water and 566 grams of dough, for a 57.6% water ratio.

Less than the max of 70%.

One thing I noticed about using all purpose flour again for dough, vs. the last several times where I was using bread flour, was that all purpose flour is softer and easier to form / stretch.

I felt good about the dough as I was making it.

This dough looked smooth.

However I did notice that after I removed it from the mixing bowl, after it had risen, some had stuck to the bowl.

http://i.imgur.com/b6x8h07.jpg

I don't think the dough had stuck like this the last several times I made it?

Still, when I was stretching it and putting the toppings on, it didn't feel too sticky after I had dusted the surface with cornmeal and flour.

However, when I tried transferring it onto the peel, it deformed a lot.

You can see from the album an earlier pic after I put the toppings on, and a later pic.

I hadn't had any issues with transferring it onto the peel 3 of the last 4 times. And even then, only the back had gotten deformed during that one time.

But I guess this dough was too sticky this time.

I cooked it for 10 mins, rotated it, and cooked it for 10 more mins.

The top didn't cook as well this time, but maybe because the dough was too sticky? Or soft. All Purpose dough seemed a lot softer.

Even if it was deformed, this tasted the best when compared to the other times I had deformed pizza back when I was having more issues with the transfer.

I think the bottom cooked almost the right amount this time, not over cooked.

If I could combine the bottom cooking of this time, with the top cooking of the last time, with the less sticky or soft dough of previous times, I can finally get this right. I hope.

 

[JBooker]

All purpose flour is a lower protein / gluten than bread flour. Gluten is like a rubber band. The more you have the more the dough wants to contract after stretching it out. This is also what gives the crust, or breads that chewy tare when you take a bite. Higher gluten also allows for a stronger / longer rise because it is tougher and traps more of the gasses that the yeast produces.

 

[Paul M]

Yes, as it's the only charcoal grill I have.

That isn't going to work. I have an old weber 57cm original grill, that I keep thinking of chucking in the bin. It'll cost too much to ship to you but there must be someone local to you that has one to give away. That dough still looks like crumble pie topping, sorry to say.

Have you tried making you dough, then cooking the pizza in you house oven, and see how it comes out? That will narrow down the problem, if its pants cooked in your house oven, its the dough.

 

[Chris Allingham]

Another alternative is to just buy ready-made pizza dough. Take dough out of the equation and focus on forming it into a pizza shape and cooking it. You can buy it at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. It even comes in different flavors.

 

[JBooker]

Here you go. You might check with wally world. They use to sell Pepe's

$39 bucks, 12 dough balls free shipping.
https://pepesbakery.com/products/pepes-bakery-all-natural-pizza-dough

 

[JBooker]

Watching Pizza Show on Vice Land and eating a Digiorno. Talk about a let down.

 

[Arun L.]

Another alternative is to just buy ready-made pizza dough. Take dough out of the equation and focus on forming it into a pizza shape and cooking it. You can buy it at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. It even comes in different flavors.

Here you go. You might check with wally world. They use to sell Pepe's

$39 bucks, 12 dough balls free shipping.
https://pepesbakery.com/products/pepes-bakery-all-natural-pizza-dough

That's a good idea. I'll probably give it 1 or 2 more chances, then try buying pre-made dough. I don't wan to to buy pre-made crust though, as I want something close to the way I finally want to do it, by myself.

As you said, pre-made dough (vs. pre-made crust) would still allow to form it.

That isn't going to work. I have an old weber 57cm original grill, that I keep thinking of chucking in the bin. It'll cost too much to ship to you but there must be someone local to you that has one to give away. That dough still looks like crumble pie topping, sorry to say.

Have you tried making you dough, then cooking the pizza in you house oven, and see how it comes out? That will narrow down the problem, if its pants cooked in your house oven, its the dough.

What do you think is wrong? What does it need more or less of?

 

[Arun L.]

One other tip from Barb's dough recipe was to dust the peel itself.

Previously I was only dusting the work surface.

I hadn't had issues with the transfers during 3 of the 4 times between 7/16, 7/24, 7/31, and 8/24). But I did recently on 9/8.

Since I had an issue last time, I'll try this tip too.

- - - Updated - - -

I like your metal pizza pan covered in foil idea. It's a cheap and easy thing to try before trying to get something manufactured.

Should I get an 18" pan or a 20" pan?

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00EAXVSEA/tvwb-20

One reason to get a 20" would be because if I get an 18", it might not cover the whole area and fall through a little bit.

On the other hand, if I cover an 18" in aluminum foil, it might make it wide enough so that it will stay in place and not fall through the top. The foil would add a little bit of thickness.

What do you think between an 18" pan or an 20" pan?

I just want to make sure if I get the 18" pan to cover the top, that it won't fall through. But if I cover it in enough aluminum foil, then maybe it will stay.

 

[Paul M]

Tried various options, but ended up just using mix from my supermarket! http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/sainsburys-pizza-base-mix-145g

 

[Arun L.]

Tried various options, but ended up just using mix from my supermarket! http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/sainsburys-pizza-base-mix-145g

Thanks. I'm glad to know that someone else like you tried various options, before finding that solution.

If others have found good solutions at the supermarket, then I can too.

 

[Paul M]

Stating the obvious, but follow the instructions, need the dough mixture (not too roughly), then rest in a warm place to allow to rise. Knock back the dough, roll out to the size pizza as stated in the instructions (the pack I use is for thin crust) on a floured surface. Add your tomatoes base and topping (less is more), and cook straight away (use a paddle). I normally cook for 2 mins, before turning 180' & cook for another 2 mins (pizza oven temp 210-240' c).

 

[Arun L.]

I took a break from January 15, 2018 - November 03, 2019 from making outdoor pizzas.

Over the past few years, I tried different dough recipes.

I think the last one I used in May has been the best for me.

I understand @Paul M and @JBooker's observation that my dough looked crumbly and like crumble topping. I couldn't figure out a good way to resolve that, until the most recent time. They still tasted fine before that, but I did want to improve the texture, if I could, and I think I did it.

Here's what one of my first doughs looked like, from August 2017:

https://imgur.com/ernkoUU

Here are my most recent May 2020 pizzas (scroll to near the end):

https://imgur.com/a/RMtICVP

I think it's better?

I made one pizza using the Kettle Pizza on my Weber Smokey Mountain.

Then the other pizza using the same baking steel, but on my Weber Skyline Grill.

Just for comparisons.

They both tasted good to me.