Making pizza on the WSM.


 
I would use regular low moisturizer mozzarella for a pizza that is cooked that long. Fresh mozzarella in the brine will become a pool of wet watery milk. If you want some on a pizza put it on with in the last minute or two of cooking. This will keep it from turning into a pool of water. Some pizza shops that cook a 800-900 deg don't put the fresh mozzarella on until they take the pizza out of the oven.
 
Thanks.


One other observation.


When reheating, I line a toaster oven tray with aluminum foil, and put the pizza on there.


Yet the bottom of the pizza sticks to the foil. I've never seen that happen with store-bought pizza reheated, and I also use a tray with aluminum foil.


Was there something about the composition of the pizza or dough that made that happen?
 
I couldn't tell you about the sticking. Store bought pizza might have a higher oil content of the crust. I don't know how mine reheats because there usually isn't enough worth keeping as left overs. I don't use any oil in my crusts.
 
Last edited:
I cleaned and seasoned my cast iron for the first time.

There's some dark colored splotches in the North-East and South-West regions.

Could I have cleaned it better, or is there anything I should do about them?

http://imgur.com/a/7JCHX
 
Looks good to me. Best way to season them is to use it. I don't really worry about how it looks because I use mine. I wash mine out with a little dish soap and a brush. I heat and wipe it down with oil right away. I always keep it wet with oil.
 
Another update:

I assembled the Kettle Pizza.

I couldn't get the Dough Joe out of the cabinet though! I'd never used it before. But it was stuck to the bottom of my cabinet. I couldn't move it.

I tried looking for things to get under the steel, so I could pry it a little.

But nothing would go under.

Finally, I remembered the hook hole.

I took a butter knife and put it in the hole. It easily moved then. I don't know why it was stuck or why it wouldn't move before.

When I put it back in the cabinet, it was easily moveable again.

It also looks like the Dough Joe will fit in the Kettle Pizza:

http://imgur.com/a/W0rJz/layout/grid

(1st pic is of the stuck Dough Joe).

But, the pizza peel will not fit.

I'm going to have to contact steel trimmers to shave off 1/2 an inch on each side, if not 3/4" of an inch. The peel is 16" wide. Due to the way the Kettle Pizza mouth curves, I can't get a 16" wide peel in.

So, the pizza using the Kettle Pizza is on hold for a little bit.

It's too late to return the peel, and it wouldn't be worth it to pay for packaging + return shipping anyways for that.
 
I do want a working peel.


I got a response from the steel trimming company. $45 to shave an inch off the width.


At that cost, I could get a new peel.


If my pizza is 15" wide, does the peel have to be that wide? How wide does it have to be?


I see a 13" wide one with a folding handle for $20:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01FGTFBHG/tvwb-20


After getting their pizza cutter, I am now a fan of Checkered Chef products, so I wouldn't mind that one.


Here's a 14" wide one for $10:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000ZZWZRG/tvwb-20
 
Your pizza peel needs to be larger than the pizza. Raw dough is flimsy and needs 100% support. You should actually have peels. A wood one to put the pizza on and a metal one for turning and removing.

I currently only have one and make it work. When the peel gets hot raw dough is more liable to stick. Dealing with a fully sauced and topped pizza stuck to a peel sucks.
 
Arun L. said:
I do want a working peel.


I got a response from the steel trimming company. $45 to shave an inch off the width.


At that cost, I could get a new peel.
Click to expand...

I got a response from a welding company. Their estimate is $150.

With such a wide range between the two companies, I need to try one more.

JBooker said:
Here is the one I currently have.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000PRI3TS/tvwb-20

I'd like to get a G.I. Metal anodized gold peel, or at least one of their regular anodized aluminum ones.
Click to expand...

Arun L. said:
Thanks. I'll keep looking for a 15" wide one. That's the size of the stone.
Click to expand...

I spent a lot of time this weekend searching for 15" ones. I don't like wood, so wanted steel.

G.I. Metal seemed to be one of the few. But they were very expensive.

Also, I see inconsistent dimensions here:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008A755FA/tvwb-20

15" here, with model # A-37RF/120, $105.

But on G.I.'s direct site:

It says 14":

http://www.gimetalusa.com/shop/det-...rectangular14handle47_56_1_Pizza Peels_15.php

Same model #, $103.



A few questions, just for the sake of discussion:

1) Perforated or non-perforated? Or does it not matter, since it's only being used to insert and remove pizza in a quick time period?

They say perforations are meant to reduce cornmeal / flour dusting on the surface.

2) Rounded or rectangular?


I would also want one with the shortest handle from G.I. (23") for easier storage.


Here's the cheapest 15" one from G.I., with a 23" handle:

http://www.gimetalusa.com/shop/det-stainlesssteelpeelrectangular15handle23_483_1_Pizza Peels_15.php

$60 + $15 shipping.

If I hadn't already bought a peel, maybe I could be convinced to do that one.

But at this point, since I already bought one, I should try and get a 3rd estimate. If it's lower than the first $45 estimate, go with that. Otherwise go with the $45 estimate.
 
Perforated peels are probably best left to the pro's with high heat ovens. High heat ovens generally use lower water content dough since they are not in the oven for as long. High moisture dough will sag through the holes and be impossible to slide a pizza off. They would be nice to use because it allows excess flour to fall out instead of being transferred to the pizza cooking surface where it can burn.

As for round or square you want a square one. Round ones are for turning pizzas in a commercial oven where you have multiple pizzas cooking next to each other. That way you don't have to worry about getting the corner of a square peel in to the pizza next to the one your turning. Since you will more than likely be cooking one at a time the square one is the one you want. It is easier to get the pizza off and on since you have a big straight edge in the front.
 
$150 would be insane for making two simple cuts. Depending on what kind of tools you currently have Id probably just cut it my self. For $150 bucks you could purchase an angle grinder and a cut off wheel and do it your self. Then you would end up owning an angle grinder for future uses.
 
JBooker said:
$150 would be insane for making two simple cuts. Depending on what kind of tools you currently have Id probably just cut it my self. For $150 bucks you could purchase an angle grinder and a cut off wheel and do it your self. Then you would end up owning an angle grinder for future uses.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't have any tools like an angle grinder.

Sharpest cutting tool I have is a hand saw, which wouldn't work.
 
Arun L. said:
I do want a working peel.


I got a response from the steel trimming company. $45 to shave an inch off the width.


At that cost, I could get a new peel.


If my pizza is 15" wide, does the peel have to be that wide? How wide does it have to be?


I see a 13" wide one with a folding handle for $20:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01FGTFBHG/tvwb-20


After getting their pizza cutter, I am now a fan of Checkered Chef products, so I wouldn't mind that one.


Here's a 14" wide one for $10:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000ZZWZRG/tvwb-20
Click to expand...

JBooker said:
Your pizza peel needs to be larger than the pizza. Raw dough is flimsy and needs 100% support. You should actually have peels. A wood one to put the pizza on and a metal one for turning and removing.

I currently only have one and make it work. When the peel gets hot raw dough is more liable to stick. Dealing with a fully sauced and topped pizza stuck to a peel sucks.
Click to expand...

I haven't been able to get a 3rd estimate yet.

But just bringing up the question again.

Eliminating the 13" wide peel from the post above, since it's 13" wide, what do you think is best at this point?

Getting a 14" wide one (currently $15 - $19 + potential shipping), or having my current 16" one cut?

Maybe the 14" wide one might not be so bad because hopefully only the crust would stick out (if I were to try making a 15" pizza), and that would be a sturdier part than the middle of the pizza?

Then again, re-reading, you're saying it needs 100% support, and I'd rather be able to make a 15" than a 14". Just asking again.
 
Raw dough will be limp with no rigidity. Even if it's not topped and hanging over the edge it will still cause problems. It doesn't take much to have dough stick then you end up unloading all your toppings on to the stone or steel. Once they are on a 7-800 deg stone there is no scraping them up for a second try.

The crust can also fold over / under.

Don't get hung up on making the largest pizza possible. I prefer to make multiple small ones. My normal batch of dough generally make 4 dough balls. Everyone gets their own 11-12" pizza. That way I can also stretch it out thin or leave it a little thick.
 
Ok, I've recently gotten the following estimates:

Initial two:

* $45
* $150

Recently (in order of price):

* $75 (minimum cost of any job)
* $65
* $60
* $40
* $15 (but without the rounded edges)

Here's the pic again:

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


So, should I do it for $40, or for $15 but without the rounded edges?
 
If your only having it narrowed by an inch they should remove 1/2 inch from each side. That way your handle will still be centered. If you measure 1/2 on each side I bet you will still have a rouned corners on the front.
 
JBooker said:
If your only having it narrowed by an inch they should remove 1/2 inch from each side. That way your handle will still be centered. If you measure 1/2 on each side I bet you will still have a rouned corners on the front.
Click to expand...

I would think so too.

It's just the $15 estimate said they weren't going to do the rounded corners.

Exact quote was:

We cannot do rounded edges but can cut off one inch for $15.
Click to expand...


So you think I should try them for $15, even though they said they wouldn't be able to do them?
 
Arun L. said:
I would think so too.

It's just the $15 estimate said they weren't going to do the rounded corners.

Exact quote was:



[/COLOR]So you think I should try them for $15, even though they said they wouldn't be able to do them?
Click to expand...


I would so your not sinking any more money in to a peel. Just have them cut half off each side so the handle stays centered. Rounded corner isn't needed. Its just for looks and to keep the corner from being a sharp point.
 
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