Pizza Advice


 
Wayne_R

Wayne_R

TVWBB All-Star
I've done them before in the WSM using advice/recipe on the "Cooking Topics" area with good results.

But yesterday I attempted pizza on a stone on my 18.5 red kettle. Lit one full chimney of Stubbs, put a pie pan in middle of charcoal grate, and spread hot coals around on the sides. I used fresh dough from TJs with toppings on it and went for @ 10 minutes each pizza.

Well suffice it to say, I burned the bottom crust. Too many coals and too long on? Toppings and crust on the top side tasted excellent and were cooked perfectly hot, but the bottom was scorched. What a disappointment..

Thanks for any advice.
 
Try putting your pizza stone on a brick to raise it off of the grate. That way it's not so close to the coals. I have only done two pizzas so far on my kettle but haven't burned the bottoms yet using that technique..worth a shot!
 
I do pizzas on my kettle with a similar setup. I use the charcoal ring from my WSM on the charcoal grate inside my kettle (22.5). I spread the coals on the outside of the charcoal ring all the way around, usually ends up being two full chimneys of blue bag K (I do pizzas very hot). Then on top of the charcoal ring, I put a cooking grate from the WSM, and two bricks for the stone to rest on. Then, pre-heat the stone for 1/2 hour or so, and then liberally apply corn meal to stone, and then cook my pies. With that amount of coal, they usually take 5-6 mins.

Sounds like lots of pieces, now that I write it down!
 
I like it. Using the bricks not only has the effect of tempering the heat on the stone, but also of raising the cooking surface higher into the dome of the kettle, where the temperatures are hotter, making for some excellent melting and browning of the toppings.

I've been doing Pizza on my Kamado Joe - similar set up but fewer parts - but I think I'll try my next one on my Performer.

Pat
 
When you guys talk about using the bricks to raise things up, are you sitting them on edge. I use the split fire brick which are about an inch thick. That is why I ask.

One more.... Does kettle pizza have any differnet taste than the oven, or is it the fun of cooking it outside
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For the bricks, I'm using standard sized bricks, like for building a house or whatever, and i've got them laying flat, so my raise is probably 2 1/2 inches I would say. When my contraption is all set, the lid JUST barely closes without gaps and without touching the stone.
 
Thanks all for advice. I think, the charcoal amount was ok, just need to do a shorter cook (5-6 minutes instead of 10) and raise a little. I think the bricks will raise it too high in my 18" kettle and not be able to close it, but will try to work something out.

Any other suggestions welcomed and thanks again.

Oh yea, and Jeff R, definitely has a different taste, wood fired pizza, get some of that smokey goodness in it...give it a go!
 
Steve, I got this advice from somebody on this forum, but anyway I sit the charcoal ring from the WSM on the grill grate of my performer and, using a pizza screen I picked up at a local restaurant supply store, put the pizza and screen on top of the ring. The WSM ring will certainly raise it too high, so figure out what can get it high, but not too high. I've had no problem without the heat transfer of the bricks. I put the coals in a single layer scattered around the charcoal grate. It works for me; try it if you can.
 
When I first read about grilled pizza, everyone seemed to suggest heating the pizza stone in an oven that was turned up as high as you can get it, and then putting it directly over a lot of hot charcoal. I don't know what kind of stone they were using, but when I tried this method (a couple of times) I ended up with a burned crust and cheese that wasn't melted.
I finally discovered what works with my set-up through experimentation, lots of unhappy kids, and take-out that I really didn't want to eat.
I pre-heat the stone at 350 while I'm making the pizzas. Don't use too many toppings. Less is better, it absorbs the smoke more and you don't have to wait as long to cook/heat all the toppings.
I spread a full chimney of charcoal all over the bottom grate, and leave the bottom draft open. Stone goes right on the grill in the middle, and the pizza on top of that with lots of corn meal to keep it from sticking. Each pizza usually cooks for about 5-6 minutes. Just lift up an edge and check your crust after a couple minutes to make sure it's cooking, and not burning.
Oh, and don't leave the stone on the grill to cool down overnight. I've had two of them crack when I've done that. I don't know why, because they're fine if I bring them in the house to cool on the stove-top. They seem to do better at cooling off faster somehow.
Good luck, can't wait to see some pictures.
 
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