PRIMO v. Big Green Egg


 
Maybe I'm wrong, but wouldn't the heat being in a round element/environment better cook a round pizza as opposed to a round pizza in an oval element/environment?

Maybe it doesn't make a difference - that would be nice to hear.

I usually cook pizzas that are about 16-18 inches
 
Jason,

My pizza setup on the egg is platesetter legs down, with the ceramic feet or cut firebricks supporting the BGE pizzastone on top of the platesetter. It elevates the pizza slightly above the gasket and creates a space between the platesetter and stone. This setup is hard on gaskets, due to the platesetter directing heat to the gasket, but this has produced the best results thus far and it is ideal for sliding the pie off of the peal and removing when finished. I think gaskets are overrated anyways. Mine is fried and I have no problem with low and slows.

IMHO, I think the round shape definitely has advantages. Pizza being one of them. I think the dome shape and cooking higher in it, helps the pizza cook more evenly, if that makes sense. The toppings get cooked, from well, the top. Platesetter legs up is perfect for simmering with a Lodge #12 camp style dutch oven without the lid.

A couple of tools on my ever expanding wishlist are a Spider(ceramicgrillstore) with a 16" wok to do stir fry on the egg. Another is a paella pan. I've seen some seafood paella pics that look awesome! Hope this helps.
 
I think round for pizzas will give you a more even cook unless you're making oval pizzas. The spacing between the ceramic walls to the pizza is more uniform with round cooker.

Jason, if you like beef cheek check out this cook I did - BARBACOA
 
Round, oval or rectangular should not make any difference when cooking pizza. 95% of pizzaria ovens are rectangular. Last summer I was thinking about a Primo Oval Jr, but one of my neighbors offered to sell his small BGE at a great price. It works great as an everyday cooker for 2. It will last a lifetime.
 
Didnt want to post this before, but it seems people here are interested. Got the BGE on craigslist about a month age for $400. Included everything you see plus indirect plate setter.
 
Originally posted by Bob H.:
Round, oval or rectangular should not make any difference when cooking pizza. 95% of pizzaria ovens are rectangular. Last summer I was thinking about a Primo Oval Jr, but one of my neighbors offered to sell his small BGE at a great price. It works great as an everyday cooker for 2. It will last a lifetime.
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You know - I gotta go with Bob on this. And I'm not a bigot AFA BGE or Primo by any stretch. But this whole thing about pizza making as a key issue where both vehicles are ceramic has my tonque in my cheek guys. And I am not trying to be an a##. I respect your efforts and you have probably made more pizza's on your cookers than me.

But - as long as you are not changing the internals in a huge way you can still jack up or elevate to get the dome heat where you want it and the outside edges of the chamber being only a few inches away from the crust just doesn't seem to me as important as fire/temp control. Which I think if that right will mitigate any of the other issues.

I get pizza from big square, small round, clay, brick and metal ovens. As long as the temp and fire is under control and the pizza is centered vertically in that heat I think you will be successful

Case in point - if the heats right in your kitchen oven and you have the elevation right you don't even need a stone.

And I've been cooking pizza's in a rectangular environment that were 12" in diameter.

My only point is the the pizza cooking should not be a huge issue on this decision since both vehicles are ceramic and for sure will hold heat in a way that will allow you to produce KA pizza regardless of which one you pick IMHO.
 
Jason,

Along my pizza journey, Zippylip, a pizza guru on the eggheadforum, sent me this pizza tutorial for newbies

This will show you the setup I use. I am sorry I don't have any of my own pics to show. I have no time to prepare meals. Nursing school puts a strain on grill time
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Regardless of which cooker you decide to go with, this recipe is a great place to start
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I have 2 Large BGE's, one I got for free on craigslist a few years ago and the other I bought at the 2008 PNW Eggfest, which is probably the best deal for a new Egg. It had been a while since I checked out the Primo forum, but there were no Primo dealers around the Seattle area at the time, so shipping was a concern, now there are a few dealers here. When I was at the Jack Daniels, we were set up across from the International Teams and I helped a couple cooks get their demo Primo Ovals up and running, they didn't have the indirect dividers, but they look like a nice feature.
Had heard Primo was discounting the Ovals at the Jack, and I kinda wish I snagged one, I like the black finish and it would be another toy in the box!
I have 2 vintage claypot Japanese Imperial Kamados and a couple others with the plug drafts, they don't compare to the ceramics, but I've had a thing about them since I was a little kid. You'd be surprised how many eggheads have Primos and vice versa.
 
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