Unmitigated Disaster


 

Hayden McCall

TVWBB All-Star
Ok. So...I made a pizza not to long ago. I rolled out the crust and flopped it on the grill until I had some nice grill marks on both sides. I pulled the crust, topped it, and threw it back on until the topping cooked and the cheese thoroughly melted. It was fabulous.

Today, I figured I'd give my Weber pizza stone it's first go. I lit a chimney of Kingsford Comp, and spread it around the outer edge of the charcoal grate to make a nice ring. I placed the grate on the tabs, then put the stone on top with a generous amount of cornmeal. While the stone preheated, I got everything squared away with the pizza. I rolled out a whole wheat dough ball from Whole Foods, topped it, then put it on a pizza peel, also generously coated with corn meal.

Now the disaster part. I could not, to save my life...LOL...get this pizza to transfer from the peel to the stone without a fuss. The dough must've been too sticky or I didn't use enough cornmeal. I dunno. But by the time i pulled the pizza onto the stone from the peel, I'd stretched the dough to nearly twice it's original diameter. It was ugly. Real. So...I folded the excess crust over top and said to myself "Viola! Stomboli!" It turned out alright, but it was NOT as I'd intended.

Is there a trick to getting the dough to transfer from peel to stone?

The only thing I can think of is that I had the dough out of the fridge too early. Is it best to work with cold dough...and do everything immediately prior to putting the pizza on the stone?

I couldn't even bring myself to take pictures. Between laughing at my effort, and shaking my head in shame, I just couldn't do it.

It was ugly. I can tell you that. Trainwreck.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rob_Fox:
I use a ton of cornmeal. Otherwise, try the pizza screen like some of the others have mentioned here. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Do you put the screen on the stone? Or does having a screen eliminate the need for the stone? I've used a screen to make pizzas in the oven, and had no troubles.

I guess what I'm looking for is the solution for transferring the pizza from peel to stone..."effortlessly."
 
I just made pizza on the OTG with a stone Friday night. I'm generous with the flour when I'm shaping the dough, so it tends to be on the dry side. It's possible your dough was a little "moist." I'm not especially generous with the corn meal, just a good general coating. And I didn't have any trouble sliding off the peel. So try more flour as you're shaping, maybe?

By the way--nice recovery on the stromboli!!
 
I use a ton of cornmeal. So much so, that I am sometimes rubbing it off the crust as I eat. That's been the only way I can get the pie to slide easily off the peel. I have had one or two pies where the toppings ended up on the stone while the crust clung firmly to the peel.
icon_rolleyes.gif
 
Ask George Curtis .. He has an answer for everything! Oooohh .. He left the board. Awwwwwwww..... LMFAO!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Hays:
Ask George Curtis .. He has an answer for everything! Oooohh .. He left the board. Awwwwwwww..... LMFAO! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know I have a blunted sense of humor, so I'll be direct... Was that supposed to be funny? I didn't laugh. You'll need to explain the humor in that statement. Otherwise it's simply lost on me.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JimK:
I use a ton of cornmeal. So much so, that I am sometimes rubbing it off the crust as I eat. That's been the only way I can get the pie to slide easily off the peel. I have had one or two pies where the toppings ended up on the stone while the crust clung firmly to the peel.
icon_rolleyes.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah...I'll definitely increase the amount of cornmeal I have to use, as well as the flour used when rolling out the dough ball.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hayden McCall:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Hays:
Ask George Curtis .. He has an answer for everything! Oooohh .. He left the board. Awwwwwwww..... LMFAO! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know I have a blunted sense of humor, so I'll be direct... Was that supposed to be funny? I didn't laugh. You'll need to explain the humor in that statement. Otherwise it's simply lost on me. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Oh brother...
icon_rolleyes.gif
 
I use parchment paper. I make it a little bigger than the crust. After the pizza has been on the stone for a minute or two I pull out the parchment paper and let the pizza finish cooking. I don't like a ton of cornmeal or flour on the crust so this works well. I can also get a couple of pizzas out of each sheet of paper.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Hays:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hayden McCall:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Hays:
Ask George Curtis .. He has an answer for everything! Oooohh .. He left the board. Awwwwwwww..... LMFAO! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know I have a blunted sense of humor, so I'll be direct... Was that supposed to be funny? I didn't laugh. You'll need to explain the humor in that statement. Otherwise it's simply lost on me. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Oh brother...
icon_rolleyes.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't "oh brother" me. I asked a simple question. I don't understand the nature of your comment. Judging by the "LMFAO", it's obvious it's in some way, shape, or form funny. I guess I don't know enough about Mr. Curtis to understand where you're coming from. My apologies.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mark Welte:
I use parchment paper. I make it a little bigger than the crust. After the pizza has been on the stone for a minute or two I pull out the parchment paper and let the pizza finish cooking. I don't like a ton of cornmeal or flour on the crust so this works well. I can also get a couple of pizzas out of each sheet of paper. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'll have to give that a try as well. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm definitely in the developmental stages where making pizza is concerned...whether on the grill or in the oven. I haven't EVEN attempted to make my own dough yet. LOL I'm takin' baby steps with this.
 
Hayden: are ur pizza peel of wood by any chanse?

If so,after u put the pizza on the peel work fast and dont let it sit to long or the wood can suck some moisture of the dough and make it stick even with cornmeal under it.

The parchment paper method will work nice im sure i will have to try this myself.

Just a thought.

//Me
 
I was watching one of Fred Bernardio's (Fred's Music and BBQ) videos on Pizza on the BGE on YouTube. He put his crust on a lightly dusted wooden peel, then topped it while it was on the peel. Then when he transferred the pizza to the stone, he used a thin metal bladed "pizza spatula" to help slide the pizza onto the stone. He mentioned that if you let the pizza sit on the peel too long it could stick.

As for George - I miss him and hope he comes back. About a year ago, I was bemoaning not being able to find an XXL sized chimney charcoal starter in my area to replace one that had rusted through. George not only located one for me, he went to the store, bought it and shipped it to me. Nice guy - lot of good ideas.

Enjoy your pizza and let us know how they turn out!

Pat
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Wolgast:
Hayden: are ur pizza peel of wood by any chanse?

If so,after u put the pizza on the peel work fast and dont let it sit to long or the wood can suck some moisture of the dough and make it stick even with cornmeal under it.

The parchment paper method will work nice im sure i will have to try this myself.

Just a thought.

//Me </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, pizza peel is indeed made of wood. I think I had the dough out of the fridge entirely too long between the time I rolled out the crust, and when it was ready to go on the grill. I hadn't considered the fact the peel could have absorbed some of the moisture.

I think my course of action next time is going to be as follows.

1. Take the dough out of the fridge only when I'm ready to roll it out, top it, and put it on the grill.

2. Use more flour/cornmeal.

If I still can't get things to work after making those two adjustments...well...I might have to pay a visit to someone that does this for a living. LOL I'm going to get this right come **** or high water.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pat Smith:
I was watching one of Fred Bernardio's (Fred's Music and BBQ) videos on Pizza on the BGE on YouTube. He put his crust on a lightly dusted wooden peel, then topped it while it was on the peel. Then when he transferred the pizza to the stone, he used a thin metal bladed "pizza spatula" to help slide the pizza onto the stone. He mentioned that if you let the pizza sit on the peel too long it could stick.

As for George - I miss him and hope he comes back. About a year ago, I was bemoaning not being able to find an XXL sized chimney charcoal starter in my area to replace one that had rusted through. George not only located one for me, he went to the store, bought it and shipped it to me. Nice guy - lot of good ideas.

Enjoy your pizza and let us know how they turn out!

Pat </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fred's Music & BBQ is in Reading. I live about an hour's drive from there. I keep meaning to make a day trip over there, but haven't done so yet. I wanna try some of the Wicked Charcoal and lump, and they carry it. And...an XXL sized chimney? I'm interested. Do you know the manufacturer of said chimney? I could use something like that.

As far as him mentioning leaving the pizza on the peel too long...I wholeheartedly feel that was the culprit in my crust sticking to the peel. Might have to investigate the metal bladed spatula idea too.

Lots of help in everyone's responses. Most appreciated, ladies.
 
We do pizza almost every Saturday night ! and had 1 screw up in yrs of doing them ! My wife got the dough a little wet and didn't work it until it had gotten dry and it stuck !

She also says she had used a new flour . But we made one the next week worked the dough right and no problem . The dough has to be worked until it is not one tiny bit sticky IMO anyway . YMMV If you do that and cover it and all surfaces with corn meal it should slide around like a greased snake .
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Good luck next time Iam sure it a work out .
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mark Welte:
I use parchment paper. I make it a little bigger than the crust. After the pizza has been on the stone for a minute or two I pull out the parchment paper and let the pizza finish cooking. I don't like a ton of cornmeal or flour on the crust so this works well. I can also get a couple of pizzas out of each sheet of paper. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>That's exactly what I used to do, first by stretching the dough right on the parchment.
 
Plenty of flour or cornmeal is indeed the key, especially on a wooden peel. The guys are right on though the peel taking some of the moisture and causing it to stick. I use a stainless peel, so it doesn't stick, and wow, that sucker is SLICK with flour on it, have to be careful they don't bail off before they hit the stone.
 

 

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