Used Pizza Kettle Mod - could not get the temp above 400 degrees.


 

BenM

TVWBB Fan
I have the kettle pizza mod and tried it last night for the first time. I used an overfilled chimney with Kingsford and added three chunks of post oak and still could not get the temp above 350-400, which is nowhere near what is needed to make pizza. All vents were wide open.

Any idea what the issue might be?

Thanks.
 
How big are your chunks of post oak? Are they on fire, or do you wait until the flames die off?
I have the PizzaQue for my kettle. I use pieces of oak barrel staves or chunks of my old oak tree over Kingsford Comp. A couple 2"x6" pieces will last less than 10 minutes, or one pie. I can get it up over 700 degrees, but the oak pieces need to be flaming for that to happen. After the flames die off, the temp drops dramatically. Hopefully I'm done with the pizza by then. When I'm ready to do another, I throw on a couple more oak pieces a minute or so before sliding in the next pizza.
I only put the fuel around the back side of the kettle, not much under the stone, if any, and none toward the front.
I'm still working out the perfect situation, but feel I'm pretty close here.
 

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I have the kettle pizza mod and tried it last night for the first time. I used an overfilled chimney with Kingsford and added three chunks of post oak and still could not get the temp above 350-400, which is nowhere near what is needed to make pizza. All vents were wide open.

Any idea what the issue might be?

Thanks.
Ben, here's a pic of how I set up the coals in my Kettle Pizza (full thread HERE.) I dump a FULL Weber chimney of lit over the top of all that unlit to drive the kettle to pizza temps! About 10 minutes before I launch my first pie, I roll a small split of wood (I usually have oak on hand) on top of the coals in the back to get a rolling flame. I'm typically seeing 550-600° stone temps with my IR thermometer with this method. Hope that helps!

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How big are your chunks of post oak? Are they on fire, or do you wait until the flames die off?
I have the PizzaQue for my kettle. I use pieces of oak barrel staves or chunks of my old oak tree over Kingsford Comp. A couple 2"x6" pieces will last less than 10 minutes, or one pie. I can get it up over 700 degrees, but the oak pieces need to be flaming for that to happen. After the flames die off, the temp drops dramatically. Hopefully I'm done with the pizza by then. When I'm ready to do another, I throw on a couple more oak pieces a minute or so before sliding in the next pizza.
I only put the fuel around the back side of the kettle, not much under the stone, if any, and none toward the front.
I'm still working out the perfect situation, but feel I'm pretty close here.
I used 3 large chunks of post oak placed directly on top if the kit costs which I dumped in from the chimney. I waited 20 minutes or so, but the temp never rose about 400
 
Ben, here's a pic of how I set up the coals in my Kettle Pizza (full thread HERE.) I dump a FULL Weber chimney of lit over the top of all that unlit to drive the kettle to pizza temps! About 10 minutes before I launch my first pie, I roll a small split of wood (I usually have oak on hand) on top of the coals in the back to get a rolling flame. I'm typically seeing 550-600° stone temps with my IR thermometer with this method. Hope that helps!

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How long it it take after you dripped the good to get the temp up to 600, which I feel is still not hot enough
 
Ben,
I do not have the kettle pie kit, I just use a raiser and a pizza stone, but I follow a modified Rich G. Method with jealous devil lump. A nice unlit base in a C shape and then a whole hot chimney on top. I do not use any wood. I do wait a solid 45 mins to an hour to let that below level of charcoal to light get rid of the gray smoke, and to get the stone and the dome both around the same temp between 600 and 650 degrees.
From there a pie takes about 4 mins to cook. I give it the time it takes to make the next pie for the temps to rebound and go with another pie. We had an 8 pie pizza party this past Sunday and the kettle took it is stride. It was awesome.
I think add the base level of charcoal, give it time to heat up both layers of charcoal, then add you wood and I think you will have a different experience. Good luck, pizzas have been my favorite cook ALL summer long, I hope you figure it out too!
 
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How long it it take after you dripped the good to get the temp up to 600, which I feel is still not hot enough
I haven't used the KP in a while, so I don't remember really, but I'd guess 30 minutes or so to really get hot, and to make sure the stone is heated through. Also, I've gotten the temp into 700's with Kingsford briquettes, but if you want to go hotter, I'd consider using lump charcoal instead. Just know that you'll burn through that faster than briquettes, so if you are doing more than 2, or maybe 3, pies, you might have to add some fuel. I'm sure you can dial it into where you want it with some experimentation. For the temps you want, you for sure need more fuel than it sounds like you used last time.

Let us know how you are getting along with it!!

R
 
More fuel…makes sense. I think some lump is a good idea too. I haven’t had great luck with straight KPro.
It’s a lot of fuel for a very short cook but if you add some thighs on after the pies come off you can make the most of it!
 
I'm going to give it one more shot tomorrow. If it works, great. If not, I'll buy a stand-alone pizza oven

Thanks everyone
 
I'm going to give it one more shot tomorrow. If it works, great. If not, I'll buy a stand-alone pizza oven

Thanks everyone
If I were to buy a stand alone oven, the Ooni Koda 16 would be my choice. I've used my neighbor's, and that thing can COOK (a pie.) :)

R
 
I have the KP with the SS lid, & it usually takes me about an hour to get the temp close to 700 degrees, picture of the initial set-up is below. Once the first two splints take fire I continue to feed it wood, regardless of using a combo of lump & briquettes the only way to achieve high temps is via wood. I have heard & read good things about the Ooni Karu 16.
 

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I kit the charcoal at 11 am EST. It is now 12:35 pm EST and this is what I have. Sorry, not for me. I'll buy an Ooni, Big Horn, or a Miniuo Pizza Oven. 1 3/4 hours to make pizza, plus the coal and wood...way too much time, effort and $$$
 

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I kit the charcoal at 11 am EST. It is now 12:35 pm EST and this is what I have. Sorry, not for me. I'll buy an Ooni, Big Horn, or a Miniuo Pizza Oven. 1 3/4 hours to make pizza, plus the coal and wood...way too much time, effort and $$$
Ben, sorry it didn't work out for you! While it's not as labor intensive as firing a wood-fired pizza oven (another neighbor of mine has one of those, and it's a 3-4 hour process to get the oven heat-soaked and ready for pizza), if it's not for you, it's not for you! Move on and find what works for you, for sure. I've cooked on multiple Ooni ovens, and, while not without their own quirks, have been successful on each. I don't know of anyone who has used the other two you mentioned, but hope you get what you need.

R
 
Final product
Ben, just curious....what did the bottom of the pie look like? Did you get good crust formation and browning? Top heat on the KP can be an issue (mine came with the steel which is an improvement), so the top of your pie is (unfortunately) about what I'd expect.

R
 
The ovens I mentioned take about 15 minutes or so to get up to 800-900 degrees. My brother has one and it works great. Total time from the time you light it to the time you eat was about 18-20 minutes.Sure as hell beat 1 3/4 hours.
 
Here u go
That looks about right to me. Indicates that you had good heat on the stone, but based on the top of the pie, not enough top heat.
The ovens I mentioned take about 15 minutes or so to get up to 800-900 degrees. My brother has one and it works great. Total time from the time you light it to the time you eat was about 18-20 minutes.Sure as hell beat 1 3/4 hours.
Any of the wood or charcoal fired units are always going to take longer to get hot, etc. I typically have not been satisfied with a 15 minute pre-heat when I've used the Ooni, but that may just be due to my bread making experience that makes me wait longer to ensure the stone is thoroughly heated all the way through. I'm sure you'll be happier with the dedicated, gas options, as the are, indeed much quicker to get ready to cook a pie. Way more efficient, especially if you're just making one! :)

Enjoy it whatever you end up doing! I have found that pizza is a hobby that has endless roads to explore if you are into that kind of thing. I've got five dough balls using a sourdough starter that are sitting on my counter as I experiment with yet another dough recipe! :)

R
 

 

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