Gonna start making Pizza!

[veryolddog]

I recently ordered from Amazon.com a Lodge Pro Logic cast iron Pizza Pan 14 inch in diameter. I am going to try to make pizza on the Weber or the Yoder Cheyenne Wood Smoker. I have a couple of questions for you all.

How hot can I get the Weber to make a pizza?

If I use the firebox on the Wood Smoker which has a grilling grate, can I use this as well or would this be too hot? I figure that I could stack the coals and the wood towards the back of the firebox and adjust the side vents appropriately. I think that it could get pretty hot in there to reach 600 to 700 degrees.

I would appreciate your thoughts especially about the Weber. How should I stack the coals in the Weber in order to get 600 degees heat inside that unit?

Thanks,

Ed

[pz]

Well, Ed,

I can't help you with the specifics on the Weber or the Yoder because i own neither, but pizza is really easy, and you literally can experiment at will without much cost except a little flour and water.

I typically bake pizza in a wood fired oven or on a grill, and both are delicious for different reasons.  If I were to start from a novice pizza baker, I'd personally start with an open grill.

As to temperature, I've done pizzas anywhere from 400 -900 plus degrees and all turn out fine as long as you watch carefully as the temperature rises.

One generalization you can make is that the hotter the solid surface on which you bake, the more likely you'll burn the crust while the toppings remain not cooked to what you might like.  In my opinion, a grill is the easiest to start experimenting with because you can easily lift the crust to see how it is cooking and then adjust appropriately.  The grill grates are ideal to play with.  When I use a grill, I cook the crust on one side first, then flip it before I add the toppings to the crust that is already on the grill, and then cook to my taste.  The result is a thin crisp crust that is absolutely delicious.  Honestly, it is hard to ruin a pizza on a grill.

Personally I'd not stack the coals to the side unless you want to rotate the pizza relatively frequently (so one side does not burn while the other side is raw). I experience this in the wood fired oven, which has a 4-foot diameter floor, so I imagine the problem would be much greater in a smaller diameter surface like a Weber.

However, whichever method you try first, I'd encourage experimentation with the crust alone until you are comfortable with developing the right crust for your taste - then you can load with your favorite toppings and you're golden.  Throwing away ruined crust is lots easier on the mind than throwing away a pie loaded with toppings 

[Old Dave]

Morning Ed,

I do both the standard pizza and calzones on the Weber kettle and the info can be found on my blog.

http://olddavespo-farm.blogspot.com/2009/06/pizza-and-calzones-on-weber-kettle.html

Then if you want to get into that super hot pizza stuff with your kettle, above 1200 degrees, you will need to make a couple of changes to your kettle.



This baby will melt glass!!

[sliding_billy]

Morning Ed,

I do both the standard pizza and calzones on the Weber kettle and the info can be found on my blog.

http://olddavespo-farm.blogspot.com/2009/06/pizza-and-calzones-on-weber-kettle.html

Then if you want to get into that super hot pizza stuff with your kettle, above 1200 degrees, you will need to make a couple of changes to your kettle.



This baby will melt glass!!

Nice!

[teesquare]

Morning Ed,

I do both the standard pizza and calzones on the Weber kettle and the info can be found on my blog.

http://olddavespo-farm.blogspot.com/2009/06/pizza-and-calzones-on-weber-kettle.html

Then if you want to get into that super hot pizza stuff with your kettle, above 1200 degrees, you will need to make a couple of changes to your kettle.



This baby will melt glass!!

Nice!

  to clarify - the Shop Vac is being used as a BLOWER in that picture......( We might have some Texas Aggies around here and don't want to contribute to burning down a barn somewhere.... )

[Pappymn]

Morning Ed,

I do both the standard pizza and calzones on the Weber kettle and the info can be found on my blog.

http://olddavespo-farm.blogspot.com/2009/06/pizza-and-calzones-on-weber-kettle.html

Then if you want to get into that super hot pizza stuff with your kettle, above 1200 degrees, you will need to make a couple of changes to your kettle.



This baby will melt glass!!

Nice!

  to clarify - the Shop Vac is being used as a BLOWER in that picture......( We might have some Texas Aggies around here and don't want to contribute to burning down a barn somewhere.... )

And people from Minnesota

[muebe]

Do you think the wooden handles get hot?

[bbqchef]

I had a Pampered Chef pizza stone that's lived in my oven for years and did a decent job with pizza...

Put it on the grill the other day to make some pizza and it split in half... Pampered Chef won't cover it under warranty saying it's not "approved" for grilling or direct heat... go figure!!

I'm looking for a pizza steel that will work on the grill or I'll just go commando and put the dough right on the grates.

[teesquare]

MIke, I have done it both ways - directly on the grates will work well on your Yoder set at 650F.

I bout a glazed ceramic baking stone form Williams -Sonoma. It is made by Emil Henry:
 http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/emile-henry-rectangular-baking-stone/?pkey=cbakeware-emile-henry&

Easy to clean - which the Pampered Chef was not....

But I am thinking about buying a baking steel. I have seen some posts here where guys are using them - and - pretty darned impressive....

[veryolddog]

Check Amazon for "pizza stones" and they will bring up all kinds of solutions. I liked the report and ratings on the Lodge Cast Iron from over 416 responses with a 4.8 out of 5 stars. There has to be a steel plate there for you to review.

Ed

[drholly]

MIke, I have done it both ways - directly on the grates will work well on your Yoder set at 650F.

I bout a glazed ceramic baking stone form Williams -Sonoma. It is made by Emil Henry:
 http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/emile-henry-rectangular-baking-stone/?pkey=cbakeware-emile-henry&

Easy to clean - which the Pampered Chef was not....

But I am thinking about buying a baking steel. I have seen some posts here where guys are using them - and - pretty darned impressive....

I have an Emil Henry and a steel. I like them both. I tend to use the Henry when making pizzas in the oven and the steel outside. No particular reason - just what I do... 

[hikerman]

Well, Ed,

I can't help you with the specifics on the Weber or the Yoder because i own neither, but pizza is really easy, and you literally can experiment at will without much cost except a little flour and water.

I typically bake pizza in a wood fired oven or on a grill, and both are delicious for different reasons.  If I were to start from a novice pizza baker, I'd personally start with an open grill.

As to temperature, I've done pizzas anywhere from 400 -900 plus degrees and all turn out fine as long as you watch carefully as the temperature rises.

One generalization you can make is that the hotter the solid surface on which you bake, the more likely you'll burn the crust while the toppings remain not cooked to what you might like.  In my opinion, a grill is the easiest to start experimenting with because you can easily lift the crust to see how it is cooking and then adjust appropriately.  The grill grates are ideal to play with.  When I use a grill, I cook the crust on one side first, then flip it before I add the toppings to the crust that is already on the grill, and then cook to my taste.  The result is a thin crisp crust that is absolutely delicious.  Honestly, it is hard to ruin a pizza on a grill.

Personally I'd not stack the coals to the side unless you want to rotate the pizza relatively frequently (so one side does not burn while the other side is raw). I experience this in the wood fired oven, which has a 4-foot diameter floor, so I imagine the problem would be much greater in a smaller diameter surface like a Weber.

However, whichever method you try first, I'd encourage experimentation with the crust alone until you are comfortable with developing the right crust for your taste - then you can load with your favorite toppings and you're golden.  Throwing away ruined crust is lots easier on the mind than throwing away a pie loaded with toppings 

Ed, Pz offers some great advice here.

Morning Ed,

I do both the standard pizza and calzones on the Weber kettle and the info can be found on my blog.

http://olddavespo-farm.blogspot.com/2009/06/pizza-and-calzones-on-weber-kettle.html

Then if you want to get into that super hot pizza stuff with your kettle, above 1200 degrees, you will need to make a couple of changes to your kettle.



This baby will melt glass!!

Nice!

  to clarify - the Shop Vac is being used as a BLOWER in that picture......( We might have some Texas Aggies around here and don't want to contribute to burning down a barn somewhere.... )

And people from Minnesota

So.....you can vac. seal a pizza while it is actually cooking...neat!

Seriously OD that is a good idea on how to jack up the temp.  but better have a fire extinguisher handy.

[veryolddog]

PZ - I am going to try it the way you suggest on open grill and even heat. I think that the cast iron from Lodge will spread that heat evenly through the pan surface. I also got a "pizza peel" to check the crust. As I progress, I will make modifications using the processes that both you and OD have suggested. OD, your blog site is very informative. I have book marked that site so that it can be a good quick reference point.

Thanks,

Ed

[pz]

Best luck, Ed! Today is a beautiful day in Idaho so me and the missus decided to do pizza with home grown tomatoes, home smoked cheese, basil from the garden, and Bradley smoked Canadian bacon. Plan on using the grill rather than the outdoor oven.

It's a great day to be alive, and I'm grateful for every moment.

[veryolddog]

It's a good day all over. Nice here in Texas as well. Probably too warm for you guys. The only thing that would make this day better is a shot of morphine in my hip. But on the upside, I am getting closer to my surgery.

Ed