Let's Talk BBQ

Outdoor Cooking Equipment => PIZZA OVENS - Wood Fired => Topic started by: RG on September 17, 2016, 04:14:28 PM

Title: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: RG on September 17, 2016, 04:14:28 PM
As y'all know today was the day to fire up the UUNI and see what it can do. I made 5 little dough balls so I could make a variety (and to give me more chances to get it right). I had setup a pizza making station out by the other cookers on the table that I should've cleaned off :P

Here's the first pie I made - sauce, fresh mozz, basil leaves, olive oil drizzle
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni01.jpg)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni02.jpg)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni03.jpg)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni04.jpg)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni05.jpg)

A shot of the UUNI with a covered keg at 11:00 and at 2:00 (black covers) with the KBQ (tan cover) at 1:00 in the background, lol.
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni06.jpg)

My Village Inn and Domino's Skill at work :)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni07.jpg)

2nd pie - Sauce, fresh shredded mozz, fresh mozz, capicola, salami, basil
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni08.jpg)

Shot of the messy work station
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni09.jpg)

2nd pie done
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni10.jpg)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni11.jpg)

The last pie, at this point I didn't care if it was round, lol
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni12.jpg)

Last pie - sauce, grated & fresh mozz, capicola
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni13.jpg)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni14.jpg)
(http://www.tpdatlanta.com/bbq/uuni15.jpg)

The 3rd pie was just straight up sauce, fresh & grated mozz. 4th was sauce, salami, capicola, calabrese, basil, fresh and grated mozz, evoo. They looked like the rest so I didn't snap pics.

The last pizza I lost track of my pellet level, that's why the fire is close to dead, lol. At least I was able to finish the cook! I'll keep a better eye on it next time.


Overall impression - I like it. A lot. I didn't fire up a keg to do a head to head, didn't feel like it but in all honesty, I KNOW what kegged pizza tastes like. Taste wise, they are really close to each other. The UUNI does a better job at browning the crust and seems to melt the top well, I'd say better than the keg. Do I think it is significantly better than the Keg pizza? Flavor wise, nah. It's better but marginal. Is it much faster to set up and get going than the keg? Heck yeah, that's where it clearly has an advantage. I didn't run the UUNI as hot as it can get but if I did, it would cook pizzas much faster than the keg so it wins handily there as well.

Overall, I am very happy with it and glad that I have it. It will be the dedicated pizza cooker from now on. Not to say that I will NEVER use the keg for pizzas (I have 3 of them and they can make 15"-16" pies). It is a nice tool to have and it makes a tasty pie!

Thanks for reading my latest review. Until next time! ;) :)

Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: tomcrete1 on September 17, 2016, 04:28:48 PM
Fantastic looking pizza!  :)
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: TMB on September 17, 2016, 05:15:11 PM
Looks fantastic
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: HighOnSmoke on September 17, 2016, 05:18:10 PM
Pizza looks excellent RG!
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: muebe on September 17, 2016, 05:22:09 PM
Dang!

Impressive pizzas for your first time!

Mine don't come out looking as good as your's do and I have a few Uuni pizzas under my belt.

Glad your happy with it.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: RG on September 17, 2016, 05:55:13 PM
Thanks y'all, I have made a ton of pizza in my life but was even surprised myself that my first run on the Uuni went so well. I used the dough recipe on uuni's site. I would like to try another, one more bubbly!
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Subvet on September 17, 2016, 06:05:49 PM
Great look'n football pizza. Uuni going to put Papa Murphys out of business.
Title: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Pappymn on September 17, 2016, 06:12:25 PM
Great looking pizzas
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: smokeasaurus on September 17, 2016, 06:22:21 PM
Great looking pizzas

X2
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Roget on September 17, 2016, 06:22:47 PM
Those are great looking pies.

And remember, making them round don't necessarily make them better. :P :P
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Smokin Don on September 17, 2016, 07:06:08 PM
Great to see you off the ledge and making some great pizzas!!! :) I'll take either one!!! Don
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: RG on September 17, 2016, 07:06:18 PM
Those are great looking pies.

And remember, making them round don't necessarily make them better. :P :P

It all tastes the same, I've just always tried to make them round. Sometimes they cooperate, sometimes they don't. Either way, they get eaten!
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Tailgating is my game on September 17, 2016, 09:16:38 PM
Sorry RG but I think it stinks...........................................you did not save me a slice ;) ;) ;) ;) :D :D :D I would eat all three of them ;D
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: fishingbouchman on September 18, 2016, 01:14:32 AM
Impressive pies. I need to step up my pizza making skills
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: ACW3 on September 18, 2016, 09:17:45 AM
Great looking pies!!  The biggest issue I had early on was fire management.  Muebe helped me get the chimney set in the proper position.  Haven't had any issues since. 

Did you check your fire temps?  My first pie got badly burned before I could make the first quarter-turn.  I was taking a sip of a brewski when it happened.  My temps, according to my infrared thermometer were way north of 900 degrees.  I have learned that, for me, I do a better job closer to 600 degrees.   

Art
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: RG on September 18, 2016, 09:52:52 AM
Art, my deck temp were not that high. I think they were from 500-600 for the most part. I did sputter out at the end, got too caught up in the pizza making and forgot to keep the pellets loaded. It worked out though. I will say it goes through the pellets quickly! I wonder if a different pellet would work better. I used cookiingpellets.com perfect mix. I noticed on UUNI's site, they sell oak pellets. I see that cookingpellets.com prides themselves on not using oak. I plan on making pizza again later in the week. Maybe a bbq chicken one. We'll see how round #2 goes.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: ACW3 on September 18, 2016, 09:56:38 AM
RG,
I have been using hickory pellets from Lumberjack.  That fire is so hot that I'm not sure there is a pellet that will make a noticeable difference.  Whatever pellet you use will burn quickly.

Art
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: muebe on September 18, 2016, 09:59:08 AM
I cook mine at pretty high temps. That is why I rotate them a quarter turn every thirty seconds.

I use cookin pellets perfect mix too. I usually can get 4 pizzas done on one load of pellets. That is not bad considering the heat produced and there is no air management like a pellet grill :P
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: RG on September 18, 2016, 10:07:02 AM
Mike, that's probably about what I got, I loaded more pellets about half way through the cook. One basket full lit and added pellets to the "collar" on preheating, then made 2 pizzas and added more pellets to the hopper. It would've gone quicker but I made each pizza as I went along. Stretching dough, saucing and cheesing and topping then baking and cutting. Then on to the next, so I had a good bit of time in between. I did it this way because they say saucing a pizza ahead of time will make a soggy underdone crust. My wife was there but she wasn't helping, just watching, lol.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: N. Ontario Smoker on September 18, 2016, 10:34:09 AM
 A good site for a great bubbly crust is craftsy.com. Signup and then use their search at the top for pizza classes. You are looking for "perfect pizza at home". I use this for my pizzas and get lots of compliments on the bubbly rise of the crust. He has 5 follow along videos to perfect pizzas and sauce. You will only get a welcome email from them, no spam.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: bamabob on September 18, 2016, 11:40:25 AM
Great looking pies Jason.  I'll have a slice of each!  :P
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: muebe on September 18, 2016, 12:10:43 PM
I was making my own dough with a recipe I found then I started using the fresh dough from Trader Joe's. It is really good and already made. You can freeze it too.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Cajunate on September 18, 2016, 12:56:05 PM
Wow! Pies look great!!!!!
I'll have one of each. Whole pies that is......
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: TentHunteR on September 18, 2016, 01:03:28 PM
They all look good to me.

I got to try some Uuni pizzas at the Gathering in Georgia a couple years ago, and they were pretty awesome!
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Roget on September 18, 2016, 07:45:19 PM
I was making my own dough with a recipe I found then I started using the fresh dough from Trader Joe's. It is really good and already made. You can freeze it too.

Many times I will make a 3-5 day cold ferment dough, ball up about 4-6 balls, and then I can use them for almost a week.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Tailgating is my game on September 18, 2016, 09:00:46 PM
I was making my own dough with a recipe I found then I started using the fresh dough from Trader Joe's. It is really good and already made. You can freeze it too.

Mike do you do anything special to freeze them or just in the bag? Thanks Richard
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: muebe on September 18, 2016, 09:23:56 PM
I was making my own dough with a recipe I found then I started using the fresh dough from Trader Joe's. It is really good and already made. You can freeze it too.

Mike do you do anything special to freeze them or just in the bag? Thanks Richard

Just in the bag they come in.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: Tailgating is my game on September 18, 2016, 10:04:58 PM
I was making my own dough with a recipe I found then I started using the fresh dough from Trader Joe's. It is really good and already made. You can freeze it too.

Mike do you do anything special to freeze them or just in the bag? Thanks Richard

Just in the bag they come in.

Thanks I got to try it
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: IR2dum on September 19, 2016, 03:09:06 AM
RG, the pizza looks delicious.
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: tomcrete1 on September 19, 2016, 07:15:40 AM
I was making my own dough with a recipe I found then I started using the fresh dough from Trader Joe's. It is really good and already made. You can freeze it too.

Excellent tip! Thanks!
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: CDN Smoker on September 19, 2016, 09:16:34 AM
great post ;D
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: DWard51 on September 19, 2016, 11:24:59 PM
Awesome looking new toy.  You are going to get me in real trouble with the wife between the UUNI and the KBQ.

As to pizza dough, I bookmarked this site a long time ago.  This guy is way into the subject and has a lot (I mean a LOT) of info and recipes.

http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm (http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm)
Title: Re: First crack at the UUNI
Post by: RG on September 20, 2016, 02:36:54 AM
Awesome looking new toy.  You are going to get me in real trouble with the wife between the UUNI and the KBQ.

As to pizza dough, I bookmarked this site a long time ago.  This guy is way into the subject and has a lot (I mean a LOT) of info and recipes.

http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm (http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm)

Groovy, I'll check that out. Thanks!