Getting better at pizza!

[Grizz]

So, for one of my e-cooks, I did a deep dish pizza using the gourment bbq system griddle with an inverted Vortex to send the heat up and around the pizza.  That went really well, but tonight I wanted to try a large hand tossed pie on the Lodge 16 inch pizza pan.  So, the set up was as before, three baskets filled with KBB and the vortex in the center.



Still can't quite get the temp over 450, but ya know, when I do a pizza indoors, I only run the oven at 375.  I just personally think that's the magic temp for controlling an oven cook and I have mid-western patience.  Pizza on!  My go to pie:  sauce with minced garlic, a layer of pepperoni, mozzarella/cheddar mix, hot Italian sausage, diced meatballs, red and green bell peppers, and onions.  There should have been black olives on there, but I didn't have any in the pantry and I didn't feel like dealing with the supermarket crowd.



Twenty five minutes latter and we're ready to come off!



Crust came out golden brown and crunchy on the bottom.  Cheese could have browned up a bit more, but I didn't want to risk burning the crust.  And actually, I think I put too much cheese on it.  I was trying to use up the last batch I shredded from a while ago, so next time I think I'll cut back on the cheese a bit.  But, I'm still very please with the way this one turned out.

[Nate]

Nice Grizz! Practice practice practice is what it takes.

Have you tried 1 1/2 chimneys of charcoal around the perimeter of the kettle? It doesn't look like your pizza dish is elevated. If not, elevate it to get the top of the pie in the heat zone. This will give a better cook to the top of the pie.  Use this method for your deep dish too.

[effinUker]

I agree with @Nate - I might try to set that vortex on the cooking grate to still deflect around the pizza pan, and set the pizza pan on the vortex to raise it up into the heat zone.

Nevertheless - an awesome looking pie! Congrats.

[Grizz]

Thanks!  I have a full size weber chimney and a cheapo half size chimney I got at the homer and used them both.  I'd be a little concerned about how tippy the CI pizza pan might be on top of an upside down vortex on top of the cooking grate.  I suppose I could take the empty fourth fuel basket, put that on the charcoal grate, then stick the vortex through the center hole of the cooking grate so it can't move side to side too much and set it on top of the fuel basket to get the pan up higher.  But, that's for another night!

[1buckie]

Thanks!  I have a full size weber chimney and a cheapo half size chimney I got at the homer and used them both.  I'd be a little concerned about how tippy the CI pizza pan might be on top of an upside down vortex on top of the cooking grate.  I suppose I could take the empty fourth fuel basket, put that on the charcoal grate, then stick the vortex through the center hole of the cooking grate so it can't move side to side too much and set it on top of the fuel basket to get the pan up higher.  But, that's for another night!

Ascending Sculpture......there's a name for it......Ascending Sculpture..........


BBQ as art...............

[Nate]

@Grizz since you have the charcoal baskets, just set a couple ofthem upside down on the cooking grate to set you CI pizza pan on. Like what I do with deep dish. I do put an old broken pizza stone under the baskets so that the bottom of the CI doesn't get too hot.

[Grizz]

Yeah....but.....but....I got this vortex, see?   

Thanks!  I have a full size weber chimney and a cheapo half size chimney I got at the homer and used them both.  I'd be a little concerned about how tippy the CI pizza pan might be on top of an upside down vortex on top of the cooking grate.  I suppose I could take the empty fourth fuel basket, put that on the charcoal grate, then stick the vortex through the center hole of the cooking grate so it can't move side to side too much and set it on top of the fuel basket to get the pan up higher.  But, that's for another night!

Ascending Sculpture......there's a name for it......Ascending Sculpture..........


BBQ as art...............

'Bout time I got some friggin use out of that college degree!   

[austin87]

Good lookin pie!