My first cook on this Kettle will be pizza. Here is the mod I'm going to try.
With the original grill height being 8.5" (I got this measurement by placing a paper plate on the grill and measuring through the vent hole) I wanted to lift the pizza up into that dome for the heat.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7681/17039786639_8eb92fdff1_b.jpg)
I built a grill shelf that raise the stone up 5 inches. I took an 18" charcoal grate and put lags on it. For legs I used Carriage bolts with washers and nuts to adjust the height. Here are a number of pics of how I set up the "Grill Shelf".
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7656/17039777089_dfde3ae7d7_b.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7699/17224239872_84fc4ed1ff_b.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8749/16605749643_061e017668_b.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8822/17018533427_e67b094f5b_b.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7605/17018537377_45281fcb99_b.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7604/17200002316_182bf6628b_b.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8698/17039784689_5ea4c3e583_b.jpg)
Cost:
Grill - $14
hardware - $2.90
Stone - $20 (on clearance)
I'll post more pics of the actual Pizza cook tonight!
Sgt. Stel
Nice step-by-step on that one......should work very well from what I've seen of other's risers & mods !!!!
That should work. Do a test run and put an oven thermometer on the stone to see what kind of heat you will get, wouldn't hurt eh?
I like that mod. It's pretty close to dinner time and I want some pizza pics!
Looks like it should work out nicely! Keep us posted with some pizza cooks!
You know I can slow smoke 200+ lbs of pork butts. No problem! I ran the kettle, awesome! Here is the temp holding pic
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7652/16613198263_c91776b3aa_b.jpg)
Making pizza, on the other hand, I have MUCH to learn!
I had corn meal on the stone. I had flour on the cutting board that I created the pizza on. There was a catastrophic failure when attempting to transfer the pizza from the cutting board to the stone. so bad that I ran to Pappa Murphy's to get a pie to cook. (sorry no pics - It was SAD)
Running the kettle when well. I need to improve my pizza making skills!!!
Sgt. Stel
The raised grill alone is brilliant. It looks better than the "Hovergrill" that you can buy with the Smokenator for $30 plus to increase grilling capacity. What size is the new grate?
It is a Weber charcoal grill. I think it is like 18".
Sgt. Stel
Quote from: Sgt. Stel on April 22, 2015, 11:43:28 AM
It is a Weber charcoal grill. I think it is like 18".
Sgt. Stel
Where did you get the stone?
Lowes It was on clearance.
Here is the grate packaging (https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8776/17239849145_d1d606607c_b.jpg)
A Weber 7441, a 22.5" kettle charcoal grate as well as the 18.5" WSM's lower cooking grate.
And now also ... a 26.75" grill's raised pizza grate!
Anyone know the dimensions of the charcoal grate of an 18" kettle? I'm thinking that might be a better fit for what I've got cooking.
Quote from: jmwhite on April 23, 2015, 05:25:40 AM
Anyone know the dimensions of the charcoal grate of an 18" kettle? I'm thinking that might be a better fit for what I've got cooking.
According to Amazon, the Weber 7440 is 13.5" in diameter.
http://www.amazon.com/Weber-7440-Replacement-Charcoal-Lower/dp/B000WEKNXI
DIY projects are fricken awesome.
Any update on how the pizza making is working out with this modification?
Quote from: CSTampa on August 25, 2015, 10:45:11 AM
Any update on how the pizza making is working out with this modification?
I've done 3 since building this mod and all have been good. I'm not saying great because my pizza making skills aren't great but they are improving. LOL
The mod works great and I'm lovin it!
Sgt. Stel
What is the ideal temp for pizza and is there a reason to not set the stone on the standard grill height?
Quote from: Lumpy Coal on August 25, 2015, 01:04:23 PM
What is the ideal temp for pizza and is there a reason to not set the stone on the standard grill height?
@Lumpy Coal Not sure what ideal temp is but it's above 600 degrees. For the grate height you wanna get it away from the heat so it get's done evenly on top and bottom. If you leave it on the grill grate at screaming temps the crust will burn and cheese won't melt
Quote from: Lumpy Coal on August 25, 2015, 01:04:23 PM
What is the ideal temp for pizza and is there a reason to not set the stone on the standard grill height?
The advice I followed was that it is warmer up in the dome and help cook the top better. I'm finding this to be true.
Sgt. Stel
I find that placing a pizza stone on top of 2 Weber charcoal baskets works also.
pics of the finished pizza would be pretty nice to have.