Weber Kettle Club Forums

Cooking & Food Talk => Charcoal Grilling & BBQ => Topic started by: Sgt. Stel on April 21, 2015, 11:13:02 AM

Title: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Sgt. Stel on April 21, 2015, 11:13:02 AM: 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
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: 1buckie on April 21, 2015, 11:32:34 AM: Nice step-by-step on that one......should work very well from what I've seen of other's risers & mods !!!!
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: 1911Ron on April 21, 2015, 01:29:10 PM: 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?
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: austin87 on April 21, 2015, 05:55:01 PM: I like that mod. It's pretty close to dinner time and I want some pizza pics!
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Craig on April 21, 2015, 06:04:43 PM: Looks like it should work out nicely! Keep us posted with some pizza cooks! [emoji2]
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Sgt. Stel on April 22, 2015, 03:46:27 AM: 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
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: CSTampa on April 22, 2015, 08:53:21 AM: 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?
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Sgt. Stel on April 22, 2015, 11:43:28 AM: It is a Weber charcoal grill. I think it is like 18".

Sgt. Stel
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Sramsey on April 22, 2015, 03:09:59 PM: 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?
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Sgt. Stel on April 22, 2015, 05:09:10 PM: Lowes It was on clearance.

Here is the grate packaging (https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8776/17239849145_d1d606607c_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: addicted-to-smoke on April 23, 2015, 05:10:43 AM: 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!
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: 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.
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: addicted-to-smoke on April 23, 2015, 07:09:58 AM: 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
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: dcharette on April 24, 2015, 03:43:25 PM: DIY projects are fricken awesome.
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: CSTampa on August 25, 2015, 10:45:11 AM: Any update on how the pizza making is working out with this modification?
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Sgt. Stel on August 25, 2015, 11:50:47 AM: 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
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: 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?
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: jdefran on August 26, 2015, 06:26:15 AM: 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
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Sgt. Stel on August 26, 2015, 06:34:19 PM: 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
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: BBQ Jack on August 27, 2015, 11:56:55 PM: I find that placing a pizza stone on top of 2 Weber charcoal baskets works also.
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: huntergreen on September 02, 2015, 02:56:24 PM: pics of the finished pizza would be pretty nice to have.
Title: Re: Pizza Mod on a 26" Kettle
Post by: Tommy B on October 01, 2015, 05:13:40 AM: Quote from: dcharette on April 24, 2015, 03:43:25 PM
DIY projects are fricken awesome.

what he said 8)