Weber Kettle Club Forums

Cooking & Food Talk => Charcoal Grilling & BBQ => Topic started by: zavod44 on July 28, 2012, 05:53:36 PM

Title: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: zavod44 on July 28, 2012, 05:53:36 PM
Okay, so there was a thread on another site which is now down for repairs, and some of you were giving me shit for having and using my kettle pizza oven.  First I got it for my birthday, second the pizza is freaking awesome.  So those non believers can suck it.....That being said I figured out the secret to use it and I do get really good results.  You can get okay results using it out of the box, but I think you need to do some adjustments to get it to work. 

The key to getting it to work is to put something on the top of the kettle pizza oven.  I use my cast iron griddle on the top.  I have used another pizza stone on the top and that works as well.  SO I get a load of coshell going on the two sides and the back in baskets, and I toss in two small chunks of oak.  I assemble the oven with my cast iron on top and let the iron get really hot.  Then I put in the Weber pizza stone and let that warm up.  I bought pizza dough from my local pizzeria, and rolled it really thin and built it on a pizza pan, and slid the whole thing in the ove pan and all. It's too thin to get off the peel at first.  Once it cooks for a few minutes I slide it off the peel so the crust gets crispy.

The first one was just cheese, here it is going in...

(http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/1113/dsc07208ml.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-28

coming out about 10 min later

(http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8720/dsc07209m.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-28

Then a half mushroom,

(http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/2083/dsc07210x.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-28

then a margherita

(http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/199/dsc07212l.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-28

Crust perfect

(http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/7001/dsc07214y.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-28



Brian
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Heyjude on July 28, 2012, 07:06:03 PM
Where exactly do you put the cast iron pan?
Oh and this is the one and only Weber Kettle web site..
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: ramcharger1979 on July 28, 2012, 07:18:42 PM
Looks awesome.  I need to try some more pizza on the Weber.
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: zavod44 on July 28, 2012, 07:29:09 PM
It's on the top of the pizza oven.  Right under the lid.  It's made to hold a grate at the top of the oven.  So you could put the grate on the top and put a pizza stone on it, or put a cast iron grate on top.  I just so happen to have the big cast iron griddle which works awesome,

Brian
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Duke on July 28, 2012, 09:00:20 PM
Dammit Brian, if that isn't a perfect looking pie!  :o I think you have it dialed in perfectly. I definitly want one of thise KP's. Please show us more of the inner workings.
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Larry Wolfe on July 29, 2012, 04:10:52 AM
Hell yeah!  Nice pies!! 
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: zavod44 on July 29, 2012, 12:48:08 PM
Okay here's the setup..

First the basket setup, they would be full to the brim with coshell, then I would toss in two fist size pieces of oak, until the temp gets up to 700 degrees you might need to add a third piece but you should be at 700 by now,

(http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/6389/dsc07272r.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Then the Kettle Pizza Oven goes on, and the grate goes inside the oven itself.  It needs to sit up higher right on the lip of the oven.

(http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9136/dsc07274vo.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Then I put on the Weber cast iron griddle.  If you don't have a griddle you could put another grate and a pizza stone on top of that,

(http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/6914/dsc07275mu.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

I let the cast iron get real hot, then the lid

(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/2756/dsc07276nz.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Once everything is hot I slide in the pizza stone and let that heat up

(http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/6321/dsc07278z.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Now your ready to cook some pies that will come out awesome. 

Brian

Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Vermin99 on July 29, 2012, 12:50:58 PM
Fantastic looking pizzas!!
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Heyjude on July 29, 2012, 12:53:29 PM
Nice set up!
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: zavod44 on July 29, 2012, 01:38:58 PM
The heat radiating back down is the key to cooking these.  We roll the dough real thin, then they really only have to cook for about 8 min.

Brian
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: bamboleo on July 29, 2012, 02:15:23 PM
Man, I wish I could get my pizzas looking like that.  Awesome. 
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Jeff on July 30, 2012, 07:35:18 AM
Bravo!!!!!
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Duke on January 09, 2013, 05:01:56 PM
Yep! Your pies are the bomb! 8)
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: glrasmussen on January 09, 2013, 08:22:23 PM
Yep! Your pies are the bomb! 8)

Agreed!
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: reillyranch on January 09, 2013, 09:13:45 PM
Awesome pizza.

Awesome griddle.

And seeing two sets of flip flops in the back ground not snow shoes, Awesome date night in the hot tub.?!
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Duke on January 10, 2013, 07:03:53 AM
Brian, I am hunting for one of those KP's. I also like that griddle. Did the handles get in the way of the lid at all when you put it on.?
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: MacEggs on July 11, 2013, 05:46:29 AM
Sorry for the thread bump.

Brian, thanks so much for posting this method and the set-up you used.
I just got a KP yesterday, and want to use it very soon.

That CI griddle looks nice, but, I think I will need to use an alternative, as it may be tough for me to find one like that.
Your suggestion should work just fine.

I think for my first try, I will go with the baskets at the rear with 1 or 2 slabs of wood. Then progress from there for future pie cooks.  :D

Thanks again!  :) :D
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: zavod44 on July 16, 2013, 11:00:42 AM
What if you set a grate on top then covered it with fire bricks?  You now have your top, it's should perform like a brick oven... I just thought of it the other day.  I'm gonna try it this week....

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk 2

Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: MacEggs on July 16, 2013, 12:07:13 PM
What if you set a grate on top then covered it with fire bricks?  You now have your top, it's should perform like a brick oven... I just thought of it the other day.  I'm gonna try it this week....

That's a good idea. I like it!
Initially I thought of fabricating a round piece of 1/8" thick steel with a handle. The same size as a cooking grate.
Put that on top. I think that would work okay. I'm trying to keep the costs down.

I am currently looking for a pizza stone. Stumbled on some websites that deal with pottery making and stuff.
A kiln shelf is what I want to get. Can handle temperatures well over 2000°F. And good prices, too.  :D
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Kilted_Griller on July 16, 2013, 01:31:54 PM
Sorry for the thread bump, but this was my first time reading this one.AWESOME....AWESOME....AWESOME...I think you have convinced me to get one.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: zavod44 on July 16, 2013, 03:08:57 PM
Well the fire bricks I got were $15 at Menard's.  Your not gonna get much cheaper than that.  It's not about how much heat something can handle, it's about the bricks or iron getting hot and being able to retain heat and reflect the heat back to the top of your pizza.  That's the idea of the brick oven.... I'm thinking the bricks are the way to go.... Maybe better than the iron.  You could however put a square iron griddle or even a cast iron skillet on the top grate... that will retain heat too..

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk 2

Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: MacEggs on July 17, 2013, 02:22:19 PM
Well the fire bricks I got were $15 at Menard's.  Your not gonna get much cheaper than that.  It's not about how much heat something can handle, it's about the bricks or iron getting hot and being able to retain heat and reflect the heat back to the top of your pizza.  That's the idea of the brick oven.... I'm thinking the bricks are the way to go.... Maybe better than the iron.  You could however put a square iron griddle or even a cast iron skillet on the top grate... that will retain heat too..

That all sounds great!
I am thinking of doing something very similar to what you have described.
Could you post a pic or two of your fire brick set-up. Thanks.  :D
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: MacEggs on July 25, 2013, 04:45:45 PM
Is this the fire brick set-up that you want to try?
I just picked these up today. Each one measures 8" X 4" X 1¼".
I thought the bricks would be heavy, but, these ones aren't.
I hope to try it out next weekend.

(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_2044.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_2044.jpg.html)

(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_2046.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_2046.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Golly on July 27, 2013, 11:26:32 PM
Okay here's the setup..

First the basket setup, they would be full to the brim with coshell, then I would toss in two fist size pieces of oak, until the temp gets up to 700 degrees you might need to add a third piece but you should be at 700 by now,

(http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/6389/dsc07272r.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Then the Kettle Pizza Oven goes on, and the grate goes inside the oven itself.  It needs to sit up higher right on the lip of the oven.

(http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9136/dsc07274vo.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Then I put on the Weber cast iron griddle.  If you don't have a griddle you could put another grate and a pizza stone on top of that,

(http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/6914/dsc07275mu.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

I let the cast iron get real hot, then the lid

(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/2756/dsc07276nz.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Once everything is hot I slide in the pizza stone and let that heat up

(http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/6321/dsc07278z.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-07-29

Now your ready to cook some pies that will come out awesome. 

Brian



what handle is on that performer lid?
layered timber ?
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: pbe gummi bear on September 09, 2013, 06:38:28 PM
TTT for the new and improved cooking section of WKC!
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: javahog2002 on September 09, 2013, 06:57:45 PM
Looks great for a KP.  ;D. So I really want to a closeup of that zebra striped handle.
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: pbe gummi bear on September 09, 2013, 07:02:19 PM
Good Eye. It looks like one of those chocolate filled wafers from the grocery store. Which are delicious btw.
Title: Re: Pizza on the Performer
Post by: Thin Blue Smoke on September 09, 2013, 07:33:57 PM
I just wanted to add, for those that are not aware, there is a newer model kettle pizza that has the therm off to the side. It has a lower height and, in my opinion, changes what you may want to do on the upper deck. I have the newer one and let it run without anything extra placed up top as I found the top of the pizza was cooking too fast. Of course, ymmv.