Kettle Pizza 1st Attempt

[Bustin Butt]

I made my dough using my bread machine. Toppings included a tomato sauce base and topped it off with hamburger meat, onions, garlic, jalapeño peppers and mozzarella cheese.

I used a chimney full of lit charcoal and a half of chimney of unlit briquettes topped with three large split pecan wood. Got the temperature way past 700 degrees. I used a pizza screen but I wasn't pleased with the bottom crust as it didn't get enough heat to bake properly. Next time I will go flat on top the stone.

Overall I was pleased with my first attempt. I had cooked it a little longer than I intended so that I could get the bottom crust to brown. Besides that the pizzas were delicious!



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[CharliefromLI]

Great first cook. Pizza is trial and error

[Bustin Butt]

I was more surprised at myself for how well my prep work turned out. I nearly ate my pizza raw! lol


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[firedude5015]

That's a damned nice lookin Pizza!

[MikeRocksTheRed]

Nicely done!  It's a bit of trial and error the first cook or two, but even if you aren't happy with the first cook or two its hard to ruin pizza so even the cooks you aren't totally happy with are still yummy! 

What dough recipe did you use?  Dough looks good and you did a good job of making it into a pretty much round pizza!  If you aren't going to use your pizza screen next time you will have to deal with making sure your peel is floured/corn mealed enough to slide the pizza off....especially with a loaded pizza like the one you did.

[Bustin Butt]

@firedude5015 thanks my friend!

@MikeRocksTheRed I used my bread machine which is soooooo easy to use to make dough. So easy even a caveman like myself can do. My bread machine came with a recipe book and it has a pizza dough recipe. I just followed the recipe to a T which is pretty much just adding the ingredients to the bread pan and hitting a couple buttons. The machine does all the work in a couple hours. The trick for making a round crust is starting with a round dough ball. Lay it down on a floured board an flatten it out and start by stretching it out using your fingers.
I will definitely use the cornmeal and floured peel on my next pizza. Thanks for the tip.

[Nate]

 Very nice pies on your first go. Bet they were great.

[Mike B]

Those look amazing...great job

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[MacEggs]

Great looking pies for your first attempt!  My first ones looked like a map of Newfoundland ...

I actually like the screens.  I prefer to have the dough worked on a board first, then transfer it to the screens.
I recommend to pre-spray the screens with some vegetable spray prior to the above action, and do not push down on the PD after doing this. 

Easy to spin the pies 90 or 180° to prevent burning the edge closest to the fire.  I don't cook by time ... Gotta watch 'em like a hawk ... YMMV 

[Bustin Butt]

Great looking pies for your first attempt!  My first ones looked like a map of Newfoundland ...

I actually like the screens.  I prefer to have the dough worked on a board first, then transfer it to the screens.
I recommend to pre-spray the screens with some vegetable spray prior to the above action, and do not push down on the PD after doing this. 

I had no problems with the dough sticking to the screen, but the bottom of the pizza wasn't getting enough heat.


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[MacEggs]

I had no problems with the dough sticking to the screen, but the bottom of the pizza wasn't getting enough heat.

I use a kiln shelf as a pizza stone.  It can handle temps over 2000℉.  Hasn't cracked yet.
During the heat-up stage, I have it towards the back over the main fire ...
I then rotate it 180° one or two times, then pull it forward for the pies.

I can get the crust to a nice golden brown with this method using the screens. YMMV

Got lucky on my first attempt with the KP.  This method has worked for me ever since my rookie-try.