Kettle Pizza fail (long post looking for advice/fixes)

[jkolantern]

Thanks! @Bustin Butt
I used the Bobby Flay recipe, available at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/pizza-dough-recipe.html
I don't have a stand mixer, so just used my food processor with a plastic blade.  Based on somebody else's advice, I added the yeast to the water first, although unless the yeast is active dry (looks more like peppercorns than ground pepper) I've read it doesn't matter.  It was really soft and easy to work with, and I will use it again going forward.

[kettlecook]

@kettlecook I'll second Mike on the great video link.  Thanks!  And yes, I dyslexia-ed Kettle Pizza to Pizza Kettle in the title (see original post-I'm an idiot).  Fixed the subject in case it helps other people browsing-nice catch.  I think I will forgo the top level on the next attempt, which I'm now fired up for.

I really agree with what many have said, that even our less than perfect newby wood fired pizzas, no matter which KettlePizza kit we have, are better than most anywhere around! And we get to play with fire in our kettle and watch the pizza cook at the same time. What's not to love?


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[jkolantern]

So, Friday was attempt #2.  In some ways better, but still not great.  One full chimney of KBB, a big chunk of apple and a split cut in half for fuel.  KP thermometer temps only got to about 450 and went down from there.  Back of the griddle got into the mid 600s.  I used the C pattern, no griddle on top and the smaller griddle as my stone. 

It was pretty cold (30ish) and windy (18mph) and snowing, so I think those were contributing factors to the thermometer temps not getting to 500 and then steadily going down.  I don't think that one chimney was enough to pre-heat and cook, but I managed to get them all cooked. Next time I think I'll use more charcoal. The wood seemed like the right amount though.

Pizza 2, probably my favorite of the night.  Pesto mozzarella (on my new KP bargain scratch and dent peel).

[MikeRocksTheRed]

@jkolantern -  It looks like you are almost there.  Try adding at least half a chimney to your fully lit chimney.  I think that will get you where you need to be, and if not you will be close enough at that point to add a few more wood chunks to push you over the into that high heat zone you are looking for.

I'll be doing a write up on my Friday evening pizza cook that has a good pic of my coal setup in the next hour or two.

[jkolantern]

Thanks @MikeRocksTheRed I agree I''m getting close, and if the weather had been a little better, I would have probably taken the time to fix the problem.  However, my idea that it would be cool to cook wood fired pizzas in the snow did not so much translate to a desire to break everything down for more charcoal.  I look forward to reading your update...sounds like that was a pretty ambitious undertaking!

[MikeRocksTheRed]

Thanks @MikeRocksTheRed I agree I''m getting close, and if the weather had been a little better, I would have probably taken the time to fix the problem.  However, my idea that it would be cool to cook wood fired pizzas in the snow did not so much translate to a desire to break everything down for more charcoal.  I look forward to reading your update...sounds like that was a pretty ambitious undertaking!

I put my hinged grate in upside down this time so thevents hung open in teh back which made it easy to pop in a few more wood chunks as need with my metal pizza peel.  Way easier than lifting the entire KP, grate and lid off to add coals.

[kettlecook]

So, Friday was attempt #2.  In some ways better, but still not great.  One full chimney of KBB, a big chunk of apple and a split cut in half for fuel.  KP thermometer temps only got to about 450 and went down from there.  Back of the griddle got into the mid 600s.  I used the C pattern, no griddle on top and the smaller griddle as my stone. 

It was pretty cold (30ish) and windy (18mph) and snowing, so I think those were contributing factors to the thermometer temps not getting to 500 and then steadily going down.  I don't think that one chimney was enough to pre-heat and cook, but I managed to get them all cooked. Next time I think I'll use more charcoal. The wood seemed like the right amount though.

Pizza 2, probably my favorite of the night.  Pesto mozzarella (on my new KP bargain scratch and dent peel).

I've only had one stubborn pizza cook so far and it was cold and windy as well. I'd had good success on a couple other days with similar tough weather, but later realized a couple of things. First, I'd used Kingsford COMP before, and I also had remembered to shut the bottom vent to just a small crack after getting up to temp. Of course I didn't remember those two things until later. Anyhow, I had a couple chunks burning pretty good but the split in the middle  wasn't burning hot and clean. So I tossed in a couple more chunks, and no more than fifteen minutes later the smoke had cleaned up and the temp shot up. It's sort of like BBQ in that I'm learning through trial and error and trying to remember to write down what I've learned. Guess if it was too easy we might get bored with it and end up drinking too much. Bet that pesto pizza was good!


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