KettlePizza steel lid question

[SmokeVide]

So I scored a righteous deal on the KettlePizza Deluxe. Will I be able to make great pies without the steel lid? Is the steel lid a pretty critical component?

If it is, I'm wondering if I could instead just set a sheet of steel sheet metal on a grate? Anyone tried that?

[MikeRocksTheRed]

@SmokeVide -  I don't have one and don't put anything in my lid to keep the heat closer to the pizza, and mine come out great.  I will eventually get a baking steel though...I can see how it would help contain the heat more which would result in faster, more consistent cooks that would probably also use less fuel.  A handful of people have DIY ways of doing what the baking steel does, so I'm sure you will some of the options as people see your post!

[Nate]

@SmokeVide The steel is nice to have but not necessary. Many moons ago when I first started cooking pies on the KP I had a square piece of heavy gauge sheet metal as my lid and it worked great. It was large enough so I could just set it on top of the KP ring and not have to use the KP. I'm sure if you search some of my old posts you'll find a pic of this setup.

Now cook some pies!

[northwestkettle]

just make sure you don't use galvanized sheet metal i was thinking about getting some metal and cutting it out same size as the grate so i can set it on top and see if it makes a big improvement on my pizza making also

[swamprb]

I built a Kettle Pizza clone and after doing a lot of research, I thought I'd give a baking steel type lid/deflector a shot.



I had a concrete saw blade and the bottom of the drum I used for the KP clone and bolted them together with a cook grate for handles and as a spacer between them - basically to cut down on the weight.



It worked fine, and if I stayed with the KP clone, I'd still use it. So I suppose I could recommend that kind of setup. It was just too much of a hassle for what I was trying to accomplish.



I'm much happier with my Chop-Top Pizza Kettle.