Pizza Cooking Techniques

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waterboy
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:01 pm
Location: Newcastle, NSW

Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by waterboy »

ChrisG started off this topic at this thread:
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... 35&t=12160

which started me thinking about the different techniques and materials used for cooking Pizza.

So far we have:

Direct on Grill
Pizza Stone
Perforated shallow pan/plate
Flat cast iron griddle pan
Cast Iron skillet see: http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... 60#p104168

What do you use to cook your pizza and what are reasons why you use this technique?
Pros and cons of any of the methods above?
Any other techniques/methods not listed above.

Anybody with links or info to the food science of pizza cooking would be appreciated.
MrT
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 1:09 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by MrT »

The guys at Modernist Cuisine advocate using a thick (6-10mm) piece of steel.

They even have their own version now:
http://modernistcuisine.com/baking-steel/

There is a company in Australia that is making them now. I'm very tempted.
http://pizzasteel.com.au/
chrisg
Posts: 782
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 7:21 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by chrisg »

Steel is interesting.

There was a great wood-fired pizza place near here that cooked theirs on a steel plate, they were excellent but cooking pizzas as I currently do on a 220 Q I'm doubting it would really get hot enough.

On the other hand if anyone has been to Italy they'd probably be familiar with the roadside vans that sell mini pizzas that are folded over like a pasty. They are often confused with a calzone but not really, just sealed up to make for easy eating.

I was, a long time back now, living for a bit above Savona and driving regularly to France on business. I got into the habit of stopping at one particular van near Ventimiglia on the way back, their pizzas were especially good. I became friendly with the couple and their daughter than ran the van and was invited in a few times. They were cooking the pies on a flat sheet of steel on a grid above four gas burners with a big hatch in the roof for ventilation - still became pretty hot in there :)

The trick apparently was to get the steel heated early and keep it hot which was not too hard because they had a very steady trade.

Worked for them, very well in fact, those little pies, three or four at a time, were cooked and browned in minutes, well, it was fast food :)

Cheers
Card Shark
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Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by Card Shark »

Personally prefer THICK ceramics for pizza at high heat. (550 - 600f for wet dough) More thermal mass than steel to better fully develop the crust. Also helps even out pit hot spots. CS
MrT
Posts: 103
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Location: Sydney

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by MrT »

The steel that is recommended is thick. 10mm thick, weighing 10kg. That will have more thermal mass than most ceramic plates you'll find.

Plus, the point of steel is its thermal conductivity, not just its mass. Even though home ovens can only get to around 250, the steel has SO much heat stored in it and able to unleash it on the pizza SO quickly, that it's as if the oven were MUCH hotter. The result is (apparently) a beautifully blistered base, HEAPS of air pockets, and not overcooked on top.

From memory they recommend cooking it with the grill on too, so you get the thick steel cooking from the bottom, and the grill from on top.

Apparently it takes about 3 minutes to cook a pizza :shock:

Haven't tried it myself, but it looks convincing to me.
Card Shark
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Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by Card Shark »

Buy one mate and post some pics of your pies in the pizza section. Hard on a BBQ not to burn the base, raise the dough and crisp the top quickly without drying the pie no matter what you use. This is what folks posted on the last pizza comp. http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... 33&t=11879 CS
chrisg
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Location: Perth WA

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by chrisg »

Geez, that's a chunk of steel...

I don't recall how thick my Italian friend's plate was, not skinny but not 10mm either.

Cheers
waterboy
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:01 pm
Location: Newcastle, NSW

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by waterboy »

Great discussion - appreciate the comments
chrisg
Posts: 782
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 7:21 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by chrisg »

CS' comments on ceramic are spot on - just I don't do it, still getting over broken ceramic.... things :)

I'd been thinking about this though and ended up asking the friendly Italians around the corner, well close, who make about the only delivery pizza I've ever found edible, what they do.

After the usual "ees trade secret Chrees" :) They showed me, big brick paver, about 600mm on a side?

They cook straight on it and just use a thin metal lifter to remove the pizzas.

After having a closer look, all metal oven, I don't know very much about pizza ovens at all, I asked if the paver doesn't crack?

Yeah, after a bit, he had about eight stacked up inside the back door :)

Well, they are not very expensive, another option I guess :)

Cheers
shayneh2006
Posts: 1914
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Location: Western Sydney

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by shayneh2006 »

I am loving my new Aldi Perforated shallow pan/plate thingies straight on top of a Pizza Stone.

This + Weber Kettle = Amazing crispy base :P



Shayne
Image

Don't argue with idiots.. They'll bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
chrisg
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Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by chrisg »

:)

I've put my little tray atop my stone, very thin one, just once Shayne, but, that was the last pizza I cooked, definitely repeating :)

Cheers
shayneh2006
Posts: 1914
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Location: Western Sydney

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by shayneh2006 »

Image
Image


:P




Shayne
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Don't argue with idiots.. They'll bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
chrisg
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Location: Perth WA

Re: Pizza Cooking Techniques

Post by chrisg »

:)

Now that's what we're talking about!!! :)

Cheers
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