Hey Gang,

I'm going to try my first grilled pizza today - I have been reading A LOT of grilled pizza posts and I was wondering a few things. I'm worried about the intense heat from my WSM burning the crust without getting the toppings done. Can I have a really hot fire in the bottom of the grill, put the middle section on, and then grill on the top grate? I am thinking that the crust will be far enough away from the heat that I can cook it a bit longer? I would like to grill it on the grate instead of using the baking stone so that it can get the grilled flavor. Like I said, I am nervous about the speed in which the crust can burn before cooking the toppings.

Thanks!

Mike in Spring, TX

Sometimes I microwave it first to get the cheese melted and the toppings hot - then on to the grill - but I usually put it on an upsidedown 14" flowerpot saucer

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Keig:
Hey Gang,

I'm going to try my first grilled pizza today - I have been reading A LOT of grilled pizza posts and I was wondering a few things. I'm worried about the intense heat from my WSM burning the crust without getting the toppings done. Can I have a really hot fire in the bottom of the grill, put the middle section on, and then grill on the top grate? I am thinking that the crust will be far enough away from the heat that I can cook it a bit longer? I would like to grill it on the grate instead of using the baking stone so that it can get the grilled flavor. Like I said, I am nervous about the speed in which the crust can burn before cooking the toppings.

Thanks!

Mike in Spring, TX

Well I never used the WSM for pizza. I either use the Gold D or the 22.5" Master Touch, mostly the gasser. First question, what kind of pizza are you making, frozen or homemade? If homemade you'll run the risk of the crust being very dry if using the WSM because of low temps. The longer the crust takes to cook the drier it will become. That's why pizza is cooked at high temps 550-1000+, to avoid the dry crust. You need to find the right balance of bottom heat for the crust and top heat to cook the toppings and the top of the pie. It's just some trial and error, and you get to eat all your mistakes.
If you are using the top grate on the WSM no worries about burning the bottom of the crust. It's too far away from the coals. If it's a homemade pizza the top (heat reflecting off the inside of the lid) will prob get done before the bottom unless you really get the WSM going, try cooking the pie with the door open or maybe even off. If you are making frozen pizzas, then 400-450 temps will work just fine. All my pizza's are my homemade dough and I get the Gasser up to 650 before putting in the pie, they cook in 7 min or less. HTH, Bryan

Thanks - definitely homemade pizza - we use a really basic crust recipe - and when we do it in our oven, we cook at 500 degrees for about 10 minutes. I'm hoping that maybe we can just use the WSM normally as a grill with the charcoal up near the cooking surface to avoid the drying out that you speak of.

Thanks,

Mike in Spring

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Keig:
Thanks - definitely homemade pizza - we use a really basic crust recipe - and when we do it in our oven, we cook at 500 degrees for about 10 minutes. I'm hoping that maybe we can just use the WSM normally as a grill with the charcoal up near the cooking surface to avoid the drying out that you speak of.

Thanks,

Mike in Spring

Mike, You might want to pick up some pizza screens for future pizzas down the road. I have 2 16" screens and love them. I prefer them to the fribrament stone I have and do not use. I use screens when making NY style in the oven or on a grill. I linked to a 14" might be about as large as you can go, you don't want to block off the air flow coming up from the bottom. Pizza screen

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Keig:
definitely homemade pizza - we use a really basic crust recipe
Mike in Spring

Mike, I've been making up some pizza dough for the last hour. I made a single ball for a Greek Style pizza this Wed and made up a batch (2 dough balls) of dough for NY style next week sometime. I use a really basic recipe that I have found gives me the best results for my NY style I want. For my NY dough I use Cerestoa AP flour, as I have found this gives me the Texture I desire and also the taste. It produces a nice chewy crust. It's a 58% hydration dough and is very basic, flour, water, salt, and yeast, but yields a ton of flavor once it's cold fermented in the fridge for a min of 7 days and up to 14 days. I find the dough is at it's best between the 7-11 day mark and falls off somewhat after that. Before day 7 it's too young and lacks the flavor I want. I use a digital scale to weigh out the flour and water so it is consistant from batch to batch. Keep us posted on your pizza cook.

Thanks - good info! Wife is making the dough right now - two batches just in case I gack a few!! I am thinking of taking pictures to document my first pizza grilling adventure! If I do, I will post them!

Thanks again all - Mike in Spring

bryan - whats your recipe for ny style dough

quote:

Originally posted by Alan H:
bryan - whats your recipe for ny style dough

Do you have a digital scale to weigh out the flour and water? and for what size pizzas? Need this info before posting the recipe for you.

Some people start the crust directly on the grill for a few minutes. Then take the crust off, flip it over and add the sauce cheese and toppings and back on the grill to finish it off. This way it can be cooked all the way through without burning the bottom. Give it a try!

Michael,

I did my first grilled pizzas this weekend. I followed the recipe in BBQ USA where you cook the dough on the hot side of the grill, flip it over on the cooler side and put your toppings on and then move back over the heat. See the pictures at this link:

Grilled Pizzas

They were awesome if I must say so myself. We did one with pepperoni, one just cheese, both with sauce, and one with no sauce and just olive oil, fresh tomatoes and fresh garlic.

Hope this helps.

Bob

RObert..they look great...perhaps I am going to do them again soon after looking at yours..been too long.

Hey Brian, I have a scale. How about a recipe for say a 12 inch? Thanks

Clark

Dennis,

Thanks. I need to work on the shaping a little but they sure were tasty.

Bob

Bryan,

Send your dough recipe my way too (in baker's % if you want). I just got done making a sourdough pizza (stone, oven, parchment...not grilled). No tom sauce. Just olive oil, spinach, mozz, red onion, fresh rosemary and oregeno, and feta. I've experimented a lot with retarding dough at cold temps, never for greater than 3 days though. I must say, however...it is very tough to beat my sourdough crust! But I'm willing to try something new...

quote:

Originally posted by Phil R.:
Bryan,

I must say, however...it is very tough to beat my sourdough crust! But I'm willing to try something new...

Phil, Well yeah! Clarke, Phil, This recipe is for a NY style dough, a hand stretched, chewy crust, floppy thin slice, with cheese and pepperoni grease runing down your arm pie, my favorite. Not sure what All purpose flour to tell you to use? Stay away from the big name brand ones like Gold Medal, Pillsburry.... I use Ceresota AP and or Hecklers AP both made buy the Uhlmann Company , don't know if you will find it in CA or Canada though. It's a pretty high protein AP flour. King Arthur makes a good AP, never used Robin Hood yet but want to try it soon. I get the perfect NY style crust I desire with the hecklers I hate to change.
For a 12" pie, makes one dough ball.
7 oz of AP flour
4.2 oz of water
1/4 tsp Instant dry yeast
1 tsp of kosher salt
mix it up, and knead till smooth, lightly coat entire ball with olive oil and place in a round air tight container and place in the back of the fridge for a minimum of 7 days and up to 11. Yes it is very basic, but the long cold ferment produces nice flavor and great texture.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bryan S,

quote:

Originally posted by Bryan S:
7 oz of water
4.2 oz of water
1/4 tsp Instant dry yeast
1 tsp of kosher salt

Quite a wet dough there, Bryan! Going gluten free?

quote:

Originally posted by Phil R.:

quote:

Originally posted by Bryan S:
7 oz of water
4.2 oz of water
1/4 tsp Instant dry yeast
1 tsp of kosher salt

Quite a wet dough there, Bryan! Going gluten free?

Damn Beer got in my way. Had a typo, then went back to fix it and made it worse, NO? I'll fix it, good catch. Comes out to about a 60% hydration dough when you use flour and not all water. Sir, would you like a sponge with that pizza?

Thanks for the recipe Brian. I'm going to make the dough next week and see how it goes. I've never left dough age that long, I look forward to the result! I could use a nice greasy pizza.


Hey Phil, don't suppose you want to share that sour dough recipe you were mentioning.....

Now I just feel like a complete mooch!

Thanks guys

Clark

quote:

Originally posted by Clark Deutscher:
Hey Phil, don't suppose you want to share that sour dough recipe you were mentioning.....

Here ya go! Although I have to admit...it's Peter Reinhart's, not mine. I've thought about adding o. oil, but like it so much as it is I don't bother.

Firm Starter
4 oz. (2/3 C) 100% hydration starter
4.5 oz. (1 C) flour
1 oz Water (1/8 cup)

Mix it up and make a ball and proof it for awhile, about 4 or 5 hours at room temp. (I usually make it the night before and let it sit in a bowl on the counter all night, at about room temp and covered with saran wrap). No biggy if it falls, it's just a starter.

Final Dough
The firm starter, cut into chunks
20.25 oz flour (4.5 C)
.5 oz table salt (2 t.)
12 oz water (1.5 C)

Mix it all up and knead. Proof it for about 4 or 5 hrs. at room temp, or until it roughly doubles in size. Then, cut into 8 ounce chunks. Depending on how many pizzas you want, put some in a ziplock bag with some oil and freeze. Take the 8 oz chunks you didn't freeze and shape them into nice smooth balls and proof again until doubled. Then make a pizza out of them once each ball has risen. One 8 oz dough ball will make a 14-16 inch round pizza.

I'm sure this recipe would be really improved by retarding the final dough balls in the fridge...but haven't gotten around to doing it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Phil R.,