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Smoothsmoke
04-23-2011, 08:03 PM
I picked up a ceramic stone and am going to give a try at kettle pizza in a next week. What store bought pizza dough do you recommend? Any other tips on making good pizza on the kettle? I'm going to shoot for 450F with lump and 1 or 2 big chunks of red oak.

Midnight Smoke
04-23-2011, 08:13 PM
I have tried to make Pizza a couple times and others should give you some good ideas. I found that if I pick up a dough ball from the local pizza joint it works better for me.

Moose
04-23-2011, 08:31 PM
I picked up a ceramic stone and am going to give a try at kettle pizza in a next week. What store bought pizza dough do you recommend? Any other tips on making good pizza on the kettle? I'm going to shoot for 450F with lump and 1 or 2 big chunks of red oak.

I'd seriously consider getting the stone made specifically for the kettle, as it will handle temps up to 2300 degrees. A regular ceramic stone is likely to crack pretty quickly.

http://grilledpizzastone.com

If this is not an option for you at the moment, I'd put two bricks on the grilltop and put the stone on top of the bricks. You'll find the top cooks about as evenly as the bottom this way.

As for store bought dough, I've had great luck with TJ's. Here's a pizza I did recently using TJ's dough:

http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae286/Pashn8one/IMG_4214.jpg

Here's a recent tutorial I did on using store bought dough. Make sure you proof the dough for 20 mins before you shape into a pie and you'll find hand stretching easier almost effortless:

www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102712 (http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102712)

Hope this helps!

Groundhog66
04-23-2011, 08:34 PM
I agree, Trader Joe's makes a really nice crust.

Smoothsmoke
04-23-2011, 08:48 PM
Thanks, I have a Trader Joes not far from me. The ceramic stone is all I got, spent 10 bucks on it. So what you're saying is I should put 2 firebricks on the grate, then the stone on top of the bricks? Thanks guys.

Smoothsmoke
04-23-2011, 08:57 PM
Just read the tutorial, great stuff Moose! Looks like resting the dough is very important to be able to work with it. Also, my 450F is about 150 degrees shy of where I want to be. Thanks again.

Fife
04-23-2011, 08:59 PM
I need to try on

Groundhog66
04-23-2011, 09:03 PM
Also, my 450F is about 150 degrees shy of where I want to be. Thanks again.

I usually cook mine between 450-550, haven't yet tried the 750 neighborhood. Another tip, go easy on the toppings.

Smoothsmoke
04-24-2011, 12:29 PM
I usually cook mine between 450-550, haven't yet tried the 750 neighborhood. Another tip, go easy on the toppings.

Sounds good, I'll try to get 500F on my first attempt and see how that works. I plan on making two of them. On one I want mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, peperoni and sausage. I'm thinking of lightly pre cooking the mushrooms and bell pepper to draw out some of the liquid just in case it'll make the pizza soggy. The other one, not sure yet, my wife was thinking of bacon and prunes. :crazy:

biggs98
04-24-2011, 12:40 PM
If I don't make my own dough, I usually go to my local Pizza place a buy a fresh dough from them. They usually charge $2-3. With the excess dough I usually make some nice garlic knots or mini strombolis.

Carbon
04-24-2011, 12:56 PM
Trader Joe's fresh pizza dough is good. $1.29 for their 16oz dough, you can make 2 crusts out of that. That's how I started doing pizza at the beginning using their dough on the kettle.

Here's an old pic from one of those cooks...

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/P1040031.jpg

landarc
04-24-2011, 12:57 PM
I also use the TJ dough, or make my own, but buying from a local pizza place is a great way to get good ready to go dough

Moose
04-24-2011, 01:00 PM
Thanks, I have a Trader Joes not far from me. The ceramic stone is all I got, spent 10 bucks on it. So what you're saying is I should put 2 firebricks on the grate, then the stone on top of the bricks? Thanks guys.

That's exactly right. If you don't raise the stone with the bricks, the bottom of the crust will be done long before the top of the pie.

If you are really into pizza like I am, it is well worth building a FrankenWeber Pizza Kettle:

www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94116

Almost as good as a wood fired pizza oven, and a tiny fraction of the cost.

LMAJ
04-24-2011, 01:10 PM
I get my dough from a local bakery- for $1.35 I get 2 pizzas out of it. Have tried Trader Joe's as well and liked it fine.
One other thing to keep in mind - let your stone heat up for a while - your crust will be better for it. I let mine go at least 30 minutes - 60 is better.
Good luck!

Smoothsmoke
04-24-2011, 08:18 PM
I got two red clay bricks today from home depot. It didn't say it was a fire brick though. Is it the same or should I have gotten one that specifically said "fire brick"?

landarc
04-24-2011, 09:04 PM
It will probably be alright, but, if it is not, it will crack and even potentially slightly pop. Fire brick would be better and safer. Not a lot safer, as the risk of popping is slight. Still, get fire bricks when you can.

Smoothsmoke
04-24-2011, 09:59 PM
It will probably be alright, but, if it is not, it will crack and even potentially slightly pop. Fire brick would be better and safer. Not a lot safer, as the risk of popping is slight. Still, get fire bricks when you can.

Thanks, I'll try Lowes tomorrow. I couldn't find any bricks labeled fire at HD.

jkd9977
04-25-2011, 12:01 AM
If you have a local fireplace supply, they should have them too.

jjdealer
04-25-2011, 01:32 AM
I agree, Trader Joe's makes a really nice crust.

I get my Weber as hot as possible. Then arrange the coals around the 22 1/2". Baste both sides of dough with oil and throw the dough right on the grill. Maybe 2 mins a side, pull it off add sauceand toppings then back on for just a few mins. until your liking. I have used this with Trader Joes, Lucky's etc... Never had a sticking issue. Enjoy.

jaymo
04-25-2011, 03:57 AM
I usually go with the pizza dough recipe from Jim Lahey's My Bread. The recipes for bread, focccacia, pizza crust, etc are all super easy. All the baking recipes in it are "no-knead" so it's just a matter of mixing the ingredients up for a minute by hand, then letting them sit to rise awhile. Very east to "set & forget" until it's time to pop them in the oven/grill.

I've started making homemade pizza way more often since getting the crust recipe.

JazzyBadger
04-25-2011, 07:11 AM
Yep, I myself make my own homemade dough as well, but I used to work at a bakery for a long while in my youth so I think it's a lot of fun. I think I'll actually drag out my new camera and take some pics when I do my pizza cooks. If I ever do go store bought I'm definitely checking into Trader Joe's crust, seems to be popular.

http://recipes.robbiehaf.com/T/272.htm I use the recipe here, as it's the one that works best for me when I'm making six pies at a time. Which is every time I cook for the family, and usually it ends up being nine pies.

JD08
04-25-2011, 08:51 AM
As strange as this will sound, Wal-Mart has a really good pizza dough. That and good hot jalapenos are the two advantages Wally World has over competitors.

Garyclaw
04-25-2011, 09:21 AM
Here's an easy pizza dough I got from one of the Brethren or Sisteren (Maybe Rossinventura):

1- .25 oz. packet of active yeast (not self rising)
1/4 tsp. sugar
3/4 c. 110* water
1 3/4 c. AP flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine yeast, sugar and water and let sit 10 min.

At this point you can prepare your fire.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 of the flour, salt and yeast mixture w/ a fork.

add remainder of flour to form dough and knead for 2 min.

Oil (w/ olive oil) and let rest in a covered bowl while you get your coals ready and nice and hot and set your bricks and stone.

At this point you can form dough onto a floured surface or peel for the grill OR a oiled pizza pan for the oven.

rub w/ olive oil and add toppings.

I love this crust and how easy it is to make.

Have fun and eat good!