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View Full Version : Weber Pizza Oven - Build and first cook pics

bob80001
10-04-2010, 02:48 PM
This weekend I finally put all the parts together and made my frankenweber/little black egg/weber pizza oven. The build was surprisingly easy, except for my kids yelling that I was making too much noise with the power tools.

Here is the donor kettle. It was in sorry shape and ready for some new life. I found it on the side of the road for free.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TKn_xPxIagI/AAAAAAAAAU8/rl1aM_Rr_ow/s800/IMG_3284.JPG

Drawing my lines to cut out the bottom. This is the second jig I created to make the circle - you can see the first one didn't work out so well... It was a piece of yarn, and stretched and was not controllable. I never claimed to be much of a builder or handyman, but I get by.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TKn_yLdF9qI/AAAAAAAAAVE/OF0sNA8YZp0/s800/IMG_3290.JPG

Ugliness removed from the kettle, ready to move on to the lid.

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Lid taped up and ready for cutting.

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The opening is a little rough. I will clean it up, but I had pizza to cook so no time for that on this day...

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TKoAi6vmVkI/AAAAAAAAAVk/rDXq19n9CdQ/s800/IMG_3308.JPG

One part you don't see in the pic above is the installation of the 16" pizza pan inside the lid. I didn't have my camera available at that stage, so everyone can use their imagination. If someone wants to see it, I can upload some later. Below is the burner I used. It's the Bayou Classic SP 10 that I have seen a lot of others use.

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Kettle bottom set in there with bottom grate. Four firebricks set on the bottom grate for the heat shield.

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Top grate and pizza stone in place.

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Lid on and pre-heating...

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Getting close to temp... My thermometer only went to 699º or something like that. If it got above 700º it just said "HI" so I don't know what temp I ended up at...somewhere in the 750º-850º range I guess. I may need to get a new thermometer.

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Finally cookin'

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Up close and personal...

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TKoCDMzlG-I/AAAAAAAAAWg/1JK65Bbhclk/s800/IMG_3359.JPG

Some final product...

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TKoBgDBoygI/AAAAAAAAAWU/Jt0zZnO4-8w/s800/IMG_3357.JPG

This one was mangled by a giant bubble during cooking...

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TKoCDfXvFlI/AAAAAAAAAWk/6kU6SapJ6j0/s800/IMG_3362.JPG

One last pie...

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TKoCETcjn4I/AAAAAAAAAWs/tJl8HuJusbY/s800/IMG_3364.JPG

A couple of thoughts and observations about the build/first cook: My toppings were not done enough when the crust was done. I actually burned the first pizza that I made while trying to get the top cooked. As you can see from the first two food pics, the cheese isn't quite done. I like mine with a little brown. The 3rd pic shows it after I put it under the broiler in the oven. Not the way I really wanted to finish off the pies, but it worked, and they tasted great. I don't know if the temp was too high (I wasn't sure that would really be possible) or if I need to foil the lid. It seems that there is not enough heat swirling above. Maybe the stone is too large and not enough heat is getting around it. I'm not quite sure where I am going to go from here to remedy the issue. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know.

And I've got to hand it to my wife for the dough she made. It was perfect! (She seemed a little irritated while kneading it by hand for 15 minutes before letting it rise.) Just wait 'till I ask her to triple or quad the recipe so I can do a little more testing.
Mark
10-04-2010, 02:58 PM
Mucho bueno Bob!
landarc
10-04-2010, 03:01 PM
I suspect that the stone is a little large and not allowing enough flow from bottom to top. Did you have the vent open to create heat convection from bottom to top? I also think either heat mass or reflective material (foil) would help redirect heat to help with the pizza toppings.

One of the key things in a wood oven seems to be getting the heat to swirl through the oven and create a hot air cushion over the pizza. This really means getting the exhaust balanced with the heat source.
Smokey Al Gold
10-04-2010, 03:06 PM
Wow pretty amazing looking pies!
Saiko
10-04-2010, 03:07 PM
Thanks for the build pic, I have this saved now for when I build mine!

I suspect that the stone is a little large and not allowing enough flow from bottom to top.

I agree with landarc here, from what I have read you need an opening behind the pizza so the hot air is forced behind the pizza, over the top of it and then out the vent. I bet if you opened that back area up and added HD foil to the lid you'd get much more heat down on top of the pizza.
Pies look great!
BlkJeep
10-04-2010, 03:13 PM
Cool build. Looks fun!! I also think that the size of your stone maybe to cause for allowing more heat above the pie?
landarc
10-04-2010, 03:13 PM
maybe just scoot that stone to the front of the kettle and that might open up the back opening enough to create the draft.
MilitantSquatter
10-04-2010, 03:19 PM
.


A couple of thoughts and observations about the build/first cook: My toppings were not done enough when the crust was done. I actually burned the first pizza that I made while trying to get the top cooked. As you can see from the first two food pics, the cheese isn't quite done. I like mine with a little brown. The 3rd pic shows it after I put it under the broiler in the oven. Not the way I really wanted to finish off the pies, but it worked, and they tasted great. I don't know if the temp was too high (I wasn't sure that would really be possible) or if I need to foil the lid. It seems that there is not enough heat swirling above. Maybe the stone is too large and not enough heat is getting around it. I'm not quite sure where I am going to go from here to remedy the issue. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know.



Always remember about proper balance of the ingredients... You should consider cutting down the total amount and/or the thickness of the toppings.
bob80001
10-04-2010, 03:26 PM
maybe just scoot that stone to the front of the kettle and that might open up the back opening enough to create the draft.

I think I'll start with this - as it requires no new parts, and see how it goes. If I have to go to a smaller stone, that's not really a big deal, as I am making 9 or 10 inch pies. I guess when I was ordering the 16" stone I said, "yeah, that'll fit" and didn't consider the other issues. I'm pretty new to pizza making - as far as a pizza oven works - but I have plenty of experience eating. At least the testing is yummy.
early mornin' smokin'
10-04-2010, 03:32 PM
im with Vinny. Ive been a pizzaman for 10 years, and can tell you, less is more. Crust will be crisper, and top will be more well done. Toppings = moisture
Zippylip
10-04-2010, 04:17 PM
Bob, another thought, if you can fit it, add an additional stone, that will slow the cooking from the bottom and get the pizza somewhat closer to the metal allowing the radiant heat to finish the top, Marc
bob80001
10-04-2010, 09:09 PM
Bob, another thought, if you can fit it, add an additional stone, that will slow the cooking from the bottom and get the pizza somewhat closer to the metal allowing the radiant heat to finish the top, Marc

I have some additional fire bricks i could put under the stone. Thanks. It gives me something else to try.
Moose
10-04-2010, 09:18 PM
I also agree. Your stone looks too big and you're not getting enough airflow over the top. I have one of these:

www.grilledpizzastone.com that looks like it may be ideal. I'll find out soon enough once I fire up mine.

Thanks for the build pic, I have this saved now for when I build mine!



I agree with landarc here, from what I have read you need an opening behind the pizza so the hot air is forced behind the pizza, over the top of it and then out the vent. I bet if you opened that back area up and added HD foil to the lid you'd get much more heat down on top of the pizza.
Pies look great!
mikeTRON
10-05-2010, 01:08 AM
Be sure to post photos of your next "tests" :-D

Is that an 18.5" or 22.5" weber?
DesMar
10-05-2010, 02:07 AM
Cool idea i'm going to build one of these. Well done on the build. The only problem is trying to find some webers on CL or freecycle. :thumb:
Smiter Q
10-05-2010, 02:53 AM
Thanks for sharing. What did you use to cut through the bottom and the top?

Also... this is a stone I see a lot of folks use for WEBER kettles.
It is shaped like a " D " .. which would allow more airflow.
http://www.amazon.com/Stone-20-5-Inch-Pizza-Grill/dp/B002JPJ078/ref=pd_sbs_ol_5
bob80001
10-05-2010, 08:42 AM
Be sure to post photos of your next "tests" :-D

Is that an 18.5" or 22.5" weber?

It is an 18.5" weber. The stone in there is 16" - which might be just right for the larger 22.5" kettles, but appears to be too large here. I will post new pics. Planning on cooking on it again this weekend.
bob80001
10-05-2010, 08:47 AM
Thanks for sharing. What did you use to cut through the bottom and the top?

Also... this is a stone I see a lot of folks use for WEBER kettles.
It is shaped like a " D " .. which would allow more airflow.
http://www.amazon.com/Stone-20-5-Inch-Pizza-Grill/dp/B002JPJ078/ref=pd_sbs_ol_5

I used a jigsaw to make the cuts. The doohickeys that were welded on to the bottom to insert the legs in were kind of a pain, but I got around them. The grill was in such bad shape that one was already missing, and another mangled. I could have made the circle a little larger and they would have been easier to get by.

I like the "D" shaped stone idea...Moose suggested the same. Unfortunately they are too large for this grill. If anyone sees one that will fit in an 18.5" kettle, let me know!
bob80001
10-11-2010, 11:26 AM
I tried it again this Sunday. I made 3 modifications from the last cook:
1. Raised the pizza stone up on 2 refractory bricks (so it is maybe 1.5 inches higher)
2. Moved the stone all the way to the front of the oven
3. Added foil to the inside of the lid
Bonus: I also took the advice of several and kept the volume of toppings down

This worked a bit better than before. I was not able to get browning on the cheese in the oven, but it was getting close. I still finished them under the broiler. I had a little bit of trouble with the foil - a large bubble formed and stuck to it. It happened a second time after I fixed it, so for the last pizza, there was no foil - I just got rid of it. I also think i had the lid off too much on that last one, or it might have turned out even better. I was a little gun shy on burning the crust, so I was checking it, so maybe things would've worked out better if I could keep the lid on at the end. I may still be trying a new, smaller stone.
Moose
10-11-2010, 11:35 AM
Don,

I bought a 16 inch 3/4 thick granite stone I was going to use for the pizza oven, but after looking over a number of posts on the pizzamaking forum, I'd seen a few folks create a D shape with firebricks and foil, with the round part towards the front of the grill. This is why I plan to use the grilled pizza stone when I fire my LBE up, because of the "D" shape, which creates a "vent" which forces hot air to flow over the top of the pizza. That said, I think it might be worth it to go to a stone/masonry shop and see if they can cut you a D shaped stone from granite. I use mine in the oven and it's really a great heat conductor...PM me if you have any questions...
FltEng
10-11-2010, 11:37 AM
A 15 inch pizza stone works great in a Weber mod like this. Anything larger cuts down on the airflow inside the kettle.
bob80001
10-17-2010, 08:58 PM
Did the third cook tonight on the weber pizza oven. I replaced the larger 16 inch pizza stone in the oven with the smaller - maybe 13ish inch stone that has been in my oven for the last few years. It was a cheap stone that cracked as soon as I put the first pie on to cook...BUT...I think it solved most of my problems. I also did a minor mod to the lid so the heat could not get between the inside of the lid and the pizza pan mounted up there. So I'm off to buy a better quality - but smaller stone. The proof's in the pics...see below.

And thanks everyone for your help!

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_yhd1xjwJbqA/TLui2hvKy7I/AAAAAAAAAXE/NF1ttFT8zLY/s800/CIMG2043.jpg
1_T_Scot
10-17-2010, 09:03 PM
Cool Project! Thanks for sharing.