First Pizza Stone! Need some Advise.

[tmkshew]

Hello everyone.

I got a pizza stone about a month ago to put in my WSM.

I am going camping this weekend in Delaware and I'm bringing my 22.5" One Touch Weber Grill and I wanted to make a pizza while I was there. Does anyone have any advise on how to use the pizza stone?

I was thinking letting the stone come to temperature with the grill before I put any dough on it. Is this a good idea? Do i need an air pocket inbetween the stone and the grill plate?
I've been reading around and getting some mixed reviews so I thought I would ask you guys directly. Let me know and thanks in advance guys.

Keep grillin'

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Yes, the stone should be brought up to temp, otherwise you'll have uncooked pizza in the middle, or more likely, a broken stone going from room temp to 600* in a few seconds.

Not sure about the kettle, never used that. Without a diffuser like the plate setter, direct heat might be too much on the stone. Might. I just don't know.

Good luck

 

[Ron_L]

I always let me stone come up to temp before cooking on it. I'm not sure what you mean by "grill plate", but if you are putting the stone directly on the grate then you effectively have an air gap between it and the heat source.

 

[Ron_L]

Not sure about the kettle, never used that. Without a diffuser like the plate setter, direct heat might be too much on the stone. Might. I just don't know.

This is a good point. Hopefully someone who has used a stone on the kettle can chime in. My pizza cooking has been done on a Big Green Egg and the plate setter in the Egg acts as a barrier between the stone and the fire. Stones designed for an oven may crack if the fire is too hot.

 

[tmkshew]

I always let me stone come up to temp before cooking on it. I'm not sure what you mean by "grill plate", but if you are putting the stone directly on the grate then you effectively have an air gap between it and the heat source.

I meant to say grill grate. Anyways, thanks for the help. I'm just a little confused on the idea of it. My pizza stone is definitely for an oven, but I don't see why it wouldn't work the same on a grill. I may just put the dough on the grate directly. Who knows.

That's for your input everyone.

 

[smellysockalarmclock]

I use a couple of bricks wrapped in foil to set between the grill rack and the stone. I have broken two stone's by placing it directly on the rack. Use the bricks and let it come up to temp and you should be fine.

 

[jeffboyette]

Ive used the stone on the kettle. Broken 2. What i learned is to get the coals going, and spread very evenly with no flames. Spread as wide as possible so there is no hotspots. I preheat my stones with the oven at 500 just to be cautious. But if you have the coals spread, even, and low you shouldnt have problem. Let the stone sit over the ashed coals for 6-8 minutes and its ready to go.

Make sure you lube, or flour/cornmeal whatever surface you make your pizza on because fresh raw dough is very sticky! ive had some thick crusted hand tossed loaded with toppings that i couldnt for the life of me get off the cutting board onto the stone. Never wash the stone. Just scrape it off and rinse. No soap, no soaking. if something is sticking burn it off in the oven and scrape. Seasoning is good. the more you use it the better it gets, like cast iron.

Use charcoal, not lump wood as its easier to keep even heat with no chunks. Keep those vents open! top and bottom. You want the grate level to be 550-600 degrees for thin 500-550 for thick crust.

 

[aquablue22]

Everybody has pretty much hit it, heat the stone up gradually and let it cool down gradually, I too have learned the hard way, three times! Ross and RTD have convinced me that the best way is to use parchment paper. Make your pie on it and put it on the stone, after it cooks for a couple of minutes remove the parchment paper (just kinda wiggle it out from underneath) and the pizza will not stick and it will brown.

 

[SanJoseDale]

I have done this many times, you need to be very careful of the temp. With the stone directly above the hot coals, the temp can get VERY high, like800+, and it will burn the dough quickly. Let the coals settle dogn to a nich med heat, with a coating of ash, no flame.

Dale

 

[Smokey Al Gold]

Everyone else is right about heating the stone up. I do pizzas in the kettle especially my 22.5 otg. This pic is from my SJP but its exactly what I do in the big kettle as well. It works really well for me I just set it up on 2 fireplace bricks and preheat for 10 mins then put the pizza on. I've been getting great crispy results. Hope this helps I'm sure others have good ways to do it also.

 

[jeffboyette]

Ross and RTD have convinced me that the best way is to use parchment paper. Make your pie on it and put it on the stone, after it cooks for a couple of minutes remove the parchment paper (just kinda wiggle it out from underneath) and the pizza will not stick and it will brown.

Ouch. I cringed at the thought. Im a pizza pureist. If i had the money and the room id build a brick oven and make bread and pizza all day and live off it.

The problem i have with the parchment paper, it is completely seperates the dough from the stone. The stone is purposed to provide even heat, yes. But it also pulls moisture out of the dough as it cooks, and imparts flavor to your bread/pizza crust from the years of seasoning on it. The crunch and chewy texture is impossible to get any other way. If you use parchment you might as well use a nonstick aluminum cookie sheet or get a metal pizza pan from your local pizza joint for 5 bucks. Exact same pizza on a seasoned stone, and a seasoned stone with parchment paper will come out very different.

 

[SanJoseDale]

Jeff, I'm with you, I had actually planned for a pizza oven in the back yard remodel, but then I discovered the Big Green Egg, which make really good pizza AND a smoker all in one. also, you right, ditch the paper

 

[jeffboyette]

BGE now there is a thought!

 

[Grillman]

The best way to get a proper crust; is with a stone, although you can
get really nice crispy crusts on just the grill grate itself.
For more info on this...see my post of Pizza on the Grill.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83597

For those that have a problem with the pizza sticking to the peel...you
can pre-cook the crust for a minute or two, on the grill or on the stone;
then take it off and add all your toppings and put it back on to cook.
That's even easier than parchment paper.
Check out the link above for pictures and a complete guide to it.

 

[1_T_Scot]

A little flour will keep the pizza from sticking on the Peel the Parchment paper also works. I picked up a couple fire bricks from Menards they are use full for spacing etc... Also good if you are direct grilling and want a couple baked potatoes.

You might want to precook your topings a bit. I precook pepperoni just to get rid of the extra grease (brought up that way my apologies to the Pizza snobs).

 

[jeffboyette]

You also don't want to use jar spaghetti marinara. It has far too much water in it. Put some tomato paste and cook it down for a few to get some moisture out of it if you have to use the jar stuff. Otherwise you will end up with soupy mess in the center of your pizza

 

[jeffboyette]

A little flour will keep the pizza from sticking on the Peel the Parchment paper also works. I picked up a couple fire bricks from Menards they are use full for spacing etc... Also good if you are direct grilling and want a couple baked potatoes.

You might want to precook your topings a bit. I precook pepperoni just to get rid of the extra grease (brought up that way my apologies to the Pizza snobs).

Precook your toppings!? I bet you boil your ribs too.

 

[tmkshew]

Everyone else is right about heating the stone up. I do pizzas in the kettle especially my 22.5 otg. This pic is from my SJP but its exactly what I do in the big kettle as well. It works really well for me I just set it up on 2 fireplace bricks and preheat for 10 mins then put the pizza on. I've been getting great crispy results. Hope this helps I'm sure others have good ways to do it also.

Thanks everyone for the great advise. I just got back from camping...

I tried out the method of two bricks wrapped in foil and the pizza stone on top.
I let it come to temperature with the charcoal.

Shortly into the cook, the stone broke in 3 pieces. :mad2:

I think next time I do it, I will put three bricks on. I'll have one in the middle bracing the middle so it doesn't crack, or break there.

I think that will solve my problem. I guess trial and error is the best way to go about this. I appreciate all the insight and great suggestions. I'm taking it all in. I'll come back to this post in a few weeks when I've figured it all out.
Thanks again guys and keep on grillin!