The Home Made Pizza Thread

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My best friend has a pizza party every year for his birthday. It’s build your own toppings and then he cooks the pizzas. When cooking them in the oven it would take 12 mins. This year he built this homemade wood fired pizza oven. It cooked the pizzas in 2 mins. They fired 60 pizzas in an hour and a half. I thought it was pretty amazing.
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Anybody have a good deep dish recipe? I grew up in Chicago but moved about a year ago, and I'm really missing Lou's.
 
I'm originally from Wheaton so deep dish is in my blood. I've made quite a few at home (including the one from that link), but never anything i'd consider exceptional.

IMHO the most difficult part about making a really good deep dish is the pan. Chicago style pizzeria's might use the same pan a dozen times a day for years so they get nicely seasoned. A brand new pan has tendency to stick pretty bad. If you add too much oil it then becomes difficult to shape and spread the dough. Also its a fine line between getting the right level of browning without being raw or over, while the interior of the pizza still has time to cook. Some trial and error is to be expected.

The other thing i've found difficult to reproduce is the sausage. Store bought sausage (at least outside of chicago) doesn't taste a thing like Lou's or really anything else.
 
schematix said:
I'm originally from Wheaton so deep dish is in my blood. I've made quite a few at home (including the one from that link), but never anything i'd consider exceptional.

IMHO the most difficult part about making a really good deep dish is the pan. Chicago style pizzeria's might use the same pan a dozen times a day for years so they get nicely seasoned. A brand new pan has tendency to stick pretty bad. If you add too much oil it then becomes difficult to shape and spread the dough. Also its a fine line between getting the right level of browning without being raw or over, while the interior of the pizza still has time to cook. Some trial and error is to be expected.

The other thing i've found difficult to reproduce is the sausage. Store bought sausage (at least outside of chicago) doesn't taste a thing like Lou's or really anything else.
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Good news for me is, I don't like sausage... I'm a pepperoni guy. I've also heard that Chicago's water chemistry has a noticeable effect on crust consistency, which is why good deep dish doesn't exist anywhere else.

As for my pan, not much I can do there. I've used it maybe a dozen times with premade dough when I couldn't really afford $30 for a pizza. It was okay, but the crust was definitely the weak point and good crust is very important to me. Maybe in a few years the pan will get there...
 
jiMithing83 said:
Good news for me is, I don't like sausage... I'm a pepperoni guy. I've also heard that Chicago's water chemistry has a noticeable effect on crust consistency, which is why good deep dish doesn't exist anywhere else.

As for my pan, not much I can do there. I've used it maybe a dozen times with premade dough when I couldn't really afford $30 for a pizza. It was okay, but the crust was definitely the weak point and good crust is very important to me. Maybe in a few years the pan will get there...
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That's unfortunate. I hope you're not a White Sox fan too. :ban:

I think the reason there's not a lot of good Chicago style outside of Chicago is that it's not that popular of a style outside of Chicago. As for the water, Chicago gets its water from Lake Michigan, which is really soft. Reverse Osmosis water is a perfect substitute.

I have played around with water chemistry a little bit for dough and while i think there were minor differences, i think it's literally the last thing on the list of things to worry about.
 
schematix said:
That's unfortunate. I hope you're not a White Sox fan too.
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I've got a picture of me in a Cubs hat from 1985 framed next to a picture of my wife and me at the rooftops during game 3 of the world series, and there are many from the years between elsewhere in the house. I don't hate the Sox, but I'm definitely a Cubs fan.

As for not liking sausage, I had a bad experience at Show Biz Pizza as a kid and I'm still not a fan.
 
VApatriot said:
Dude - I used to live Bartlett (west of Schaumburg). Still miss Giordano's. Check out this site. I think you'll find what you're looking for: http://www.realdeepdish.com/deepdishholygrail/
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Thanks, loved this. This guy isnt passionate about Chicago pizza, ehh?
So what is that deep dish crust like? Kind of sounds like Pillsbury crust from the can. Which I think was discussed a while back. I'm glad to finally find out what a deep dish versus a stuffed pizza. And I definitely had a stuffed pizza in Chicago when my brother was there for law school. It was expensive and i recall a touristy type feel to it. But it was clear that locals eat this pizza too. Super inspired to give this pizza a chance.
 
applescrap said:
Thanks, loved this. This guy isnt passionate about Chicago pizza, ehh?
So what is that deep dish crust like? Kind of sounds like Pillsbury crust from the can. Which I think was discussed a while back. I'm glad to finally find out what a deep dish versus a stuffed pizza. And I definitely had a stuffed pizza in Chicago when my brother was there for law school. It was expensive and i recall a touristy type feel to it. But it was clear that locals eat this pizza too. Super inspired to give this pizza a chance.
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The stuffed pizza's I've had, Giordano's, and Gino's East, have crusts that are more like pastry than they are like bread. It works well for that style of pie. I bought a deep dish pan a few months ago but SWMBO is dieting so it's off the table (pun intended) for a while.
 
VApatriot said:
The stuffed pizza's I've had, Giordano's, and Gino's East, have crusts that are more like pastry than they are like bread. It works well for that style of pie. I bought a deep dish pan a few months ago but SWMBO is dieting so it's off the table (pun intended) for a while.
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Giordano's is for people who think sauce is most important. Lou's is for people who think crust is most important. Both have good cheese and toppings, sp those don't come into play.

Gino's East is for people who were dropped on their heads as babies.
 
Nice pies. I like that you are branching out your styles. That last picture shows a pizza with some nice crust bubbles. I love the statuette did you make it? It would look really cool painted
 
Thx, right now I'm after NY style, trying different doughs, different cheeses, mixin cheese... As for the figurine, I saw it on thingiverse and had to print it! It only have a coat of primer and will be painted for sure!
 
ba-brewer said:
Your pizza look delicious. Curious how do you make your garlicy white sauce?
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This round was heavy cream cooked down a bit with crushed garlic. Let it cool and mix in some ricotta then a few spoons of pesto. I aim for a thick paste which speads well, a little parm on top then mozz.
 
Exst said:
This round was heavy cream cooked down a bit with crushed garlic. Let it cool and mix in some ricotta then a few spoons of pesto. I aim for a thick paste which speads well, a little parm on top then mozz.
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Thanks for the recipe. I have had it at restaurants but never made it at home, seems easy enough to give it try.
 
I'm back!!!!
Pilot run of my new(used)Pizzacraft Pizzeria Pronto on my Blichmann burner
The first pizza baked at 750 charred the bottom and under baked the top.
Over the course of four pizzas, I think I learned the oven pretty well.
The last za, the one with pepperoni, didn't need to be finished under the broiler.
About 600°F seems to be the sweet spot
Not much char, but a great crunch, wonderful cell structure and no gell layer to speak of.
Not bad for 4 hour dough speed proofed in a warm oven.
Neapolitan style dough
500g/.5liter water
23g sea salt
5g yeast
10g olive oil
1.7kg 00 flour
Made 4 decently thick 12" dough balls.
All and all, for $32 off of eBay, happy with the purchase.
By far closer than I ever got to NY brick oven style with my home oven at 550.
I halfway expected the burner to be too much, but it worked out well once I found how to tune it.
Cheers!
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Ozarks_Mountain_Brew said:
hi, is this the one or what model I'm contemplating getting one too

https://www.amazon.com/Pizzacraft-P...ocphy=9023812&hvtargid=pla-307360448862&psc=1
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That's it.
I found that having a 600° stone, then cranking up the burner(by which I mean 17-20% total) after loading gave the last all around bake.
The 750 bake didn't work out. Maybe could go that hit with a super thin crust and light toppings.
I'm sure the same could be accomplished on a gas range, but I have an electric range and wasn't crazy about trying it on there.
Note, I was using the debatable built in thermometer as I haven't invested in an it thermometer yet.
 
I've been playing around with the dough pH to make my crust brown better. Turns out, a higher pH really helps get rid of that anemic white look.

Despite this being in the top 3 i've ever made for visual appearance, this crust was borderline inedible. Spongy, no chew, and flavorless.

So my experiment has been successful in showing that with a marginal ingredient change i can completely change the look of the dough. But i need to find another way to raise the pH because it destroyed the texture and flavor of my normal recipe.
 
schematix said:
I've been playing around with the dough pH to make my crust brown better. Turns out, a higher pH really helps get rid of that anemic white look.

Despite this being in the top 3 i've ever made for visual appearance, this crust was borderline inedible. Spongy, no chew, and flavorless.

So my experiment has been successful in showing that with a marginal ingredient change i can completely change the look of the dough. But i need to find another way to raise the pH because it destroyed the texture and flavor of my normal recipe.
Click to expand...

What method did you use to raise the pH?
 
schematix said:
I've been playing around with the dough pH to make my crust brown better. Turns out, a higher pH really helps get rid of that anemic white look.

Despite this being in the top 3 i've ever made for visual appearance, this crust was borderline inedible. Spongy, no chew, and flavorless.

So my experiment has been successful in showing that with a marginal ingredient change i can completely change the look of the dough. But i need to find another way to raise the pH because it destroyed the texture and flavor of my normal recipe.
Click to expand...

Try brushing the edge with a sodium carbonate solution. (I've never tried it) I would not add anything to the dough to raise the pH throughout; you'll ruin it.

ETA: sodium carbonate is washing soda. Not the same thing as baking soda, but I think you can make it out of baking soda by roasting it.
 
Last edited:
Took my first crack at the new Blackstone Oven on Sunday. I made a quick dough to use the same day, so I wasn't real happy with it (too much dusting flour also), but the oven worked extremely well. Can't wait to try it with my cold-fermented dough and proper cheese/sauce. This pizza was in the oven for about 2 min., 30 sec.

2018-07-16 00.58.06.jpg
 
^^that is awesome cant wait to see more. Although not too much more, i already want one bad enough; )
 
z-bob said:
Try brushing the edge with a sodium carbonate solution. (I've never tried it) I would not add anything to the dough to raise the pH throughout; you'll ruin it.

ETA: sodium carbonate is washing soda. Not the same thing as baking soda, but I think you can make it out of baking soda by roasting it.
Click to expand...
Common method for pretzels (big uns) is a baking soda wash before bake
I'm sure similar bicarbonates would have similar, if not more drastic, effect.
Wouldn't mix it in though.

pH has way more to do with crust/color on exterior.
Using baking soda plus yeast in dough probably Fs up the yeast....
Think about it. Know any breadstyle that raises pH? Nope
 
Jwin said:
Common method for pretzels (big uns) is a baking soda wash before bake
I'm sure similar bicarbonates would have similar, if not more drastic, effect.
Wouldn't mix it in though.

pH has way more to do with crust/color on exterior.
Using baking soda plus yeast in dough probably Fs up the yeast....
Think about it. Know any breadstyle that raises pH? Nope
Click to expand...


The yeast didn’t seem to mind. I made 3 consecutive doughs where the only diff was an addition of 0.25 bakers % and then 0.5. Very little difference between 0 and 0.25. 0.50 was significantly more brown and the texture was squishy. All doughs had a similar rise.

With that said i don’t think I’d use it again because even though it browned better, I didn’t get what I was really after.
 

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