The Home Made Pizza Thread

[headbanger]

Can someone give me a definitive on the no knead ferment method. Is this the best way to go or does it really matter?

I've never tried it but intend to eventually. I'd surmise there's merit to the method, seen some darn good pies posted here attributed to it.

 

[applescrap]

FYI, the trick to a crispy NY street slice is to par bake until just brown,
Cool on a rack while your stone reheats, and then bake the rest if the way. Serve immediately. Par baking cuts down on the steam generated by the crust IMHO.

This seems like a great idea. Think I'll give it a try. We do this when we go camping and cook pizzas over the fire. I've also been considering making like a bunch and freezing them so I always have pizza on the ready. That being said you might be interested in the pizza steel. If I heated it up at 550 long enough it puts a pretty stout crisp the pizza. I'm going to try it on the grill under propane because I wonder how hot I can get it. I think people have saved money by just finding a thick piece of Steel to use.

 

[kev211]

Fleischmans quick rise or Red Star is what I use, I don't notice much difference in the crust or flavor.... fresh baked bread always smells wonderful.

I love the smell of it! And the flavor is good too! I'm just missing out on the nice pizza bubbles. Which may or may not be the yeasts fault. Or mine. Who knows? Hahaha

 

[cannman]

I got a tip from a pizza maker today in my travels (for the record, I ate an entire SMALL size pizza).

We had the discussion about ingredients and water and all things fat people talk about in a pizzeria. The issue of flour is easily made based on what his distributor sells. BUT. For the home cook who wants a good flour at a really good price that makes great pizza: Smart and Final bulk bag of flour. He says that S&F caters their offerings to the mom and pop who aren't distributor level, and they need easily accessible ingredients in large quantities.

 

[hotwatermusic]

Just bought a sack of that very flour. Believe it's in the 13.5% protein range and dirt cheap. Works well but I take a few iterations with any new ingredient to make up my mind. It's bleached, which is the biggest strike against for me. Some may not care. I was surprised how extensible it was. Feels like AP dry out of the sack (not a fine texture).

 

[Natdavis777]

I got a tip from a pizza maker today in my travels (for the record, I ate an entire SMALL size pizza).

Entire small? I will put down a large with meat in one sitting....This isnt a regular venture, but when I get to eat pizza, Im a glutton

 

[Yeastieboy]

This seems like a great idea. Think I'll give it a try. We do this when we go camping and cook pizzas over the fire. I've also been considering making like a bunch and freezing them so I always have pizza on the ready. That being said you might be interested in the pizza steel. If I heated it up at 550 long enough it puts a pretty stout crisp the pizza. I'm going to try it on the grill under propane because I wonder how hot I can get it. I think people have saved money by just finding a thick piece of Steel to use.

I think I may have mentioned it way back, but I've been using two steels in my oven. One high and one low. I start pies on the high rack and move them to the raging hot low rack for the last couple minutes to crisp them up. It's worked amazing for me and dramatically improved my crunch factor. It simulates moving a pizza to a hot spot in a wood oven for the last few minutes ( or seconds depending on the oven! ).

 

[Yeastieboy]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464320098.319761.jpg
"Accidentally" procured 22 lbs of Caputo Chef's Flour for pizzas after a night of beer consumption. Pretty excited when it arrived, at which point I remembered ordering it...

 

[applescrap]

@yeastieboy thanks for the tips!

 

[DangerisBrewing]

wood fired oven......Italian secret recipe....wheat i ground myself......imported little pepperoni........cheese i made myself...I quit!!!!!

All joking aside, what a forum.

I post up some pretty above average stuff and immediately 5 people one-up me but without being smug or condescending.

I love making dough...

I did not know there was a pizza thread here...OMG

The more I look around this site the more I love it, and the people posting. Lots of help and as you say, non-condescending, non-smug!

Pizza, mmmmmm...I just decided whats for dinner:

Home made crust with Grilled chicken and pineapple drizzled with Hickory smoke BBQ sauce. Served with a pint of homemade Pislner, home made Ginger beer for the wife and the kids can have apple juice.

Thanks guys!

 

[kev211]

View attachment 356101
"Accidentally" procured 22 lbs of Caputo Chef's Flour for pizzas after a night of beer consumption.

This is how I came to own cards against humanity. After a wedding (with open bar) my wife somehow managed to remember the Amazon password, but forgot that she ordered it. Im not mad though, its an awesome game!!


And to stay on topic, I actually ordered 12lbs of caputo 00 flour on amazon (while sober) last night!

 

[cannman]

View attachment 356101
"Accidentally" procured 22 lbs of Caputo Chef's Flour for pizzas after a night of beer consumption. Pretty excited when it arrived, at which point I remembered ordering it...

My life...

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464366318.736118.jpg

 

[cannman]

Entire small? I will put down a large with meat in one sitting....This isnt a regular venture, but when I get to eat pizza, Im a glutton

Oh I could do the large... I used to!

But I found that if I order smaller portions I tend to be just as satisfied...

 

[Aristotelian]

Pizza experts:
I have been baking pizzas on "pizza stones" that live in my oven or on the grill. However, I have gone through at least three of these cooking pizza at high temperatures. Any advice on a good stone or tile material that can withstand 500F+ pizza temperatures? I am starting to get fed up. I am guessing there is something I can get at home depot that is cheaper and more effective than a so-called "pizza stone". Thoughts?

 

[brewbama]

an unglazed quarry stone is my recommendation. Put it in the oven cold and let it heat up with the oven and stay at temp for about an hour (heat saturation).

 

[hotwatermusic]

Plenty of pizza steel advocated here too... yet to hear of a steel cracking

 

[Natdavis777]

Oh I could do the large... I used to!

But I found that if I order smaller portions I tend to be just as satisfied...

I will try a small next time. I believe you, I just always want a large... No self control when I allow carbs...

 

[applescrap]

I saw that flour isn't too expensive on Amazon should probably give it a try.

 

[krackin]

Plenty of pizza steel advocated here too... yet to hear of a steel cracking

Roger that bro. Steel is very considerate and takes little offense from lackeys.

 

[gromitdj]

I've used the same $14.00 stone from Home Depot for at least a year. I use it on my grill, and according to my thermometer it regularly sees 600° plus. It also stays in my oven at all times, when it's not on the grill. I think it's important to consider how fast you let it heat or cool.

 

[hotwatermusic]

Alright another off the wall question, anyone tried doing a beer reduction? I am trying to reduce a home brewed RIS at the moment. It's taking a while. I'm wondering if I should allow it to boil or go for a slower approach?

 

[applescrap]

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/03/jim-laheys-no-knead-pizza-dough-recipe.html

Made some no knead dough . pizza steel or THICK stone i think if no blackstone or brick oven. I have rocked the pampered chef but wouldnt trust it. Grilling pizzas and barbecuing pizzas is cool too. But save for camping. I think as long as you don't throw an ice cube on stone you're probably fine, but too many stories as listed here on broken stones and wanting to throw it on my grill and no worries led me to steel. ymmv. I've heard of this, this is something I want to do heat my steel to 550 and then turn broiler on. I think it's cool how he doesn't measure water he just knows the consistency

 

[Staestc]

I reduce Guinness all the time to a syrup for a cookie recipe. I boil it pretty hard for a bit at first but then slow down when it starts to get thick, and stir a lot to keep it from burning.

 

[Staestc]

So has anybody used some other steel rather than buying a pizza steel? If so what steel and how do you care for it?

 

[applescrap]

Alright another off the wall question, anyone tried doing a beer reduction? I am trying to reduce a home brewed RIS at the moment. It's taking a while. I'm wondering if I should allow it to boil or go for a slower approach?

The answer to this question requires a few factors. If you have people who are hungry and waiting- boil it down as fast as you can and reduce it. If people aren't so hungry do it slowly. If you've added way too much boil fast; too little slower. Neither will produce a better sauce in my opinion they will either reduce slowly or quickly. If I go to cook and reduce sauce is usually done very quickly to put on a steak or something and I don't play.

 

[hotwatermusic]

I failed on the reduction. Tasted burnt. Took it too far though, my fault. In other news this was a kefir sourdough. First try. I was hoping to shortcut the process of doing a typical sourdough, and I do keep a milk kefir going anyway. It actually came through but I thought it was inferior to a proper sourdough. Just thinking you can get lactic character in any old way was probably a little naive.

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[DangerisBrewing]

I've used the same $14.00 stone from Home Depot for at least a year. I use it on my grill, and according to my thermometer it regularly sees 600° plus. It also stays in my oven at all times, when it's not on the grill. I think it's important to consider how fast you let it heat or cool.

Also consider moisture content. If you wash it let it dry at least 24 hours before using. And if left in bbq it could also be suseptable to cracking from heating quickly if the moisture is high in your area.

Mine lives in the oven and never sees a dish cloth. Closest I get is a scraper if it had a cheesy mess burnt on.

 

[Yeastieboy]

I'm a huge fan of my steel. Got a nice heavy one, maybe 3/8" thick. It was an investment. I think the brand is Nerd Chef. It's really heavy and I never take it out of the oven. Holds heat like a champ! Hoping to buy another one soon to replace my old stone.

 

[applescrap]

The no knead method worked really well. Switched to Broiler after 550 warm up for first one and it was the best. Like a good crusty Artesian bread. The next few weren't as good I think leaving at 550 might be best in the bottom of the oven.

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[TallDan]

Not the first time I've done homemade pizza, and not the first time trying to grill pizza, but the first time grilling a homemade crust. Recipe for crust from a friend of my wife, and it had way too much Rosemary. Overall not a bad adventure though.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464574637.572216.jpg