The Home Made Pizza Thread

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Most of the baking recipes I have say to measure by weight, since flour especially, but also other fine-grained powders can pack down and vary wildly in weight. My pizza dough recipe I've been going by weight and it was never as consistent as it's been since I started that. (my recipe is from The Baking Steel site|)
As a friend of mine put it, (she's a trained chef, Johnson & Wales grad) cooking is an art, baking is a science. Regular cooking you can get by with a little of this and a little of that, skip this and add that, but baking relies on the proportions being right.
Add to that, Candy is another science!! And if anybody thinks weights do not matter, try a recipe that calls for 3 teaspoons of kosher salt and instead use 3 teaspoons of table salt!
 
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An Italian pizza maker for a restaurant I worked for eye-balled the flour for the daily dough--scoop after scoop until it was enough. The temp of the water was determined, literally, by hand but was measured in a very large, metal pitcher.
 
pizza makeover.jpg

My wife brought this home. It's a Jett's pizza. The thing is, Jett's workers had to make around 30 pizzas for a lunch to serve another bunch of workers doing an event. Skimping is expected and so is lower quality.
I poshed it up with cheese and sauce and it came out far better than I thought it would.
So, I get a 1/4 credit for the photo.
Done.
 
Between vacations and work, the Ooni hadn’t been fired up in awhile. I changed that tonight. Cheese with no sauce (for the toddler), regular cheese, pepperoni, and an experiment of a “crab Rangoon” style pizza. Cream cheese base with crab (unfortunately I didn’t splurge on real crab this time) and finished with sweet chili sauce and green onion.
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An Italian pizza maker for a restaurant I worked for eye-balled the flour for the daily dough--scoop after scoop until it was enough. The temp of the water was determined, literally, by hand but was measured in a very large, metal pitcher.
With enough practice, that's a fine method. But it takes a lot of screwups (perhaps minor ones) to get there. A lot of grandmas make biscuits the same way. Have you tried that? :D I used to be able to make good biscuits, but I got out of practice and lost the knack. They sell really good frozen biscuits now just to mock me ;)
 
my best pepperoni yet
I'm always working on that particular quality. A problem is that I don't spend enough effort testing out different brands--always using the Boar's Head from the fruit market. Crisp like that photo and a little pool of grease within is the goal.
 
I'm always working on that particular quality. A problem is that I don't spend enough effort testing out different brands--always using the Boar's Head from the fruit market. Crisp like that photo and a little pool of grease within is the goal.

To be honest, I thought it was a gimmick but the Hormel Cup and Crisp brand works really well.
 
Which pan for authentic Detroit-style pizza? I see aluminum, steel, and cast iron options out there, but which is the real deal? I read somewhere that it originated with somebody baking pies in surplus stainless steel parts trays from auto plants, is that a myth? Is it still an option?
 
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My wife brought this home. It's a Jett's pizza. The thing is, Jett's workers had to make around 30 pizzas for a lunch to serve another bunch of workers doing an event. Skimping is expected and so is lower quality.
I poshed it up with cheese and sauce and it came out far better than I thought it would.
So, I get a 1/4 credit for the photo.
Done.
We have a Jet's pizza near us, really unique and tasty, love the crunchy corners. Got us wanting to try making it ourselves, wonder if they would sell us some dough to give it a shot?
 
Which pan for authentic Detroit-style pizza? I see aluminum, steel, and cast iron options out there, but which is the real deal? I read somewhere that it originated with somebody baking pies in surplus stainless steel parts trays from auto plants, is that a myth? Is it still an option?
I cant say what's the best today but when I was a pizza cook years ago we used well seasoned steal, it browns better than most
 
Which pan for authentic Detroit-style pizza? I see aluminum, steel, and cast iron options out there, but which is the real deal? I read somewhere that it originated with somebody baking pies in surplus stainless steel parts trays from auto plants, is that a myth? Is it still an option?
According to legend, they were steel parts pans. I am planning on buying a set of these some day.

Detroit Style Pizza pans
 
We have a Jet's pizza near us, really unique and tasty, love the crunchy corners. Got us wanting to try making it ourselves, wonder if they would sell us some dough to give it a shot?
I could only guess if they'd sell you a dough. It's a franchise so I'd lean toward "probably not." Making the dough yourself isn't a huge deal.
I wouldn't get the pans from DSPC mentioned in the link above.
Mentioned above, steel which can be seasoned, is the way to go. Technically, it's blue steel because of the composite.
PA Products in Livonia, Mi. sells them if you scroll down a bit and past the aluminum ones.
 
What, it's just got some fresh mozzarella around the outside, and some fresh cheddar curds topping it.

That isn't an unreasonable amount of cheese.
 
What, it's just got some fresh mozzarella around the outside, and some fresh cheddar curds topping it.

That isn't an unreasonable amount of cheese.
Maybe it's just how it's arranged, but I grew up in Wisconsin and was taught / forced to make butter and cheese in first grade. And even I think that looks like a lot of cheese.
 
Thanks for the curds idea BTW, somehow it never occurred to me.

Got the idea from the Wild Tomato in Fish Creek, WI. Back when I lived in the Green Bay area I would go ride bike in Peninsula State Park as often as the ambition hit me, and when my better half would go with me we'd go undo our bike ride by ordering a pizza at the Wild Tomato. I highly recommend that place to anyone visiting Door County.
 
I think I've tried their ice cream before. That's the impression it would've left me with. If I did try it, it must've been so unremarkable that I'm not even completely sure.
 
I think I've tried their ice cream before. That's the impression it would've left me with. If I did try it, it must've been so unremarkable that I'm not even completely sure.
Yeah, well that's the result of....

(First grader) "I want to be an astronaut"

(Teacher) "We're passing this jar around to make butter"

Not to mention the #me too of the kissing inflicted by my classmate Anne.

But this is all a bit off topic.
 
I could only guess if they'd sell you a dough. It's a franchise so I'd lean toward "probably not." Making the dough yourself isn't a huge deal.
I wouldn't get the pans from DSPC mentioned in the link above.
Mentioned above, steel which can be seasoned, is the way to go. Technically, it's blue steel because of the composite.
PA Products in Livonia, Mi. sells them if you scroll down a bit and past the aluminum ones.
whats the aversion to the dspc pan over the pa products?
 
dspc pan over the pa products
Not an aversion to either, more or less, just that the pans are aluminum with a non-stick coating. Those are two qualities that aren't a part of the standard deep dish method.
I'm not pro PA Products, necessarily, but they do come closest (that I've found) to the original blue steel pans. France has them but I'd have to check on sizes and shapes.
If someone has no other choices, that aluminum, non-stick is better than nothing.
Frankly, seasoning a steel pan is super easy, you know what you're getting and without chemicals leaching into the food product.
 
I have family in Livonia who can help facilitate if necessary, thanks for the tip!!
My pleasure to help out. Edit: I didn't see that coming--availability based on relatives.
You may be a seasoning pro but if you aren't, when the directions say "coat the pan" use the lightest coating possible, seriously, just a shine of oil. Do it five-six times. I don't recall the ideal oven temp but that's not the most important factor. If you don't, you end up with a brown goo that will have to be scraped off.
Getting ahead of myself though. Using an SOS pad or fine steel wool with soap when you begin is necessary. Aggressive cleaning is quite important.
 
Not an aversion to either, more or less, just that the pans are aluminum with a non-stick coating. Those are two qualities that aren't a part of the standard deep dish method.
I'm not pro PA Products, necessarily, but they do come closest (that I've found) to the original blue steel pans. France has them but I'd have to check on sizes and shapes.
If someone has no other choices, that aluminum, non-stick is better than nothing.
Frankly, seasoning a steel pan is super easy, you know what you're getting and without chemicals leaching into the food product.
For full disclosure to those interested, those are steel pans that come from dspc and you are able to purchase seasoned or unseasoned. I purchased the seasoned version and it certainly is a proper season and not a coating.
I do appreciate you sharing the PA Products pan, it looks like a great product and very close to the original style pans
 
Not an aversion to either, more or less, just that the pans are aluminum with a non-stick coating. Those are two qualities that aren't a part of the standard deep dish method.
I'm not pro PA Products, necessarily, but they do come closest (that I've found) to the original blue steel pans. France has them but I'd have to check on sizes and shapes.
If someone has no other choices, that aluminum, non-stick is better than nothing.
Frankly, seasoning a steel pan is super easy, you know what you're getting and without chemicals leaching into the food product.
If you are referring to the Detroit Style Pizza pans that I linked to, they are neither aluminum nor non-stick. Just for clarification they are steel, pre-seasoned pans. But you can buy them unseasoned if you'd like to do it yourself.

Edited to add: I see that @orionol73 has already cleared up the confusion.
 
For full disclosure to those interested, those are steel pans that come from dspc and you are able to purchase seasoned or unseasoned. I purchased the seasoned version and it certainly is a proper season and not a coating.
Good.
The guy who owns the Detroit Style Pizza Co on Harper in Mi (Sean) was backing Lloyds some years ago which makes the aluminum and coated. I'm glad he changed.
Yeah, what was posted originally (which I didn't read through unfortunately) is a good place to get them. Sorry about that everyone.
 
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