TRYING OUT MY NEW KETTLE PIZZA ATTACHMENT

[bregent]

And I don't understand the guys who advise to keep the temp down to between 500-600°. My understanding is the Italians developed the wood-fired pizza oven as a way to fully cook a pizza in two minutes or less. As I wrote in my other post, cooking at 700-1000° is almost universal among wood-fired pizza restaurants. But I've been in a couple of those and their pizzas didn't look nearly as good as yours.

The optimal temp for cooking pizza depends entirely on the style you are making. The thicker the crust, the lower the temp. Also, more toppings as well as wet toppings do better at lower temps. Pizza that is cooked at 800-1000 is usually Neopolitan or New York, both of which have very thin crust. Al's crust, on the other hand, is extremely thick and the interior won't cook as well at high temp as it will at lower temp before the outside burns. The level of hydration of your dough can also dictate what optimum temperature is.

 

[daricksta]

I basically agree with what you're saying, Bregent, but Al's crust didn't look that thick to me. It looked just like the crusts on the pizzas I've eaten at wood-fired places and have seen cooked in those ovens on TV shows. Now, a deep dish Chicago style pizza is a whole other matter. But when I grill a pizza on a pizza stone on my Weber, I keep the heat between 700-950°. What I am going to try next time is placing a small group of coals under the cooking grate and placing the rest on the side. Kind of like a hybrid indirect cooking method.

 

[bregent]

It's hard to tell for sure without seeing a side shot or knowing the dough weight, but it looks to be at least twice as thick as doughs I make for New York or Neo.

 

[mike5051]

Dang it! We have those exact same bags out here, but they're filled with mesquite. Got one in the garage. I've never seen any other wood, which is the difference between west and east coast wood availability.

If your burning the splits they aren't smoking so the mesquite might be fine. I don't tast the wood flavor on my pizzas.

Mike

 

[NamVetJoe]

Al this is a mistake I made. I positioned the ring so the back side where my wood was placed is the hottest and next to my handle. I made six pizzas the next day when cleaning up I released I was actually melting the handle. When my grandfather made Sicilian pizza (thick crust) which was actually the ONLY ONES he made. He would layer the dough with mozzarella THEN put the sauce on top and sprinkle Parmesan Reggiano. He said this way the sauce would NOT make the crust soggy

 

[johnmeyer]

This has me intrigued, but I haven't used my charcoal Weber in years (sitting in the attic). I do see that they make one for gas grills:

KettlePizza for Gas Grills

If it wasn't so darned expensive ($250 !!!) for what looks like nothing more than a nice piece of stainless steel sheet metal, I'd get it in a heartbeat.

I feel a DIY project starting to materialize ...

 

[johnmeyer]

... OK, the DIY project looks like it might happen.

Please let me know if you think this will work.

Here is a pic of the KettlePizza gas grill "pizza oven" accesory:

It isn't obvious from the still pic, but the back side is folded over, just like the sides.

Here is a video that lets you see how the thing works, and also shows the back side.



As I watched, I realized that this is nothing more than a big baking pan with one side cut out.

So, why not buy a cheap baking pan and cut out one side??

The KettlePizza gas pan's dimensions are 17 x 24 x 3.5 inches. It is made of stainless steel which, of course, is an expensive material. In thinking about a cheaper material that would also work, what about simple steel, like the steel frying pans that so many people love?

Here is a steel roasting pan that is 18 X 24 X 3.5 inches, exactly the same size as the KettlePizza gas grill insert:

Johnson-Rose Roasting Pan

As you can see if you click on that link, it is $55, with free shipping. I could almost buy five of these for what one KettlePizza insert costs.

So my plan is to buy this roasting pan and then simply cut the two front corners, from the top down to the bottom of the pan. Once cut, I'll then fold up the now-free edge, dress the cut edges to make it safe, and then start making pizza.

The steel roasting pan material is dark instead of shiny, but I think most of the "magic" in the pizza oven kit comes from making the heated space really small, so the space immediately around the pizza stays super hot. Any radiation from the metal down towards the top of the pizza should be mostly radiant heat and therefore the roasting pan's black surface might even be a little better than a stainless surface (which will probably go black after a few uses).

I'd be interested in what other people think. If I get enough positive input, I might just go ahead and to this. Two small cuts with a saber saw and then a little touch up with the Dremel tool is all it looks like it would take. I'll have to decide whether it is worth sawing out an oval hole for a handle, to match what the KettlePizza people did.

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

That looks great! What a fun toy! Sounds like the flavor might be worth the fuel.

 

[Smkryng]

... OK, the DIY project looks like it might happen.

Please let me know if you think this will work.

Here is a pic of the KettlePizza gas grill "pizza oven" accesory:

It isn't obvious from the still pic, but the back side is folded over, just like the sides.

Here is a video that lets you see how the thing works, and also shows the back side.



As I watched, I realized that this is nothing more than a big baking pan with one side cut out.

So, why not buy a cheap baking pan and cut out one side??

The KettlePizza gas pan's dimensions are 17 x 24 x 3.5 inches. It is made of stainless steel which, of course, is an expensive material. In thinking about a cheaper material that would also work, what about simple steel, like the steel frying pans that so many people love?

Here is a steel roasting pan that is 18 X 24 X 3.5 inches, exactly the same size as the KettlePizza gas grill insert:

Johnson-Rose Roasting Pan

As you can see if you click on that link, it is $55, with free shipping. I could almost buy five of these for what one KettlePizza insert costs.

So my plan is to buy this roasting pan and then simply cut the two front corners, from the top down to the bottom of the pan. Once cut, I'll then fold up the now-free edge, dress the cut edges to make it safe, and then start making pizza.

The steel roasting pan material is dark instead of shiny, but I think most of the "magic" in the pizza oven kit comes from making the heated space really small, so the space immediately around the pizza stays super hot. Any radiation from the metal down towards the top of the pizza should be mostly radiant heat and therefore the roasting pan's black surface might even be a little better than a stainless surface (which will probably go black after a few uses).

I'd be interested in what other people think. If I get enough positive input, I might just go ahead and to this. Two small cuts with a saber saw and then a little touch up with the Dremel tool is all it looks like it would take. I'll have to decide whether it is worth sawing out an oval hole for a handle, to match what the KettlePizza people did.

Tell you what I would do. I’d take a look at the reviews and get an idea of how satisfied everyone else is. If people act like it works good I’d go for it. I for one am glad you posted this, because I’ve been wondering about some kind of attachment for my charcoal grill with the adjustable height charcoal tray. This looks it may be the ticket.

 

[SmokinAl]

Dang it! We have those exact same bags out here, but they're filled with mesquite. Got one in the garage. I've never seen any other wood, which is the difference between west and east coast wood availability.

I have never seen mesquite splits for sale here, only oak, hickory, & pecan. I guess your right it's a regional thing.
Al

The optimal temp for cooking pizza depends entirely on the style you are making. The thicker the crust, the lower the temp. Also, more toppings as well as wet toppings do better at lower temps. Pizza that is cooked at 800-1000 is usually Neopolitan or New York, both of which have very thin crust. Al's crust, on the other hand, is extremely thick and the interior won't cook as well at high temp as it will at lower temp before the outside burns. The level of hydration of your dough can also dictate what optimum temperature is.

Actually my crust was very thin, only the outside edge was thick. I think this is a learning experience just like any other toy I bought. It will take a few pizzas to get it right, last night we had a calzone that was absolutely fantastic. I only got a couple of photo's but will put them up on the forum later today.

al

I basically agree with what you're saying, Bregent, but Al's crust didn't look that thick to me. It looked just like the crusts on the pizzas I've eaten at wood-fired places and have seen cooked in those ovens on TV shows. Now, a deep dish Chicago style pizza is a whole other matter. But when I grill a pizza on a pizza stone on my Weber, I keep the heat between 700-950°. What I am going to try next time is placing a small group of coals under the cooking grate and placing the rest on the side. Kind of like a hybrid indirect cooking method.

I found that if you put any coals under the stone the stone gets too hot & burns the crust, so I keep them to the back, but the stone I have has a big area in the back that is cut out so the heat flows up from the bottom & across the top of the pizza & out the door.
Al

It's hard to tell for sure without seeing a side shot or knowing the dough weight, but it looks to be at least twice as thick as doughs I make for New York or Neo.

We like thin crust, and try to get it as thin as possible and still be able to move it off the pizza peal onto the stone. The last pizza we made we used the pizza pan that came with the unit & it really worked well. I think this may be the way we do them from ow on..

If your burning the splits they aren't smoking so the mesquite might be fine. I don't tast the wood flavor on my pizzas.

Mike

Well Mike we do taste some wood flavor on ours, but it is not overpowering, just a nice wood fired flavor.
Al

View attachment 371398 Al this is a mistake I made. I positioned the ring so the back side where my wood was placed is the hottest and next to my handle. I made six pizzas the next day when cleaning up I released I was actually melting the handle. When my grandfather made Sicilian pizza (thick crust) which was actually the ONLY ONES he made. He would layer the dough with mozzarella THEN put the sauce on top and sprinkle Parmesan Reggiano. He said this way the sauce would NOT make the crust soggy

This has me intrigued, but I haven't used my charcoal Weber in years (sitting in the attic). I do see that they make one for gas grills:

KettlePizza for Gas Grills

If it wasn't so darned expensive ($250 !!!) for what looks like nothing more than a nice piece of stainless steel sheet metal, I'd get it in a heartbeat.

I feel a DIY project starting to materialize ...

... OK, the DIY project looks like it might happen.

Please let me know if you think this will work.

Here is a pic of the KettlePizza gas grill "pizza oven" accesory:

It isn't obvious from the still pic, but the back side is folded over, just like the sides.

Here is a video that lets you see how the thing works, and also shows the back side.



As I watched, I realized that this is nothing more than a big baking pan with one side cut out.

So, why not buy a cheap baking pan and cut out one side??

The KettlePizza gas pan's dimensions are 17 x 24 x 3.5 inches. It is made of stainless steel which, of course, is an expensive material. In thinking about a cheaper material that would also work, what about simple steel, like the steel frying pans that so many people love?

Here is a steel roasting pan that is 18 X 24 X 3.5 inches, exactly the same size as the KettlePizza gas grill insert:

Johnson-Rose Roasting Pan

As you can see if you click on that link, it is $55, with free shipping. I could almost buy five of these for what one KettlePizza insert costs.

So my plan is to buy this roasting pan and then simply cut the two front corners, from the top down to the bottom of the pan. Once cut, I'll then fold up the now-free edge, dress the cut edges to make it safe, and then start making pizza.

The steel roasting pan material is dark instead of shiny, but I think most of the "magic" in the pizza oven kit comes from making the heated space really small, so the space immediately around the pizza stays super hot. Any radiation from the metal down towards the top of the pizza should be mostly radiant heat and therefore the roasting pan's black surface might even be a little better than a stainless surface (which will probably go black after a few uses).

I'd be interested in what other people think. If I get enough positive input, I might just go ahead and to this. Two small cuts with a saber saw and then a little touch up with the Dremel tool is all it looks like it would take. I'll have to decide whether it is worth sawing out an oval hole for a handle, to match what the KettlePizza people did.

I have to agree the unit is a bit pricey, but for me it is well worth it. Now if I was a fabricator, I'm sure you could make either one of these for under $20. So why don't you guys come up with something that works just as good. I've seen some of the metal working shops that a lot of the members have & am sure they could whip one of these up in a couple of hours.
Al

That looks great! What a fun toy! Sounds like the flavor might be worth the fuel.

For me it it well worth it!!
Al

Tell you what I would do. I’d take a look at the reviews and get an idea of how satisfied everyone else is. If people act like it works good I’d go for it. I for one am glad you posted this, because I’ve been wondering about some kind of attachment for my charcoal grill with the adjustable height charcoal tray. This looks it may be the ticket.

I say go for it, I don't think you will be disappointed!
Al

 

[johnmeyer]

I have to agree the unit is a bit pricey, but for me it is well worth it. Now if I was a fabricator, I'm sure you could make either one of these for under $20. So why don't you guys come up with something that works just as good. I've seen some of the metal working shops that a lot of the members have & am sure they could whip one of these up in a couple of hours.

I've queued this video up to where it shows a very simple way to approximate the Weber charcoal version of the pizza oven:



His fabrication skills are a bit crude, but he gets the job done, and it clearly isn't much work.

 

[noboundaries]

Problem: top not finishing the same time as the crust.

Background: I typically load my pizzas with a mix of toppings that a lot of people would consider overloaded, but it's what we like. In my kitchen oven, I was having issues with the top not getting done the same time as the crust. I moved the top rack to 4-5 inches from of the top of the oven. The radiant heat from the top of the oven finished the toppings the same time as the crust.

Pizza attachment, same issue and a solution: The whole "lift into the dome" just didn't work for me. I took a grate from my 22.5" WSM, laid it on the screws on the top of the pizza attachment, put an old pizza pan in the middle of the top pan, then put the lid on the attachment. Preheat as usual. The old pizza pan (you can use a paella pan, CI frying pan, etc) acts like the top of an oven and gives radiant heat to the toppings. Both finished at the same time.

Or I could have used less toppings, but my Italian cooking mind doesn't comprendere "less."

 

[gmc2003]

I can't believe that guy didn't cut his face while making that, or his hands.

Chris

 

[daricksta]

Bregent, looks like you're the pizza maker in your family the way my wife is in mine and so I grant you pizza making expertise that I don't possess. Her pizza dough thickness is about what Smokin' Al's looks like. She cooks hers up in our propane gas kitchen oven. She par-bakes the crust at 525°, then takes it out, then spreads and piles on the assembled pizza ingredients goodness, and then puts it back in for however long it takes to cook. She always cooks two, one after the other. I've had uneven success cooking her pizzas and the rare pizza I put together on a pizza stone on my Weber kettle grill. Our daughter's about to gift me with a Pampered Chef Rockcrok pizza stone and that will be my next grilled pizza experiment.

 

[SmokinAl]

Well I guess we didn't over load our pizza with too many toppings cause the top got done about the same time that the crust did. The company makes a cover that goes under the lid to get the heat right on the top of the pizza, but so far we haven't had an issue with the top not getting done. If that happens in the future I'll get one.
Al

 

[tomd8]

Al - I just saw this in the carousel great looking pizza and what a great idea. That cooked 3 to 4 times as fast as my home oven at 550 deg. Nice char as well. I'll bet the wood fire made for some great taste.... something I don't get in my oven of course. BTW, someone mentioned stones no longer available. What I use at home is a 16" round by 1/4" thick steel plate that's available on the auction site (to be clear I have no affiliation with the sellers). Holds heat well and won't crack. May be a bit heavy for a grill though and not sure what the Weber diameter is. Pizza sizzled when it lands.

 

[SmokinAl]

Al - I just saw this in the carousel great looking pizza and what a great idea. That cooked 3 to 4 times as fast as my home oven at 550 deg. Nice char as well. I'll bet the wood fire made for some great taste.... something I don't get in my oven of course. BTW, someone mentioned stones no longer available. What I use at home is a 16" round by 1/4" thick steel plate that's available on the auction site (to be clear I have no affiliation with the sellers). Holds heat well and won't crack. May be a bit heavy for a grill though and not sure what the Weber diameter is. Pizza sizzled when it lands.

Well Tom it sounds to me like your steel plate would work just fine, just put it on the grate, if not the company that sells the kettle pizza attachment also sells stones, so they are still available, but I guess the one I have is no longer being made. It's too bad to cause it's about 10 years old & is still like new except for the burnt color.
Al

 

[tomd8]

I was actually going to edit my last post after seeing what appeared to be a cutout on the back of the stone for heat to rise. That would be a mod to the round plate. Regardless a stone is still available. Great setup for sure.

 

[SmokinAl]

I was actually going to edit my last post after seeing what appeared to be a cutout on the back of the stone for heat to rise. That would be a mod to the round plate. Regardless a stone is still available. Great setup for sure.

Yea the company that made that stone made it especially for a Weber, so you could lift up the hinged portion of the grate to add a chunk of wood when you put the pizza on. I'm sure glad I bought it when I did, my wife even uses it in the oven to bake bread with.
Al