New York Pizza

[Sailorman]

No, I'm not opening a pizza restaurant, but I had to share this with someone. For about two years I've been trying to put together an oven that would get up to at least 800 degree F. You have to have at least that temp to make a good New York style Pizza.

Last month my neighbor came back from Canada and brought me a three burner gas Bar-B-Q (I've not seen these here anywhere.)(I had to assemble it and its stainless steel) I just got done modifying it for high temp and did my first two pizzas today. Its as close to a NY pizza as I've seen in years (In my misspent youth I ran a pizza restaurant that made NY style pizza.

I've got to play with the dough recipe a little and I used too much cheese, but its the real thing. Chewy/bubbly/crunchy. BTW with that temp its only in the over for 4 minutes max.

[Jaap N.]

Looks tasty!

[StroppyChops]

I'd hit that.

[vladimir]

I'd hit that.

Hey! get in the queue!

[StroppyChops]

I'm not hitting that after you hit that.

[Milord]

Sailor, do you use a stone or steel plate? Could you post a photo of your bbq?

Looks good.

[Sailorman]

I removed the deflectors above the burners for more heat. I bought a stainless steel steamer pan and cut one side out. I bought a thick piece of steel and put it in the upside down steamer pan and all of that sets on the grill. I then put a rectangular pizza stone I got from America on top of the steamer pan.

The pizza sets just inches from the top of the bar-b-q cover. The cover has a thermometer that goes to 700 degrees F and I had a electronic thermometer gun with laser sent from America that goes to over 1000 degrees F. I get over 800 degree F. I also have a wood and a steel pells to handle the pizza in and out of the oven.

I really like NY style pizza and everything in Snooky is 2nd and 3rd rate, and one pizza place that is suppose to be the one of the best in town (NOT) I got sick from and had to throw more than half of the pizza away. (bad meat)

I'll post a picture later today.

You don't want the bottom of the pizza to burn, but the high temp from above. The Bar-b-q cover traps the high heat and works real well.

BTW/ I also smoke ribs. I made a giant flower pot, its cover and a hotplate into a smoker and have wood chips sent from America . I get my molasses from Singapore when I travel there every 4 or 5 months to shop. (I also get liquid smoke sent from America.)

[Milord]

Thanks for explaining your Mods to the BBQ. Look fwd to pics.

[Sailorman]

Here's the Bar-B-Q setup. It not a proper Pizza oven, but it does work. No defusers on top of the flame helps, then the heavy steel plate heats to 900+ F degrees and deflects the direct heat. The heat flows around the plate and the pan/front, and is trapped in the top of the bar-b-q cover. I lose a little when I open it, but not much. There was a big gap at the back of the Bar-b-q to let heat out and I pop riveted sheet metal across that thus arising the temp to where I got at least 800 degrees f.

The pizza stone doesn't get overly hot thus not burning the bottom of the pizza, but it gets very hot on the top of the pizza were you want it so that the water in the dough can flash to steam. The heavy steel gets over 900 degrees F., thus doing its job of deflecting the direct heat and acting as a heat-sink.

The pizza (as it should be for a really NY pizza) is only in for 3 to 4 minutes and its done. Chewy, bubbly, chrispy all at once. Paradise!

[Bitte_Kein_Lexus]

Great setup.