Kettle Pizza!

[ibglowin]

Well I pulled the trigger on Monday for the Pizza Kettle. I just snagged the basic kit for $140 shipped from Amazon. It arrived yesterday in fine shape.

Assembly took like 2 minutes. Nothing much to assemble really. Its a one piece metal band with an opening for you to slide the pizza in. Quality looks to be good. They are proudly displaying the fact that this item was MADE IN THE USA! LOL It seems like a lot of $$$ at the moment for what you get but, if it works well that will be my bottom line. I already had a pizza stone but I also picked up a pizza peel to put the pie in and pull it out of the oven. You build your fire at the rear of the pit according to the instructions. I guess that way you lose less heat out of the (giant) mouth. It says in the manual you can't reach the required temps of ~600F to properly cook a pizza without the use of both charcoal AND hardwood. Luckily I have a good supply of both pecan and mesquite wood!

Here is a pic of what this thing looks like (not mine). I will update this hopefully this weekend once I get a chance to maybe try it out!

 

[Boatboy24]

Congrats. I am jealous, and anxiously awaiting your review.

By the way, regular, old lump charcoal will work in lieu of using up your smoke wood. Although, I'd probably throw a little pecan or oak on there anyway.

 

[ibglowin]

They have a really nice instructional video that shows you how to properly fire up the pit and cook your pizzas.

http://www.kettlepizza.com/Outdoor-Pizza-Oven-Kit-What-Is-KettlePizza-s/1822.htm

 

[Runningwolf]

Mike you da man. I'm waiting for full report with pictures. That's awesome.

 

[Rocky]

Mike, do I understand correctly that you get the SS ring with the handles for $140 and you have to supply the charcoal grill? Can you also bake bread using this apparatus? Let us know how it works. Thanks.

 

[ibglowin]

LOL yep Rocky, Weber Grill NOT included but i did have one of the 22" ones already. You also get a decent SS Pizza pan and a temp gauge that installs on the front of the insert. I suppose bread would be no problem as long as you had the temp down something more normal for a loaf of bread since it is much thicker than a pizza crust but i see no reason that you couldn't do bread as well some experimenting.

 

[grapeman]

Interesting concept.

I guess I could do pizza in my new charcoal grill I got. It is a two section grill and last week I had both sides going. My wife shut the lid after we were done cooking. I looked a few minutes later and it had gone up to 800 degrees until I opened the cover up! I could do 2 pizzas at once it is so big.

 

[ibglowin]

I thought about doing the same thing with the Weber, why do I need this insert? But the insert actually raises the grill about 4" higher so you can have more room for a hotter fire. Then there is the open front. No guessing or peeking needed, you can see how it is cooking and the temp is constant the whole time. It sounds like rotating the pizza halfway through cooks it more evenly since you build the fire at the rear of the grill and away from the opening. It cooks faster towards the back of the grill.

 

[Rocky]

Looks great, Mike. Did you get the tongs for turning the pizza that they show in the video? They seem to work well for that purpose.

 

[Boatboy24]

I also frequent a weber fan site and know of several people who picked up junker kettles on craigslist, then cut the lid to create an opening similar to the KP. It worked pretty well, from the pics I saw.

Bread is easily be done with just a regular kettle and a pizza stone.

 

[Runningwolf]

I wonder how it works with pre-made shells. I buy awesome shells at an Italian bakery that supplies a lot of restaurants. I also like fair amount of cheese, sausage and pepperoni. They said you can't load it up. I don't over do it but it may be too much. It comes out perfect in the oven but I hear so much about pizza ovens, I am wondering how much better it might be. It also looked like it needs constant attention and fussing. Looking forward to the master chefs honest comments.

 

[ibglowin]

I think it would work well but you may have to tweak the timing a little. The pizza's can literally be cooked in 3-5 minutes depending on oven temp and this usually requires a 180 turn halfway through so you better not go get another beer/wine or you may come back to a burned half of a pizza! The best part will be the wood smoke this thing contributes to your pizza. Nothing better than that for sure!

 

[ibglowin]

They look nice and perfect for turning a pizza in a 700F oven but I have a really nice heavy duty pair of long BBQ tongs that I am going to give a try first before spending another $30 on these special pizza tongs.

Looks great, Mike. Did you get the tongs for turning the pizza that they show in the video? They seem to work well for that purpose.

 

[ibglowin]

Fired up the Kettle Pizza Oven Today!

A retired buddy came over today for lunch as I have off every other Friday and today was my off day. Went to work on the dough early this AM at around 6:30 and punched it down 2-3 times. 4 cups of flour made three nice sized pizza's. I had to add more hardwood chunks about halfway through. Bottom line don't skimp on the hardwood. It is what gets you up to 700 degrees and cooks the pizzas the best. You can still cook at lower oven temps but it takes longer and the crust doesn't seem quite as crispy. I used bread flour and rising yeast, so the crust cooks up pretty thick.

I think I will try pizza dough yeast next time, as it may make for a thinner crispier crust with no wait time, just mix and make it. Overall the pizza's turned out really good! I used some Mesquite chunks that I had, I will try some pecan next time to see if it gives the pizza a different flavor. It is sorta intensive while your making the pizzas. Not much down time as your either watching the pizza, turning the pizza or making another pizza. Over all very satisfied with the purchase and can't wait to tweak things a bit more. I think I will order the pizza spinners as my giant BBQ tongs didn't seem to work all that great.

You need lots of corn meal on the pizza peel or it will not slide off easily. The more you use the peel the better your technique gets at sliding in and out of the opening. Moving the stone to the front makes it easier to slide a pizza in or out. After you get it in you can then slide the stone towards the back with your tongs etc.

Best thing is I now have leftovers!

 

[Kraffty]

Do you deliver? Cause I'd like one of those right now.
Looks great Mike
have fun,
Mike

 

[Runningwolf]

Thanks for the update Mike, I was wondering you used it yet or not. Pizza looks great. CDo you think you could use a premade shell from the store?

 

[Boatboy24]

Very nice first attempt.

Hint: use semolina flour instead of cornmeal. Things seem to slide better for me with it and it doesn't burn on the stone like cornmeal does.

 

[ibglowin]

We had company in last weekend and I smoked some pork butts and baby backs so didn't have a chance until this weekend.

As far as the pre-made shell is it cooked or raw still? It should work either way as the stone will keep it from burning on the bottom. A trick they show in the video is to lift the pizza up to the top with your peel and hold it there for a minute as the heat up at the top will brown your toppings in short order if your crust is ready and the toppings are not quite done.

I have some Schwann's pizza crust that are pre-made but frozen and unbaked I may press the "easy button" next time and try those out.

Thanks for the update Mike, I was wondering you used it yet or not. Pizza looks great. Do you think you could use a premade shell from the store?

 

[ibglowin]

Thank you, good tip as the corn meal did burn on the stone.

Very nice first attempt.

Hint: use semolina flour instead of cornmeal. Things seem to slide better for me with it and it doesn't burn on the stone like cornmeal does.

 

[Boatboy24]

A trick they show in the video is to lift the pizza up to the top with your peel and hold it there for a minute as the heat up at the top will brown your toppings in short order if your crust is ready and the toppings are not quite done.

I know some people who prop the stone up on a few fire bricks and cook that way.