Kettle Pizza

[luvnit]

I love our KettlePizza thing, it is just great. It makes awesome pizzas at 700 -800 degrees!

Before Hubby came home tonight I set up.



I started the coals...



Once the coals were burning, I added the wood...



Got a nice little fire going...



Top it with the kettle topper... Put the stone in too to heat up...



Get the Mahgerita ready...

3

Use the peel to slide it in...



Less than 10 min later...

[Old Bay]

cool

[cjs]

Love it, Laura! I'm sure thinking on this.

[Mare749]

Laura, do you feel that the higher heat level really makes a difference? Also wondering about the wood fire. Does it give the pizza a smokey taste?

We have finally mastered cooking pizza on the gas grill, but have not cooked it over charcoal/wood just yet. Do you think we could achieve good results using the charcoal grill, add a few wood chips, and bake it indirect?

[Trixxee]

Very nice!

[cjs]

I hope you'll give that idea a try, Maryann. Think I might also. Save some money.

[luvnit]

I do think that adding the wood increases the heat greatly and does create a much, much better end product for pizza.

We usually cook ours in the oven at 500, but they never really got that 'authentic' brick oven texture or end result. Both hubby and I LOVE how this turns out. It does not taste smoked, but does have a nice fire roasted flavor.

We have also just done them on the grill before and really liked it, but the top didn't really brown, it just wasn't quite like the brick oven. Although, still better than the regular oven in many ways.

Okay, so all that being said... If I were going to experiment with cooking on a charcoal grill I would use chunks of wood on top of the charcoal, not chips. I think the chips would burn up too fast, create lots of smoke, burn out and not produce the heat you are looking for. I would definitely do indirect heat, preferably by using fire brick or a pizza stone that can take the heat.

The biggest challenges to overcome. 1) Opening the lid and letting all that precious heat out. Probably not too big of a problem if you are doing one pizza. 2) Checking on your pizza for doneness. Again, you would have to lift the lid and let out all that great heat that builds up in the dome. 3) Doing multiple pizzas would be an even greater challenge.

But it is absolutely worth a try! I bet you could still achieve amazing results.

For me, I have been grilling pizzas for 20 years and have wanted a brick pizza oven for the last 5 years. This was a great, economical compromise. Plus I love the fact that we can move our 'pizza grill' to where ever we want it. It is also easy enough that I can do it myself, without hubby.

If you try it, let us know!

[cjs]

I totally agree with the chunks vs. chips - and having to open the lid you lose a lot.

God, I'm so wishy washy.....back to dreaming of the kettle pizza thingee.

[Mare749]

Oh, I didn't even think about how much heat is lost when you have to open the lid. That would make a difference. Hmmm.

[luvnit]

I do think it's worth a try! Especially if you enjoy pizza cooked in this manner. Nothing to lose!