Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I've never mastered the hand-toss. Probably never will.

I roll my dough out directly on the countertop, using a rolling pin and liberal amounts of cornmeal. I find the dough easiest to work with if it's cold, straight out of the fridge. (This is why I let it rise before sticking it into the fridge.) Once I've got it more or less the correct size and shape, I pick it up and transfer it onto a cookie sheet which I have pre-coated with yet more cornmeal, and use that as a peel to slide it onto the stone.

There have been a few close calls (eg: I occasionally tear the dough and have to repair it by using a little water to encourage the edges to stick back together), but the only time I've ever completely lost a dough was when I dropped it on the floor.





Infrared? How do you like it?

Or is that a regular toaster oven and your camera is just being wacky?

Erat

iTrader: (5)

Wacky camera. Electric coil, radiant heat. :(
I will pan sear them afterwards just to get that caramelization.

codrus

Natural gas burns at 1950C, that's plenty hot enough. All you need to do is convince the oven not to turn the burner off when it measures 500 or 550 or whatever the highest temp setting is.

That's pretty simple, you bake on the "self clean" setting. You just need to do some surgery to the oven door to disable the safety latch...

http://staff.washington.edu/freitz/p...ycle_pizza.htm

--Ian

(and no, I've never tried this. I live in a civilized part of the world where I have a backyard, so if I need temperatures that hot I use charcoal)

stratosteve

iTrader: (1)

What is a broiler?












Runs.....

z31maniac

I thought part of the problem with NG is the moisture level from burning it, or is that just propane?

codrus

You get H2O whenever you burn something that has hydrogen in it, and natural gas (mostly a mixture of methane and ethane) has plenty.

That said, I hadn't heard anyone say it was specifically a problem when making pizzas. The biggest problem is that the oven's control unit won't go higher than 500-550F, and for pizzas you really want 800+. A self-cleaning oven will do that (it takes like 900F to burn off the polymerized grease from the oven floor), the manufacturer is just worried that you'll hurt yourself when it's that hot and sue them.

--Ian

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

My oven has no self-cleaning function. The highest setting is "BROIL," which is just past 500°F on the ****. That's the setting I use, and it's not enough.

Now that I'm home, I've verified that the bottom pan of the oven is flat and solid, with only two slots at the outer edges to allow the heat to rise:






Internally, the flame bar fires directly at the underside of this sheet of metal:






This may be a recipe for disaster, but I think I'm going to attempt the following:

1: Remove the stone.

2: Bake the pizza for about 5 minutes directly in the prep-pan on the lower rack, with either cornmeal or just a little bit of olive-oil (I normally avoid oiling the bottom of the dough to prevent the stone from becoming contaminated.)

3: Once the crust is cooked enough to be cohesive, remove the pan, remove the lower rack, and slide the pizza out directly onto the bottom of the oven, then sear it at maximum for a few minutes with the door open.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Why not just finish on the stove top with a cast iron skillet?
This is how I reheat pizza. It makes the bottom nice and crispy, or charred if you prefer.

Erat

iTrader: (5)

Invisible prop for this.

Do not burn down the palace Joe, try the skillet first. Canola oil helps me.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Well, I don't already own a skillet, and I hate buying single-purpose kitchen gadgets.

(Yes, I know a skillet can be used for purposes other than pizza-finishing, but I don't ever do those things.)

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I will, however, admit that I briefly looked up the cost to acquire a 24"x24" chunk of half-inch T-316 stainless steel plate.

It's expensive.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Under $8.
Try it out, and if you don't like it, turn it into the final piece of an elaborate rat trap.
Personally, I think the cast iron skillet is essential in a kitchen, but I will probably die young of a heart attack.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Where can I get a 14" cast-iron skillet for $8?

TBH, I don't really fry stuff. I do a lot of stir-fry, but my existing pan, shown earlier full of pizza sauce, is perfectly adequate for that. But I don't keep bacon or eggs in stock, just a carton of that "this is nothing but egg-whites and some yellow food coloring" stuff (because long shelf life) for the occasional fried-rice or breading chicken / tofu. Pancakes happen only on the extremely rare occasion (once or twice a year) that I happen to find myself at Perkins. I'll never be able to match their pancakes, so I don't even try. I suspect that they infuse them with nitrogen or something...

It occurred to me recently that I've become sort of mostly-vegetarian. It wasn't something I deliberately set out to do.

Erat

iTrader: (5)

I've bought all 3 of my cast iron skillets second hand. 2 at garage sale and one at a flea market.

Probably have $30 invested.

Edit*
Our lives are very different, I don't think we can relate. 90% of my meals are home cooked. It makes sense for me to have an extensive kitchen outfit. I can understand why you wouldn't want a 8lb pan to keep around for every once in a while.

codrus

If you ever stray from "mostly-vegetarian" to cook steak, then you owe it to yourself to get a cast iron skillet. Mmmm.

--Ian

Monk

iTrader: (3)

I just clicked on the first link, which happens to actually be a fajita skillet.
Fajita Skillet Pan | Oval Cast Iron Skillet with Handle
I don't know it that is trustworthy source...
Regardless, they are quite cheap, and very versatile.
Plus, consider all of your soap savings...
In all seriousness, I am willing to send you one free of charge to try out.

z31maniac

I don't know what this means. I eat probably 90% of meals out. Could be that I'm single now and too lazy.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Oh hell yes.
Sometimes, I buy a cheap skirt steak and sear it on the skillet.
Then, I toss it to the dogs, and deglaze the pan with a Cabernet.
I let that simmer with garlic, butter and a shallot before I put the sirloin on.
When the steak is done, smother it in sauce and orgasm yourself right to sleep.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Width: 7"

18psi

iTrader: (76)

we have food thread
I love food thread. mostly the pictures
meanwhile, y'all talkin bout food in this non-food thread

I has a sad