# TRYING OUT MY NEW KETTLE PIZZA ATTACHMENT



## SmokinAl (Jul 17, 2018)

OK guys, I bought one of those kettle pizza oven attachments. I already had a pizza stone & a pizza peal, so all I needed was the kettle pizza ring.
I have been making pizza in my kettle for years, but was intrigued by the design of the kettle pizza oven. I had to get one & give it a try. So far it seems like a very well built unit, but it is a little pricey for a piece of stainless steel with a hole cut in it. I'm sure some of you fabricators out there could make one for about $10. Anyhow I'm no fabricator & have to rely on what is available on Amazon. So here is the maiden voyage of my pizza ring!!!








I started a full chimney of charcoal. It's like 90 degrees outside today so I had a fan running to keep me cool while I drank a few beers & got the charcoal burning!







The directions said to put the charcoal on the end & put a few under the stone. Next time I won't put any under the stone, cause the stone got too hot & the crust got done before the top did. 






You can't have a wood fired pizza without wood, so I put a couple of small splits on the charcoal.







Then on goes the kettle pizza ring & pizza stone.







OK, lid on & were ready to rock! Just have to heat up the stone.







In the meantime Judy has made a homemade crust & covered it with onions, green pepper, pepperoni, & cheese.







The temp is at over 700 degrees on the kettle pizza therm & the dome therm.









The fire is going really strong! Look at how burnt the S/S has gotten. That sucker is hot!!







Time to put the pizza in.











I know this sounds crazy but it only took about 2 minutes to cook this pizza, we rotated it 180 degrees at about 1 minute & pulled it out at 2 minutes.














Then we did another one, this time only pepperoni, the kettle had cooled down a bit & this one took about 3 minutes to get done. 















About all I can say is WOW!!
This thing makes some crazy good pizza's, I think we will be having pizza at least once a week from now on.
But think about it. I used a full chimney of charcoal & 3 small wood splits to cook a pizza for 2 minutes, then another for 3 minutes. That is a lot of material for a couple of pizza's. Now if you have a bunch of people over & your gonna make a half dozen pizzas it makes sense, but for one pizza it seems like a lot of fuel to use.
But still it is the best pizza I have ever made, way better than just using the stone & getting the Weber as hot as I could without this kettle pizza attachment.
So I guess I'll just bite the bullet & use the charcoal & wood needed to make my pizza. It still costs less than buying a pizza & it sure tastes a lot better. I give this pizza oven attachment 5 stars!! It's just another toy for the kid!!
Al


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## RiversideSm0ker (Jul 17, 2018)

WOW that's a very cool attachment. Maybe you can experiment with some different fuels. It may not even be necessary to use as much as you put in there the first time around. Try some Royal Oak lump with no other wood. It is an oak wood only product and does impart a very light oak flavor without any extra chunks or splits. You could even try some chips to produce smoke on demand with the lump at a pretty low cost since you only need to cook for a few minutes. Enjoy your new gizmo. 

George


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## AllAces (Jul 17, 2018)

Lookin' good. Did the pie pick up any wood smoke flavor?


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## chilerelleno (Jul 17, 2018)

That's some nice kit for making homemade woodfired pizza.
Nice looking pies!
What, no anchovies?

Stainless steel is very pricey, just the sheet metal used to make it, before cutting, rolling and finishing was worth way more than $10.00.


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## 73saint (Jul 17, 2018)

Awesome write up and the pizzas look amazing!  You know, I’ve always wanted one of those attachments.  And until you explained it in terms of fuel usage, I never would have thought about that.  

I guess for now it’s a moot point, I’m on a low/no carb diet these days!  

Like!


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## oldsmokerdude (Jul 17, 2018)

Love me some wood fired pizza. Great write up and pictures. Thanks for sharing. I think I know what we're having for dinner tonight.


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## motocrash (Jul 17, 2018)

Congrats on the new toy Al,it appears to work very well!
I'd let Judy make me a pie any day,I'd even let you fire it :D
I think some measurements might be in order for that stainless ring with a cutout.


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## kit s (Jul 17, 2018)

That is a great idea somebody made up for this type cook....Al mam those look good, and well like George was wondering if yo really needed that much fuel. I am sure you will play with that factor some as time goes, and probably even on creating or making up other dish using it. Also was wondering if the pies had any smoke flavor. May a chunk on the the pizza stone were it would smolder. Hey hope you have more cold ones, cause that for me is the beverage of choice when having some pie.


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## weedeater (Jul 17, 2018)

Al that sure looks like a new toy that works like a charm.  Fuel may be a little pricey but it’s not if you compare the cost to building a dedicated pizza oven that has few other uses.  Like!

Weedeater


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## chopsaw (Jul 17, 2018)

Looks good Al . I've been wanting one , and passed on a closeout at a good price . They make a couple models , and also have a " baking lid " That goes on top of the insert . Closes off the dome to help cook the top .


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## browneyesvictim (Jul 17, 2018)

Great write-up Al! Very jealous actually. That sure has got me thinking about making a kettle pie myself.
Congrats on the new toy! In fact I vote you put yourself on the carousel!


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## ab canuck (Jul 17, 2018)

Al that looks great, How was the taste? Great I bet!!! Like the write up as well. Definite point.. That is worthy of a carousel ride IMO.


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## gmc2003 (Jul 17, 2018)

That pizza looks absolutely fabulous Al. Pizza is one thing I've never tried on the Kettle. Now I have to put it into the rotation. 

Point for sure.

Chris


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## Bearcarver (Jul 17, 2018)

That's Really Cool, Al !!
I see what you mean about the material used for such a short cooking time, but they Really Look Awesome!!
Bet that Smoke flavor is good too!
Maybe you just gotta have company more often!!A little too far from PA though!!!
Congrats!
Like.

Bear


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## hillbillyrkstr (Jul 17, 2018)

Great step by step info al! That pizza looked great! 

I bought the weber pizza stone, and grate for my genesis about 3-4 years ago and never used them. Still in the box in the barn. I’ve seen the one you bought and wondered how well it works. Seems like it works great! 

The 2 minutes isn’t that crazy. A farmer out here has a pizza oven built into his fire place. We temp it with a gun and it gets up around 700+. He kept burning pizzas so one night we had a party at his place and made 2 dozens pizzas just experimenting with times. I got it down to just a few minutes as well. And it’s way easier the thinner you make the dough. 

If you don’t have one of those temp guns ryobi makes one for about $25. It’ll help your temp different spots on your stone. Great tool for this type of cooking. 

That is a lot of fuel for two pizzas. I’d be trying to cut back on the charcoal, and see how hot you can get it, and how the pizza cooks at a little lower temp. 

I’m sure you’ll be having a blast experimenting with that all summer long and beyond! 

You deserve a carousel nod for this one al. Stop being humble and put yourself up there!

Great job
Scott


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## johnmeyer (Jul 17, 2018)

Wow, 700+ degrees! That is crazy hot.

I love the idea of having a "wood-fired" pizza oven without having to do a special build.

+1 on getting temp gun. Amazon has models that are only about twelve bucks.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 17, 2018)

Great looking pizza Al! I didn’t even know that existed. I’ve been trying to find a used BGE or KJ on Craigslist to do pizza but this might be the way to go. Thanks for the write up def gave me some good ideas!


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## bregent (Jul 17, 2018)

Nice. I would suggest using less fuel and getting the temp lower. While baking a pie in under 3 minutes is impressive, it's really not beneficial for the type of pizza you are making. Considering the thickness of the crust, you're better targeting 7-8 minutes, and probably running around 500-600F. Your dough will cook better at those temps and you'll save a lot of fuel.


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## WillRunForQue (Jul 17, 2018)

You'll love the new toy, Al, I sure do mine!  I'll share some tips from many cooks, take them or leave them, but it's the least I can do after learning from you!

Like Bregent said, I run mine at more like 500-600.  I've had it over 1000, which freaked me out a little when my infrared thermometer topped out!

I spread the coals in more of a crescent moon shape that reaches around the sides so the stone doesn't overheat in the middle. 

I also stand my splits up in the back, they are usually only about 6" in length and I start with 2 splits... and then add another split about every 2 pizzas.

Holler if you have any questions on what I said, be happy to help!


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## noboundaries (Jul 17, 2018)

Great job, Al! Now I'm craving pizza!

I have that exact same stone and pizza attachment. You are definitely right about not putting fuel under the stone.

Head's up; I don't believe that exact stone is available any longer, anywhere. Great stone. I love it! I remember reading the company went out of business. The stone is now my in-house oven stone where I can control temps better to prevent cracking. In the Kettle Pizza oven I use a cast iron pizza pan that is indestructible.


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## mike5051 (Jul 17, 2018)

Great write up and awesome pizza Al!  I've got one and it's just me and my lady so we make two pizzas.  I use charcoal and wood chunks and cook at 700 degrees.  It takes fuel to keep it that hot!  I'll use splits next time, I have to reload chunks for the second pizza.  You can't beat the flavor that this thing creates!  Hop on that carousel!

Mike


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## Ishi (Jul 17, 2018)

Beautiful pizza! Those pics are worth a thousand words


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## bdskelly (Jul 17, 2018)

Thanks for this post Al. Being a  lover of the kettle I’ve had my eye on this accessory. Looks like it works great!


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## bmudd14474 (Jul 17, 2018)

Al that is awesome and looks awesome. I have been thinking about this unit as well. Thanks for the review


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## forktender (Jul 18, 2018)

Very nice look'in pie!!!
Heck, a guy could cut a 10'' or 12'' cross section out of a 55 gallon drum and then use the regular weber lid. The lids work great on a UDS why not on a pizza oven? All that would be left to do is cut out the door opening with a grinder, torch, plasma cutter or jigsaw. It would be a quick and simple redneck engineering project as long as you had a pizza stone and a peel you'd be set.
Now I have to hunt down another 55 gallon drum to make one for my yard.:cool:


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## zippy12 (Jul 18, 2018)

Great write up and review of this pizza attachment!
Great pizzas!
Next time 3 pies ... the 3rd for breakfast...

Thanks


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## SmokinAl (Jul 18, 2018)

RiversideSm0ker said:


> WOW that's a very cool attachment. Maybe you can experiment with some different fuels. It may not even be necessary to use as much as you put in there the first time around. Try some Royal Oak lump with no other wood. It is an oak wood only product and does impart a very light oak flavor without any extra chunks or splits. You could even try some chips to produce smoke on demand with the lump at a pretty low cost since you only need to cook for a few minutes. Enjoy your new gizmo.
> 
> George





AllAces said:


> Lookin' good. Did the pie pick up any wood smoke flavor?





chilerelleno said:


> That's some nice kit for making homemade woodfired pizza.
> Nice looking pies!
> What, no anchovies?
> 
> Stainless steel is very pricey, just the sheet metal used to make it, before cutting, rolling and finishing was worth way more than $10.00.





73saint said:


> Awesome write up and the pizzas look amazing!  You know, I’ve always wanted one of those attachments.  And until you explained it in terms of fuel usage, I never would have thought about that.
> 
> I guess for now it’s a moot point, I’m on a low/no carb diet these days!
> 
> Like!





oldsmokerdude said:


> Love me some wood fired pizza. Great write up and pictures. Thanks for sharing. I think I know what we're having for dinner tonight.





motocrash said:


> Congrats on the new toy Al,it appears to work very well!
> I'd let Judy make me a pie any day,I'd even let you fire it :D
> I think some measurements might be in order for that stainless ring with a cutout.





kit s said:


> That is a great idea somebody made up for this type cook....Al mam those look good, and well like George was wondering if yo really needed that much fuel. I am sure you will play with that factor some as time goes, and probably even on creating or making up other dish using it. Also was wondering if the pies had any smoke flavor. May a chunk on the the pizza stone were it would smolder. Hey hope you have more cold ones, cause that for me is the beverage of choice when having some pie.





weedeater said:


> Al that sure looks like a new toy that works like a charm.  Fuel may be a little pricey but it’s not if you compare the cost to building a dedicated pizza oven that has few other uses.  Like!
> 
> Weedeater





chopsaw said:


> Looks good Al . I've been wanting one , and passed on a closeout at a good price . They make a couple models , and also have a " baking lid " That goes on top of the insert . Closes off the dome to help cook the top .





browneyesvictim said:


> Great write-up Al! Very jealous actually. That sure has got me thinking about making a kettle pie myself.
> Congrats on the new toy! In fact I vote you put yourself on the carousel!





ab canuck said:


> Al that looks great, How was the taste? Great I bet!!! Like the write up as well. Definite point.. That is worthy of a carousel ride IMO.





gmc2003 said:


> That pizza looks absolutely fabulous Al. Pizza is one thing I've never tried on the Kettle. Now I have to put it into the rotation.
> 
> Point for sure.
> 
> Chris





Bearcarver said:


> That's Really Cool, Al !!
> I see what you mean about the material used for such a short cooking time, but they Really Look Awesome!!
> Bet that Smoke flavor is good too!
> Maybe you just gotta have company more often!!A little too far from PA though!!!
> ...





hillbillyrkstr said:


> Great step by step info al! That pizza looked great!
> 
> I bought the weber pizza stone, and grate for my genesis about 3-4 years ago and never used them. Still in the box in the barn. I’ve seen the one you bought and wondered how well it works. Seems like it works great!
> 
> ...





johnmeyer said:


> Wow, 700+ degrees! That is crazy hot.
> 
> I love the idea of having a "wood-fired" pizza oven without having to do a special build.
> 
> +1 on getting temp gun. Amazon has models that are only about twelve bucks.





SmokinVOLfan said:


> Great looking pizza Al! I didn’t even know that existed. I’ve been trying to find a used BGE or KJ on Craigslist to do pizza but this might be the way to go. Thanks for the write up def gave me some good ideas!





bregent said:


> Nice. I would suggest using less fuel and getting the temp lower. While baking a pie in under 3 minutes is impressive, it's really not beneficial for the type of pizza you are making. Considering the thickness of the crust, you're better targeting 7-8 minutes, and probably running around 500-600F. Your dough will cook better at those temps and you'll save a lot of fuel.





i6quer said:


> You'll love the new toy, Al, I sure do mine!  I'll share some tips from many cooks, take them or leave them, but it's the least I can do after learning from you!
> 
> Like Bregent said, I run mine at more like 500-600.  I've had it over 1000, which freaked me out a little when my infrared thermometer topped out!
> 
> ...





noboundaries said:


> Great job, Al! Now I'm craving pizza!
> 
> I have that exact same stone and pizza attachment. You are definitely right about not putting fuel under the stone.
> 
> Head's up; I don't believe that exact stone is available any longer, anywhere. Great stone. I love it! I remember reading the company went out of business. The stone is now my in-house oven stone where I can control temps better to prevent cracking. In the Kettle Pizza oven I use a cast iron pizza pan that is indestructible.





mike5051 said:


> Great write up and awesome pizza Al!  I've got one and it's just me and my lady so we make two pizzas.  I use charcoal and wood chunks and cook at 700 degrees.  It takes fuel to keep it that hot!  I'll use splits next time, I have to reload chunks for the second pizza.  You can't beat the flavor that this thing creates!  Hop on that carousel!
> 
> Mike





Ishi said:


> Beautiful pizza! Those pics are worth a thousand words





bdskelly said:


> Thanks for this post Al. Being a  lover of the kettle I’ve had my eye on this accessory. Looks like it works great!





bmudd14474 said:


> Al that is awesome and looks awesome. I have been thinking about this unit as well. Thanks for the review





forktender said:


> Very nice look'in pie!!!
> Heck, a guy could cut a 10'' or 12'' cross section out of a 55 gallon drum and then use the regular weber lid. The lids work great on a UDS why not on a pizza oven? All that would be left to do is cut out the door opening with a grinder, torch, plasma cutter or jigsaw. It would be a quick and simple redneck engineering project as long as you had a pizza stone and a peel you'd be set.
> Now I have to hunt down another 55 gallon drum to make one for my yard.:cool:





zippy12 said:


> Great write up and review of this pizza attachment!
> Great pizzas!
> Next time 3 pies ... the 3rd for breakfast...
> 
> Thanks



Holy cow Guys!!
Thank you so much for all the responses!
I'm kind of overwhelmed.
Yes the pizza did take on a smokey flavor & next time I will start with less charcoal.
And no charcoal under the stone.
But you need to burn splits to get the temp up, so I may adjust the size & placement of them.
I think with practice I will be making some killer pizzas!
And BTW Adam was kind enough to put me on the carousel, I would never do that for myself.
I like to see you guys up there!!
Thanks again!!
Al


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## ammaturesmoker (Jul 18, 2018)

Al.....That looks wonderful....I too have one like that....all I can say is....YUM!! I never like pizza in the kitchen oven again unless it is winter.


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## zippy12 (Jul 18, 2018)

I will be getting one of these!  Work just authorized an extra 8hrs a week for the next 6 weeks!

Thanks Al you hooked me on this one...


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## luvcatchingbass (Jul 18, 2018)

Really cool toy to experiment with and now something to put on the wish/build list for me. I would imagine you could figure out temps for doing other types of food as well such as breads or roasting veggies.


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## NamVetJoe (Jul 18, 2018)

Al, I have the same setup. A little trick I use when the crust is done to your liking put the pizza on the peel and hold it up under the dome. It will quickly cook the top so keep an
eye on it
JOE


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## SmokinAl (Jul 18, 2018)

ammaturesmoker said:


> Al.....That looks wonderful....I too have one like that....all I can say is....YUM!! I never like pizza in the kitchen oven again unless it is winter.



I totally understand, but here in Florida I will be making pizza on it year round. As a matter of fact we are gonna make one tonight!!
Al



zippy12 said:


> I will be getting one of these!  Work just authorized an extra 8hrs a week for the next 6 weeks!
> 
> Thanks Al you hooked me on this one...



You won't be disappointed Zippy!!
Al



luvcatchingbass said:


> Really cool toy to experiment with and now something to put on the wish/build list for me. I would imagine you could figure out temps for doing other types of food as well such as breads or roasting veggies.



Yes you are right, I'm sure that there are lots of things you could use it for. The first thing that comes to my mind is a calzone. 



NamVetJoe said:


> Al, I have the same setup. A little trick I use when the crust is done to your liking put the pizza on the peel and hold it up under the dome. It will quickly cook the top so keep an
> eye on it
> JOE



Thanks Joe, yes we did that with the second pizza. I'm going to give it a go again tonight & see how we do.
A little less charcoal, no coals under the stone, & try to keep the temp around 600 degrees. I'll probably make 2 or 3 pizzas & then just reheat them for the next couple of days. Although I did skip lunch so I would be really hungry!!
Al


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## Smkryng (Jul 18, 2018)

Well I may have to go looking for a kettle now. I love my wife’s homemade pizza but a 550 degree oven in the middle of summer sure heats the house up bad. Great looking set up and pizzas. Congrats on the carousel!


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## mike5051 (Jul 18, 2018)

NamVetJoe said:


> Al, I have the same setup. A little trick I use when the crust is done to your liking put the pizza on the peel and hold it up under the dome. It will quickly cook the top so keep an
> eye on it
> JOE


I end up with way too many toppings everytime, this will help me get them cooked fully!  Thanks,

Mike


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## SmokinGame (Jul 19, 2018)

That looks so good!!


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## daricksta (Jul 19, 2018)

Gee Al, If we were still giving points I don't think there'd be enough on the entire SMF site to award to you. I've been looking at this pizza insert for my 22.5" Weber OTS so thanks for auditioning it for me. Judy and you make an outstanding grilled pizza making team! And it's not crazy that your pizza cooked in just 2 minutes. Restaurant wood-fired pizza ovens running between 800-1000 degrees can turn out a pizza in 90 seconds or less. I'm impressed you used those wood splits inside the kettle.

Like Judy, my wife has been making pizza from scratch for years. We've teamed up in the past to grill it on the Weber.I've used pizza stones on my grill with extremely mixed results. So far both direct and indirect heat haven't fully worked. My daughter just bought me a new on that I will try out this weekend. But at some point I think I'll buy this pizza oven. Your grilled pizza results sold me.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 20, 2018)

Smkryng said:


> Well I may have to go looking for a kettle now. I love my wife’s homemade pizza but a 550 degree oven in the middle of summer sure heats the house up bad. Great looking set up and pizzas. Congrats on the carousel!



Thank you!
You won't regret getting one, as a matter of fact we had pizza last night & were going to have it again tonight!!
Al



mike5051 said:


> I end up with way too many toppings everytime, this will help me get them cooked fully!  Thanks,
> 
> Yea this sucker will boil the crap out of the toppings, and if the crust gets done too soon you can put the pizza on the peel & lift it up to the dome where the toppings will get done in about 30 seconds.
> Al
> ...





SmokinGame said:


> That looks so good!!



Thank you my friend!!
Al



daricksta said:


> Gee Al, If we were still giving points I don't think there'd be enough on the entire SMF site to award to you. I've been looking at this pizza insert for my 22.5" Weber OTS so thanks for auditioning it for me. Judy and you make an outstanding grilled pizza making team! And it's not crazy that your pizza cooked in just 2 minutes. Restaurant wood-fired pizza ovens running between 800-1000 degrees can turn out a pizza in 90 seconds or less. I'm impressed you used those wood splits inside the kettle.
> 
> Like Judy, my wife has been making pizza from scratch for years. We've teamed up in the past to grill it on the Weber.I've used pizza stones on my grill with extremely mixed results. So far both direct and indirect heat haven't fully worked. My daughter just bought me a new on that I will try out this weekend. But at some point I think I'll buy this pizza oven. Your grilled pizza results sold me.



We too have been making pizza on the kettle with a stone, but this thing takes it to a whole new level. I have had pizzas in a restaurant with a wood fired pizza oven & this one we made is every bit as good. I don't know if you remember Scarbelly (Gary), he had a custom wood fired pizza oven built in his backyard & I bet it cost $4-5 thousand dollars. And I guarantee you that this little unit does just as good a job as his did. It just amazes me that there are so many attachments you can get for a Weber kettle!
Al


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## daricksta (Jul 20, 2018)

Al, where do you buy wood splits? All I can find at Lowes is wood chunks, which I think would work fine with the Weber. 

I priced the kettle pizza attachment and it's affordable...for my wife to buy it for me next year as my Father's Day gift. 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.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 20, 2018)

daricksta said:


> Al, where do you buy wood splits? All I can find at Lowes is wood chunks, which I think would work fine with the Weber.
> 
> I priced the kettle pizza attachment and it's affordable...for my wife to buy it for me next year as my Father's Day gift. 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.



Our Walmart has big bags of hickory wood splits, the price varies from time to time, but I would say the average price is about $13 for a bag. I'm guessing that the bag weighs around 60+ pounds. I think your right about the wood fired ovens in restaurants being at 700+ degrees, and I think that once I get the hang of using this thing I will be able to cook at that temp too. I used it again last night & it was hovering around 650 degrees & the pizza came out really good again. Were going to try it again tonight with more toppings on it & see if they will get done before the crust burns. Tomorrow we are going to try a calzone. That should be fun!!!
Al


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## noboundaries (Jul 20, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Our Walmart has big bags of hickory wood splits, the price varies from time to time, but I would say the average price is about $13 for a bag. I'm guessing that the bag weighs around 60+ pounds.



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.


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## bregent (Jul 20, 2018)

daricksta said:


> 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.


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## daricksta (Jul 20, 2018)

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.


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## bregent (Jul 20, 2018)

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.


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## mike5051 (Jul 20, 2018)

noboundaries said:


> 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


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## NamVetJoe (Jul 21, 2018)

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


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## johnmeyer (Jul 21, 2018)

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 ...


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## johnmeyer (Jul 21, 2018)

... 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.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 21, 2018)

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


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## Smkryng (Jul 21, 2018)

johnmeyer said:


> ... OK, the DIY project looks like it might happen.
> 
> Please let me know if you think this will work.
> 
> ...



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.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 22, 2018)

noboundaries said:


> 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



bregent said:


> 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



daricksta said:


> 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



bregent said:


> 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..



mike5051 said:


> 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



NamVetJoe said:


> View attachment 371398
> 
> 
> 
> ...





johnmeyer said:


> 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
> 
> ...





johnmeyer said:


> ... OK, the DIY project looks like it might happen.
> 
> Please let me know if you think this will work.
> 
> ...



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



KrisUpInSmoke said:


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


For me it it well worth it!!
Al



Smkryng said:


> 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


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## johnmeyer (Jul 22, 2018)

> 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.


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## noboundaries (Jul 22, 2018)

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."


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## gmc2003 (Jul 22, 2018)

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

Chris


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## daricksta (Jul 22, 2018)

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.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 23, 2018)

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


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## tomd8 (Jul 28, 2018)

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.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 28, 2018)

tomd8 said:


> 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


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## tomd8 (Jul 28, 2018)

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.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 29, 2018)

tomd8 said:


> 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


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