Pequod

Shuley posted this recently:

Besides looking awesome, I couldn't help but notice the cultural mash-up of an American cooking Greek cuisine using the recipe of a Canadian of Indian descent. In today's world, that's practically an act of rebellion! So here I am stickin' it to the man with my own cook.

Not spinning it, but did smoke with a bit of coffee wood. On it goes.

Gotta have fresh pita.

Done.

Beatiful!

Plated with an Israeli couscous salad, just to mash cultures further.

1 minute ago, tony b said:

@HalfSmoke - that's a pretty good comprehensive rundown of good Chicago pizza joints, but you left off Pequod's.

Only because I've never been there. I think they rose to fame after my time. Need hit that one sometime when I'm back. 

30 minutes ago, Bruce Pearson said:

I just bought a pork belly from snake River Farms thinking  I'd make some bacon. But first I have to figure out how to do it LOL. I know it has to be cured and then smoked but should I cold smoke it? Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

Ed that Meal really looks good, maybe I should cut the the pork belly in half And use half for bacon and Cook the other half like you did

I've done both dry and wet cures. Both work and both are easy. I've tried various recipes, but like the maple bacon recipe from Amazing Ribs the best. I've always hot smoked using the KK cold smoker and keeping the temp below 200 until the internal temp of the bacon is 150. Then wrap it in plastic and keep in the fridge overnight. Makes it easier to slice when well chilled. 

8 minutes ago, Keith OctoForks said:

IDK if I've ever had a Chicago style pie other than maybe Godfathers?   We have this http://www.oleys.net/  (look for the deep dish)

Words can't describe how good it is.   If I ever have the patience "If" I'd love to try your recipe!    It's a labor of love no doubt

I'm in Ft. Wayne periodically for work. I'll have to ask my folks there about Oley's. 

You're close enough that I'd recommend a pizza crawl! Start downtown and hit the original Pizzeria Uno (NOT the heretical chain of the same name), Malnati's, and Gino's East. Then head to the south side and hit the original Aurelio's in Homewood for thin crust (my first stop whenever I return home). Move over to Sanfratellos for a completely different deep dish. The original has closed, but they still have locations in Dyer, IN. And if you're still hungry head down to Champaign-Urbana and sample Papa Del's. Different take on deep dish, but totally awesome. Almost forgot! Must get a stuffed spinach pizza from Edwardo's in Chicago, and Giordano's as well.

This thread is all about authentic Chicago Style Deep Dish, but cooked on the KK, of course. I did a thread similar to this on the Guru once. Put the entire site to sleep. If you caught that one, feel free to skip this one. Heck, skip it if you're not interested too. I won't be offended. Or you may find you need a nap in the middle. That's fine. We'll still be here when you wake up.

First, let's parse the name. Most deep dish I see posted on the internet is NOT Chicago style, yet most people feel the need to insert that word "Chicago" in front of "Deep Dish", no matter how heretical it may be. Bottom line is there are a lot of deep dish pizzas out there, many quite good, but only some of these qualify as Chicago Style. Nothing wrong with making and enjoying those other pies, just don't offend a great city by calling it Chicago Style when it's not.

So what makes it "Chicago Style"? To me, it comes down to two key things: The crust and the tomatoes.

First, the crust. Many people think Chicago Style pizza crust is similar to a loaf of bread -- very doughy. Others think there is cornmeal in the crust. Don't get me going on that one. Let's just say I agree with this:  http://www.realdeepdish.com/2009/05-06-pizza-rant-2-6-pat-bruno-im-calling-you-out/. Both of these are WRONG! The classic Chicago Style pizza crust, such as you'll find at Lou Malnati's, Pizzeria Uno, or Gino's East, has a biscuit-like texture. A bit crisp on the outside, giving way to a biscuity crumb on the inside. Again, if you like cornmeal in your dough or making pizza out of a loaf of bread, by all means keep doing it. Just don't call it Chicago Style or you'll be labeled either a heretic or a Cubs fan!

Next, the tomatoes on a Chicago Style pizza have a distinctly bright flavor, and are usually a bit chunky as well. The closest I've come to replicating that flavor is with a particular brand: 6-in-1 All Purpose Ground Tomatoes. They aren't chunky enough, but the flavor is spot on and you can always add some high quality diced or hand crushed tomatoes for chunkiness.

Let's start with the dough. Here's my favorite dough recipe for a 13" Deep Dish pizza. The recipe you'll find at http://www.realdeepdish.com is also excellent and I used to make one very similar to that, but I like this better:

350g AP Flour - 95%
20g Semolina - 5%
170g Water - 46%
64g Corn oil (17%)
14g Olive oil (4%)
1/4 tsp Salt - (.35%)
1/2 tsp Sugar - (.5%)
2g instant dry yeast - (.5%)

First, mix all the dry ingredients except for the yeast, then pour in the oil. Remember, since we're not making bread, we're trying to *avoid* gluten formation, so we don't want to proof the yeast and we don't want to over-knead the dough.

Partially mix in the oil, then add the water and partially mix that too. Then sprinkle the yeast on top.

Stir that in until just barely combined, then knead the dough in the bowl with one hand for no more than two minutes. Now cover it with plastic and let it rise in the oven with only the oven light on for heat for up to five hours. It will rise, but not much.

While that's going on, we also want to drain the tomatoes in a strainer over a cereal bowl.  Some people like to spoon them right from the can. I prefer to let the water drain out so that the pizza isn't too wet.

I also like to de-fat my pepperoni so that we don't get a grease slick on top. Put the pepperoni on a plate between paper towel sheets, then nuke for 30 seconds. Amazing how much grease is pulled out.

Sliced and sautéed my onion for just a bit. No pics of that. Instead I give you my fancy new teak cutting board. Sweet, no?

After five hours, the dough has risen, but gluten matrix is weak to non-existent. No way that dough would pass the windowpane test.

Grease my decades old, highly seasoned steel deep dish pizza pan. I've been doing deep dish pizza much longer than I've been doing barbecue. Bought this one while I was still in college and realized the need to master this before leaving Illinois for good.

Spread the dough, and pinch it half way up those two inch sides.

You can use 8 to 16 ounces of mozzarella, depending on how cheesy you want it. This mozzarella is from a cow I own in the Shenandoah Valley, then delivered the whole, unpasteurized milk to an Italian Grandmother nearby to make the cheese for me.

I lied. Safeway had this in stock. I'm using 12 ounces of the stuff.

Then top the cheese with the sautéed onions.

Now ready for the tomatoes. Here's what they look like after draining all afternoon.

Look at all that water.

Most, but not all of the drained tomatoes go on the pie.

Now sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon each of dried basil and oregano. I prefer fresh basil, but none available today.

Grate some parmesan directly on top.

Then all of that de-fatted pepperoni.

Onto the KK at 450.

Turn it after about 15 minutes. Don't know if I really needed to do that in the KK, but always do it in the oven and it's a habit,

And after about 15 minutes more, we're ready.

Let it rest for five minutes.

Remove it from the pan.

Plated.

Perfect. Here's the bottom.

 

I always turn my fat cap to the side, but that's just me. Sometimes I shoot for a 45 degree angle. 

3 minutes ago, Keith OctoForks said:

lol, it'd be nice.  I'd love to add a blue KK to the arsenal!

There ya go. Dennis is discounting this one from Project Smoke Season 3 by $1000 (I think I read that somewhere):

 

Expecting my Octoforks to arrive tomorrow. Hoping to take them for a spin soon. 

15 minutes ago, MacKenzie said:

Still looking for tips that will allow a video to be visible in the post and not have to be downloaded to be viewed, help please.  

When I post a video, I first upload it to YouTube and then post the link here. It automatically converts the link to an embedded video. 

How are you testing for doneness with the roti'd ribs? I'd normally do a bend test, but suppose a toothpick would work fine for the roti. 

Looks like it did expire. Oh well. Will wait until @Keith OctoForks runs another one.

Wow! Is the Octoforks coupon still valid? Maybe I'll give them a spin (rimshot!).

Fat man is on the road and should be here next week. Just in time for me to unpack it, move it in place...and then work has me on the road most weekdays through end of April.  A little excitement there, but @DennisLinkletter moved some mountains to make sure I get it before end of next week, otherwise would be waiting for two months. 

That's not a cook. That's a clinic on how to fully utilize a 16. 

7 minutes ago, MacKenzie said:

Skewers sound very interesting.  

That was my thinking. Where this system will really shine is with the add-ons Keith has planned -- skewers, baskets, etc. In the meantime, might be fun to try vertically spinning a lasagna. 

 

 

 

About 10 minutes at 550 is right. Looking good. 

On 2/5/2017 at 10:55 PM, DennisLinkletter said:

If you were to do it again.. would you use such a fine mesh?   I'm thinking it's going to gunk up quickly. I guess it's best if it can be slid in and out for cleaning.. Thanks for the idea.  I don't have any chips here and chunks of course don't blow around.

Follow up...

Here's what it looks like after two long smokes. Still clear, although I think I could take it down to a #6 mesh without issue.

And the inside of the tube. Still clear. That bump is just the screen. No blockages.

21 minutes ago, tony b said:

That's a lot of grills! Looks like they just need a 42" to complete the set.

That was my comment on Instagram when Dennis first posted this one. He responded that they are currently shoring up the deck to add just that.

2 minutes ago, Garvinque said:

What's that green round thing?

 

Garvin

Training wheels

I like! 

Thanks! Definitely hard to mooooove after all we ate. 

Did four new recipes today that I found using Eat Your Books. Really liking that site. 

That's awesome. 

2 hours ago, ckreef said:

I guess that means you have to own 4 KK's - quadfecta - you'll be the first - LOL 

Not so sure about that. From the KK instagram:

 

Alright, some APL baked beans, starts with grating the pepper and onion, then squeezing out the moisture.

Mixed up, then topped with some of my most recent batch of bacon.

Done.

Bouchon Bakery corn muffins. 

Sliced.

No plate shot -- too busy plating for my guests. 

14 minutes ago, Steve M said:

Awesome, I ordered a pack to try them out. I may use string in the meantime.

I received the package Friday so I hope to give them a spin tomorrow.

Please report back. Very curious about these.