Pizza - Having issues

[AstrosDad]

I've just started to use the KK for cooking pizza.

I am using a placesetter (green egg) on top of the charcoal basket, and a pizza stone on the upper rack.

My first couple cooks were at 450 degrees. The pizzas came out great. They cooked at 12-13 minutes or so.

I've gotten better at getting up to 550 - 650 (sometimes 700) degrees. I seem to be getting a hot spot at the rear of the KK. My pizzas are burning in the rear unless I turn them during mid-cook. Any idea how to achieve a balanced cook area?

[jdbower]

Thermodynamics are fun! Have you noticed any irregular burning in the basket? If for whatever reason the basket tends to burn unevenly finding the reason for that and fixing it may help. Also make sure the grill is heatsoaked first, letting it burn for a bit at high temps helps to even out the radiant heat from the walls.

Another option is to try to move the deflector around to see if that helps. I'd imagine that back would make the most sense, but it also may depend on whether you've got standard front airflow or side airflow from the Guru. You can also try a second deflector on the lower grill at the rear to act as a baffle of sorts.

Finally, where are you cooking the pizzas? It seems a lot of people cook them on the upper grill in the dome. I've been using the main grill and haven't noticed any hotspots but I'm using a 19.5" and my pizza stone size far exceeds my pizza size so that may contribute. I also only use the pizza stone itself for heat deflection, I don't bother with a secondary one since the temperatures are so high.

[Fetzervalve]

Once I seemed to note that if my heat deflector was not sitting pretty level in all directions (meaning the lump basket handles must be level in all directions) I would tend to get a hot spot on the high side.

Double check that next time and see if you notice any difference. I generally rotate them a half turn at approx half done anyway - I just gotta have something to do...

[AstrosDad]

Thermodynamics are fun! Have you noticed any irregular burning in the basket? If for whatever reason the basket tends to burn unevenly finding the reason for that and fixing it may help. Also make sure the grill is heatsoaked first, letting it burn for a bit at high temps helps to even out the radiant heat from the walls.

Another option is to try to move the deflector around to see if that helps. I'd imagine that back would make the most sense, but it also may depend on whether you've got standard front airflow or side airflow from the Guru. You can also try a second deflector on the lower grill at the rear to act as a baffle of sorts.

Finally, where are you cooking the pizzas? It seems a lot of people cook them on the upper grill in the dome. I've been using the main grill and haven't noticed any hotspots but I'm using a 19.5" and my pizza stone size far exceeds my pizza size so that may contribute. I also only use the pizza stone itself for heat deflection, I don't bother with a secondary one since the temperatures are so high.

I usually heat soak the pizza stone for atleast an hour. I have the stone on the upper grill. I haven't tried the main grill as I've heard the upper is better. It sounds like I have more playing around to do...

[Firemonkey]

No, use the upper grill, you want the radiant heat from the top.

Fetz's suggestion on leveling the defelctor sounds like good advice, but sometimes, the fire just has a mind of its own. I usually get a hotspot somewhere in the basket when i do a longer cook at high temps. I have found it more productive to just roatate the food than trying to correct the hotspot. Mine is usually on the back or left, but its not always consistent. I figure its all at the mercy of the grill gods, and so I drink beer while grilling because that makes them happy, and just rememeber to check half way through the cook and rotate if necessary