coal vs. charcoal and high heat

[rscohen]

I am new to KK and have a question about its capabilities.

Can it be used with anthracite coal instead of charcoal?

How hot is too hot?

Why?

Once the KK is fully seasoned, I would like to cook pizzas at about 800*. But the extra heat is not worth killing the cooker.

Thanks

[Conodo12]

So, the only coal fired ovens that I am aware of are just that, ovens. These are essentially iron or steel boxes that seal very well when closed. These ovens are typically built into hearths and the coal is fed from below the oven, often times the "firebox" is in the basement. I have heard of a few coal-fired pizza ovens, but even those are custom made.

I think most of the forum will tell you that a pizza bakes nicely around 500 or 600 degrees with good old lump charcoal. Interestingly, you would need a fire of around that temp to even light the Anthracite coal! It does burn clean but it is hard as a rock and difficult to light.

[primeats]

More than a few of us have wrapped the thermometer past 7 or 800. Check the Naked Whiz for charcoal temps, Anthracite? Not sure anybody uses it for direct oven cooking in any restaurant, and why would they? I'm thinking there might be an issue with toxicity...Syz, help us here.

[Conodo12]

Hi Dave - Nope no worries on cooking with Anthracite - it's been done for many years. My sense is that the motivation in this case came from a look at this website or an actual visit to the featured pizza shop:

http://www.tonysaccos.com/

Of course these guys hardly have a corner on the market. There are several coal-fired ovens cooking pizza and baking many other items as I have come to learn.

In fairness, rscohen asked the question as to whether the KK can handle cooking with Anthracite coal. I have a sense as to what the answer is, but we should refer to the expert... Dennis - your thoughts?

[DennisLinkletter]

Re: coal vs. charcoal and high heat

I am new to KK and have a question about its capabilities.

Can it be used with anthracite coal instead of charcoal?

How hot is too hot?

Why?

Once the KK is fully seasoned, I would like to cook pizzas at about 800*. But the extra heat is not worth killing the cooker.

Thanks

The primary development goal for the KK Gen II OTB was to use the best methods of fabrication and the highest quality materials and to overbuild everything. That way it will last longer than it's owners.. Over kill to last forever.

The refractory hot face is designed for blast furnaces and rated to run at 2,200ºf But that is in a very different configuration which can easily accept the expansion created at these high temps.. Komodos have a lot of metal in them that do just fine at traditional cooking temperatures but can cause issues at high temps.. We try to channel the movement into expansion cuts but nature does not always cooperate..

There is a difference between spiking up to 800º for 5-10 minutes of searing and taking it up to 800º for hours..

The first problem is that the acrylic insulation that uses nano ceramic spheres is very efficient and will hold in a lot of heat.. This heat will eventually exceed the 530º peak operating temperature of the material..

Another potential problem is that repeated opening and closing of the lid exposes the food grade gasket to more high temp airflow than is probably long range good for it..

It is ok to 530º and has almost no exposure when the top is closed and latched..

Komodos are NOT designed to run at high grilling temps for long periods of time with the top open.. best to keep the lid closed as much as possible.

So I guess the answer is yes and no..

If you want to cook a few pizzas every now and then and then choke it back down fine...

If you want to bake more than a few pizzas or bake them all day long for a party absolutely not.

I think you will find that on the top shelf you will brown everything but the thinest pizzas before the inside toppings and thick crusts are cooked.. I always thought that 700º was the ideal temp until I tried 600-650 for 2 more minutes and have found that to be the magic temp for a KK with a thick KK baking stone..

I think you will find that 800º is great for cajun blackened pizzas..

[Conodo12]

My two cents:

If you take a look at this link:

You will see the process that is involved with lighting a brick oven that is designed for pizza. The narrative at the beginning should be enough to convince you that lump charcoal will get you to the temp you need for pizza. Also, take a look at that oven - NO DOORS. Wide open all the time. We bake our pizzas with the KK closed. Thus, we are trapping the heat and making the most use of it. For the brick oven pizza, the high-temp compensates for the lack of a door and they need that heat to crank out pizzas quickly - all day and all night. We cook a few pies or even several for family, folks, and friends. Coal is used at a few restaurants as there is only one oven for making pizzas for many, many customers - both eat in and take out.

Now how about ordering up that KK in your favorite tile choice and having us all over for pizza some time soon!!!