normstar Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Hi All - Gearing up to make some pizza's tonight and I've got one question - do you suggest putting the heat deflector on the basket and the pizza stone on the top grill? Or just put the pizza stone on the top grill and let it absorb the direct heat? Thanks and Happy New Year!!!! andy manhattan beach, ca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? Pizza stone on main grill, no deflector....500-600 dome temp, let the stone get heat soaked and hot before you start cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducaticraig Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? I second that motion! Some may say get the KK even warmer than what was mentioned. Either way your pizza will be fine. Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? I use the pizza stone on the upper grill.. Easier to put them on and take off as well as taking advantage of the convection heat coming off the ceiling.. The thicker the crust the lower the cooking temp.. 1st pizza will tell you if you need more or less heat.. If the top burns before the crust is ready turn it down.. if crust burns before the top is finished turn it up.. I control high temps with the damper top completely.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? The thicker the crust the lower the cooking temp.. Also, plain crusts take heat better than crusts with any additives. Flour, salt, yeast, water. No oil, no milk, of course no sugar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpetride Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? Are you using the deflector? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGGARY Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? Why wouldn't the Heat Deflector be used when making Pizza ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Moe Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? High heat is all about air flow, the deflector would not help (though it wouldn't hurt much). If its not helping than all you would be doing is heat cycling your deflector for no real reason? Some downside + no advantages = don't use it imho Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? Direct heat to the baking stone will heat it faster and keep it hot more efficiently.. As heat is airflow, it's important to use larger pieces of charcoal.. dumping the smalls from the bottom of the bag will restrict airflow and make it difficult or impossible to hit high temps.. golf ball and up chunks are best. If you have smalls pour them only around the very outside of the basket. This will still let large a volume of air travel thru the basket. Remember there is no airflow until you close the lid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normstar Posted January 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? It was excellent!!! Pizza Stone on the main grill, no heat deflector, with a 600 dome temp and 7-8 minutes cook time was the sweet spot. It got up to 700 at one point, but the top burned before the bottom was done as Dennis said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normstar Posted January 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Re: Pizza Stone - direct or indirect? Another tip, let the pizza stone heat up for an hour if possible. Hotter the better. I only gave it 30 mins and the crust got better and better as it heated up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...