BBQ Pizza Dome

[mdub]

I have just completed construction of my latest experiment, a barrel done made from refractory materials.

The dome fits inside a 2 burner gas BBQ (Grill) and uses a 40mm refactory tile as a pizza stone.

Given the depth of knowledge on this site, I'm keen to get some feedback on what you think.

I created a storyboard on Instructables to document my progress.

BBQ Pizza Dome

Martyn

[MarkG]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

I was thinking of doing something similar. I was planning on putting tile on the upper rack and pizza stone on the cooking grate and heating A few bricks along the sides etc. Not a dome, but sort of a rectangular pizza oven similar to a comercial one. Have yet to try it.

[mdub]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

MarkG,

I tried lots of things before I decided on the dome.

Most of them worked reasonably well, but I saw all the talk on this site about domes and radiant heat and decided that the dome was the way to go.

The only thing that I don't know at this point, is how long the dome will hold up to the heat.


Martyn

[ideaswoman]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

Would love to know how it is holding up

I am trying to work out a simple way to create a dome for by gas bbq to enable to cook pizza and bread. I rent and not willing at the moment to fork out over $1K for a portable steel wood fired oven which I would really love to own!

[ideaswoman]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

I should also mention, buying refractory bricks in Queensland is mission impossible. Clay Pavers and brick sellers not interested in my small purchase.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

line your grill top with kaowool insulation,,, Paint it with rigidizer (available on ebay) then put firebricks on the grill,,,

[ideaswoman]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

Wow, thanks for that advice.

I tried a terracotta tile [thickest you can get and 300x300mm] and it worked too well so back to the drawing board! I have to raise the tile off the cast iron grate as it got too hot and then of course the top did not cook properly.

I would like to thank Concept Tiles | A Fusion of Innovation & Style for being so helpful regarding the tile. I had been everywhere to get one tile! ! ! !

[mdub]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

ideaswoman,

Thanks for the feedback, The oven is holding up really well.

Yes finding a supplier of refractory materials is quite difficult, however there must be a supplier in QLD somewhere !

You might find it interesting that I first started out with a metal stand which positioned the terracotta tile (yes I did that too) at the same height in the BBQ as the rotisserie rod, which seems to be a "sweet spot" in the BBQ, I used that method for a year before building the dome.

You could try Palmer Technologies, they may be able to help, or perhaps they might be able to suggest a supplier.

The tiles I use weigh 12 kg each and are 40mm thick 300mm x 300mm

Regards

Martyn

[mdub]

BBQ Pizza Dome - Update

Pizza Dome update.

I have now completely closed in the back section of the dome with refractory materials, previously the BBQ hood sat against the back of the dome.

I suspected that I was losing a lot of heat, as the heat up time was close to 45 minutes to reach 385c.

After the modification the oven now heats in 30 minutes, since this worked so well, I have had to engineer (I really mean "bodgey up") a turntable for the pizza stone so I can turn the pizza more quickly than I had to previously else the back of the pizza burns.

I'll post some shots once I pretty her up a little.

Also for the Aussies out there
Beefeater have released this......does anyone have one yet.





Martyn

[nissanneill]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

There is no substitute for the real thing though.
If you want the best, then you need to get a wood fired oven, 1 to 1 1/2 hours heatup to 500˚C and pizzas in one minute. Everything else is second rate.

Neill

[david s]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

To get more oomph out of the bbq burner you can try drilling the jets out a little with a tiny drill bit. I did this to my bbq as I found it never got hot enough and was too slow to heat up. From memory I increased the jet diam by about 20%. Don't overdo it. BBQ works really well now.

[mdub]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

David,

I don't have much of an issue with not enough heat. I've found that I can't really cook a pizza evenly at temperatures above about 385c. I have tried 420c and it took about 50 secs before the crust and base was charred, but I felt that it was not cooked evenly as when I do them at about 380.

Perhaps I need to speed things up a bit.

I'm hoping that the turntable will assist in getting an even char abound the crust and a more even cooking.

Its certainly an interesting exercise, but the pizza's are getting better each time.

Martyn

[david s]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

Sounds like you're working it out well. I just thought that maybe the burner might be taking ages to heat it up. How long does it take to get to the temp you want?

[mdub]

Re: BBQ Pizza Dome

It depends if I use the two thin pizza stones, which I was given last year, it takes 30 minutes to get to 380c, but the dome underside is only at 200c as it is 40mm thick.

I have a pizza stone which is made of the same material as the dome 40mm thick 300 x 300 tile (professional pizza oven floor tile) which when used takes the oven up to 1 hour -1hr 15 Min to get to the 380 - 400 c mark.

Once it is at temperature, it stays hot long after the BBQ has cooled.

I will probably build a wood burning oven eventually, but the thought of having to store and care for the wood and the time that it takes to heat the oven for a family pizza meal (4 pizzas) seems to take some of the allure away.

My oven might not be as beautiful as some on this site, but at the moment it is more practical.

Martyn