Texman Build

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

no more pizzas in the trash the whole pizza process seems to be coming together finally. I must be getting better because the pizza that you order is not good at all anymore.

Here are a few pics of some more mods:
1. vent hood for grill done (no fun) thanks to the wife and son for holding that monster while I mounted it. It is an island hood that i just used the chimney part to extend through roof. So i have a stainless chimney up there that is double walled. I had to add the vent hood since i have the winter enclosure of the kitchen.
2. added the towel bar to the island and hung some deco stuff i will never use but couldn't throw away on the side of the wfo.
3. filled a hole next to the oven counter transition that i needed to do for three years

I think i am done with the kitchen. I have gotten to the point that i stand and look for things to do, but i am not seeing much other than tinker stuff. i need to put an ass bumper above the fridge. i temped a piece of cedar for now. the fridge controls are on the front and that is a natural spot to lean. The ass keeps changing temps, turning lights on/off and making it beep each time which apparently only i can hear. i tried a steel pipe but the flanges are too large to fit and cutting them would look weird. So, when you can't work on the kitchen, i think it is time to cook in it. Nice to feel done but kinda sad too. I am sure i can find something to tweak. Should do anything to the area above the oven opening?

I hope to get back to the forum and give some help as i am able.

Texman

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Thanks guys. My pizza is better already thanks to you. gonna try and cook Sunday i hope.

Texman

[Greenman]

Re: Texman Build

I am sure that they taste fine. It can be a be the cause of some frustration when they don't come off the peel like in YouTube!
There are a few cheats that you can try to improve the result as you build your skill level to where it looks simple to do and works perfectly.

First up is to start them on a tray for the first little bit until the base sets and then transfer the pizza onto the floor of the oven.
Second is to build the pizza on bakers paper and do the same thing. The paper will burn around the edges but it comes off the peel easily and is easy enough to get a metal peel between the paper and pizza after 30 seconds or so if you grab the paper with some tongs.
The third is to assemble the pizza on a flexible kitchen board and transfer to the floured peel just before placing in the oven.
It is also easier to wrangle small pizzas than large ones in the oven for a start. I use wooden peels and flour with semolina for loading the oven and metal for turning and unloading.

I suppose it all comes down to what works best for you but if you have a lot of people assembling their own pizza then the paper works well for me.

Hope it is of some use.

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Here a few that look better than the one in the trash.
They are all about 12-13" and not to heavy on toppings.

the metal peel is better IMO. I have tried both and have better success with the metal with holes. Saves flour too. it is tricky forming the dough and then transferring the dough to the peel, but after that it is better. using the edge trick from Tscar will help a lot. that will keep me from tossing it. the wood peels are good in the sense you can form load and place with one peel. But mine are all short handled and placement has to be quick because of the heat. I like the wood peels for serving and cutting really. most of the pies turn out decent, it is just about the time you think you can do this without disaster, the disaster strikes.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Texman Build

The lip of dough helps quite a bit too, it grabs and helps pull the pizza off the peel.

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

i have tried both and Tscar is right-my technique is wrong. I try to throw it in so the toppings fly to the back. at least if the topping fall forward some could be salvaged as opposed to mine which are buried in the ash. my motion is going forward with a jerk backward. Do you guys try to ease the pie off or unload it in one motion? i have seen too many pizza videos i think of the pros. we were at a nice place in Florida with WFO pizza and i really think their dough was frozen or near that temp and they loaded the dough as ordered on cardboard and slid in from that. the dough was too rigid to not be very cold when it hit the oven. frozen dough would be easy, but not right i say.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Texman Build

I don't even own a wood peel, never have.

[deejayoh]

Re: Texman Build

Tracy -

That looks great! Looking more like an addition than an outdoor kitchen at this point... I assume you have all the proper permits ;-)

I've tried to think through some sort of cover for my kitchen area but never could come up with anything elegant enough to pursue

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Texman Build

Love the butcher block table!

If your loading peel has holes, that tells me it's made of metal. You may want to try a wood peel. Lots of flour on the peel and under the pie when I make it works wonders for unloading in many short, quick jabs. My pies are no larger than 13".

[Tscarborough]

Re: Texman Build

I use a screen for 14" and above. Below that it fits my peel. If you are having issues, there are a couple of things you can try.

First, stretch the skin oblong perpendicular to the axis of the peel, that way when you pull the peel out, it stretches back into a round shape.

Second and maybe most importantly, if you are having issues, you may try to adjust your technique. I say this because you mention throwing the toppings to the back, when if anything, you should be pulling them to the front. That is, the pizza goes in on the peel (with about a 1/2" of dough hanging over the front) tilted slightly down. Once you put the pizza where you want it, level out the peel and pull it back with a short, fast jerk.

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Hey all you FB wfo er's! Still cooking in Texas. I made some updates to kitchen to get more time in there. I screened in the kitchen and added plexiglass inserts for Winter. The whole thing just wedges in and can be removed, i don't even have a screw holding it in place at this point. It turned out good i think and i may just leave it there. I have a vent hood on order and will be installing soon. Too much smoke from the grill even when it was open.

Cooked this weekend and i still struggle getting the pie off of the peel without throwing toppings to the back of the oven. there is a pic of pizza disgrace in the trash. I am using the good FB peel with holes and lots of flour. I am happy with the dough. I think i am making the pies too big when i have problems.

What size is the norm out there ?

[deejayoh]

Re: Texman Build

Love the butcher block. Looks good

For the sealer - My $0.02 is that the best solution is a sealer that is absorbed by the stone/masonry. I can't remember the name of the stuff that I used on my concrete counters - but it was one that was thin & watery. It absorbed, and if you wanted second coat it had to go on before the first one dried.

I used a shellac-like finish on the mosaic in front of the oven and had a similar experience to the one you had. It flaked and peeled. I think it's a combo of heat + porosity/moisture. Too much going on underneath the finish. I'm still trying to get it all out of the grout! A lot of it came off with a good wire brush session though.

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Here are some pics of the latest in the kitchen:
added a Boos butcher clock top to the kitchen island. I made the island from stock materials at Lowes and the top was starting to split. So instead of scrapping it, i got the block and attached it with silicone to existing. So it should provide added stability and Boy, i like that John Boos stuff. have an island inside from them too.

The flagstone counter sealer I used is failing, mainly around the grill from heat i decided. I am using the heat gun to remove what isn't easy to peel off. Slow but getting there. I used a water based sealer from lowes or HD and i am thinking i need a good petro based food safe sealer for the stone. Any suggestions for a good product to use that is gloss and heat tolerant and won't peel ?

Texman

[texman]

Re: Texman Build

Repairs are holding to the inner arch
Cooked three times since and all seems well.

I used Alsey mortar for the build. Save money and use homebrew, I say. The failure was due to cracking not mortar failure though. The alsey cost $50 bag, so you can keep nearly all that with homebrew.

The sealer has failed on my flagstone counters, so I am in the process of redoing that.

[Novaslo]

Re: Texman Build

About time you posted your head in the oven photo Texman. You know it is a ritual? The WFO gods get their sacrifice one way or the other. Post them during the build or your repairs later. Your choice Novaslo.............Glad to hear your repairs went well Texman.................I think The WFO gods will be happy.

Oh I have zero doubt that I will be heads in at some point. I will be sure and post photos.

It is already funny how much I am all over my stand and climbing here and there. You can't build these with out getting all up in it!!

Looking forward to getting dirty again this weekend.