Broiler vs. Simply Upper-Oven

[Pizza Fermentor]

Prior to getting my Primavera 70 I cooked pizza on a stone in my oven (probably like everyone other WFO owner). When the outdoor weather is bad, I still use the stone.

Indoors, I have always cooked on the upper oven grate, but never used the broiler function as the heat source. You'd think the broiler-stone combo would give a lot better results than a standard oven bake at 550F, since the stone and oven ceiling would get much closer to 800F. Is this true?

I don't want to burn a pizza by trying the broiler method. And I don't want to crack my stone due to the rapid heat application from the broiler.

If anyone has experience with a broiler-stone pizza, I'd like to hear it.

[JamieC]

Re: Broiler vs. Simply Upper-Oven

Lots of people have had success with broiler + stone cooking. Check out the pizzamaking.com forum, there are a lot of posts on the technique. There's also an interesting technique with a cast iron skillet preheated over high on a stove then placed upside-down under the broiler, seems to work well in a conventional oven (haven't tried it personally).

[flyfisherx]

Re: Broiler vs. Simply Upper-Oven

I place my oven racks in 2 places. One in the top third and one in the bottom third with a pizza stone on it. Oven at 500 degrees.

I prepare the pizza on a pizza screen and place on the top rack for about 8 minutes.

Peel off the screen and place on stone for about 4 minutes. Perfect crust and toppings every time. No broiler. I would think that the toppings would burn before crust was cooked.