Dennis Hackethal
Member since June 2024
Activity
#1508 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoPresumably, I need to get the oven hotter. I could try moving the steel right underneath the broiler while preheating.
In #1535, I learned that my steel reaches around 620°F under the broiler. That’s plenty hot to make pizza at home.
#1535 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoIngredients
- Store-bought dough (1 pound)
- Crushed tomatoes (100g)
- Mozzarella (whole milk, shredded, 150g)
Then, for garnish:
- Oregano
- Fresh basil leaves
- 5g of salt
Steps
- Preheat oven for 1 hour. Ends up somewhere between 450 and 500°F.
- Preheat pizza steel for 30 min on top rack underneath broiler, reaches about 620°F.
- Rest dough at room temperature for about 1.5 hours. It felt like it had reached about room temp.
- Add salt to the tomato sauce.
- Grate cheese.
- Stretch the dough.
- Dust the pizza peel with flour.
- Remove excess flour from dough.
- Place dough on peel.
- Add the tomato sauce.
- Add cheese.
- Place dough on steel; still on top rack with the broiler on.
- Bake for 2.5 minutes.
- Take out to add cheese.
- Move to bottom rack for another 2.5 minutes.
- Move back to top rack for 1 min.
Results (markedly better again than last time):
- Top: https://drive.proton.me/urls/R5NC0NVP1M#lEvW9YodqSZR
- Bottom: https://drive.proton.me/urls/RYQPFZJSCR#LQKeZiiTbp9G
- Bottom (another slice): https://drive.proton.me/urls/N7VM0C48P8#XSP9bVZUyxUz
Got the thermo gun today and played around with it. If I put the steel on the bottom rack (which is directly above the heat source), it hovers at around 450 after about 40 min. But on the top rack with the broiler on, it hovered at around 620 after another 30 min. (It may reach that temp sooner, I didn’t check.) 620 is plenty hot to make pizza.
The dough came out really good this time. It was light and fluffy in most places, even had some crispy air bubbles. I had previously overcooked it – I think that’s why it got so hard last time.
I found myself moaning as I ate this pie and wanting more afterwards.
During parbaking, the pizza burnt slightly in the middle, on top. Next time, I can probably reduce the parbake time to 2 minutes. Or I could just move the steel to the middle rack before placing the pizza on it and doing a single bake for about 5 minutes.
#1535 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoIngredients
- Store-bought dough (1 pound)
- Crushed tomatoes (100g)
- Mozzarella (whole milk, shredded, 150g)
Then, for garnish:
- Oregano
- Fresh basil leaves
- 5g of salt
Steps
- Preheat oven for 1 hour. Ends up somewhere between 450 and 500°F.
- Preheat pizza steel for 30 min on top rack underneath broiler, reaches about 620°F.
- Rest dough at room temperature for about 1.5 hours. It felt like it had reached about room temp.
- Add salt to the tomato sauce.
- Grate cheese.
- Stretch the dough.
- Dust the pizza peel with flour.
- Remove excess flour from dough.
- Place dough on peel.
- Add the tomato sauce.
- Add cheese.
- Place dough on steel; still on top rack with the broiler on.
- Bake for 2.5 minutes.
- Take out to add cheese.
- Move to bottom rack for another 2.5 minutes.
- Move back to top rack for 1 min.
Results (markedly better again than last time):
- Top: https://drive.proton.me/urls/R5NC0NVP1M#lEvW9YodqSZR
- Bottom: https://drive.proton.me/urls/RYQPFZJSCR#LQKeZiiTbp9G
- Bottom (another slice): https://drive.proton.me/urls/N7VM0C48P8#XSP9bVZUyxUz
Got the thermo gun today and played around with it. If I put the steel on the bottom rack (which is directly above the heat source), it hovers at around 450 after about 40 min. But on the top rack with the broiler on, it hovered at around 620 after another 30 min. (It may reach that temp sooner, I didn’t check.) 620 is plenty hot to make pizza.
The dough came out really good this time. It was light and fluffy in most places, even had some crispy air bubbles. I had previously overcooked it – I think that’s why it got so hard last time.
I found myself moaning as I ate this pie and wanting more afterwards.
The center of the dough got a touch too thin and I ripped a small hole in it.
Third try
10 unchanged lines collapsed-3-4 dashes5g of salt4 unchanged lines collapsed2. Preheat pizza steel for1 hour30 min ongas range (biggest burner). Reachedtop rack underneath broiler, reaches about565°F in the center.↵ 2.620°F.↵ 3. Rest dough at room temperature for about50 min.↵ 3. Stretch the dough.↵ 5.1.5 hours. It felt like it had reached about room temp.↵ 4. Add salt to the tomatosauce.↵ 6. Add cheese.↵ 7.sauce.↵ 5. Grate cheese.↵ 6. Stretch the dough.↵ 7. Dust the pizza peel with flour.↵ 8. Remove excess flourand place pizzafrom dough.↵ 9. Place dough onpeel.↵ 8.peel.↵ 10. Add the tomato sauce.↵ 11. Add cheese.↵ 12. Placepizzadough onsteel and put in oven.↵ 8.steel; still on top rack with the broiler on.↵ 13. Bake forabout 5 minutes.↵ 9.2.5 minutes.↵ 14. Take out to add cheese.↵ 15. Move to bottomrack, bake for 3 more minutes.↵ ↵ The main challenge with baking pizza at home is that home ovens don’t get hot enoughrack forthe dough to bake properly. The pizza steel is supposedanother 2.5 minutes.↵ 16. Move back tohelp with that.↵ ↵ Resultstop rack for 1 min.↵ ↵ Results (markedly better again than last time): -Above: https://drive.proton.me/urls/618VS4BQ1W#y1YUOlucAiip↵ - Undercarriage: https://drive.proton.me/urls/VG7N7A0T60#QuIYGYTL8hoU↵ - Slice: https://drive.proton.me/urls/RPWZT8TSGC#vrONWXDkxIA5Top: https://drive.proton.me/urls/R5NC0NVP1M#lEvW9YodqSZR↵ - Bottom: https://drive.proton.me/urls/RYQPFZJSCR#LQKeZiiTbp9G↵ - Bottom (another slice): https://drive.proton.me/urls/N7VM0C48P8#XSP9bVZUyxUz↵ ↵ Got the thermo gun today and played around with it. If I put the steel on the bottom rack (which is directly above the heat source), it hovers at around 450 after about 40 min. But on the top rack with the broiler on, it hovered at around 620 after another 30 min. (It may reach that temp sooner, I didn’t check.) 620 is plenty hot to make pizza.↵ ↵ The dough came out really good this time. It was light and fluffy in most places, even had some crispy air bubbles. I had previously overcooked it – I think that’s why it got so hard last time.↵ ↵ I found myself moaning as I ate this pie and wanting more afterwards.
Adding more salt as a ‘topping’ helped improve the taste of the pizza overall. Decent workaround for now.
I don’t think I’m ready for that. It’s an added difficulty, another task to master; let’s get the other stuff right first. Once I’ve gotten pretty good at that, I can make my own dough.
Because then I would have expected burning on all sides of the undercarriage but only one side was burnt.
#1521 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoSome burnt undercarriage. I don’t think it was because of the (possibly) increased heat but because I didn’t dust off the flower like I did last time.
Why not because of the increased heat?
#1524 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoIngredients
- Store-bought dough (1 pound)
- Crushed tomatoes (100g)
- Mozzarella (whole milk, shredded, 150g)
Then, for garnish:
- Oregano
- Fresh basil leaves
- 3-4 dashes of salt
Steps
- Preheat oven for 1 hour. Ends up somewhere between 450 and 500°F.
- Preheat pizza steel for 1 hour on gas range (biggest burner). Reached about 565°F in the center.
- Rest dough at room temperature for about 50 min.
- Stretch the dough.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Add cheese.
- Dust the pizza peel with flour and place pizza on peel.
- Place pizza on steel and put in oven.
- Bake for about 5 minutes.
- Move to bottom rack, bake for 3 more minutes.
The main challenge with baking pizza at home is that home ovens don’t get hot enough for the dough to bake properly. The pizza steel is supposed to help with that.
Results (markedly better than last time):
Remember to place the pizza on the steel before adding toppings.
Preheating the pizza steel on the gas burner possibly got the temperature up but it created an unevenness. The center of the steel was apparently much hotter than the rest, which is why the center of the pizza cooked faster (visible both on top andunderneath).underneath).↵ ↵ The center lifted up while cooking, which is presumably why the leopard print is missing in the center.
Update link to picture of undercarriage
30 unchanged lines collapsed- Undercarriage:https://drive.proton.me/urls/8AC14GW1Y4#IvlgkJTyLfb9↵ -https://drive.proton.me/urls/VG7N7A0T60#QuIYGYTL8hoU↵ - Slice: https://drive.proton.me/urls/RPWZT8TSGC#vrONWXDkxIA5
Preheating the pizza steel on the gas burner possibly got the temperature up but it created an unevenness. The center of the steel was apparently much hotter than the rest, which is whyitthe center of the pizza cooked fasterand created a ring(visible both onthe undercarriage.top and underneath).
#1515 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoIngredients
- Store-bought dough (1 pound)
- Crushed tomatoes (100g)
- Mozzarella (whole milk, shredded, 150g)
Then, for garnish:
- Oregano
- Fresh basil leaves
- 3-4 dashes of salt
Steps
- Preheat oven for 1 hour. Ends up somewhere between 450 and 500°F.
- Preheat pizza steel for 1 hour on gas range (biggest burner). Reached about 565°F in the center.
- Rest dough at room temperature for about 50 min.
- Stretch the dough.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Add cheese.
- Dust the pizza peel with flour and place pizza on peel.
- Place pizza on steel and put in oven.
- Bake for about 5 minutes.
- Move to bottom rack, bake for 3 more minutes.
The main challenge with baking pizza at home is that home ovens don’t get hot enough for the dough to bake properly. The pizza steel is supposed to help with that.
Results (markedly better than last time):
Some burnt undercarriage. I don’t think it was because of the (possibly) increased heat but because I didn’t dust off the flower like I did last time.
#1519 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoPreheating the pizza steel on the gas burner possibly got the temperature up but it created an unevenness. The center of the steel was apparently much hotter than the rest, which is why it cooked faster and created a ring on the undercarriage.
Once I have the thermometer gun, I can compare the temperatures for preheating the steal on the burner vs oven, and how much the temperatures vary across the steel surface for each approach.
#1515 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoIngredients
- Store-bought dough (1 pound)
- Crushed tomatoes (100g)
- Mozzarella (whole milk, shredded, 150g)
Then, for garnish:
- Oregano
- Fresh basil leaves
- 3-4 dashes of salt
Steps
- Preheat oven for 1 hour. Ends up somewhere between 450 and 500°F.
- Preheat pizza steel for 1 hour on gas range (biggest burner). Reached about 565°F in the center.
- Rest dough at room temperature for about 50 min.
- Stretch the dough.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Add cheese.
- Dust the pizza peel with flour and place pizza on peel.
- Place pizza on steel and put in oven.
- Bake for about 5 minutes.
- Move to bottom rack, bake for 3 more minutes.
The main challenge with baking pizza at home is that home ovens don’t get hot enough for the dough to bake properly. The pizza steel is supposed to help with that.
Results (markedly better than last time):
Preheating the pizza steel on the gas burner possibly got the temperature up but it created an unevenness. The center of the steel was apparently much hotter than the rest, which is why it cooked faster and created a ring on the undercarriage.
#1511 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoThe toppings were done cooking much faster than the dough and started burning a bit toward the end.
Improved in #1515 but I saw a video where someone par-baked the pizza and tomato sauce and then put the cheese on later.
#1508 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoPresumably, I need to get the oven hotter. I could try moving the steel right underneath the broiler while preheating.
I have since bought a thermometer gun so this will be easier to figure out.
Second attempt. Better shape, better taste due to more cheese and salt and possibly higher heat.
3 unchanged lines collapsed- Crushed tomatoes(120g)↵ -(100g)↵ - Mozzarella(part skim, 77g)↵ ↵ Then,(whole milk, shredded, 150g)↵ ↵ Then, for garnish:3 unchanged lines collapsed-A dash3-4 dashes of salt3 unchanged lines collapsed1. Preheatpizza steeloven for45 min on middle rack with broiler on (was1 hour. Ends up somewhere between 450 and500°F).↵ 2.500°F.↵ 2. Preheat pizza steel for 1 hour on gas range (biggest burner). Reached about 565°F in the center.↵ 2. Rest dough at room temperature for20 min (per instructions on the label).↵ 3.about 50 min.↵ 3. Stretch thedough.↵ 4.dough.↵ 5. Add tomato sauce.↵ 6. Add cheese.↵ 7. Dust the pizza peel with flour and place pizza onpeel.↵ 5. Add tomato sauce.↵ 6. Add cheese.↵ 7. Putpeel.↵ 8. Place pizza on steel and put inoven (on pizza steel).↵ 8.oven.↵ 8. Bake for about105 minutes.↵ 9. Move to bottom rack, bake for 3 more minutes. The main challenge with baking pizza at home is that home ovens don’t get hot enough for the dough to bake properly. The pizza steel is supposed to help withthat.↵ ↵ Results:↵ ↵ - https://drive.proton.me/urls/SWE626NJKW#IQaJLZim5HZD↵ - https://drive.proton.me/urls/XGNSHXQDM8#ePyj0dPmg2xgthat.↵ ↵ Results (markedly better than last time):↵ ↵ - Above: https://drive.proton.me/urls/618VS4BQ1W#y1YUOlucAiip↵ - Undercarriage: https://drive.proton.me/urls/8AC14GW1Y4#IvlgkJTyLfb9↵ - Slice: https://drive.proton.me/urls/RPWZT8TSGC#vrONWXDkxIA5
#1506 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoIngredients
- Store-bought dough (1 pound)
- Crushed tomatoes (120g)
- Mozzarella (part skim, 77g)
Then, for garnish:
- Oregano
- Fresh basil leaves
- A dash of salt
Steps
- Preheat pizza steel for 45 min on middle rack with broiler on (was somewhere between 450 and 500°F).
- Rest dough at room temperature for 20 min (per instructions on the label).
- Stretch the dough.
- Dust the pizza peel with flour and place pizza on peel.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Add cheese.
- Put pizza in oven (on pizza steel).
- Bake for about 10 minutes.
The main challenge with baking pizza at home is that home ovens don’t get hot enough for the dough to bake properly. The pizza steel is supposed to help with that.
Results:
The center dough was paper thin while the crust was a too thick.
#1506 · Dennis HackethalOP, 3 months agoIngredients
- Store-bought dough (1 pound)
- Crushed tomatoes (120g)
- Mozzarella (part skim, 77g)
Then, for garnish:
- Oregano
- Fresh basil leaves
- A dash of salt
Steps
- Preheat pizza steel for 45 min on middle rack with broiler on (was somewhere between 450 and 500°F).
- Rest dough at room temperature for 20 min (per instructions on the label).
- Stretch the dough.
- Dust the pizza peel with flour and place pizza on peel.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Add cheese.
- Put pizza in oven (on pizza steel).
- Bake for about 10 minutes.
The main challenge with baking pizza at home is that home ovens don’t get hot enough for the dough to bake properly. The pizza steel is supposed to help with that.
Results:
I need to stretch the dough better so it’s more circular.