Pizza Setup

[Weis1682]

Hey fellas,

My apologies if this question has been asked before... I did use the search function and couldn't find an answer.

I have a Weber 22 and just ordered a Weber pizza stone:

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-8836-Gourmet-System-Pizza/dp/B006WRLBNU/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=weber+pizza+stone&qid=1586986275&sr=8-3

Any advice on how to set up the grill for pizza? (charcoal in center, around the outside, how much, temp, etc)

Much appreciated!!!

Best,

CW

[RonB]

Welcome to The Pit.

There are a lot of ways to do it, and you will get a few different answers here. The "problem" with cookin' a pizza in your kettle is temp control. You need the stone and the ambient temp about the same in order for the bottom to cook at the same rate as the top.

I found preheating the stone in the oven to work best for me, but ya gotta have lots of potholders and/or oven gloves, as well as a clear path and maybe someone to open doors. Preheating in the oven is not necessary, but I think it helps. You can put the stone directly on the grate, but some here like to use something like a Hover Grate to raise the pizza up to where the temp is higher. If you heat the stone in the Kettle, put it in before the Kettle comes to temp.

At any rate, you want the stone to be as hot as you can get the Kettle. If you can get it to 450°, then you want to preheat the stone to that temp. If you can get the Kettle to 500° or higher, that would be even better. You don't want to put a cold stone in a hot kettle.

I use a Baking Steel, so I'm not sure, but I would be wary about putting a lot of hot coals directly under a stone. I would put them around the edge with a few in the center to help keep the stone's temp up. You can add small wood splits to raise the temp, but be careful - you can get over 700° if you use too much.

When you get the technique down, you will have a pizza that's better than any you can buy.

[Thunder77]

I would elevate the stone a few inches. Don’t set it on the grate. If you get it up in the dome , the temperature is higher. I use my Vortex wide end up. Place maybe a dozen coals in the center, then a full chimney in a ring around the outside of the Vortex. You don’t want a lot of coals underneath the stone; you will end up burning the bottom of the crust.