# Kettle Pizza!



## ibglowin

Well I pulled the trigger on Monday for the Pizza Kettle. I just snagged the basic kit for $140 shipped from Amazon. It arrived yesterday in fine shape.

Assembly took like 2 minutes. Nothing much to assemble really. Its a one piece metal band with an opening for you to slide the pizza in. Quality looks to be good. They are proudly displaying the fact that this item was *MADE IN THE USA!* LOL It seems like a lot of $$$ at the moment for what you get but, if it works well that will be my bottom line. I already had a pizza stone but I also picked up a pizza peel to put the pie in and pull it out of the oven. You build your fire at the rear of the pit according to the instructions. I guess that way you lose less heat out of the (giant) mouth. It says in the manual you can't reach the required temps of ~600F to properly cook a pizza without the use of both charcoal *AND* hardwood. Luckily I have a good supply of both pecan and mesquite wood! 

Here is a pic of what this thing looks like (not mine). I will update this hopefully this weekend once I get a chance to maybe try it out!


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## Boatboy24

Congrats. I am jealous, and anxiously awaiting your review. 

By the way, regular, old lump charcoal will work in lieu of using up your smoke wood. Although, I'd probably throw a little pecan or oak on there anyway.


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## ibglowin

They have a really nice instructional video that shows you how to properly fire up the pit and cook your pizzas.

http://www.kettlepizza.com/Outdoor-Pizza-Oven-Kit-What-Is-KettlePizza-s/1822.htm


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## Runningwolf

Mike you da man. I'm waiting for full report with pictures. That's awesome.


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## Rocky

Mike, do I understand correctly that you get the SS ring with the handles for $140 and you have to supply the charcoal grill? Can you also bake bread using this apparatus? Let us know how it works. Thanks.


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## ibglowin

LOL yep Rocky, Weber Grill NOT included but i did have one of the 22" ones already. You also get a decent SS Pizza pan and a temp gauge that installs on the front of the insert. I suppose bread would be no problem as long as you had the temp down something more normal for a loaf of bread since it is much thicker than a pizza crust but i see no reason that you couldn't do bread as well some experimenting.


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## grapeman

Interesting concept.

I guess I could do pizza in my new charcoal grill I got. It is a two section grill and last week I had both sides going. My wife shut the lid after we were done cooking. I looked a few minutes later and it had gone up to 800 degrees until I opened the cover up! I could do 2 pizzas at once it is so big.


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## ibglowin

I thought about doing the same thing with the Weber, why do I need this insert? But the insert actually raises the grill about 4" higher so you can have more room for a hotter fire. Then there is the open front. No guessing or peeking needed, you can see how it is cooking and the temp is constant the whole time. It sounds like rotating the pizza halfway through cooks it more evenly since you build the fire at the rear of the grill and away from the opening. It cooks faster towards the back of the grill.


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## Rocky

Looks great, Mike. Did you get the tongs for turning the pizza that they show in the video? They seem to work well for that purpose.


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## Boatboy24

I also frequent a weber fan site and know of several people who picked up junker kettles on craigslist, then cut the lid to create an opening similar to the KP. It worked pretty well, from the pics I saw.

Bread is easily be done with just a regular kettle and a pizza stone.


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## Runningwolf

I wonder how it works with pre-made shells. I buy awesome shells at an Italian bakery that supplies a lot of restaurants. I also like fair amount of cheese, sausage and pepperoni. They said you can't load it up. I don't over do it but it may be too much. It comes out perfect in the oven but I hear so much about pizza ovens, I am wondering how much better it might be. It also looked like it needs constant attention and fussing. Looking forward to the master chefs honest comments.


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## ibglowin

I think it would work well but you may have to tweak the timing a little. The pizza's can literally be cooked in 3-5 minutes depending on oven temp and this usually requires a 180 turn halfway through so you better not go get another beer/wine or you may come back to a burned half of a pizza! The best part will be the wood smoke this thing contributes to your pizza. Nothing better than that for sure!


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## ibglowin

They look nice and perfect for turning a pizza in a 700F oven but I have a really nice heavy duty pair of long BBQ tongs that I am going to give a try first before spending another $30 on these special pizza tongs.



Rocky said:


> Looks great, Mike. Did you get the tongs for turning the pizza that they show in the video? They seem to work well for that purpose.


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## ibglowin

*Fired up the Kettle Pizza Oven Today!*

A retired buddy came over today for lunch as I have off every other Friday and today was my off day. Went to work on the dough early this AM at around 6:30 and punched it down 2-3 times. 4 cups of flour made three nice sized pizza's. I had to add more hardwood chunks about halfway through. Bottom line don't skimp on the hardwood. It is what gets you up to 700 degrees and cooks the pizzas the best. You can still cook at lower oven temps but it takes longer and the crust doesn't seem quite as crispy. I used bread flour and rising yeast, so the crust cooks up pretty thick. 

I think I will try pizza dough yeast next time, as it may make for a thinner crispier crust with no wait time, just mix and make it. Overall the pizza's turned out really good! I used some Mesquite chunks that I had, I will try some pecan next time to see if it gives the pizza a different flavor. It is sorta intensive while your making the pizzas. Not much down time as your either watching the pizza, turning the pizza or making another pizza. Over all very satisfied with the purchase and can't wait to tweak things a bit more. I think I will order the pizza spinners as my giant BBQ tongs didn't seem to work all that great. 

You need lots of corn meal on the pizza peel or it will not slide off easily. The more you use the peel the better your technique gets at sliding in and out of the opening. Moving the stone to the front makes it easier to slide a pizza in or out. After you get it in you can then slide the stone towards the back with your tongs etc.

Best thing is I now have leftovers!


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## Kraffty

Do you deliver? Cause I'd like one of those right now.
Looks great Mike
have fun,
Mike


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## Runningwolf

Thanks for the update Mike, I was wondering you used it yet or not. Pizza looks great. CDo you think you could use a premade shell from the store?


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## Boatboy24

Very nice first attempt. 

Hint: use semolina flour instead of cornmeal. Things seem to slide better for me with it and it doesn't burn on the stone like cornmeal does.


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## ibglowin

We had company in last weekend and I smoked some pork butts and baby backs so didn't have a chance until this weekend. 

As far as the pre-made shell is it cooked or raw still? It should work either way as the stone will keep it from burning on the bottom. A trick they show in the video is to lift the pizza up to the top with your peel and hold it there for a minute as the heat up at the top will brown your toppings in short order if your crust is ready and the toppings are not quite done. 

I have some Schwann's pizza crust that are pre-made but frozen and unbaked I may press the "easy button" next time and try those out.



Runningwolf said:


> Thanks for the update Mike, I was wondering you used it yet or not. Pizza looks great. Do you think you could use a premade shell from the store?


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## ibglowin

Thank you, good tip as the corn meal did burn on the stone.



Boatboy24 said:


> Very nice first attempt.
> 
> Hint: use semolina flour instead of cornmeal. Things seem to slide better for me with it and it doesn't burn on the stone like cornmeal does.


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## Boatboy24

ibglowin said:


> A trick they show in the video is to lift the pizza up to the top with your peel and hold it there for a minute as the heat up at the top will brown your toppings in short order if your crust is ready and the toppings are not quite done.



I know some people who prop the stone up on a few fire bricks and cook that way.


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## the_rayway

Dang. That thing looks sweet! Maybe one day I'll build a cobb oven. *sigh*


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## JohnT

That Pizza looks AWESOME!!!!!!


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## ibglowin

The Pizza Spinners should be here by the end of the week I think!


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## Boatboy24

Mike: 

When using this, are you spreading the coals around the perimeter of the kettle, or spreading evenly under the stone?


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## ibglowin

I followed the instructional video which has you start your charcoal in a normal mound and then once it is white hot you move the mound to the back of the kettle and basically form a semi-circle around the rear of the grill. You then add your hardwood chunks on top of the charcoal and wait for the oven to kick up to ~700-800 degrees and your ready. The stone goes in once you move your charcoal to the back so it can start to come to temp. No real fire directly underneath the stone and you must rotate the pizza halfway through as it cooks faster towards the rear. This is where the pizza spinners come in handy!


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## Rocky

That is a great looking pizza, Mike. Funny, "you don't look like no Eye-talian!"


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## ibglowin

If going by nationality I should be making sauerbraten and beer!


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## JohnT

Rocky said:


> That is a great looking pizza, Mike. Funny, "you don't look like no Eye-talian!"


 
I thought it was spelled eye-trallan.....


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## ibglowin

Fired up the Kettle Pizza oven last night. Since it was a Friday that I had to work I decided to try out a frozen "starter" crust from Schwan's






The crust worked perfectly! So much easier than making your own but not as good of course!

I got the oven fired up to like 800 degrees with 6-8 nice chunks of Mesquite. I picked up some semolina flour and that seemed to work much better than corn meal. This time I loaded up the pies big time. One with pepperoni, italian sausage, marinated artichokes, greek olives and of course some Chev cheese on top. The other was a New Mexico version of a Hawaiian pizza. Canadian bacon, pineapple and of course some nice HOT green chile. 

With the oven cranked up and my new pizza spinners in hand I cooked the first one and had to turn it at 2 minutes. The new pizza spinners made this a breeze! The first pizza was done in only 4 minutes total. The second one cooked much differently. It was in 2.5 mins before turning and 5 mins total as the oven had dropped down a notch below 800 but the crust cooked totally different. The first one got a little over done on top but the bottom of the crust was perfect. The second one was not anywhere near as done on top but the crust was almost burnt on bottom.

The only thing I can think of was the stone was still coming up to max temp on the first and then was at max temp on the second. Still learning the ins and outs obviously. This was only the second time using it but getting the hang of it more and more I think!


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## Geronimo

Pizza Kettle - $150
22" Weber grill - $100
Pizza stone - $50
Pizza peel (paddle) - $25
Charcoal starter - $15

Total: $340

Unless you're really going to use it and have the room for it, I'm not sure this idea will take off. It's a great concept though. According to many people the "best" pizza in the area is a place called Pizzeria Lola which uses a larger version of a stone based, wood fired pizza oven. You barely get to sip your beer and your pizza is on the table piping hot  I've seen lines at that place an hour long or more. The little char they get around the edges makes a big difference. Their homemade sausages and other toppings is what puts them over the top.


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## ibglowin

I already had the Weber which was purchased about 5 years ago. I don't see us not eating pizza every couple of weeks and this is a much better product than one coming out of a regular oven with the nice wood smoke on it and crispy crust. Its a niche product at the moment but so was Home Brew of beer and wine just a few years ago.


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## Runningwolf

I'm with you Mike. Sometimes we just do things "because we can". I think when you git 'er figured out it'll be a cool thing to do with friends making it worth every penny. I buy plenty of things I can justify in my head that my wife never would, at least in the beginning.


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## ibglowin

I totally forgot to pick the pizza up with the peel and hold it up in the top part of the grill for like 30 seconds. This will melt brown your toppings in no time. Especially handy if your crust is done but toppings are not.


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## Brew and Wine Supply

Darn you Mike, just made me go get this:




think it will fit over my charbroil grill. Did not want to spend the $$$ on that and a new webber.


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## ibglowin

Cool, let us know how it works!


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## Boatboy24

Post up some pics of that bad boy in action, Doug. I will probably be looking for a Kettle Pizza under the Christmas tree this year, but am still looking at options. Unfortunately, the wife isn't too interested in building me a brick oven.


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## ibglowin

Dang, there was a Groupon just yesterday for a Kettle Pizza. Meant to post it up but forgot. Like them on FB if you are on and next time it comes up you will see it in your news feed.


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## ibglowin

Hey looks like the Groupon went active again for the Kettle Grill. This is a $30 savings off Amazon's price.


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## Brew and Wine Supply

The camp chef is designed to go on a two burner gas camping stove, but the dimentions are close to my Char broil charcoal grill I think it will work.


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## Boatboy24

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> The camp chef is designed to go on a two burner gas camping stove, but the dimentions are close to my Char broil charcoal grill I think it will work.



No way! I totally need more camping toys! This would be awesome.


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## Boatboy24

All right, its on! Got a KP for Christmas and I'm hoping that's what will be cooking lunch today.


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## ibglowin

Excellent! Hopefully not too cold outside for you. Did you pick up a pizza wheel peel as well as the spinners? Start small and simple (like the videos suggest, keep it hot (~600) and use the semolina flour to keep it from sticking.

I think we are don for the season. Too cold outside!


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## Boatboy24

It's supposed to be around 50 today - but it is never too cold for me to be grilling. Just made up a batch of sauce, but I'm starting with store bought dough. My normal dough is about a 7 hour process.

I didn't get the spinners, but have a stone and peel and a good supply of mesquite, apple, pecan and oak chunks.


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## ibglowin

You need to figure out a way to (try and) turn it as it will burn on the backside without turning it. I made a couple of pies using long BBQ tongs but they didn't work well at all. I ended up snagging the spinners from Amazon. They were cheaper than buying direct from the manufacturer even with a 20% off discount coupon!


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## ibglowin

Just saw these on Amazon! hey did not have these when I ordered. Great price! 50% of the cost from Kettle and Prime shipping!


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