BGE (Big Green Egg) Irregular Burn Solutions?

[pantalones]

Hi all,

1. New here.  Thanks for all the good tips.

2. Although I've read many posts on here acknowledging that the airflow of the BGE creates a hotter burn on one side than another, I'd like to know if anyone has a good solution for it?  I consistently burn the front (towards the handle) of my pies.  I've shifted the plate position around, but that doesn't seem to do much. 

Here's a pic of one that burned too hot in the middle and too hot on the top left, and another that i left proof a bit too long but has the same burn problem on one side

I'm going to try the spacer trick to bring the pizza closer to the top of the dome (the stone is getting too hot)

[Jackie Tran]

This isn't exactly the same but....I tend to get a hot spot in my MBE (mini black egg) towards the right hand side.  The more I tried to shift things over the more uneven my heating got.  Then one day I decided to change my mind about it being a problem.  I started looking at the problem as a solution.  Now I just rotate the white edges of the pies towards that hot spot to brown and then rotate again and I have a nicely even browned rim. 

I hope you get your problem figured out.  Good luck.

BTW, I also have a Primo ceramic cook and for pizza I think the BGE does a better job. 

Chau

[MilitantSquatter]

those pies have character....

Aside from what you've mentioned with the plate setter leg position change and getting stone up higher in the dome (I'm using the BGE Grid Extender & the Flip Ring from ceramic grill store - this adds 4.5" between plate setter and stone and gets stone up that much higher in dome

I agree w/ Chau...  a quick rotation is good option one time or so.. don't want to loose too much heat.  Also, make sure your dough is stretched evenly... that will help with avoiding over charring one end or the center (if too thin)

[sailorjazz]

Not sure what size pizza stone your using but be careful not to oversize. I have Medium BGE and while you can use a 14" stone the air circulation will be affected (reduced) and you will burn out you gasket quicker. Also as previously mention be careful not to use to thin of a crust. I usually roll out my crust 1 time and let it rest for a few minutes then lightly roll it out again.

[TXCraig1]

First, I think your pie looks darn good.

All ovens are going to be uneven to some extent. I have to turn in mine for sure.

Are you baking with the top vent open or closed?

[pantalones]

Thanks!  I'm baking with the top vent open.

[Jet_deck]

I think another way to discuss the "problem" is that the top heat is not matching the bottom/side heat.  Are you using a "plate setter"?

[pantalones]

Yes.  Here's the setup, image attached.

[Alligator]

Is your charcoal evenly dispersed at the bottom?  Also how do you light the charcoal?  Do you light in the middle or on the sides?  Depending on how you light the lump it may burn faster where it was lit leaving more lump on one side than the other.  I have a large BGE and it seems to cook pretty even. (only cooked 4 pizza's so far though)

my setup - plate setter legs down, then 1" bricks as spacers, then pizza stone. 

[pantalones]

You folks are awesome — thanks much for your interest in helping me fix this!

Is your charcoal evenly dispersed at the bottom?

As far as I can tell yes, i have it about 2/3 way up the egg and it appears flat across the top, as in "as even as i can get it".  I also clean it out every time.

Also how do you light the charcoal?  Do you light in the middle or on the sides?

Great question.  I was using the BGE starter chips, three of them.  Someone told me to try using a blowtorch, so I went that route for a while, but i really don't think it's a good idea.  It seems to result in a lower overall temp when things get burning.  I'm not sure why that is, but there are two things I don't like about it:

1. Charcoal popping and exploding
2. I get the feeling I'm just burning off charcoal rather than starting some huge internal heat source.

Back to 3 starter chips now and it seems to work well.  I place them in a fairly triangular pattern about 2" in from each side.

my setup - plate setter legs down, then 1" bricks as spacers, then pizza stone. 

Cool, that's fairly similar to mine then.

Thanks very much for the reply

[Jet_deck]

I am seriously amazed that anyone can get top heat out of any ceramic egg, but somehow they do.  I investigated some pizza in an egg stuff before, I think on the Kamado forum and the pizzas looked above average.  But with the high temps needed they had pretty much burned up their lid gaskets, ymmv.

Unless you are completely torching the bottoms of the pizza, I see nothing wrong with the top.  You could start it or finish it on a screen if the bottom is too overly charred for your liking...