Looking to make pizza on this, any suggestions

[Jeep Pizza]

I have been making pizza for years in my oven with limited results, I have been cooking BBQ for years in this.

Any suggestions as to what may or may not work. I plan on doing some experimentation this weekend if work permits. I am open to all suggestions.

[scott123]

For NY style, if your oven is electric and goes up to at least 525, I think you'll save yourself a lot of headaches using that. You probably could get a pizza out of this, but I'm guessing that since you plan on continuing to use it for BBQ, you really can't do major structural modifications with it.

If you really want to give this a shot, I would probably strive for some sort of DIY 2stone setup.  What are the dimensions of the shelves and the vertical gap between them?

[Jeep Pizza]

The bottom shelf is 22" X 40"    The top shelf is 13" X 36 " and the space between the shelves is 6.5" from surface to surface of the shelves.
The fire is built on the right side in the box, the heat flows under a steel plate from right to left and up into the cooking area and then the heat travels from the left of the cooking area to the right side where the stack is. This allows for consistant heat across the cooking surface.
I am used to experimenting and making modifications as needed with most everything I do, particularly repairs to the jeep the gets torn up on a regular basis so I am open to possible modification suggestions that will allow me to cook pizza and BBQ on the same unit. I have seen some modifications on the forum for gas grills and got to thinking about what I could do with my grill.

[Jet_deck]

The reverse flow design that you speak of makes it mighty tough to cook pizza on.  Your only hope is to cut an opening on the top of the firebox, and cook the pizza directly above the fire.  Not withstanding the particulars about the flow of hot air around and above your new pizza stone.

just my .02

[scott r]

These smokers are meant to do low and slow cooking, way too slow for pizza, but if you can get a fast flowing 450 in your smoker you can make some great pizza.   550 or higher would be even better, at under 400 its probably not going to be worth it to you.  Im not sure what your highest temp is, but your biggest enemy is going to be opening that door up to load the pizza and having all the hot air escape. This would leave a really hot stone which would brown the bottom of the pie at a faster rate than the top cooks.   Remember that pizza really wants to see lots of top heat and the higher the temp of your pizza stone gets the more the temperature differential between the stone and ambient temp will need to be.  So....... at first it might be a good idea to cook at lower temps rather than push the oven too much.   Higher temps (if you can even get up to them) will be a lot harder to manage.  If you have to bake at lower temps definitely get a malted flour (no italian 00),  and try some sugar or honey and oil in the dough.   1% is a good starting point.  I think Scott123 is right on the money with his two stone setup ideas for getting this to function like an oven.   Good luck!  

[Jeep Pizza]

Thanks for the advice, I am going to think on it for a bit. I have 2 gas grills that I can tinker with to cook pizza on but was wanting to get some of the benefits of wood smoke flavor and figured I could use the smoker. I have a pile of old grill parts that I picked up off of the curb side that I can adapt my larger gas grill into something acceptable. I guess I will just pick through the pile and see what I can come up with. I'll post pics of the progress and hopefully some successful pies.

[Jackie Tran]

Here's what I would try with this smoker. I would remove the top shelf. Lay down a layer of firebrick on the lower shelf.  Pile wood on, start a fire right on the FB, brush the ashes aside and load a pizza.

If it works, you'll have your wfo flavor and no mods needed.

[carbon]

How about some fall-off-the-crust pecan smoked pizza?...

If I were you I'd get a Weber kettle for pizza.

[Jackie Tran]

How about some fall-off-the-crust pecan smoked pizza?...

Dang Carbon that sounds purdy good.

[Jeep Pizza]

How about some fall-off-the-crust pecan smoked pizza?...

I think you may be on to something there.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I have been looking at the posts of some of the other members of the forum and have some ideas that I will try on both this smoker and my gas grill.

I will definitely try building the fire directly in the smoker's cooking area with maybe a fire brick roof over the whole area to help with the top heat.  Sounds like I have a good deal of trial and error ahead of me.

[Jet_deck]

Jeep, look at my 10stone.  Maybe make a 3 sided cubicle, with a roof. For a roof you could even use 1/4" plate with some firebricks on top for heat retention. Put your fire under the cubicle, and start testing from there.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,11402.msg105321.html#msg105321

[Jeep Pizza]

Jet, thanks for the info. I have been looking at your 10stone design and really like it. I am going to try something similar in both grills with some slight mods for the smoker. I definitely like the turn table idea.