Campfire pizza grill: Opinions Please

[Lydia]

I just came across this today, I've never seen anything like it for pizza. What do you guys think?

Is the handle long enough not to singe your eyebrows when cooking over a campfire?

Rome's Outdoor Pizza Grill has a 14" diameter cooking surface, and is 29" in overall length including the long handle. It is constructed of quality chrome plated steel. Your wood-fired pizza can be cooked over a campfire, fire pit, or bbq

To cook your campfire pizza you simply place it on Rome's Pizza Grill's surface, and cover completely (top and bottom) with aluminum foil. The unique raised edges of the pizza grill hold the foil a few inches over the surface of the pizza, creating an oven effect, and promoting even heat distribution. What an exciting, and yet simple design. Finally place your pizza laden grill over your campfire and cook. Instructions with details for frozen and uncooked dough are included on the packaging card.

http://www.wisementrading.com/outdoorcooking/grills.htm

[007bond-jb]

I think I would buy the lodge cast iron pizza pan. It will last forever chrome plated steel would not last a year if used a lot

[PizzaPolice]

Here's another option.  ZaGrill.

http://www.eastmanoutdoors.com/hardware_zagrill.shtml

My brother sent this to me from his cellphone.  It's a fresh dough pizza.  He couldn't believe how well this gizmo works.  He said the bottom was perfect.  He uses his small weber to concentrate the heat.

[gottabedapan]

Here's another option.  ZaGrill.

http://www.eastmanoutdoors.com/hardware_zagrill.shtml

My brother sent this to me from his cellphone.  It's a fresh dough pizza.  He couldn't believe how well this gizmo works.  He said the bottom was perfect.  He uses his small weber to concentrate the heat.

Interesting concept, however, note that it's non-stick coated.

I would be extremely cautious about exposing the non-stick coating to high temperatures since non-stick cookware manufacturers typically recommend maximum temperatures of no higher than 300° C/572° F due to the fact that non-stick coatings break down and emit potentially noxious gases when their maximum temperature is exceeded.

[PizzaPolice]

Interesting concept, however, note that it's non-stick coated.

Wow.   ...Taking your docent tones in stride, I wrote to the company about this very matter.  I will expeditiously dispatch  any and all replies to this body.

Your concerns do have merit.  I recently deep-sixed an analon coated kettle after it released specks of its' coating in my ice cream mix.

[Jack]

Wow.   ...Taking your docent tones in stride, I wrote to the company about this very matter.  I will expeditiously dispatch  any and all replies to this body.

Your concerns do have merit.  I recently deep-sixed an analon coated kettle after it released specks of its' coating in my ice cream mix.

I'll bet the specks (likely teflon bits from the cozting matrix) are non-hazardous.  It's the chemicals released in breaking down the binder that holds the whole mess together that are really bad.  That said, however, bits of coating have no place in our food.

Jack

[PizzaPolice]

Here's the reply from Eastman Outdoors.  I'm guessing they are unaware of what temperatures a pizza needs.

The ZaGrill is designed to be used in a grill to make pizza up to a maximum temperature of 480°F.  Any temperature greater than this, is not recommended.

At this time we currently are not coming out with a cast iron version of the ZaGrill.

 

Thanks,

 

Ryan VanPelt

Customer Service Representative, Technical Support

Eastman Outdoors, Eastman Outfitters, Carbon Express

Phone 810.720.8911

Toll Free 800.241.4833

Fax 810.733.2077

Email rvanpelt@eastmanoutdoors.com

[gottabedapan]

The ZaGrill is designed to be used in a grill to make pizza up to a maximum temperature of 480°F.  Any temperature greater than this, is not recommended.

I would guess that the coating would be chemically safe up to the aforementioned 572°F/300°C (though it may start to separate from the metal base before that) and they're deliberately understating the maximum temperature to cover their * legally, but that's just a guess.

At this time we currently are not coming out with a cast iron version of the ZaGrill.

A 16" dia. cast iron griddle can be had for less than $20 and a 28"x14" rectangular griddle for around $35. Both should work as well, if not better, than the ZaGrill.

[Fio]

Lydia,

You've ignored the feeling for too long.  Why continue to live in a state of denial?  

[PizzaPolice]

A 16" dia. cast iron griddle can be had for less than $20 and a 28"x14" rectangular griddle for around $35. Both should work as well, if not better, than the ZaGrill.

Yeah, you got that right.  I have a GINORMOUS cast iron straight sided chicken fryer.  I'll invert it and give it a try.

[Lydia]

FIO

 

You're right, BUT my big hesitation is that we are renting our home, even IF we were able to design one to be portable, I cant imagine trying to haul something like that. I still haven't moved in my piano for the same reason.

Also all the premade portables I've seen are using gas, and I want the flavor from the charcoal.

[pizzagirl]

Perhaps, simply use a thin style house bricks to cover the top of your grill grate. Rub the top of the brick with flour for no stick. Seperate the bricks to your desire for under burn. Make sure the bricks contain no LEAD products etc ...

[SemperFi]

Perhaps, simply use a thin style house bricks to cover the top of your grill grate. Rub the top of the brick with flour for no stick. Separate the bricks to your desire for under burn. Make sure the bricks contain no LEAD products etc ...

Unless you don't mind hauling bricks to to your campsite, that might be a hassle.  Ever make biscuits outdoors?  I'm assuming the same could be done.  Or instead or traditional pizza baking, how about going the "pita" route?  Where as you toss the dough onto a hot griddle, wait, then flip.  Quickly add a thin amount of toppings, and allow it to finish that way.  The pan could be left in the coals that way, so multiple pizzas could be a possibility without the fear or cooling down the pan.

Here are a couple of so-so recipes.  Seems like no-one knows how to make dough.

http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/dutch-oven-recipe-campfirepizza.htm
http://www.auburntroop401.com/dutch.htm#202%20DUTCH%20OVEN%20PIZZA
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/camping-recipes/deep-dish-pizza.htm
http://www.mightycamper.com/recipes/dutch_oven_pizza.html

The fourth link actually has pictures and is the most comprehensive.  I hope that I helped.  Adam

[canadave]

I have made two types of camping pizzas, both of which were big hits with my camping companions.

Both involved buying a can of Pillsbury pizza dough (in the "cold items" section of your supermarket).  Then I bought a squeeze bottle of pizza sauce by Primo brand, and some cheapo mozza cheese in the camping ice cooler.  Finally, I tossed a small pizza cutter and a 12" metal pan in the camp gear.

First pizza--rolled out the dough onto the pan (it fits perfectly), sauced it, cheesed it, and then cooked it on my propane camp grill.  You could also cook it over your firepit if you had some way to grab it with mitts or something.  It's cheap, it's not gourmet, but it's pizza and it's camping.

Second "pizza"--I brought along one of those "camp cookers"--the ones for making toast, with two long handles and a small square piece of iron at the end of each.  Normally, you close the iron squares together and make toast or whatever with them, but I used them to make pizza pocket types of things.  I lined the iron squares with some more of the Pillsbury dough, added some sauce and cheese, and also some fresh basil I'd brought along (you could also just toss a spice bottle in your camping gear if you don't want to mess around with fresh basil).  Cooked over the campfire, and it came out DELICIOUS.  We couldn't make them fast enough for everybody!

--Dave