Steel Plate Attempt

[Jet_deck]

Update : Found a place nearby that Im getting my 17" by 17" 1/2" thick steel plate for $20 this afternoon. 

Check the edges (4) before you leave.  If they are sharp make them fix it before you leave.

[breadman_nz]

Check the edges (4) before you leave.  If they are sharp make them fix it before you leave.

Agreed.  I go a nasty cut from one edge of my cut steel plate. Took a file and grinder to it, and about half an hour later it was smooooth.

[FJPhil]

Update from this weekend...the Steel plate was a huge success! Made some of the best pizza I ever made with a simple 4 hour room temp rise dough. The only thing that was a struggle was the heating up of the plate.  With my oven at 550, the plate took a little over an hour to get to 540.  I'm wondering if next time I should use the oven's "Clean" setting to warm up the plate faster??  If anyone knows any tricks to getting the plate to warm up faster, I'd love to hear them.

Here are some pics of the pizza.....even with 0 sugar added, this crust had really good flavor, and the bottom was browned/blackened perfectly.  I have to commend myself on my first 2 pizzas ever using a steel plate coming out as well as they did.  Another note: I got about 4:40 bake times on both of my pizzas.  2 mins without broiler, and 2:30-2:40 with the broiler on High. 

[scott123]

I have to commend you as well, Phil.  For your first two pies on steel, those are phenomenal.

Regarding the pre-heat... 540 isn't horrible.  If you go with a 2 day cold fermented dough, you'll end up with more residual sugar, the crust will brown a bit faster and you'll be closer to the 4 minute bake time, which, for me, is just about right.

And, this gets into pretty subjective territory, but, if you're making this pizza for company, you might want to dial back the bottom coloring just a bit- which will also help with your slightly lower stone temp.

What flour are you using?

[FJPhil]

Scott, thanks for the Kudos.  The 540 temp seemed to work fine, but I was just hoping that the plate would have warmed up faster.  Do you know of any way to get it up to temp faster?

As far as the flour i used, I used King Arthur Bread flour.  However, tonight I will be putting together a 50/50 flour with 50% KABF and 50% Red Mill Whole Wheat flour.  I'm gonna put a little sugar in it..and set it up for a 2 day cold fermentation with the intent of baking it on the plate Wednesday night.....I'll be curious to see how that turns out. 

[scott123]

Come on, Phil- you're making such beautiful pizzas, why do have to go and ruin them by going with whole wheat? 

I was talking with John (Johnnydoubleu) over the weekend and he said that with enough soaking, the bran in wheat can soften, but I still think it's pretty advanced pizzamaking.

The only advice I can give you for the preheat is to not open the door, and, if your oven has a convection feature, use it.

[FJPhil]

Come on, Phil- you're making such beautiful pizzas, why do have to go and ruin them by going with whole wheat? 

Trust me, I'm not really thrilled about the whole wheat avenue either...unfortunately, I have been finding myself eating pizza like 2-3 times per week and I'm trying to find a way to make it just a little bit healthier.  I'm hoping that the 50/50 blend should still be relatively easy to work with, ...I guess I'll find out on Wednesday......

[parallei]

Nice job FJPhil.  I take it shelf didn't collapse.

[hockman4357]

My best attempt at New York style pizza cooked for 5 minutes at 525 degrees on my 1/2" steel plate.  I'm really enjoying the adventure!

[Jeeprz!]

FJPhil could you tell me the name and contact info to the place you got your steel plate at? I live in NE Ohio also and called a metal supplyer today in Willoughby Oh and they quoted me $37.50 for a 1/4in (yes 1/4 not 1/2) x 16in x 22in plate if i pick it up. I assume if I bumped up the thickness to 1/2in that the cost would be alot more if not double the price.
 I'm still learning and have been lurking and researching the threads - Thanks in advance!

[scott123]

Jeeprz, if this is a piece of steel that they have hanging around, $37 is too much, and, if it's something you're having cut, you don't want a 16 x 22 plate. 16 is too short and 22 is too long. If you are having it cut, your goal should be the largest square plate that your oven can fit- touching the back wall and almost touching the door- just small enough so that the door will close- and no smaller.

[Chicago Bob]

  I'm wondering if next time I should use the oven's "Clean" setting to warm up the plate faster??  If anyone knows any tricks to getting the plate to warm up faster, I'd love to hear them.

Scott?  What do you think....

[scott123]

I'm not sure about the cleaning cycle, Bob. The oven could lock, and, even if it doesn't lock, it would be very easy to overshoot the mark and have to wait for the steel to cool.

I think one way to speed up the pre-heat time is to not open the oven door/not check the temp until at least 50 minutes.