Author Topic: Fox's Pizza Den (Central/Western PA) (Read 3288 times)

expo7290 · « **on:** June 05, 2012, 04:07:44 PM »

I have been travelling with work across the central and western pennsylvania and have been eating pizza from Fox's Pizza Den. Does anyone know what the sauce recipe is...it is quite tangy and very good (in my opinion).

Let me know what you know!

Thanks.

xsosx · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2012, 01:13:46 AM »

I'm surprised that there aren't any other posts about Fox's Pizza Den on the forum. Wikipedia says there are over 300 locations in 28 states. There are at least 4 of them within a 30 minute drive from where I live.

The one nearest to me had very good pizza when they first opened (corporate trainers may have been making the food?) but since then the quality has gone downhill. Now the crust is very leathery; it has so much chew and no crispiness to it at all. The sauce is still good, tangy like you said but with a bit of sweetness.

I haven't been able to find any ingredient information on the Web, only nutritional facts. The other problem is that it seems ingredients vary from franchise to franchise. Hopefully someone can shed some light into their recipes. I wouldn't mind trying to recreate their pizza at home.

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2012, 03:05:29 PM »

None around here...central North Carolina. What style of pizza is it....anyone have a pic?

atom · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2012, 07:38:12 PM »

I have had them in western pa and in southwestern new york. I don't think there is a recipe shared among the different ones I think its just a franchise set up to share the cost of printing, advertising etc. I used to work for a pizza shop in Pittsburgh called Pizza Roma and despite their being several in the area they each had their own recipe.

ThePieman · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2012, 01:08:41 AM »

There are two Fox's near me. They both taste identical, pizzawise. I used to eat at one particular Fox's a lot when I worked near there. They had a sandwich called a wedgie which was heated in the pizza oven. Every one I ate tasted like old grease - as if they did not ever clean their oven. I'm almost thinking they heated it on top of the greasy pizza oven, instead of in it. They also baked their cheese sticks which would frequently be served dark brown to black here an there. Plus the cheese sticks also had that old oven grease taste. Pretty nasty.

The Fox's down the road from me has much better quality.

xsosx · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2012, 02:06:09 AM »

I attached a picture I found online from a Fox's Pizza Den. I'm not sure what location it is from but this one looks identical to the pizzas at my local store.

Those large dough bubbles are pretty common. The location I used to eat at used deck ovens and I'm pretty sure they baked on screens.

The second picture I attached is from a Fox's Pizza Den that was in Henderson, NV. I believe that Pastorelli Food's is making their sauce for them; at least they were as of 2005.

ThePieman · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2012, 03:25:05 PM »

Cool pics. I haven't had fox's for a very long time. For some reason, I keep forgetting about them. I'm going to order a pie from there the next time I am in the mood for a already built pie. Might have to do some dumpster reconnaissance.

PowerWagonPete · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2012, 10:13:22 PM »

HMMMM, no Fox locations in Lebanon County as of yet although Dauphin, Berks, and Lancaster Counties all have one. Looks like a little bit of a trip for me so I'll wait until this thread runs its course before I'll potentially waste the gas. LOL

ThePieman · « **Reply #8 on:** July 23, 2012, 12:59:49 PM »

I snagged a can this morning. No nutritional info at all on the can. No identity of the manufacturer either. Below is all of the printing on the can.

Zing · « **Reply #9 on:** July 24, 2012, 04:17:23 PM »

I'd go along with xsosx. If you look at the two fresh-pack food service offerings of pizza sauce from Pastorelli (not the remanufactured retail packs of sauce sold in places like Target and in some supermarket chains) the ingredients list is pretty close to the private label Fox's Den sauce.

I would start with some of Pastorelli's foodservice Italian Chef Pizza Sauce, and see if any additional herbs and spices would be needed.

More details on Pastorelli's web site.

EDITED to change sauce recommendation to Italian Chef Pizza Sauce. I was looking at Pennmac's web site, which showed the old formulation of this sauce contained corn oil.

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #10 on:** July 24, 2012, 04:39:36 PM »

Nice sleuthing Zing!
FWIW....those Pastorelli's at target, etc. do get favorable mention around here from time to time...

atom · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2012, 11:39:10 AM »

The one back home has a website... http://foxspizzaportville.com/ They have some pictures of a rectangular pie and they also have their menu on their site if anyone would be interested in looking at it.

ThePieman · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2012, 03:01:17 PM »

I've only seen the ingredient "California tomato puree" listed on Pastorelli's commercial pizza sauce and Fox's pizza sauce. The phrase "excellent on many italian foods" seems out of place on a proprietary pizza sauce can. Wonder what Pastorelli's would say if you called and asked them?

ThePieman · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2012, 03:08:08 PM »

Right from the horse's mouth:

Mr. Ken Crosby
Fox’s Pizza Commissary
3234 Old Frankstown Rd.
Pittsburgh, PA. 15239

Re: Fox’s Pizza Sauce

Dear Ken,

For the first time in a number of years, this past summer’s tomato harvest delivered tomatoes that were below historical averages in soluble solids. This ended up being a state wide problem, forcing suppliers to process at higher solids to achieve the correct bostwick (thickness). All of our customers were affected by this problem. Although we used the same amount of oil in our recipe the thickness of the product made it so the oil does not always “float” to the top.

Pastorelli Foods is very apologetic for the problems you’ve been having and can only stress that we will do everything in our power to help alleviate this from happening next year.

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.

Kind Regards,

Richard Pastorelli

http://www.foxspizza.com/owners/newsletter.ep.html?ID=19

c0mpl3x · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2012, 11:40:44 PM »

it's good, nothing special. hand tossed always, their other option is cardboard (almost literally)

i've pretty much made fox's sauce before, nothing special again. its low salt, low sugar. 6in1 #10, 1/2c corn oil, 1% salt, 1/4c OO, 1/6c romano, 1T black pepper, (basil oregano garlic powder, all about 1t), should be a good starting base.

jsperk · « **Reply #15 on:** July 30, 2012, 08:31:31 PM »

I have a few fox's near me. The one in Leechburg Pa does the prefab dough which I don't care for but in New Kensington they have dough balls and its much better.

norma427 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 30, 2012, 09:34:25 PM »

I have wondered, since I saw this thread, if anyone has been at Fox's Pizza Den in Willow St., Pa. and how their pizzas are. If any member has been there, let me know. Willow St. isn't far from me.

Norma

c0mpl3x · « **Reply #17 on:** July 31, 2012, 12:13:13 AM »

Quote from: jsperk on July 30, 2012, 08:31:31 PM

I have a few fox's near me. The one in Leechburg Pa does the prefab dough which I don't care for but in New Kensington they have dough balls and its much better.

you realize those are their two crust options, right? hand tossed is their dough and traditional is their par baked pieces of fox's legendary 'it tastes like cardboard'

jsperk · « **Reply #18 on:** July 31, 2012, 08:49:31 PM »

Quote from: c0mpl3x on July 31, 2012, 12:13:13 AM

you realize those are their two crust options, right? hand tossed is their dough and traditional is their par baked pieces of fox's legendary 'it tastes like cardboard'

One store has both the option but the one close to me just has the par baked. I asked for the hand tossed years ago and they said they do offer the hand tossed. They said the franchise owner has the option to carry both or just one type if they want.

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #19 on:** July 31, 2012, 10:20:20 PM »

Quote from: jsperk on July 31, 2012, 08:49:31 PM

One store has both the option but the one close to me just has the par baked. I asked for the hand tossed years ago and they said they do offer the hand tossed. They said the franchise owner has the option to carry both or just one type if they want.

So you are sol man...why would you even want to give your hard earned money to people like that...cardboard? 'cmon man! Welcome to the forum j, settle in an find you some real pizza that you can be proud to say is your own thing....any questions....jus ask!