All Trumps Bromated Flour

[scott123]

Chaz, I think we might have crossed lines here.  Were these numbers using the bake feature or the broil?  The pre-heat should be utilizing the bake feature. Also, are you taking readings of the top or the bottom of the stone? The readings should be of the top.

Btw, does this oven have a convection feature?

[Chaze215]

The latest numbers were using the broil setting with readings from on top of the stone. The oven does not have a convection feature.

[scott123]

Sorry about the confusion, Chaz.  The pre-heat needs to be the bottom bake element, not the broiler. Some people give their stones a quick pulse of broiler before baking to try and push some more heat into it, but using the broiler solely for the pre-heat is a losing effort. You can drive up the surface temp (as you saw), but pizza bakes with heat stored through the entire stone, not just the surface.

When I talked about utilizing the broiler before it was strictly during the bake. Pre-heat with the bake function, launch, turn on the broiler for part of the time the pizza is baking. The time you turn the broiler on hinges on how fast the bottom is browning.

[Chaze215]

So I currently bake at 550 on the second shelf from the bottom for about 7 minutes. Would u suggest moving it up a shelf or 2 closer to the broiler to finish the bake?

[scott123]

Chaz, you generally want to bring the broiler into play when you have a conductive hearth that bakes the bottom of the pizza quickly.

If your hearth, when pre-heated to 550, gives you 7 minute bakes, then that's probably slow enough to provide good top browning without the need for any broiling.

I'd still like to see what stone temps you can see when pre-heated on bake for 1 hour @550 on the top rack, but I think it's pretty safe to say that, to break that 7 minute bake barrier, 1/2" steel (or 1/2" aluminum if you're feeling flush and want something lighter) is the answer. Also, I stopped recommending soapstone quite a while back, but, since you're in the area, M. Teixeira in Hackensack supposedly has 'high talc' 3/4" x 18 x 18 tiles in the $20-$30 realm that are extremely intriguing.

This being said, I'm coming from a perspective that 4-5 minute bakes are ideal, and, even if they aren't your ultimate goal, they should be a bake time you experience at least once.  I haven't eaten any Tom's River pizza, but I have no doubt that most of the commercial pizza in your area is in the 7-12 minute realm, so if emulating the 'pros' is your goal, you've got the right setup already. I'm trying to push you towards what I believe is something superior to the pizza in your area.

Speaking of Tom's River, it's not exactly next door, but the Sister restaurant of my favorite area pizzeria, Pizza Town, is located in Ocean Grove and goes by the name the Pizza Shoppe. From a talk that I had with the Pizza Town owner, Michele Tomo, the pizza should be identical.  'Should'  . If you're ever in the area, it would be a good introduction to a 4 minute bake.

[Chaze215]

Chaz, you generally want to bring the broiler into play when you have a conductive hearth that bakes the bottom of the pizza quickly.

If your hearth, when pre-heated to 550, gives you 7 minute bakes, then that's probably slow enough to provide good top browning without the need for any broiling.

I'd still like to see what stone temps you can see when pre-heated on bake for 1 hour @550 on the top rack, but I think it's pretty safe to say that, to break that 7 minute bake barrier, 1/2" steel (or 1/2" aluminum if you're feeling flush and want something lighter) is the answer. Also, I stopped recommending soapstone quite a while back, but, since you're in the area, M. Teixeira in Hackensack supposedly has 'high talc' 3/4" x 18 x 18 tiles in the $20-$30 realm that are extremely intriguing.

This being said, I'm coming from a perspective that 4-5 minute bakes are ideal, and, even if they aren't your ultimate goal, they should be a bake time you experience at least once.  I haven't eaten any Tom's River pizza, but I have no doubt that most of the commercial pizza in your area is in the 7-12 minute realm, so if emulating the 'pros' is your goal, you've got the right setup already. I'm trying to push you towards what I believe is something superior to the pizza in your area.

Speaking of Tom's River, it's not exactly next door, but the Sister restaurant of my favorite area pizzeria, Pizza Town, is located in Ocean Grove and goes by the name the Pizza Shoppe. From a talk that I had with the Pizza Town owner, Michele Tomo, the pizza should be identical.  'Should'  . If you're ever in the area, it would be a good introduction to a 4 minute bake.

You are correct, I do get enough top browning with a 7 minute bake. And the stone i currently have is only 15" round. I think i would enjoy trying to break that 7 minute bake and get it to the 4-5 minute range as you stated. Do you recommend a site or place I can get a nice 1/2" steel?

Have you ever been to Pizza Shoppe in Ocean Grove? I will definitely keep that in mind the next time I am up that way or have a desire for some good pizza since it is not that far of a drive for me. Thanks for the heads up!

[scott123]

Chaz, it's been about 5 years since I've been to the shore.  I actually used to go to ocean grove quite a bit because I like the boardwalk there, but only heard about the sister shop last year.  I'm not sure which of the family members run it.  Michele might have mentioned her father, but I'm not sure if he's still in the picture.  I think I asked her three times if she was sure the workflow and ingredients were the same and she assured me they were.

The next time I go to the shore, I plan on making a trip, but that could be a while.

I googled 'metal Toms River' and came up with these

Laursen Sheet Metal
69 Flint Road, Toms River, NJ
(732) 349-2821
 ‎
Pinnacle Glass & Metal
1820 Route 9 # 1, Toms River, NJ
(732) 349-4131
 ‎
Park Steel & Iron Co
18 Irons Street, Toms River, NJ
(732) 775-7500
 ‎
Industrial Metal Recycling Inc
PO Box 1631, Toms River, NJ
(732) 505-0039

Toms River Sheet Metal Co
Toms River, NJ
(732) 270-3600

E P Homiek Sheet Metal
1352 River Avenue, Lakewood Township, NJ
(732) 364-7644

Halo Sheet Metal Inc
140 Lehigh Avenue, Lakewood Township, NJ
(732) 901-0080 ‎

Lakeside Sheet Metal
915 Alpine Street, Forked River, NJ
(609) 693-7792 ‎ · lakesideheatingac.com

Arnold Steel Co Inc
79 Randolph Road, Howell, NJ
(732) 363-1079 ‎ · arnoldsteel.com

I have no idea if these places sell to the public or not, but I would make some calls.  I didn't google scrap or junk- junkyard plate is a bit controversial here. If I were shopping for plate, that's where I'd go, but others might have safety concerns regarding what materials the metal might have previously been exposed to.

You want the biggest square plate your oven can handle- touching the back wall and almost touching the door. Measure carefully to make sure the door will close.

[Chaze215]

Wow...thank you for taking the time to get me those places. I appreciate it! Now do I just ask if they have 1/2" steel plates? Is there anything else I would need to ask?

[scott123]

1. Do you sell to the public?
2. Do you have a minimum order? I'm looking to purchase a small steel plate.
3. What would your price be for a X" x X" x 1/2" a36 steel plate? (with X being your oven's dimensions).

Write down the price next to the name and repeat the process 8 more times   Post the best price you get here and we'll tell you if it's reasonable.

[Chaze215]

1. Do you sell to the public?
2. Do you have a minimum order? I'm looking to purchase a small steel plate.
3. What would your price be for a X" x X" x 1/2" a36 steel plate? (with X being your oven's dimensions).

Write down the price next to the name and repeat the process 8 more times   Post the best price you get here and we'll tell you if it's reasonable.

Thanks for the info scott and as soon as I have some info and #s I will report back. Thanks again!