First NY Style bake on steel

[Chaze215]

And I like the results! Two day cold ferment with a 60/40 mix of AT & BF. Preheated oven for an hour at 500 and a bake time of 7 mins.
Thanks for looking!

[Chicago Bob]

Well dang...I can see why you like those results. That's a real tasty looker there Chaz, Congrats!
Doesn't appear bottom browning will be a problem with your setup...even at just 500 you got great color.
Was the top of that cornicione as thin and crisp as it looks? 

[Chaze215]

Well dang...I can see why you like those results. That's a real tasty looker there Chaz, Congrats!
Doesn't appear bottom browning will be a problem with your setup...even at just 500 you got great color.
Was the top of that cornicione as thin and crisp as it looks? 

Thanks for the kind words Bob! The cornicione was nice and thin/crisp and had great flavor. I can see why some do use the broiler for some top browning. If I wanted to cut down on the bake time, I would crank the oven up to 550 and use the broiler setting 3- 3.5 mins in to get that nice top browning since I do get sufficient bottom browning fairly quick. I guess that will have to be my next experiment. 

[Chicago Bob]

Thanks for the kind words Bob! The cornicione was nice and thin/crisp and had great flavor. I can see why some do use the broiler for some top browning. If I wanted to cut down on the bake time, I would crank the oven up to 550 and use the broiler setting 3- 3.5 mins in to get that nice top browning since I do get sufficient bottom browning fairly quick. I guess that will have to be my next experiment.  

Sounds perfect.  
As Scott says....everyone should experience a sub 4 min. Ny'er at least once in their life. I hope it turns out good for you man. Looking forward to the pics...... 

[scott123]

NICE!   I haven't spent a great deal of time in Tom's River, but, based on the pizzerias a little north, I think you'd be really hard pressed to find a pizzeria in your area that could match the quality of that pie.

Undercrust color can be highly subjective.  I have no doubt that Pepe's frequently produces an undercrust of that appearance, and you'll probably find a lot of obsessives that love that much color. If you're looking for a little more crowd pleasing quality, though, I might go a bit less- maybe a 6 minute bake at that pre-heat rather than a 7.

With that in mind, if you want to trim it down to 4, I might go up to 525 rather than 550, with, as you mentioned, the broiler on for 2-3ish minutes of that 4 minute bake. It'll take a few pies to dial in the broiler to match the top bake to the bottom, but you are definitely well along your way.

Let's talk sauce  It might be the light, but it's coming off a bit orange-y.  No pre-cook, right? No oil, correct?

[deb415611]

great first steel pizza!  I'm loving mine and the experimenting is so much fun.

[Chaze215]

Let's talk sauce  It might be the light, but it's coming off a bit orange-y.  No pre-cook, right? No oil, correct?

The tomatoes I used for the sauce were theses http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,22553.msg229132.html#msg229132. It was the first time I used these (by the way they were whole). I usual use Cento Crushed with some Italian spices, sugar and a pinch of salt which I like better than the Nina tomatoes. There was no oil used and was not cooked at all. What kind of tomatoes do you guys use?

[deb415611]

I have been using cento crushed

[scott123]

Chaz, I use Sclafani crushed, which are Jersey tomatoes.  I've taste tested them side by side with the Cento crushed and the Sclafani's are superior.

I get the feeling that the orange-y appearance I'm seeing could just be a lower quantity of sauce.  Was this less than usual?

[scott123]

I have been using cento crushed

Deb, Craig (and others) have long posited that any Cento products other than the Italian with the can code ROA1 aren't worth buying, and, from testing them on multiple occasions, I'm apt to agree.

[Chicago Bob]

Deb, Craig (and others) have long posited that any Cento products other than the Italian with the can code ROA1 aren't worth buying, and, from testing them on multiple occasions, I'm apt to agree.

+1000....very tinny.

[shuboyje]

What type of cheese are you using?

[Chaze215]

What type of cheese are you using?

I used block PollyO whole milk mozzarella.

Scott...I will have have to give Sclafani crushed a whirl next time around. Thanks for the heads up!

[deb415611]

Deb, Craig (and others) have long posited that any Cento products other than the Italian with the can code ROA1 aren't worth buying, and, from testing them on multiple occasions, I'm apt to agree.

I have read that, I haven't been able to find the ROA1 for a few years and I don't think I have ever seen them in the crushed.  I haven't seen NJ Scalfani's over here either.  We have a Scalfani but they are a different company and are not good (though I haven't tried them for years).   I'll have to check for those the next time I drive west...

[PetersPizza]

I agree on the Centos...last can I picked up was mostly hard, barely ripe tomatoes.
So far the best I've found on the west coast is http://www.bionaturae.com/tomatoes.html whole peeled tomatoes. Another expensive but good brand is Jovial http://www.jovialfoods.com/organic-tomatoes.html

-Peter

[scott123]

I have read that, I haven't been able to find the ROA1 for a few years and I don't think I have ever seen them in the crushed.  I haven't seen NJ Scalfani's over here either.  We have a Scalfani but they are a different company and are not good (though I haven't tried them for years).   I'll have to check for those the next time I drive west...

Deb, Dave Cavanagh (dmcavanagh) can get Jersey Sclafani's and he's in the Albany area.  It's possible they don't deal with any supermarkets in CT, but I'd still look around a bit. You also might try contacting the company.

http://www.donpepino.com/history.asp

I used block PollyO whole milk mozzarella.

This is supermarket Polly-O, right?  I wouldn't normally suggest this, but, since you are advancing so quickly, can you get huge blocks of food service mozzarella at your supply store in Brick?  You might want to think about obtaining a huge block and breaking it down and freezing it. Food service mozz kicks up your pizza to another level.

[Chaze215]

Yes the pollyo was from the supermarket. I will have to check the supply store for sone brick mozzarella...I nevercthought to look. I know they do have shredded mozz but I know the block mooz is better. I need to go there before my next bake anyway to get a bigger peel. The edges of the pie were hanging off the edges which made for a tricky launch 

[JConk007]

Uh C Bob, you gonna quote on every reply now that you are master of quote thingy ?
told you I was nervous 
John

[JConk007]

Scalfani, Lafede, Jersey fresh

[pythonic]

Uh C Bob, you gonna quote on every reply now that you are master of quote thingy ?
told you I was nervous 
John

lol what...did i miss something?