"Detroit Style" - Buddy's or Shield's

[SonnyC79]

BigT, I noticed from the link these new pans are seasoned by the maker, no bluing. I find that interesting.

BigT wrote: Speaking of the pans, not sure how I missed this but Detroit Style Pizza Co. (formerly Cloverleaf in St. Clair Shores and Clinton Township) is now selling what appear to be the official blue steel pans on their website for under $10.

http://detroitstylepizza.co/detroit-style-pizza-pans/
 Don
 

Don, are you implying that this is a bad thing?  I have no idea either way.  I really am just curious as to what you mean by "interesting."  I was thinking of ordering a couple of these pans just to see how well they work.

[buceriasdon]

Nope, I'm not implying preseasoned rather than bluing is a bad thing. In fact it's better because you don't have to season the pan yourself as you would with a blued pan. I just happen to believe the term "blued pans" will be around for a long time. A blued pan is not seasoned, these are. The bluing process is only for rust prevention, it does not create a nonstick surface.
Don

[steel_baker]

Nope, I'm not implying preseasoned rather than bluing is a bad thing. In fact it's better because you don't have to season the pan yourself as you would with a blued pan. I just happen to believe the term "blued pans" will be around for a long time. A blued pan is not seasoned, these are.
Don

The "Blue" on blue steel pans is a coating that is applied to inhibit oxidation (rusting) of the pan in normal daily use, nothing more. The unique characteristic of blue steel pizza pans is that they are made of very light gauge steel so they heat up very quickly & evenly allowing the heat of the oven to reach the pizza crust more quickly. When I used Paderno blue steel pans, my trays of pizza used to take 12-15 minutes to bake as opposed to the 10-12 minutes that it takes with the 12x17 blue steel pans I now use. The Paderno pans are of course a noticeably heavier gauge of steel.

[BigT]

My pans just arrived and I've been scrubbing them for about an hour trying to get that silvery/grey residue off of them. Are there any tips for that? As of right now, these don't look like anything I would want to eat out of. Every time I think i have it cleaned off, I take a paper towel to wipe it out and it comes out with a lot of that residue on it.

[steel_baker]

My pans just arrived and I've been scrubbing them for about an hour trying to get that silvery/grey residue off of them. Are there any tips for that? As of right now, these don't look like anything I would want to eat out of. Every time I think i have it cleaned off, I take a paper towel to wipe it out and it comes out with a lot of that residue on it.

Having never purchased pre-seasoned blue steel pans I don't know what they would have put on them to season them. My pans from PA products came with a light coating of some kind of oil (light machine oil?) on them. It took some scrubbing with a good grease cutting dish detergent (like Dawn) and a sponge to get it clean and ready for my seasoning.

I'd say be patient and just keep doing what you're doing. Eventually the paper towel will come out clean.

[BigT]

Having never purchased pre-seasoned blue steel pans I don't know what they would have put on them to season them. My pans from PA products came with a light coating of some kind of oil (light machine oil?) on them. It took some scrubbing with a good grease cutting dish detergent (like Dawn) and a sponge to get it clean and ready for my seasoning.

I'd say be patient and just keep doing what you're doing. Eventually the paper towel will come out clean.

Thanks. Just to be clear, I didn't buy the pre-seasoned ones - I found the link to those after I had already ordered mine.

[balthisar]

Speaking of the pans, not sure how I missed this but Detroit Style Pizza Co. (formerly Cloverleaf in St. Clair Shores and Clinton Township) is now selling what appear to be the official blue steel pans on their website for under $10.

I hate to go a bit off topic, but I'm following this thread from China. Did Cloverleaf become Detroit Style Pizza Co.? I assume the Eastpointe Cloverleaf restaurant is still Cloverleaf. I was never really sure what the deal with the take-out Cloverleafs (Cloverleaves?) really was -- the Clinton Twp location certainly didn't make the same pies as the store on Gratiot.

I'm going to try a Detroit pie today. I've got my Roselli blue steel pans, my German yeast, and my Chinese dumpling flour, and imported American cheese. Wish me luck!

[shuboyje]

Yes the carryout locations that used to be cloverleaf are now Detroit Style Pizza Co., but the original Cloverleaf is still there on Gratiot making what is said to be the most authentic version of the original Buddy's recipe. 

[PizzaHog]

Enjoyed your blog BigT!  Couldn't help but notice the black cheese crust on every pie shown though.  Oh well...  Had a chance to try a Loui's and Det Pizza Co. recently.  Maybe Loui just had a bad dough day, was disappointing.  Det Pizza was better.
NOTE:  I still have some of the Roselli black steel pans (10x14) if anyone wants some.  $6.75 ea and will be happy to ship 'em your way. 

[SonnyC79]

Just a heads up to anyone who is/was interested...I received my pre-seasoned (by the seller) pans from Detroit Style Pizza Co. late last week.  They look great!  They cost about the same as the ones that I bought from Bucket Outlet, but saved me the trouble of having to season them myself, which was nice.  I can't wait to try them out! 

[balthisar]

Just a heads up to anyone who is/was interested...I received my pre-seasoned (by the seller) pans from Detroit Style Pizza Co. late last week.  They look great! 

They look... beautiful. I've been seasoning my pans a lot the last couple of weeks (I don't make pizza all that often; hard to get ingredients here). But I've been working on building up a slick surface on my two Roselli pans. It's not hard work, but it takes time and smoke. Yours look like two weeks of work for me!

For the non-believers, frequent users, and the people laughing at me: yes, I've been seasoning my pans without using them. Like I said above, I don't make pizza all that often (in fact for a couple on months, I'd thought I'd fried my 110 VAC mixer with 220 VAC current, but luckily I was wrong). My lovely cast iron skillet and Dutch oven are lovely seasoned due to lots of use. My two pizza pans, not so much. So I've been faking it. Every time I use the oven for any purpose, in go my pizza pans with a fresh coat of oil. And let me tell you, the difference between a single seasoning and the multiple seasonings is huge. It's like a layer of polymer (actually, it quite literally is a layer of polymer).

So now I wonder if Detroit Style is selling used pans as "pre-seasoned." Because if they are, then, I'm definitely in the market. I'm arriving on home leave next week, and I'd be willing to have a few more (although I don't make pizza often, when I do, I need a lot).

And... I think I'll try out the new Detroit Style while I'm home!

[Skee]

So now I wonder if Detroit Style is selling used pans as "pre-seasoned."

Yes, they're selling as pre-seasoned.  I received my order yesterday (two of the four-slice pans) and am very happy with the quality of the material and they nice coating already in place.  Looking forward to using them this weekend!

Edit: Didn't catch the part about the pans being used first - looking at mine, I would say no, they are in perfect condition with no scratches or blemishes on the edges from use.  They also don't smell like pizza at all, just oil.

[SonnyC79]

So now I wonder if Detroit Style is selling used pans as "pre-seasoned." Because if they are, then, I'm definitely in the market. I'm arriving on home leave next week, and I'd be willing to have a few more (although I don't make pizza often, when I do, I need a lot).

I'm not sure if they are technically "used" as in used in the restaurant, as the owner of Detroit Style Pizza Co. personally emailed me to let me know that they had received my order, when they were done seasoning the pans, when they were going to be shipped, and then a tracking number.  The customer service was great!

[pjbear05]

One more question has come up (that I had been meaning to ask)...

Is it possible to make this (PizzaHog's) dough without a stand mixer/dough hook?  Unfortunately, I don't own either.  I have a hand mixer, but no dough hooks.  Can you just knead the dough by hand?  From what it sounds like, the dough is pretty wet and pliable, so I imagine that hand kneading it would be tough...without adding a bunch of flour to it, at least.  Or should I try to find some dough hooks that I can attach to my hand mixer?  Any advice is appreciated!

Sonny, try to find a Cuisinart with the S-shaped plastic like (nylon?) blade.  I used this for dough and raised breads before the motor on it went South, and it was a winner.

I have another food processor, but as far as making dough, it's made by POS Corp.-stick with the real Magilla, and you won't go wrong!

[SonnyC79]

Here is a pizza that I made this weekend using Detroit Style Pizza Co's pre-seasoned pans.  They worked perfectly!  Half-pepperoni/roasted red pepper & half-fig preserves/proscuitto/balsamic glaze.  We loved every bit of it!  I can't recommend this style of pizza enough.   

[SonnyC79]

Posting in hopes that norma427 can lend her expertise  

Whenever I make my Detroit style pizzas, I don't get quite the crunchiness on the bottom of the pizzas as I would like.  If you look at the pictures that I have posted here, the edges and top are just about perfect, but I would really like a crunchier bottom.  I am currently baking my pizzas at 475 degrees for 15 minutes (on the lowest rack), and at that time and temperature, the cheese is getting very brown, almost burned in a couple of spots.  I dont really want to risk keeping them in there any longer than they already are, so I was wondering if you had any advice as to how to get a crunchier crust without overcooking everything else.  Would a higher temperature do anything to effect the crunch?  Maybe less oil in the pan?  I could only go up to 500, but I'm new to this, so I'm not really sure.  I appreciate any advice!

[norma427]

Posting in hopes that norma427 can lend her expertise  

Whenever I make my Detroit style pizzas, I don't get quite the crunchiness on the bottom of the pizzas as I would like.  If you look at the pictures that I have posted here, the edges and top are just about perfect, but I would really like a crunchier bottom.  I am currently baking my pizzas at 475 degrees for 15 minutes (on the lowest rack), and at that time and temperature, the cheese is getting very brown, almost burned in a couple of spots.  I dont really want to risk keeping them in there any longer than they already are, so I was wondering if you had any advice as to how to get a crunchier crust without overcooking everything else.  Would a higher temperature do anything to effect the crunch?  Maybe less oil in the pan?  I could only go up to 500, but I'm new to this, so I'm not really sure.  I appreciate any advice!

SonnyC79,

I wish I could help you more, but I haven’t worked on this thread much.  I also usually bake in a deck oven (Baker’s Pride) so my pies may not bake like your do.  In my deck oven has a low head space.  The only pie I recall making on this thread was at Reply 120 http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3783.msg81047.html#msg81047 and as you can see my pizza making skills weren’t very good back in 2009.  I have been meaning to get around to try another Buddy’s/Shields pizza, but have been working on Jet’s or regular Sicilian pizzas.    

Peter does a summary about information available to make a Buddy’s pizza at Reply 126 http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3783.msg81436.html#msg81436

Your preseason pan looks very good.  I think if you would look at some of PizzaHog’s posts on this thread his information he posted would be a lot better than mine.  This is one of PizzaHog’s posts, telling how to get a crispy crust at Reply 183 http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3783.msg91512.html#msg91512   I am not sure which formulation on this thread is PizzaHog’s best one, but the one at Reply 199 looks good to me.   http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3783.msg92963.html#msg92963

Maybe PizzaHog, or another member might see your post and be able to help you more.  You can also look at steel_baker’s thread for Victory Pig pizza to see how he makes his bottom crust crispy.

Norma

[hockman4357]

Just a heads up to anyone who is/was interested...I received my pre-seasoned (by the seller) pans from Detroit Style Pizza Co. late last week.  They look great!  They cost about the same as the ones that I bought from Bucket Outlet, but saved me the trouble of having to season them myself, which was nice.  I can't wait to try them out! 

Are the pans that you ordered and pictured the 10" x 14" ones?  It doesn't look like they carry the 12" x 17" variety.

[jsperk]

That pizza looks real good Sonny. I have been having some tasty pizza using I think Pizza Hogs recipe. I think he posted the pdf file. His pizza look pretty awesome along with many others.
I just got the same pans as Sonny. I had sticking issues on my first cook but now my pies are sliding right out. I have one 8x10 and one 10x14.
I over cooked my pizza but still tasted good.
http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww16/jsperk/2012-10-07_19-05-32_465.jpg
http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww16/jsperk/2012-10-07_19-05-46_674.jpg
http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww16/jsperk/2012-10-07_20-19-57_616.jpg
http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww16/jsperk/2012-10-07_19-19-53_78.jpg
http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww16/jsperk/2012-10-07_19-20-29_267.jpg

[SonnyC79]

Are the pans that you ordered and pictured the 10" x 14" ones?  It doesn't look like they carry the 12" x 17" variety.

Hockman, I ordered one 10 X 14 and one 8 X 10 from Detroit Style Pizza Co.