What's a good stone temperature?

[apizza]

I have modified an old stove to go into the clean cycle and still allow me to open the door. After 550 deg I manually control the clean cycle to reach higher temps. The first time I used the oven, it was all a guess, using time on as a guide. I have ordered an IR thermometer to try to get some control over temperature. So the question I have is what would be a good stone  temperature to try for if I want to make a Neapolitan Pizza ?

[scott r]

I have good luck with 750 on the stone and 850 ambient, but I wish I could get my oven hotter for true neapolitan.  I also love to make a ny elite (coal) style which would be more like 650/750 and american flour.

[scpizza]

You actually have no say in the matter.  Your oven will determine what temperature the stone should be.

The top element, which you have no control over, will cook the top of the pizza properly in X seconds where X varies depending on your oven.  You should make the stone temp whatever is required to also cook the bottom of the pizza properly in X seconds.  750 is a good starting point, then go up or down from there as necessary until the bottom and top cook properly in the same amount of time.

700-750 is the minimum for making a credible Neapolitan pizza.

[November]

There is at least one variable being left out in scpizza's post that does allow you to choose your stone temperature: element-stone distance.  The distance between the stone and top element can be decreased to accommodate greater stone temperatures while maintaining even baking times on top and bottom.  Then it becomes a matter of comfort level with handling a pizza close to the element.

- red.november

[scpizza]

Good point.  Closer to the element provides a hotter cook temperature for the top, and thus the bottom as well.

On the question of comfort working close to the element, anyone know if there is any risk of electrocution from metal pizza tools touching an energized oven heating element?  One would hope wooden handled tools would provide effective insulation but good to know what the potential danger is, especially if one is working with all metal tools.

[Montreal_Pizza]

Are you guys saying it is better when cooking a pizza on a stone in a regular oven to have the oven on broil instead of just bake?
I have always cooked my pizza on bake and they turned out fine, although there is not a great amount of charring on the crust.

Having it on broil will not burn the top of the pizza?
The crust under will cook as well?

Thanks!
Danny

[scpizza]

If your oven makes the top element run hotter under the broil setting, definitely use broil.  Otherwise it doesn't matter which setting you use.

Remember, the oven controls how fast the top of the pizza cooks, that's fixed.  You control how fast the bottom of the pizza cooks because you determine the effective stone temperature by deciding when to throw your pizza in.  Thus from what sides the stone is heated doesn't matter.

[Montreal_Pizza]

Thanks for clearing that up for me.
I will try my next pizza on broil and let you guys know the rsesults.

Danny

[apizza]

Here is a post about my first attempt.
 http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,5540.0.html

I thank you for all of the suggestions. My stone is located about 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the oven and I can see how the top element comes into play. I tried to control that by turning off the oven for a brief period before I put in the pizza. I think the thermometer will help me get closer to a repeatable end result.

To explain the post, avocado green, 1969, you have to be old enough to understand stove colors at that time. Glad it's in the basement.

[scpizza]

Congrats on your first attempt.  It is a process to figure out how to get everything right.

I'm assuming you are trying to make Neapolitan.  If NY style, the baking rules are different.  For Neapolitan, the procedure you used isn't correct and will result in your pizza being harder and drier than it need be.

For Neapolitan, the goal is to absolutely minimize the amount of time your pizza is in the oven.  Thus you want the highest possible temperature on the top.  You are only advantaged to put the pizza into the oven with the top element blazing away and cooking the top as fast as possible.  Having the pizza in the oven without the top element going is just turning your crust into concrete by extending the total bake time needlessly.

Remember, you have total control over how fast the bottom cooks by simply measuring the temp of the stone and waiting until it is whatever you want it to be.  An IR thermometer is not optional, it's required.