Dough Diver,
There are many types and sizes of deep-dish pans. Which you decide to select will to a large degree depend on how you plan to use the pans, how often, and your pocketbook.
I have several of the PSTK products from pizzatools.com (
http://www.pizzatools.com/) and they are my favorites because the dark, anodized finish is a baked-in finish that doesn’t chip, scratch or peel. And the pans do not require seasoning before using. Canadianbacon (Mark) is right that the PSTK products are expensive, but if you plan on using them often and over a long period of time, say, several years, the initial upfront investment is worth it in my opinion. pizzatools.com sells mostly to the pizza trade but they will also sell direct to individuals. All of their products are made in the U.S., so their prices will reflect that.
Although I haven’t tried them, both American Metalcraft and Chicago Metallic also carry deep-dish pans. Both sell mainly through restaurant supply companies, many of which are online and can be found through simple Google searches. For the pans carried by American Metalcraft, you should look at those under the Series 5000, 8000 and 9000 designations, at
http://www.amnow.com/Pizza-Trays/5000-Series-Pans,
http://www.amnow.com/Pizza-Trays/8000-Series-Pans and
http://www.amnow.com/Pizza-Trays/9000-Series-Pans. Go to the bottom of the pages to see the dark pans. You will usually be able to buy the AM products at about 15-20% lower than the prices noted at the AM website.
You can see an example of the Chicago Metallic deep-dish pans with the Bakalon anodized finish at
http://www.abestkitchen.com/store/product221.html. At one time, Chicago Metallic sold pans with nonstick coatings under the Bakalon brand (and they may still do), so you may want to keep that in mind so that you don’t confuse the two types of pans.
Not long ago, one of our members asked me about steel deep-dish pans coated with tin. These pans are generally less expensive than the anodized pans discussed above, but they require seasoning before use. Often there is an initial seasoning followed by actual use that contributes additional seasoning over a long period of time. Most home pizza makers are unlikely to make enough pizzas to get that seasoning so that is something to keep in mind. If this type of pan is of interest to you, you can get additional details at the first two posts at this thread:
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,5498.msg46502.html#msg46502.
There are also pans with traditional nonstick coatings that are frequently used for baking cakes but can also be used to bake deep-dish pizzas. Some of them are springform pans, which can be a big help in releasing the deep-dish pizzas from the pans. I have a few pans with the nonstick coatings, including a springform version, but I try not to use them at very high oven temperatures that might cause the coatings to break down and possibly emit noxious fumes. Most deep-dish pies are baked below 500 degrees F, so I think they are OK for using them to make deep-dish pies. I would look for pans that have coatings that are the most recent technologically since they are most likely to be the best coatings with the best features. You can find the nonstick pans just about everywhere, both online and at traditional stores that sell kitchenware products.
I personally try to avoid the shiny aluminum deep-dish pans. They reflect heat rather than absorb it (you can end up with light-colored crusts), and they require seasoning, both initial seasoning and seasoning that comes from prolonged use. Their only advantage that I can see is that they are the cheapest pans.
The size of the pan you select is mainly a personal decision based on how much deep-dish you need or can handle. If the deep-dish pizzas are only for you, you will not want to get a 16” pan. Maybe a 10” pan would be better. If you plan to feed a crowd, maybe the 16” pan will be suitable for your purposes. I would say that 12” and 14” pans are perhaps the most popular among the members. Pans with depths of 1.5-2" are also quite common. Some like the straight-sided pans, while other prefer the sloping-sided pans, maybe because of greater ease of removal of the pies from the pans, or for easier stacking.
I don’t have an answer for you about using a grill to make the deep-dish style. Maybe one of our members who has used a grill for that purpose will be able to provide an answer.
I think that that pretty much covers the deep-dish pan landscape. Good luck.
Peter
