Commercial convection oven & pizza

[lu]

Recently purchased a pizza shop that has a standard pizza deck oven  but we also purchased a convection oven.   I've tried to make pizza in the convection oven only to find that in order to make the crust bottom golden enough the top begins to get very dark, which is not very appealing.  I know this oven is not the ideal way of making a pizza, but we bought it for others items and as a back up just in case the pizza oven goes down or we need the additional space.   Is there any way to get the bottoms browned without burning the top?    I've tried to cover with foil, which blows off of course and if I try to secure it to the pan, it sticks to the cheese.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.   Thanks !

[Pete-zza]

lu,

You might want to register and pose your question to the PMQ Think Tank Forum at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewforum.php?f=6, where many professional pizza operators visit and post. You might also want to search the archives of that forum. For example, I found this thread (there are many others) from such a search: http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?p=37186#37186.

You are correct that a convection oven is not the ideal pizza oven. So you may find it necessary to make some changes to the way you make and bake your pizzas. For example, you might try a higher bake temperature and a shorter bake time. Or you might add some sugar to the dough so that the bottom browns before the top burns. However, in each case, you may have to use a thinner crust and not overload the pizzas with toppings. Otherwise, you might end up with a pasty crust or portions that are underbaked. I have seen questions like yours before at the PMQTT although I can't say how many people might respond to your inquiry. Ideally, you want Tom Lehmann to answer your question. If he isn't available to do so, you might try sending him an email at tlehmann@aibonline.org. He is usually pretty good about responding to emails from pizza operators and those who are members of the PMQTT. He usually discourages people from using convection ovens to make pizza.

Peter

[lu]

Thanks Peter for your response.   I did as you recommended and checked the other forum.  There was in fact an answer to my question.  You were very helpful.   Thanks again.

[Jah]

Isn't one of the main issues that there is no lower heating coil in a convection oven?  I have a convection oven at home as well, and even preheating at 500 degrees plus for over an hour with a pizza stone, and trying a Hearth Disk I cannot get the bottom of my even thin crust pizzas crispy...they are coming out pasty...