American Metalcraft HC287XX Mega Pizza Screens

[FoodSim]

I'm finally going to retire my 14" perforated disks/pans. They're not manufactured anymore, and as they were a gift from my father close to 30 years ago, I don't know their official product name. I would describe them as either perforated thin crust pans or heavy-duty pizza crispers. They are steel with a dark nonstick coating, which seems more durable than a typical fluoropolymer finish, having survived 700+°F temperatures and decades of use.

I would like to know if anyone on this forum is using an American Metalcraft HC287XX series product, and what their experience has been like.

I saw a post from 2008 in which the member described using one on a stone and had great success. I think most disks and perforated pans made from aluminum will have similar results in that setting. I'm more interested in knowing how well the hard coat absorbs thermal radiation when placed on a center oven rack. The product images I have seen seem to depict a 50% grey finish instead of nearer to black.

I'll probably take a chance on them regardless, as I like that they are 14 gauge rather than LloydPan's 18 gauge (Hex Quik-Disk), the contender in my case.

The Mega screens are the only type of screen (anodized or otherwise) that I could recall that are intended to be used in lieu of the usual aluminum pizza screens. I don't think that many pizza operators use them, especially the anodized versions. They are quite expensive.

Indeed they are expensive. However, I think the following source is reasonable, especially with regard to shipping costs. This is where I intend to order them from, assuming I order them.

https://www.restaurantequipmentsolutions.com/AMET-HC28714.html

[FoodSim]

Based on the few sources I found with reasonable prices, this product is experiencing shortages due to global supply chain issues.

I ordered one from the vendor mentioned in the previous post, along with an American Metalcraft 18914SPHC Super Perforated Pizza Disk for study. The site indicated they ship in 3-5 business days. We'll see.

[FoodSim]

I ordered one from the vendor mentioned in the previous post, along with an American Metalcraft 18914SPHC Super Perforated Pizza Disk for study. The site indicated they ship in 3-5 business days. We'll see.

I received an email this morning disclaiming a 2-3 week delay for HC28714 due to manufacturer supply issues. It affects the entire order, of course, because I'm not willing to pay two shipping charges if separated, and the disk was less important anyway.

[FoodSim]

I just received an email with a backorder update. The "Expected In-Stock Date" for AMET-HC28714 is 03/25/2022. The subject of the email denotes shipping on the same day, so maybe I will actually have it in my possession by April.

[FoodSim]

Adding virtual insult to literal injury, the American Metalcraft screen and disk are arriving this Saturday, April 9, 2022. It will probably be at least a month henceforth before I make another pizza.

[FoodSim]

The American Metalcraft HC28714 Mega Pizza Screen and American Metalcraft 18914SPHC Super Perforated Pizza Disk finally arrived 57 days, 16 hours, 32 minutes after ordering from Restaurant Equipment Solutions.

Restaurant Equipment Solutions was very helpful throughout. The backorder was of course out of their purview. I hope to use these products by no later than the middle of May.

[FoodSim]

I decided to press the American Metalcraft HC28714 Mega Pizza Screen into service tonight. I used a dough described in the following post:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=74641.msg707983#msg707983

I also refer to that post for the image of the result, for what it was, and for what can be seen

To determine how much seasoning this pan might need, if any, I applied a coat of rice bran oil with a thickness gradient across the surface before laying the dough on it. Where there was little or no oil, the crust was welded to the pan. I didn't bother taking pictures of the aftermath, since the crust either separated from the pan or it was fused solid. There wasn't any middle ground.

Since the American Metalcraft 18914SPHC Super Perforated Pizza Disk is fabricated with the same surface properties, I will be oiling it thoroughly before each use for the first few bakes.

Of all the other pans I have ever encountered in my life, and that's a great deal more than most people, none have caused a dough to stick as much as this. It required using steel tools doing unholy things to the pan to finally remove the pizza.

[sodface]

I don't think this will be helpful but will post anyway, just in case. Carlson, the company that made pans for Pizza Hut, was acquired by Vollrath in 2018. I have a thread about it here and talk about the pans (not screens) that I got and am very happy with, though I don't use them that often:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=66458.0

They also make various perforated pans, see this pdf catalog:

https://www.vollrathfoodservice.com/getmedia/bb53999e-6cec-42f5-aa3a-2f7e572368bf/Q2_2019VollrathProductBrochure_en_US_2019-05-15.pdf

All the perforated offerings seem to be in the press cut product line though so they aren't flat like a disc/screen, which is why I'm not sure whether these would meet your criteria. For the style pizza you posted using your new AM screen though, it seems like one of the perforated press cut pans would work ok since the pan is relatively shallow and the sides are angled?

[FoodSim]

All the perforated offerings seem to be in the press cut product line though so they aren't flat like a disc/screen, which is why I'm not sure whether these would meet your criteria. For the style pizza you posted using your new AM screen though, it seems like one of the perforated press cut pans would work ok since the pan is relatively shallow and the sides are angled?

I'm familiar with Vollrath, but I'm not interested in acquiring a cutter pan right now. If I were interested, the fully perforated hard coat would be nice.

However, as I mentioned in the initial post, I wanted pans to replace my aging perforated pans. The American Metalcraft Mega Pizza Screen has a nearly identical profile to my pans. The material and handles are the only differences. I didn't need the mass of the handles on my old pans, and for their replacements, I don't want the mass of the sides on a cutter pan. This screen is basically a 14-gauge perforated disk with a rolled lip to give it rigidity and make it easier to grab. If disks or other screens had those properties, I would be interested.

[FoodSim]

I should add that where the screen was sufficiently oiled, the crust turned out great. It will just be a matter of oiling these until nothing sticks. The "oil until seasoned" process is nothing new. These products are simply the worst at making that process necessary.

[FoodSim]

As I suspected would occur, the sticking problem I had with the screen was eliminated when using the American Metalcraft 18914SPHC Super Perforated Pizza Disk after applying a thin coat of oil to it. I expect to perform this process a couple more times until I know the disk is seasoned enough to hold its own and not the pizza.

An image of the pizza crust's bottom can be seen at the following post:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=74641.msg708610#msg708610

[Puzzolento]

Use a sheet of nonstick foil instead. Much better than a screen. Dough can't sink into foil and get stuck. Foil slides right off a peel, slicker than snot on a doorknob.

Bake the pizza for two minutes on the foil. This will firm it up so you can remove the foil. Then pull the foil out if you want direct contact with your stone or steel.

[FoodSim]

Use a sheet of nonstick foil instead. Much better than a screen. Dough can't sink into foil and get stuck. Foil slides right off a peel, slicker than snot on a doorknob.

Bake the pizza for two minutes on the foil. This will firm it up so you can remove the foil. Then pull the foil out if you want direct contact with your stone or steel.

First, I use perforated disks and pans to allow moisture to escape the skin as it's baking for a crispier crust. A solid sheet of aluminum foil defeats that objective like nothing else.

Second, I don't have a problem with dough sinking into the holes. Even when I proofed skins for up to an hour on my old perforated pans, I didn't have that problem.

Third, I'm not using pans with a stone.

My preference for pans never changed. They're immensely more convenient than a stone, and Detroit style and pan pizzas are what I want to produce at least half the time anyway. The only thing that happened when I acquired the SiC shelf was a strengthened resolution to use SiC over other materials when I want to bake in that manner. Its properties are ideal for that purpose, but that purpose is diluted by all the other kinds of pizzas I like to bake.

The reasons for using a pan, perforated or in general, are for convenience and reduced preheating.

That's not to say I'm against using a screen on a stone. For some it makes sense. For example, if you didn't want to constantly dispose of parchment paper, which would be a better option than foil from the standpoint of moisture absorption.

Of course without a stone, highly reflective aluminum foil would make a terrible pizza baking surface.

[Puzzolento]

A sheet of foil works great in the real world, regardless of theoretical objections.

If metal caused pizzas to be soggy, no one would use steels.

[FoodSim]

A sheet of foil works great in the real world, regardless of theoretical objections.

If metal caused pizzas to be soggy, no one would use steels.

It isn't a "theoretical objection." In fact, is neither theoretical nor an objection. I reheat my pizza on aluminum foil, but the difference is that the pizza is crispier if I crinkle the foil first. Nobody said anything about pizza being soggy. My comment was about the relative difference in porosity between parchment paper and aluminum foil.

Steels are more porous than aluminum foil. Aluminum foil has a maximum void dimension of 0.012 mm. For cast iron, it's 0.5 mm. That's a big difference. My comment about highly reflective aluminum foil being a terrible pizza baking surface obviously concerned its reflectivity. Reflecting 80-88% of the thermal radiation is a non starter for fast baking.

All of this is academic though. I'm not using a stone (or steel) as you seemed to think when you offered your suggestion.

[FoodSim]

Here's an update on the American Metalcraft HC28714 Mega Pizza Screen.

I used the same American Metalcraft screen as in the initial post. This time I thoroughly oiled it before placing the dough on it. There were no issues with sticking, in fact, when I lifted the pizza up by the edge after 6 minutes to check the browning, the entire pizza slid forward and caused some toppings to skid.