Too watery fresh mozz

[mslatter]

My NY pies are good, and I'm pretty happy with progress all-around, but I really am unhappy with my fresh mozz pies. The mozz just dissolves and leaves behind a soupy, wet mess. I have limited options on fresh, with Boar's head being my favorite, but usually I get Bel Gioso. I've tried the pre-sliced. I've tried putting on thick slices, which helped retain some cheese pull, but didn't really help with wateriness.  I've tried pressing the cheese between two plates.

I don't think my process or recipe is out of the ordinary, other than I like my pies on the well-done side. So, around 9 minutes for a 14" in a 520+F home oven (I haven't measured actual oven temp in a while). I usually split that time between 7.5 minutes bake and 1.5 min broil. On a 1/4 inch steel.

And I usually cook a couple dry mozz pies in the same session (same dough, process, etc) and they come out great.

What the hell am I doing wrong?

[Josh123]

Idk, cause Belgioioso is low moisture fresh mozz and should exude very little water. Made a pie with some last week

[Gene in Acadiana]

Belgioioso's fresh mozzarella never baked well for me. I find Galbani to be much creamier and melts better and is just as widely available. But for NY style I'd rather use whole milk low moisture mozz and stick with fresh for Neapolitans. 

[The Dough Doctor]

Have you tried putting it on later in the bake?
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[mslatter]

Have you tried putting it on later in the bake?
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

I did tonight, and it definitely helped a ton. So thanks to you, Tom, for the idea, from six very full and happy family members. This was also my first bake with All Trumps (unbromated) instead of KABF, and I was able to achieve my desired browning without using the broiler in my home oven. I think the broiler was the problem with the cheese. The cheese looked good until I turned on the broiler, then it started to break. So, I'm hopeful the change in flour will allow me to eliminate the step that served one goal, but created a problem.

[mslatter]

Idk, cause Belgioioso is low moisture fresh mozz and should exude very little water. Made a pie with some last week

That's very pretty, and I would be very happy with that cheese texture. Kudos. What temp are you baking at, and for how long? What size is that pie? Do you know oven temp? What surface are you baking on?

[Josh123]

That's very pretty, and I would be very happy with that cheese texture. Kudos. What temp are you baking at, and for how long? What size is that pie? Do you know oven temp? What surface are you baking on?

This was 500 degrees for 9.5 mins on a stone. 12” pie

Are you using the Belgioioso fresh dry loaf or the fresh brined in water?

[mslatter]

This was 500 degrees for 9.5 mins on a stone. 12” pie

Are you using the Belgioioso fresh dry loaf or the fresh brined in water?

These are the 1/2 lb balls available in big name grocery stores. There's a little water in the package, but they're not soaking in brine in a tub.

[Rainier42]

I usually wrap my fresh Mozzarella in paper towel to absorb water before I slice it.  Seems to work well for my bake.