How Much Pepperoni?

[freshflour]

I'm cutting up pepperoni sticks, and am going to vacuum seal the slices into one or two pizza bags.  I need to figure out how much to put in each bag.  I'm using Bridgeford pepperoni, which is a bit on the spicy side, and slicing it thin.  How much would you put on a 16" pizza?

[Brewer]

Fresh flour,  I am not sure how much your pepperoni slices weigh individually?  Being that the case a suggestion would be to place your pepperoni slices on a 16 inch template as if you were dressing a pizza.  You could then bag up that portion for your next pie when you dress the real thing.  How much pepperoni to put on a pizza as far as surface coverage is a personal preference.  Think of the coverage your trying to achieve.  Some folks like to use a lot of pepperoni (especially if it's a straight pepperoni pizza). Some use it more sparse like when your dressing it around the addition of sausage.  It's all up to you and how thin you slice it.  I hope this helps.

[boalpd]

40 totally covers a 16" pie.

[hammettjr]

40 totally covers a 16" pie.

I would cut it up, make 2 pies with 2 different amounts, 1 being the lower end of your expected range, and 1 the upper. Based on that determine how many slices you'll want per pie then bag it. If you want to be on the safe side you can add a few extra to each bag, provided you don't mind wasting a bit, or using them for something else. I very rarely use pepperoni, but they'll probably shrink as they cook, so you may need to use more than you'd think based on how it looks uncooked.

[Pete-zza]

freshflour,

Like the others have said, the amount of pepperoni to put on a pizza is a matter of personal taste and preference. Even the pizza places aren't always consistent, although some places try to be so by having the workers count the slices. As an example, I once bought 14" pizzas from Papa John's with 33 pepperoni slices and, on another occasion, with 44 pepperoni slices, both from the same shop. My practice was to use 44 slices because I liked the looks better. You can see an example at Reply 2 at https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=6758.msg58197#msg58197. A rather hastily prepared PJ pepperoni pizza is shown at Reply 3.

You can also take a look at the Burke pizza topping guide that Norma posted at Reply 4 at:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,14822.msg147190.html#msg147190.

If you click on the guide, it will expand.

The thickness of the pepperoni slices might also affect the texture and flavor of a bite of the pizza and therefore dictate a different number.

Peter

[freshflour]

Cool.  Thanks for the replies.  It looks like 44 is right about the number I'm looking for.

[Josh123]

Depends on diameter. I use small Ezzo pepperoni, so on my 18" pie, I put like 80 pieces on. It shrinks up big time. Then again, my shop is known for very generous toppings

[HarryHaller73]

These days I prefer pepperoni relatively uncooked.. Any cured meat curled and roasted ruins flavor, I'd rather take bacon as a modern topping.  And NY pizza never had pepperoni until the late 80's.

Like that Prince St pepperoni square is disgusting.  It's saltier than an old man's bald scalp.

[invertedisdead]

These days I prefer pepperoni relatively uncooked

Like the slice places that make plain pies and add toppings on the reheat? Like Sacco?

[HarryHaller73]

Like the slice places that make plain pies and add toppings on the reheat? Like Sacco?

It's just personal preference.  The "curled" pepperoni slice been big thing past decade, but I'm not into excessive salt flavor via dehydration and not a big fan of "pepperoni curl".  Ever bake proscuitto or any cured meat, u destroy all subtle flavors of it.

[Essen1]

It's just personal preference.  The "curled" pepperoni slice been big thing past decade, but I'm not into excessive salt flavor via dehydration and not a big fan of "pepperoni curl".  Ever bake proscuitto or any cured meat, u destroy all subtle flavors of it.

That's hardly the same.