I Made Pizza in the Microwave

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📃 TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 - First Attempts
4:28 - Testing an Improved Method
6:42 - Trying to Solve the Main Issues with Microwave Pizza
Written and Filmed by: Charlie Anderson
Edited by: Van Clements and Charlie Anderson
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[@ForeverVersatile]

Pretty sure you can crisp by using something similar to the lining that the hot pockets holder and microwave fries use

[@HaploPrime]

This is the first thing I thought of. It's like a metallic foil that crisps it. It works pretty well.

[@CharlieAndersonCooking]

Interesting, I wasn’t familiar with that. Could definitely be worth trying for a future video!

[@60gregma]

There was a product called Micro Crisp, back in the 90s and Cathy Mitchell did an infomercial for them. It's here on KZbin.

[@chrislivengood7350]

@@CharlieAndersonCooking buy a microwavable mini pizza. It's some sort of cardboard with a flat metal reflective surface. It returns the microwaves that pass through the pizza direct into the bottom of the pizza.

[@JG-yk6ny]

@@chrislivengood7350 Those are still limited by the boiling temp of water. What litle crispness they do have came from the par-baking they received in the factory that made them.

[@MarcusFigueras]

If you do a follow up video, I'd like to see other unconventional pizza cooking methods; toaster ovens, toasters, rice cookers, wacky stuff like that.

[@jobobminer8843]

That'd be sick. Rice cooker sounds hilarious.

[@ffwast]

It's funny to see people consider a toaster oven "unconventional" just because it's smaller than a full sized oven.

[@JR-Rollin]

Microwave then finish in a frying pan. Also, I'm pretty sure the mini pizzas that come with that grey coated cardboard, crisp up the mini pizzas. So it might just be something that absorbs or reflects waves better than the crisper pan you bought.

[@automaticbulb]

Yeah I'm surprised he didn't try this. As someone that doesn't have access to a high heat oven, this is my usual go to method. I bake it in my electric oven which can only do 250C and then get some browning for the bottom of the crust in either my cast iron pan or my teppan plate (iron plate) directly on my gas burner.

[@viperocco]

I would say try a frying pan start to finish with a lid and bypass microwave

[@ManBearPigLOL]

2:01 me alone at 2:00 am

[@ghostlygun2138]

If the primary goal was to avoid using the oven interior specifically, you could try crisping the bottom in a skillet. That's I've historically done to reheat pizza I've ordered from wherever. Might be a decent middle ground for some who lacks a proper oven, but has a microwave and a single gas burner or something.

[@macsarcule]

When the size is so small, you could also microwave it and then slide onto a pan and brown the bottom more on your stovetop. I’ve done this with pizzas that didn’t brown enough in the oven successfully. Gives you a lot of control on the bottom browning.

[@damneddude8299]

I was going to say the same!

[@shawngrosser]

Dude this should have been the April fools episode.

[@ChefChrisDay]

Same

[@kennymccormick8295]

It's Fool's*. Imbecile.

[@Skellist]

There are those "crisping sleeves" made of some material that I think hot pockets use, but there are also more expensive "Microwave sandwich maker" tools made of some kind of metal and silicone that 100% work for actually browning bread in a microwave, I have personally seen it with the "Morphy Richards Mico" (UK brand) one but I'm sure there are a ton of other similar ones.

[@user-ec6cp2gt2u]

Cook a Pizza with a Blowtorch. Would make a great video. It's probably possible. Might have to use an elevated metal screen, then hit the blowtorch from the bottom to get the char. Finish off with charring the top.

[@chrissandoval7675]

had a fair amount of success with a maconee microwave grill. metal plate coated in teflon so the microwave still likes it. the ribbing will helps things from sitting it's own juices and letting air flow circulate. probably not a good way to cook dough, but great way to reheat a slice amongst other foods.

[@K1LO_]

I wanna see air fryer pizza

[@Makron5]

air fryer is easier, you've got hope there I think.

[@clarabisson7299]

Microwaves heat other stuff besides water, fats and oils too. I've also had some dishes that heat up in the microwave. Also it heats from the outside in like any other cooking methods, the waves first get absorbed my the outside and it then conducts to the inside, as far as I recall

[@vickington]

microwaves penetrate inside of food. its possible to have a cold outside and a cooked inside in a microwave.

[@dpc0711]

I think they mainly work on any molecule containing hydrogen.

[@Mr6Sinner]

Get one of the Marie Callender's microwave pot pies and disassemble the packaging. They have a metal film inside that aids with browning. I think figuring out how to make something like that will help this venture greatly.

[@sepht23]

Maybe microwave first and throw it on an exposed gas burner to finish for the dry external heat.

[@shawnrose6957]

I was surprised microwave and then pan fry quickly wasn't tested.

[@CharlieAndersonCooking]

Yeah not sure why I didn’t think of that haha. I think it’s pretty safe to say that method would crisp up the bottom, but I think the top would still be lacking browning. Would definitely still be better than the microwave alone though!

[@clashwithkeen]

yeah I was expecting him to try this lol

[@clashwithkeen]

There are microwavable pizzas that come with a square piece of cardboard/foil that gives a surprising amount of crisp. The only one I can think of that has it is Walmart brand but I'm sure there's others.

[@everythingautomotiveeta5839]

There is a way. You got to cook it longer than you think... a lot longer... then let it cool down a little and let the moisture evaporate

[@kathyanderson7916]

Awesome video Charlie! Your videos are always so thorough and well-researched. I always look forward to them. Keep up the fabulous job!!

[@trevordavison4078]

As others have suggested, maybe harvest the lining from some pot pie boxes, and put those beneath the pizza. Considering those increase the roasting potential of the microwave, it ***might*** get you closer to a char on the crust

[@citruscollins]

Next episode: Boiled Pizza! Can’t wait 🎉

[@martinmorningstar9724]

I love making my own pizza dough and pizza. Great video. thank you

[@masterrex1000]

I would like to see how it turns out baking in the microwave then finishing in a ripping hot skillet, I imagine a cookplate/hob heating a pan for 5 minutes +4 minutes in the microwave is still much more energy efficient than a full blown oven.

[@JohnnyCashavetes]

What if you crisped up the bottom by throwing the microwaved pizza in a hot non stick pan for a couple minutes? So the microwave/stove combo.

[@CharlieAndersonCooking]

Yeah not sure why I didn’t think of that haha, but that should definitely help to crisp up the bottom!

[@HaploPrime]

They used to make crisping foils like the one they use for hot pockets on the 90s. For example there the microcrisp foil. Don't think anyone makes it anymore.

[@ffwast]

Well someone has to be making it for all those frozen packaged foods so it's out there somewhere.

[@WarChortle]

Anyone who has a pizza steel… have you ever tried warming it up in on the stovetop while the oven is preheating so that the steel is pre-charged with heat so the overall time it takes to get the steel to temp is lower?

[@magaman49]

Outstanding

[@susintentions]

Would you ever make a breakdown and recommendations of store bought doughs? PS your dough recipe is fantastic but sometimes we get lazy.

[@CharlieAndersonCooking]

Thank you! Yeah I think that could be a good idea for a future video

[@WarChortle]

Charlie is trying to reset the KZbin algorithm

[@SuperCookieGaming_]

people might have access to a small induction cooktop so you could try browning the crust there and cooking the rest in the microwave.

[@tinnyfoiler7126]

u can get browning on stuff in microwave just do it wayyyyy longer until it burns it. you didnt try that go 8 minutes not 4 minutes

[@derrickspruill5796]

One thing I have done with trying to microwave pizza is throw it on a skillet to crisp up and brown the bottom with a little bit of butter so if someone didn't have an oven Maybe they might have a hot plate.

[@ledheavy26]

I would say if you had a two burner hob you could potentially make a decent pizza by using a metal (cast iron) skillet or pan in combination with either another pan or cast iron lid that could be preheated on the second burner next to the main pan that's also preheated. I have a Lodge double dutch oven and it's lid is a skillet that also fits on a regular 10.25" lodge skillet, and I imagine if you preheated the skillet lid to 500° or more and then put it on top of the preheated skillet with a pizza in you could potentially have passable results. Essentially dutch oven pizza with a much shorter dutch oven.

[@Dr.M.VincentCurley]

There are higher end microwaves that shake the polar molecules more evenly while cooking

[@PicSta]

My microwave has a broil function, of course, this is not any similar to a regular oven at home, but if I ever would give it a try, I will do it like so: 1. Broil the bottom without toppings and stop when top side looks okay 2. Flip it and broil for the same time, maybe a bit longer on the other side. 3. Flip back on first side and add tomato sauce and cheese, back in, let the cheese melt. Perhaps then it's not like a rubber plate with sauce and cheese. 🙂

[@SevenCostanza]

I think the problem might be a microwave basically causes the water molecules inside the food to boil, and boiling water cannot reach over 100 degrees Celsius which won't brown anything

[@jimvanmeggelen2213]

We love you because you unlocked the secrets of New York pie for us, but we respect you because you have the courage to do the things we dare not.

[@BoosterTheRooster1]

On the plus with this experiment you learned how to make a Little Ceasers style pizza 😂

[@woodshop2300]

I know you can get Kilns that you can put in the microwave. Those get to about 1600 degrees F.. that should brown a pizza lol. But they are SMALL, might need to make your own to get a big one..

[@jordanbest3926]

Looks like the standard is 5-6 inches in the center. Might be good for a personal pan 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Kim-fm2vo]

Try raising it off of the bottom of the pan a bit to allow steam to vent. Also preheat that pan a lot more than it says to

[@vimalmollyn]

How about throwing it on a pan to crisp up on the stove after par baking in the microwave?

[@benjiebarker]

dude you have to try the piezano pizza indoor oven. has dials for both upper and lower electric coils

[@AntonBlaschuk]

how come nobody suggested par-baking in microwave and finishing with grill(broiler) in microwave? should've worked, dry heat and stuff

[@ValNaUnd]

you could probably just throw it in a pan after the microwave and crisp the bottom up, but the result would be pretty much the same, its just faster with no pre heating time

[@TDust]

You could try almond flour and flip the pan upside down so it doesn't retain all the moisture.

[@liammclaughlin1692]

Just slap it onto the stovetop for a minutes to brown the bottom. Most places that don't have ovens will at least have an electric stovestop.

[@ad1312ad]

4:40 okay so with the microwave crisping pan, can you prep the pizza first before you get the pan hot in the microwave? so that you can immediately put the pizza in the pan and cook it? seems that by letting the pan cool down while you were prepping the pizza, you didn't really give it a fair shake

[@btdtgg]

Hey Charlie. I've used your pizza calculator with great success but I can't find an answer to my question. I get very minimal rise in the fridge when cold fermenting. Is my fridge just too cold at 3ºC?

[@sandhill9313]

Great experiment, funny indeed! 🤪 The only positive outcome I could hope for would be speed (and maybe economy) in that you are not running your oven full blast for an hour to preheat. My experiment would be to put a cast iron griddle or pan under the broiler (yes you would need an oven) at the right time so when the pie came out of the 'wave the cast iron would be good and hot. Toss the waved pie on the cast iron and hope. Surely not a substitute for a preheated steel, but maybe edible if you were DESPERATE for time 🙂

[@punkieclectic2755]

What if you put the cheese first then the sauce last, maybe it won't be soggy since the sauce is liquid as well. *Edit - What if you freeze the dough, then cook it on the crisper pan for 2 minutes, flip the dough, add the cheese and sauce and finish for 2 minutes.

[@diystompbox]

What about finishing it in the pan? It works for reheating pizzas, so maybe start with the micro and finish in the pan.

[@marietailor3100]

I was wondering if some baking Soda would help with browning the way it does with pretzels and bagels

[@subirmajumdar4493]

My microwave has a heater function which allows me to crisp food, even fry if I am careful. Look for a microwave with a heater.

[@jamccallister]

Could you finish the pizza with a kitchen torch?

[@jamkpa]

Good job!

[@snakexpert552]

I'd like to suggest you try to use the "hot pocket" method where you make a homemade "Crisper sleeve" since that works for hot pockets. But it probably requires really smooth metal so that it doesn't go haywire

[@fattdamon5342]

It seems like 1 minute for pre-heating the pan is too low. Curious what would happen if you let it rip for like 5 minutes and then quickly shuffled your pie in. Also curious if having another one atop it makes any difference too 🤷

[@theonewhoknocks2835]

put a sponge in the microwave to absorb the water vapor

[@landlubbr]

Maybe couldve covered the pizza to allow the air around the dough to super heat with the water vapor and maaaybe create some crispness or something idk

[@Nerdificationing]

You can make papadums crispy in the microwave... so maybe you just need more oil IN the crust?

[@ydmf2]

Mama Celeste Frozen pizzas used to come with a microwave crisping film and they stopped

[@OuryLN]

They do sell a backing rack for microwaves!

[@SevenCostanza]

The heating from the inside out is B.S. put a frozen turkey or anything frozen, on high in the microwave and tell me how the centre is compared to the outside lol

[@ed.3219]

Is this because u can just use 2 pans in an oven and then take off the top one bake 2 extra mins boom shop style. No extras needed

[@EngineeringDisaster]

Charlie….your research is always top notch but you totally missed the hot pocket or those mama Celeste pizzas that have the crisper sleeve or crisper base respectively. I have eaten many a hot pocket and crappy microwave pizzas and those always can brown the crust. Give it a try and report back in a part 2 😃

[@matsuomasato]

I would try baking it in the microwave and then move it to a cast iron or carbon steel pan on the stove to at least get some browning on the bottom

[@filjohn81]

What about finishing with a kitchen torch or sous vide gun

[@jhippl]

I bet that parbaked one would crisp up in a pan

[@quaide78]

Next time try finishing off on a cast iron skillet on the stove. That should crisp it up.

[@rickf.9253]

Looks like the old Appian Way box pizza mix, it was just edible enough to keep you out of McDonalds! LOL!

[@CantankerousDave]

Oh man, we used to get Appian Way mix at the local Aldi when we were kids. I don’t think it ever turned out right.

[@ThePizzaGuyJon]

Maybe try adding sugar to your dough and see if that helps with the browning.

[@omarelakhdr3131]

You could crisp the bottom of the pizza by cooking it on the gas stove using a pan

[@zal_models]

how about toast the bottom with a frying pan first?

[@jasonbourne488]

Don’t mess with tradition.

[@wukang3140]

"Pizza is a lot like sex... even when it's bad, its still pretty good." - Reality Bites

[@ss4vegeta1]

Is that a convection oven microwave?

[@AAYMF]

Some microwaves have a top heating element. That might help 🍕

[@orangeloverfan]

6 more years until being 18, when i make pizza to survive.. I'm gonna put it in the microwave because if i do oven i get scared and it can be risky high chance of fire. (I alr know the ingredients)

[@prezlamen]

Microwave spectrum has choosen beacuse longer wavelenght doesent have enough energy to relese water molecules from food,it just oscillate it

[@notabagel]

Look up microwave kilns. Maybe you could use those techniques here

[@aweblade4]

Logically speaking the next step is an air fryer.

[@jasonl1184]

what about cooking it in the microwave, then finishing it on the stovetop in a pan? 100% no oven that way

[@sandon763]

"Number 3 I just thought it would be funny" is probably the reason most people clicked on the video

[@redtango75]

On a quest to remake a 7-11 pizza at home.

[@cunningham.s_law]

finish it in the air fryer

[@thesmuuuuggh]

next up "I tried making pizza on a hotplate"

[@SanMan2k5]

This feels like it should be an April Fools vid

[@shaunclemtiger]

Probably could cook it on the flat top in a cast iron then finish it in the microwave

[@MichaelJohnson2]

You should try freezing it then microwaving

[@thebullion24k]

I bet if you rolled out the dough night before and let it sit out exposed it could get you somewhere

[@okunka]

You should try microwave then frying pan

[@dszymanski91]

Bacon crisps up pretty good in the microwave, maybe there's something to that... 🤔

[@abdulkaderassad1879]

Waw❤

[@moya034]

I think you should try a frying pan pizza.

[@xquies5635]

toast in a cast iron after microwaving it might not be too bad

[@GhostyOcean]

Air fryer? More efficient than an oven but similar to microwave

[@JourneymanActor]

I keep expecting you to buy the 1000 dollar electric oven from Ooni.

[@shawnkay5462]

Do a BBQ Grill next

[@dougdruziak8795]

Sous Vide pizza next!

[@-EchoesIntoEternity-]

Charlie needs to use those Hotpocket sleeves to crisp it up

[@Makron5]

They used to sell the paper long ago but that's just gone.

[@thatcandont]

Hahaha ❤excellent

[@nl8345]

number 3.5, you knew I'd click on it