New York Style Pizza - Blackstone Pizza Oven

[@Nn-uh2kb]

Looks like you spent a lot of money on pizza equipment without spending 60 seconds to watch a single video on how to stretch out a dough. My goodness, man.

[@paulplayswithfire]

@Nn-uh2kb said, "Looks like you spent a lot of money on pizza equipment without spending 60 seconds to watch a single video on how to stretch out a dough. My goodness, man." @Nn-uh2kb, you’re right. I’m not very good at hand stretching pizza dough (although I have improved since this video was filmed 10 months ago). I worked at a pizza place in college. A Chicago style deep dish pizza place. That style of pizza has stuck with me ever since, and it also fit with my midwestern roots. It became my “go to” pizza style, and also became the most requested pizza by family and friends. But that also meant I never really developed a real pizza stretching chops. Once I started putting stuff on KZbin, an outdoor pizza oven seemed like a logical choice. Then I started working my way through the pizza styles using the Blackstone pizza oven, and learning as I go. If you think this one is bad, go watch the Neapolitan Pizza episode a couple of months after this. It was a disaster! I had a bit of video redemption with that one when I made Margherita pizza last fall. But I was learning, and hopefully teaching others that was ok to fail when making pizza. Like Kenji Lopez-Alt says, “Doesn't Matter, still pizza!” (Look it up - Kenji's Cooking Show | Doesn't Matter, Still Pizza) In another pizza video (I don’t remember which one), I said, if I’d just go get a job in a pizza place, and stretch about 100 pies a night, in about three months I’d be where I wanted to be. But at this stage in my life, that isn’t going to happen. But I will keep trying to get better. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, thanks for the constructive criticism, and thanks for watching!

[@Nn-uh2kb]

@paulplayswithfire just teasing you a bit my friend! Good for you for being a good sport. Takes a lot to upload videos to the internet and open yourself up to criticism. I'm sure the pizza was delicious

[@paulplayswithfire]

No worries @Nn-uh2kb. It comes with the territory. I've mostly had positive comments, but I do try to spend a little time with any less that positive comments to see if I can learn from them. 18 months on KZbin and I have yet to delete a comment or ban a commenter. Thanks again for coming back to reply. I hope this interaction turned you into a subscriber! And yes, the pizza was delicious!

[@redbu11addict]

That pizza looks great! The dog is patiently waiting for hers on the deck. 😂

[@paulplayswithfire]

The dog really loves the crust bits. Thanks for watching!

[@johnknapp6328]

Nice Looking Pizza You and the oven did Well

[@paulplayswithfire]

Thanks John, and thanks for watching!

[@jamesstein5087]

I’ve been making pizza for years on a steel with ok results. I bought the Blackstone pizza oven and wow, game changer! You just can’t get the high temps needed in a home oven. 650F is essential for a NY pie. Try using Caputo blue 00 flour launched at 825F, perfect Neapolitan pizza! Cheers.

[@paulplayswithfire]

Neapolitan pizza is the next thing on my list! I figure the high temps in the Blackstone will be perfect for that, and with pizzas getting done in 90 seconds, you can cook pies as fast as you can make them. Thanks for watching!

[@jamesstein5087]

@@paulplayswithfire Cool, look forward to the video. High hydration doughs work best for Neapolitan style, but if you’re new to dough making I don’t recommend it. They are notoriously sticky and difficult to work with. If you choose to do a high hydration dough (70%) research slap and fold kneading technique. Cheers.

[@paulplayswithfire]

@@jamesstein5087 I'm not very familiar with Neapolitan style at all, but I'm pretty fearless when it comes to dough. I've made a fair amount of sourdough bread (check my older videos) at hydrations in the 70s, and my preferred technique is stretching and folding, so I'll get through it. What I really need to work on is my pizza dough stretching. I'm pretty ham-fisted when it comes to that. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@avidpizzamaker]

It's pizza season! Lookin' good.

[@paulplayswithfire]

Thanks! In our house, every season is pizza season. Thanks for watching!

[@dawngrimes4522]

I've been dying to see one of these in action! I know there are a lot of options on the market, but having to babysit the pizza and turn it every 15 seconds sounds so daunting!

[@paulplayswithfire]

No turning required on this one. And I really like the adjustable regulator that allows me to fine tune in the oven to work in the temperature range that I like. I've seen a few youtubers running the oven at full throttle. Usually their pizza catches fire. Thanks for watching!

[@overnightclassic2]

you don't have to turn every 15 seconds. A well designed pizza oven requires just 1 rotation (180degrees)

[@paulplayswithfire]

This is the link I mentioned in the video with sauce and dough recipes for making New York style pizza at home. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpDNk3-cfKyXkMU

[@danemmerich6775]

Do you ever put the door on the oven or do you always leave the door off

[@paulplayswithfire]

The instructions that come with the Blackstone pizza oven say to never use the door when the oven in lit. It even says that on the door. Thanks for asking, and thanks for watching.

[@overnightclassic2]

The design of this oven is definitely not perfect and I'd rather have a nice designed oven over one that rotates. A well designed oven like karu 16 only requires 1 turn (180 degrees). That being said you are doing an excellent job baking in this oven

[@paulplayswithfire]

Thanks for the tips!

[@botched.briss.]

edward scissorhands could stretch a better dough. looks good though

[@paulplayswithfire]

One of my guiding principles is, “If a moron like me can do it, you can to.” Thanks for watching!

[@botched.briss.]

@@paulplayswithfire I'm just kidding my dude it looks good. I'd take that to my face.Thats Amore

[@FabioGallo-ti6to]

Sorry but your dough doesn't help you NO For that Oven., Regards

[@paulplayswithfire]

Yeah, sorry. I was still pretty ham handed with my dough stretching back then. If you have any tips, please let me know!

[@botched.briss.]

Have you ever heard of getting a hard water filter I work at a pizza place in Colorado they had some sort of filter they made the water hard like the water on the East Coast dough

[@paulplayswithfire]

In a previous life (1990s) I was an amateur beer brewer. We used gypsum salt to increase the water hardness to simulate British water for making stouts and ales. 1 gram per gallon adds 62 ppm calcium, 147 ppm sulfate. Seems like I remember using about a teaspoon in a 5 gallon batch. Also in the even earlier days of my brewing hobby, I used the unfiltered well water from my place. We didn't have to harden that water, as it was plenty hard right out of the tab. Beers brewed with that water had some character! I've not spent too much time pondering the water I use in pizza or bread dough. I know some do, but there are soooo many other variable that I am barely keeping up as it is. I do filter tap water with a countertop filter when I am making dough, but that is mainly to filter out chlorine. Thanks for the great question! That might just inspire a show idea.

[@botched.briss.]

your pan is pointless though. just stretch it on the table.

[@paulplayswithfire]

I noticed that when rewatching. Not sure what I was thinking with the pan. Thanks for the tip, and thanks for watching!