A few weeks ago I wrote a post about my search for a pizza oven for my home. I found one I liked but it was kind of expensive and I was reluctant to spend that sort of money - $429 plus associated add-ons that were required. I decided to try a much cheaper option resulting in a saving of $334 which you can read about here if you are interested.
Recently I tried out my pizza oven-setup with a little trepidation, mainly because I'd be pretty annoyed, and devastated, if my cheaper option wasn't to work out very well.
I'd decided to turn my Weber Q barbeque into an oven by purchasing the roasting pack consisting of convection tray and trivet and added in the pizza stone and tray to complete the required items. Below you can see the transformation from barbeque to pizza oven and I'll go through it with you in case you're interested.
- Top left: My Weber Q, basically a gas-fired barbeque cooking grill with lid.
- Top middle: Convection tray which redirects the direct heat to the sides, front and back which forms a convection-action under the domed lid for even baking.
- Top right: The trivet which provides some additional heat-transfer properties and also keeps the pizza stone or baking tray clean in the advent of juices dripping into the tray.
- Above lower left: The pizza stone in place on the trivet. This is heated (closed lid) for twenty minutes prior to the pizza going on top of it.
- Above lower middle: A close up of the pizza stone
- Above lower right: The pizza tray on which the pizza is made which is then placed upon the pre-heated stone.
The method is simple: Set up the Weber Q as above, minus the tray, and turn on high, close the lid and go and prepare pizza's. It takes twenty minutes to heat up.
Cut up the pizza stuff...Yes, I know the hot salami is missing, the pelican at the supermarket checkout must have forgotten to scan it. I ended up using some left-over turkey and ham from Christmas. I actually made half vegetarian and half turkey and ham anyway. Also yes, I put pineapple on my pizza because I like it.
Add tomato paste to the pizza bases then top the pizza. You'll note, below right, that I don't put too much cheese on my pizza. I find they don't need it if good quality toppings are used.
Once the twenty minute pre-heating is done it's pretty straightforward; open the lid, place the tray with pizza upon it directly on the stone and close the lid. Twenty minutes later...Well, you can see the top two images below with the one on the left after I added some of my home-grown basil leaves.
Overall I'd say it worked out beautifully. The bases, bought ones, were crispy and cooked on the bottom perfectly and the toppings did what they were supposed to, that is, cooked evenly. Success!
I love making pizza's at home as I don't have a decent pizza bar anywhere close and it often costs so much money to buy them anyway. I make up loads of different ones and love experimenting. I think I'll be doing a little more pizza making now my Weber Q pizza-oven-test has proven it to be totally legit.
The only downside is that only one pizza can be made at a time but usually I'd use a much larger pizza base than in the images here - I sort of skimped-out this time in case it was a total failure. I'll generally make my own bases and roll them to the size of the tray meaning there's more pizza to go around whilst the second pizza is baking.
I'm planning to make a lasagne and pasta-bake in the Weber Q also, and I'll probably move on to a roast chicken or beef with vegetables at some stage, maybe even a whole fish. With the reusable convection tray it's pretty much turned my Weber Q into an oven...And all for $95AUD.
Let me know if you're keen to come over and make pizza's with me ok? I mean, if you're keen I am too, and I think it'll be a bit of fun. I'm of the impression that good company makes average food great so come on, take a risk; we'll throw on some music and cook together then sit and share food - Sound good?
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
All images are mine and no pizza's were harmed in the making of this post...And if you believe that you're fucking bonkers.
This right here is some serious, serious wisdom being espoused! I have had some very mediocre meals that I remember as being exquisite due to the company I kept!
Man, as I was reading this I kept getting more and more excited as the momentum of this glorious culinary adventure twisted and turned (even though I avoid carbs) and just when I was glistening with sweat from anticipation, I found this little nugget.....
What the actual crap, man!!!??? Do you not know what a pizza even is!!??!! lololol
I almost couldn't finish reading it, but I marched on and I'm glad I did. Do you have, or have you considered getting a pellet grill for smoking? Being a charcoal and wood purist for the most part, I was extremely reluctant but once I pulled the trigger I can believe the quality of smoked meats I get compared to the effort involved.
I certainly hope you did not have to prep your own ingredients again!
This cracked me up!! I must admit that I'm a cheesy person too.
Listen, cheese is LIFE! I don't care if it is hard cheeses, soft cheeses, old cheeses, or new cheeses, they all hold a high place of reverence in my existence! lol but yeah I'm a bit cheesy myself! lololol
Remind me to buy you a pizza in Florence sometime, I think you might enjoy it, despite the lack of much cheese. The best pizza I have had is in Italy and yep, little to no cheese. It's how they do it.
But we all have different tastes though, so it's all good.
Oh, I most certainly will!
A pizza and an ice cold granita it is then.
Granita di limone senza gelatiera, si ti piace, per favore!
Ottima scelta e avrò lo stesso.
I've been to Italy several times and have had the best pizza I have ever had there, and...Little to no cheese. They don't actually use much at all and rarely use more than 2-3 toppings. Go check it out sometime, you might be surprised.
I don't do any smoking, thought about it though. Maybe one day.
Well, they would definitely be the authority on it for sure. I think it is mainly about my own obsession with cheese. If I had to keep only one group of food, it would absolutely be cheese.
Cheese is good, don't get me wrong, I love it and eat a lot, I just prefer to also taste the other flavours on the pizza. I've had plenty of pizzas thatvwre topped with just cheese though. Like, tomato base, cheeses and herbs. 😊
oh thank goodness we can't continue our friendship!!!! lololol I just had an oil-based no crust skillet pizza for a late lunch and it was amazing!
My middle name is "cheese". Just, not so much on pizza.
Welcome to the cheesy club!
Reminds me one thing - few months back when we went to buy an oven, my son wanted to buy a commercial grade oven, so that he can make two at a time - one for him and one for his sister so that they don't fight who will be the first to get the pizza. I also wonder, why the pizzas are so expensive...basil leaves makes it attractive and the pizza tells us that it definitely worked nicely.
Everything in Australia is expensive, it's just how it is.
Looks like Pizza is expensive in Australia too.
Anytime. I would also gladly eat it. But the travel would cost so much money. I live on the other side of the planet (in Hungary).
I give you some !PIZZA and some !LUV.
Happy New Year.
Have a nice day. All the best. Greetings and much love from Hungary.
Pizza in Australia can be very expensive. Domino's pizza isn't very, but they are rubbish and I won't buy them. A 12" pizza from a decent pizza place could be $18-$30 I guess. It can be found cheaper but quality suffers. I'd rather make my own.
I can buy a quality 32 cm Pizza in Szolnok, Hungary for around 2000 Hungarian Forint (HUF), which is currently $8.46 AUD, because $1 AUD is currently 236.42 HUF. A frosted Pizza in the same size in various supermarkets and in hipermarkets is much cheaper. That is often the half (or even less than the half) of the above mentioned price.
We buy a frozen pizza, say a Dr Oetker one, for about $4-5AUD so 945-1181HUF roughly. I've seen frozen pizzas up to about 8$AUD though. It's all relative as our wages are higher than yours I suppose.
That is certain. I live under the local minimum wage. My total income is approximately $648 AUD, while the local minimum wage is approximately $758 AUD.
Yes, you've said this many times. I hope you can improve the situation someday.
I think that I stepped on the right way by currently having a little bit more than $600 HBD in savings. This will probably help in long term.
I give you some slice of (0.1) !PIZZA which currently costs about $0.005822, but either way, it helps more when given with !LUV. I also give you some !WINE too.
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(3/10) gave you LUV.
@savvyplayer
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Oh. My. Goodness! Food porn! My poor
stomachheart can hardly stand these delicious views at this time of the day. At any time of the day, actually. Now I have a brutal craving for pizza!Very legit! What a smart buy. I'm glad it worked out so beautifully.
Also... Those photos, c'mon! I can almost smell the awesomeness of those toppings and taste the crispness of those pizzas. And with home-grown basil leaves... This is
tortureperfection!I'm so game. About to jump on a plane.
Hey, that rhymed!
Why, on earth, does this sound naughty? Haha
Lol... Which part specifically? Heavenly, yes, pizzas tend to have that effect. But naughty? I most certainly don't know what you mean 😊
Haha, well done!
😂
I'm glad it worked it, that the pizza was good, and I managed to save a fair amount of money. I'd say that is a good win. I'm not one to like wasting things, money included, so it was good this worked out fortuitously.
Rhyming responses now? Taking it to the next level I think. ✅
You know I like to step up my game now and then.
This is next level stuff, but that's never enough. One must continually improve, or be stuck in the groove.
Two can play at this game you know knucklehead. 😊
Okay, maybe you won!
Although this way too much fun.
This is not a competition and winning was not my mission.
Oops, I won again. 😊
Yummmm looks so delicious
Yep, it was.
that looks amazingggg! I bet it tastes amazing too!
It was super-good!
Never had pineapple on pizza before, seems like something I would like to try but I am a bit picky so I don't know
I once knew a person who was so set in her ways she didn't try anything new. Years later, she came to try a thing or two and realised that she liked them and regretted not trying them all those years earlier so she could have enjoyed those things for all that time.
The point? Life is too short not to try and experience. The worst that can happen is one takes a single bite and comes to the understanding that one doesn't like it...And then knows for the rest of their life. But I'd they happen to enjoy it...It could be a lifetime of enjoyment.
Just my thought on the matter.
I am really learning to try more things, I mean years back I didn't even eat ice cream or cake so I am a long way past where I was but I am still selective.
I think I need someone to push me into it because I know on my own I would always go for what I know which I know isn't great.
We tend to get set in our ways, but I think it's good not to. It's good to try different things as one never knows. Life is far too short to not experience various things, and regret makes for a poor companion.
Well, I will put more effort into trying more things.
Maybe your words need to be my wallpaper so I can be motivated.
Maybe...Although there's nothing quite like self-motivation as it tends to be a stronger force and more sustainable.
I tend to always fall back when motivating musket to try new things and I know that most of the things I have tried were due to other people.
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Wow! it's look good in appetite hehe
It sure was.
We have a traeger grill. I have never thought about cooking po pizza on it. Ever tried making homemade crust? We have started doing it a few times a month. We are still working on getting the keeper that will go in the recipe book.
The pizza looks delicious. This makes me wonder if types of pizzas vary from here to there. We usually order Canadian bacon and pineapple, pepperoni, or chicken/bacon/ranch for our main pizzas, but there are so many others in the pizza shops here.
Pizza's are similar the world over I think. I prefer good quality toppings and try not to put much on. I've been to Italy a few times and they hardly put any at all, just 2-3, and even then very sparsely spread on. They are delicious! Oh, they hardly use cheese also.
Keep working at that keeper. The experimentation phase is enjoyable right?
The experimentation is definitely the fun part. I have my 10 year old son rocking out some dough from scratch already. Eventually, one of these recipes will make it into "The Book." muah ha ha
Ever had a pastrami, mustard, and pickle pizza? I don't have that one very often, but figure it is a little unique. I also love goat cheese on pizza, or anywhere really.
No...Probably not likely to either. Hmm, no that's not true. With me anything is possible.
I am glad your cheaper version turned out a pizza to your liking. I know it will be fun testing it out on your other recipes/items.
It is true, when gathering with friends or family for a meal, that the visit is more important than what food is served, but it doesn't hurt if the visit is great and so is the food. It feels extra special when someone has taken the time and thought to provide something extra special.
It worked indeed, and also yes I agree, food and company can be great! I aim for both, but...Sometimes the food falls short. The company also at times - Then they never get invited back. 🙄
So appetising n lovely,wish could come around d n enjoy the pizza... I love pizza
I could eat pizza for breakfast, although I don't, much. Lol. This one was very good, I'll be making it again.
That pizza looks fabulous, I'm going to try to make it, fabulous post!
Thank you for your nice comment. It was certainly a tasty pizza and I'll be making it again, well similar anyway, I like to experiment. ✅
Your pizza 🍕 turned out great, I love all the colors, especially the fresh green basil leaves. I have been craving pizza and reading this after midnight doesn't help 😅
I once found an easy recipe for the dough and used to make a pizza from start to finish in a bit over 30 mins, homemade pizza is so good!!!
It was pretty tasty indeed. I bought the bases this time but also make my own, it just depends on how much time I have available. It was a successful pizza-making session and I was pleased. 😊
wow, such a saucy pizza. my mother would always be happy with men who are able to make good food like this. Thanks for sharing sir.
A real man knows how to take care of himself, and others, rather than rely upon other people to do it for them. Besides, I like eating pizza and so like cooking it.
You're right sir.
I am going to try something similar when we get nice weather again. Sounds interesting and who doesn't love pizza.
Cheers have a slice of !PIZZA from me
Everyone loves pizza!
Yay! That is a tasty looking pizza - I personally would put more cheese on it, as c'mon! it's cheeeeeeese, Gromit!
Seriously, though - it looks great, and pineapple on pizza is lush!
Annabelle.
Lol, yeah cheese is good, no doubt! I make the best cheese toasted sandwiches you knw...Maybe I eat too many though. 😀
You are getting better and better G ! I think that you have some hidden chef skills buried deep inside, this is so cool!
I remember trying pineapple pizza years ago and I was like whaat....maybe it is an acquired taste. I do love pineapple though
Everyone is different, fortunately.
Drool
Indeed...I was going to make pizza again today but...38°C and way too hot to do so. Today is a cold food day.
We get 16° tomorrow. You can make the pizza here.
Warning: G-dog makes good pizzas.