Pizza on the Big Green Egg/ Kamado Joe/Vision is already great - how could this accessory make it any better?
Pizza can be great on the BGE. I know first-hand as mine turned out great some of the time. Unfortunately, way more pizzas turned out average and a bunch of them burned on the bottom. The Pizza-Porta® is designed so that the oven chamber of a kamado grill matches that of a wood-fired pizza oven. The Pizza-Porta cooks pizza like pizza likes to be cooked, hot and steady. I wanted the techniques I was learning in dough making and handling to result in better and better pizza. I was held back by the inconsistency and uneven temperature of the oven chamber. Read on for the details.
How does it work?
The Pizza-Porta allows the top vent/cap to be closed off while cooking. This simple change completely alters the cooking process. You can stop losing your heat.
The heat is contained in the dome, heating up the ceramic to increase radiant energy that is now focused on the top of the pizza.
The side vents are below the dome, so airflow is directed over and around the pizza, creating convection cooking.
Capturing the heat in the dome gets the temperature higher to match the transferred heat from the stone. The top cooks as fast as the bottom.
The door keeps the airflow under control for steady, consistent temperatures.
Why does it cost what it costs?
It is like the “If you give a mouse a cookie” book. If you want to cook great pizza on the BGE, you are going to need to control the airflow. To control airflow, you need a tight seal and a way to access the oven, like a door. If you put a door on the front and it is pulled open, it probably better not burn the wooden BGE handle or the gasket. If you are going to close the door, you will want a vent to keep the airflow going. Since this is going to be a real pizza oven, it needs to stand up to 700F-900F. If it is going to stand up to that temperature you are going to need to use high-quality stainless steel.
This means to do pizza right you need about 14 lbs. of stainless sheet metal. And that is what drives the cost of the Pizza-Porta.
This is only if you are making multiple pizzas, right?
The Pizza-Porta helps you keep the temperature steady so your first pizza cooks the same as your last pizza. It is invaluable for making three, ten, or twenty pizzas for a party. More importantly, the improvements in the cooking chamber and temperature balance will make a profound difference in every one of your pizzas. You don’t have to time your cook to that miracle moment just before the stone gets too hot to cook pizza.
How long does it take to install?
The Pizza-Porta just sits in the grill. There are no brackets or adapters. After ensuring that everything is aligned, simply place the Pizza-Porta and close the lid.
Will it fit my grill?
There are multiple Pizza-Porta units. There are small units to fit the BGE MiniMax and the Joe Junior. The Large will fit the Large Big Green Egg, the Kamado Joe Classic I (pre air hinge), Big Steel Keg, Primo round, Grill Dome, Vision M series and Akorn. The Pizza-Porta XL will fit the Big Green Egg XL. The Vision 22” fits the Vision and a number of different brands manufactured by the same kamado company. See the complete list Here.
The hinge style and the diameter dictate whether it will fit. Contact us if you have a grill not mentioned.
How long does it take to cook a pizza?
At 650°F (dome temp), a pizza will cook in less than 5 minutes. At 750°F it is under 3 minutes. This is different than cooking at 650°F without the Pizza-Porta because so much more of the heat energy is captured and concentrated on the pizza. Although our recipe is great, this rapid cook is what makes our pizza so much better.
Is the Pizza-Porta really “Made in the USA?”
When the project started we looked for a manufacturing partner who could help refine the design and make it better for manufacturing. We were lucky to find a manufacturer in Alpharetta, GA when they had an opening in their Business Solutions Division. The Pizza-Porta and the RCL rack have been relocated and are now manufactured at a facility in Jamestown NY.
Why do you need a door?
You wouldn’t cook on your Big Green Egg/Kamado Joe with the lid open would you? What does the temperature do if you leave the cap completely off? The kamado grill concept is based on controlling the cooking temperature by controlling the airflow. We preserve the airflow control by closing the door and chimney and adjusting the airflow with side vents. A side benefit is that the temperature is more balanced front to back so turning is not always needed. See this BLOG for more details.
What is your set-up?
For a single pizza stone use the plate setter legs down, the metal grate, some spacers (like 1" aluminum foil balls) and a pizza stone. You can also leave the cooking grate out so that you can drop in hardwood chunks along the way to get some flames.
Can you cook two pizzas in there at the same time?
Why yes you can. We purposely designed the door to accommodate a double-stacked rig. Our RCL double rack holds the stones at the perfect height for access and also folds for storage. The Large 2.0 has bolt-in brackets available to hold 2 stones. With a double rack you have about the same capacity as a 36” Wood Fired Oven.
Can you cook other things in there?
We called it the Pizza-Porta, but we could have called it the Anything-Porta. You can cook anything in a Pizza-Porta. If you have a cast iron skillet, placing it in the oven door is much more convenient than burping the egg and reaching over all that escaping heat. Blackened fish - yup, bread baking - easy, casseroles -sure, Deep dish pizza - of course, cherry pie - definitely. You can simply dial the temperature you want with the side vents.
Does it use a stone? What else do I need?
Yes, you cook pizza on a pizza stone inside the Pizza-Porta. We recommend a heavy pizza stone rated for over 700°F. You will also need at least one pizza peel to place and retrieve your pizza from the oven. We recommend a wooden peel for placing and a metal peel for retrieving. A Kick Ash Basket is a great choice to ensure high temperature.
Where do you get your dough?
We make our own dough. It is very inexpensive and with a little practice is easy to do. Many pizza places will sell you raw 8oz dough balls if you ask. Grocery store dough is usually repackaged bread dough and will test your will. For dough recipes click HERE.
How do you shut it down?
You do not need to handle a very hot accessory for shut-down. The Pizza-Porta is designed to control the airflow. Simply close/latch the side vents and close the bottom vent of the grill and the charcoal will be starved of oxygen and extinguish.
Is there a temperature Maximum?
The Pizza-Porta is manufactured of 304 stainless. We chose this material so that the material and finish would not be a limitation to the cooking temperature. An aluminum casting looks beautiful when you buy it, but it doesn’t stand up to the heat. Some chefs run at 800F-900F. You will want to practice at different temperatures to find what suits your style.
How long does a load of charcoal last?
A full load of charcoal will last about 3.5 - 4 hours. Your results may vary, but it is great to load it and forget it for a party. With a single stone and a few cocktail breaks that is easily 15 pizzas! Perfect for a pizza party.
Is it made out of real stainless steel?
We wanted so badly to paint the Pizza-Porta red, white and green. (the Italian flag). One of our prototypes at our first Pensacola Eggfest was painted with special automotive paint rated at 900℉. Unfortunately, the paint deteriorated and left the metal exposed to rust. We searched and searched without any luck for a powder coat or paint that would handle the temperatures of a pizza oven. Any pizza device that is not raw metal is going to peel and flake. It is a great deal more expensive to use high-grade stainless but to ensure the durability of the Pizza-Porta we chose 304 stainless steel. Test stainless grill parts with a magnet. If the magnet sticks it is not going to resist corrosion like 304. All of the metal and the hardware are made of high-grade, stainless steel.
Why did you create the Pizza-Porta?
A friend bought a giant, brick wood-fired pizza oven. I set out to make pizza that good on my BGE. The product design is solely focused on making the best pizza possible in a kamado-style grill. It may not be the most elegant design. It may be a bit more expensive. But, if you want to cook pizza to rival a restaurant or a brick oven, a Pizza-Porta is the solution.
How about Safety?
BGE and Kamado Joe grills are robust, stable, heavy-duty devices designed specifically to handle high temperatures. We do advise some precautions.
Do not touch the Pizza-Porta metal parts when cooking
Use a pizza peel or a glove to adjust the side vents.
Ensure that everything is cleared away from the grill and that there is an air gap between the grill and a wooden table.
Flashbacks are possible, but the risk is reduced when opening a small door vs ventilating the entire dome. Open the door a small amount while the charcoal is reaching temperature.
Can I make an 18" pizza in there?
The Pizza-Porta was carefully engineered to manage the temperate by limiting airflow. We had to balance air exchange with convenient access size. The opening of the Large is 14" wide and 6” tall and the XL is 16" X 6 1/4”. Pizzas cook fast and easy so we recommend making 2 or 3 - 12" pizzas rather than one huge pizza. It is easier to handle the raw dough and perfect for a 7 oz dough ball. The Small has a 12”X 3 3/4” opening which is great for 10” pies.
Is the Pizza-Porta® worth it?
Of course we are going to say ‘yes’. But consider that kamado grills were not designed to bake pizzas. Yes, you can put a pizza stone in and cook a pizza, but it will not cook as evenly or as steadily as it would in an oven chamber optimized to cook pizza. You could also throw a pork shoulder in a crock-pot to make pulled pork. How would that compare to the pork you cook in your kamado grill?
Pizza is a wonderful dish to add to your repertoire. And, having an oven running at a steady, even temperature makes pizza night much more enjoyable. Your guests or family can participate and have their pizza creations come to life. For you, there is so much less stress about losing temperature or burning the bottom of a pizza. You will notice the difference in a pizza that is cooked evenly at over 650F. It is fantastic. Our customers say it changes their pizza game.
You can learn more by visiting our BLOG
Or, check out our customer photo album HERE