Burned pizza? Heat Management Discuss Burned pizza? in the Oven Management forums; I hate to be a dummy, but when someone says they get aggressive with their hydration, are they just talking ...

[Jim Bob]

I hate to be a dummy, but when someone says they get aggressive with their hydration, are they just talking about wetting the cooking surface down? Or what?

Jim Bob

[asudavew]

Originally Posted by Jim Bob

I hate to be a dummy, but when someone says they get aggressive with their hydration, are they just talking about wetting the cooking surface down?
Jim Bob

Nope.
It relates to increasing the proportion of water in the dough.

500 grams flour +
300 grams water = 300/500 or 60% hydration

More aggressive might be...

500 grams flour +
330 grams water = 330/500 or 66% hydration

66% is what I am currently using for my dough. It works great in the WFO.
But different flours have different protein contents that can require modifications in the amount of water.

I hope this helps.

Dave

[Jim Bob]

I did purchase some Caputo flour from Forno Bravo store to try it out as soon as my oven is cured. Looking forward to it. The Caputo flour should take what 60% or maybe go higher?
Man, just didn't realize there was so much to cooking pizza right! But I am not too old to learn and want to know for sure the right way.
Thanks very much for helping me. I may end up writing "Cooking Pizza for dummies" book.
Jim Bob

[asudavew]

The old recipe was for 60% hydration.
I think most our shooting for about 65% these days.
The extra water creates steam which helps with the spring of the crust or bread.
As for "so much to cooking pizza" I totally agree. This site not only helps with the building process, but the cooking as well.
I knew how to make pizza before I became a member of Forno Bravo, but now I understand more about the "behind the scenes" stuff.

Hang in there Jim.
It will come in time. It's so much fun continuing to learn, especially after the finality of the oven build!

Dave

[berryst]

I've never even seen a wood fired pizza. I predict trial by fire! How did I get into this anyway?
Berryst

[Jraducha]

Originally Posted by rlf5

Yea but they don't go down too well when you bite into the 1000 degree red coal center.

Thats called molten cheese...

The worst is when it glues it self to the roof of your mouth...bad news there...

[berryst]

I have learned that my pizza bursts into flame above 1200 degrees.

I now have an IR thermometer.
I push the coals off of the hearth and wait about 15 minutes. This gives me the perfect 750 degrees
Heresy yes, but my pizza is the best I have ever had (my opinion) I use 25% whole wheat pastry flour!!!
I use corn meal to get the pizza off the peal.
berryst

[james]

Originally Posted by berryst

I have learned that my pizza bursts into flame above 1200 degrees.

Way to go Berryst. Now there's a mental picture for you. A pizza spontaneously combusting at 1200ºF. Poof!

I'm glad you have dialed it back a little and making some great pizzas.
James