Tweaking my Conveyor for Detroit Style

[hotsawce]

So my Edge 30s are in the shop. We are tweaking them now. I am trying to achieve bottom crust results similar to other Detroit style pizzerias using this oven (Jet’s/Buddy’s) but my bottom crust, while lightly crisp, is not shatteringly crisp like those guys (especially Jet’s.)

Does anyone have a recommendation to achieve that crunch of a Jet’s style crust? I know they use salad oil (I’m using a solid fat right now, which in theory, should give the crust more crunch.) I had originally tested with all open bottom and closed-closed-closed-1/2 open at the exit on top at 9 minutes (at both 450 and 475) and the cheese is a little too brown with the bottom crust not quite crisp enough. I feel like it’s close, but not quite there yet.

I’m baking in Lloyd pans with a well proofed, high hydration dough.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

Actually, oil will give a crispier finished crust every time.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

 

[hotsawce]

Tom,

Why is that? I had read some literature about solid fats, or poly unsaturated fats, leading to a crisper crust because of how the fat molecules were lined up or something like that. I’ve tried oil but it made it difficult for my dough to stay pressed out so it could proof undisturbed like focaccia.

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

With the oil you will achieve more of a fried crust characteristic while shortening provides more of a baked crust characteristic.
I know what you’re up against when using oil in the pan and trying to fit the dough to the pan, it’s like trying to push a limp rope and pulling a rubber band in the other direction while expecting the dough to stay put. Do this, use your shortening around it inside edge of the pan only and then put oil in the bottom of the pan. Another thing that helps is to open the dough to a size slightly larger than the pan and then transfer the dough to the pan and carefully fit it to the pan. You will normally need to allow the dough to relax for about 45-minutes after panning and pressing it out once more to get it to fully conform to the pan.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

 

[Patriot_sPizza]

I am a former Detroiter and still barely remember Buddy’s Pizza…and a long time ago, I ran a high volume CiCi’s pizza, which featured their lame version on a deep dish pizza, but decent cheesey bread…their trick, which I believe would benefit you, is to let the dough 1st rise, punch it down, rest it, then portion it & place into the greased pans, wrap in saran, continue a smaller 2nd proof, then into the walk-in…lasted for a couple of days…they used s/s 1/2 pans, but in the Llyod pans might be what you are looking for…we’d make several 100 of these every day…we used a generic liquid margarine if I recall, garlic flavored…

 

[hotsawce]

Made significant strides in dialing in the proper bake for our pizzas today, and couldn’t have done it with out the help from this forum.

We did try the solid fat with oil, but the pies still springed back. Also, using the Lloyd pans, the coating is SO nonstick the oil beads up on the surface and never really spreads in an even layer. I think I’m sticking with the solid fat for now. I may try oil again at some point but I think my doughs need to be very warm and spread out into the pan using their own weight.

 

[rgjujitsu]

Not sure the difference but with Chicago style deep dish we mix dough for 90 seconds, let it ferment for at least 3 days, 5 days better and it pushes out like melted butter