Its been about 5 months since I baked pizzas in the Expert Grill 15″ Pizza Oven. I was worried that I forgot how to use it =). It took me an hour to just setup a station for the pizza oven. I don’t have my usual setup at this house were are staying at now.
I got 2 Pizza Buddy dough balls from Walmart on our way home. I split one pizza dough ball into 2 smaller ones that fit perfect into the Expert Grill 15″ pizza oven.
The first pizza out the oven was the classic cheese pizza.
The second pizza was with Mushrooms & Peppers with mozzarella cheese with shredded parmesan cheese.
The third pizza to come out the Expert Grill 15″ Pizza oven was the white pie with Ricotta, Mozzarella and shredded parmesan cheese.
The final pizza to be baked in the Expert Grill 15″ Pizza was my girlfriends choice. A mix of everything left over with some tomatoes, mozzarella and shredded parmesan cheese.
This $97 Expert Grill 15″ pizza oven has been one of the best purchases I made and something that I have been using now for almost 2 years. Worth every penny.
After a few months of use, I’ve learned what not to do and how to use Expert Grill charcoal pizza oven. First, the pizza oven is easy to use and pretty lightweight if you remove the stone. So far, it has taken a lot of abuse from me and the fires I create. There is some paint chipping at the back of the oven, where you make the fire. This is probably from me accidentally throwing fuel on the metal and catching it on fire. Besides that, the stove still looks good, and the handle did not melt or fall apart.
Tips on How to Use Expert Grill Pizza Oven
After assembling the pizza oven, you want to clean it up and start your fire. I start my fires with charcoal and then build them up with a few small wood slices. I also left the charcoal outside in the rain a few times and used only wood to build a fire. No matter what you use, the fire will get hot and heat the oven. The highest temperature we’ve reached is 800F but we don’t want it hotter than 700F.
I like to cook my pizzas in the Expert Grill charcoal pizza oven once it reaches 600-700F. One thing I quickly learned is that the stone needs to get hot. While the oven temperature can promptly reach 700F, the stone requires a little more time to heat. Give the oven a good 15-20 minutes to heat up, making sure to keep loading the back with charcoal or wood. So while you work on slicing your veggies and prepping your dough, have someone else mend the fire.
After heating the pizza oven for 15-20 minutes or more, depending on your fire, you can place your pizza. Make sure that your pizza dough bottom doesn’t have too much flour. This will burn your pizza stone and won’t cook the bottom of the pizza either. Plus, who wants flour on their pizza?
After placing your pizza in the charcoal pizza oven, let it be for 30 seconds. If your fire is too hot, push the pizza towards the front so it doesn’t catch fire. Every 30 seconds or so, spin the pizza 1/4 way. Your pizza should be done to perfection in 2-3 minutes. Again, this depends on your oven temperature, pizza dough thickness, and the toppings you’ve added.
Once the pizza is done, place it on a surface where it can breathe from the bottom. We use a steel pizza pan screen, which we got for under $5 at Walmart. We’ve used it to make pizza in the electric oven, which helps cook the pizza more evenly. Give the pizza a minute or so to rest, cut it and enjoy it!
How NOT to Use Expert Pizza Oven
Some basic things not to do with your pizza oven are:
Placing the pizza in too soon – While no one likes to wait, you need to have patience and wait for the pizza oven to heat up. The pizza oven needs to heat up, and the pizza stone also needs time to retain the heat. A cold pizza stone will not cook your pizza from the bottom. Instead of perfectly cooked pizza, you can end up with raw dough and a white, soggy bottom.
Turning your pizza too soon – If you want to see that pizza dough rise and fill up with air, let it be. Leave the pizza dough to rise for at least 20-30 seconds before turning it. Turning the pizza too soon can prevent it from growing fully for an airy pizza. Instead, your pizza dough might end up chewier and dense.
You don’t need to close the pizza door – The pizza oven door comes off and should stay off when you’re cooking the pizza. It will release heat when you do this, but your pizza will be OK for two minutes. It will also make it easier to see the pizza rise and brown when you need to turn it.
Check your charcoal basket often– When it comes to charcoal pizza ovens or wood-burning pizza ovens, you need to ensure the fire keeps going. If the fire dies, the oven temperature will drop fast, and your pizza will not rise or cook evenly.
First batch of pizzas made with ExpertGrill charcoal pizza oven from Walmart. This was the best money I have spent in a long time. We can quickly make pizzas, in 3 to 5 minutes when the fire is at temp. Which is your favorite pizza below? Stay tuned for more pizza creations with the ExpertGrill Charcoal Pizza Oven
If you’ve been curious about theExpert Grill Charcoal pizza oven, let me peek your interest even more. This portable pizza oven is perfect for any pizza lover but it can do so much more. The best part about this pizza grill is that it’s affordable and available in Walmart.
These days finding an affordable and good pizza pie is hard. What do you do when the consistency of the pie changes or your favorite pizza shop closes due to Covid-19? You get your own pizza oven, of course! While it might sound daunting to make your own pizza using charcoal, it is as easy as one-two-pie, thanks to Expert.
Expert Grill Charcoal Pizza Oven
Expert Grill Pizza oven is lightweight, easy to assemble and use. The charcoal pan lays in the back, for easy charcoal pouring and cleaning. Once the charcoal is lit and the oven is heated above 700F, you can pop in your pizza pie and enjoy it in just a few short minutes.
This charcoal pizza oven can be used for a lot more than just pizza. You can heat a cast iron skillet and sear steak and other meals. You can make pita pies, chicken, burgers and anything else you want to experiment with. Remember, pizza dough can be used for numerous things including breadsticks, cinnamon buns, buffalo chicken bites, and flatbread.
The first night that we got the pizza oven we made a cheese pie, two sweet calzones, and meat pita called burek. We got too excited about the pie and did not wait for the oven to reach 700F. Instead, we placed it in the oven when it reached 500F. It took a little longer for the pizza to cook on this temperature but it was delicious!
The next day we made two more pies, this time letting the pizza oven reach full temperature. The pizzas were done in two minutes or less and had the perfect burnt crust. So far we’ve made a few more pizza pies, and they all came perfectly done! No raw pizza dough or hard crust.
Pros
Affordable at just under $140
Easy to assemble and use
Versatile -can make more than just pizza pies
Portable- Can take on trips, camping, or different locations in your yard with ease
Easy to clean
Expert grill 15″ charcoal pizza oven
Cons
Doesn’t include a pizza peel
No vent cover
Door needs to be removed/lifted off to use the oven
While the Expert Grill charcoal pizza oven has a few flaws, overall it’s the one of the best pizza ovens around. It’s easy to use and the pizza cooks perfectly each time! This charcoal pizza oven can be used outdoors on campsites, in your backyard, on your deck, or for your mobile restaurant. Quick and delicious pizza has never been easier when you have the right pizza oven!