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scott123

scott123

1 hour ago, Robenco15 said:

Was amazed how quickly and efficiently the chamber vac method worked. Was my first time trying it. 

 

How long did the 4 cycles take?

 

You can't completely match the cheese bubble you achieve with raw dough, but, there are a few steps you can take to mitigate the impact.

 

1. Try to get your hands on a well aged mozzarella.  Fresh mozzarella has a higher water content, and water is an effective insulator.  Fresh mozzarella also has a stronger protein structure, which, in turn, resists melting. It's a little more expensive, and can be hard to track down, but unsmoked scamorza is mozzarella that's seen a bit more aging. As mozzarella ages, it turns yellow.  Look for the yellowest cheese you can find.

 

2. The final shape of the mozzarella can either promote or resist melting- the larger/thicker it is, the more resistance, the less likely it will bubble..  Assuming you're going with what appears to be the same pre-sliced cheese... that may be okay, although you might get a slightly better melt with grating.  

3. Fat is a good heat distributor and goes a long way to help cheese bubble.  Some folks turn to fattier aged cheeses like cheddar, but, I don't think the sharpness of cheddar works on pizza.  I've grated mozzarella, spread it out and then misted it with oil.  I've also frozen butter and microplaned it on the top of the cheese before it goes in the oven.  I've also taken grated mozzarella, put it in a plastic bag, added some water (not too much) and some oilive oil and massaged it to distribute the oil.  Try to keep the oil/fat localized to the cheese, since it won't do much for you melt wise if it's in the sauce- other than turn the sauce orange.

 

4. Water helps- not in the cheese, but, water on the cheese helps delay the skin that wants to form and keeps the cheese liquid longer.  Your sauce-on-top approach is a step in that direction, although you want to be careful, as too much sauce on top of the cheese will insulate the cheese too much.  Case in point, Chicago deep dish- but that's obviously a different animal.

 

If you're looking at these workarounds and scratching your head as to why i go to such great lengths to make cheese bubble, it's because I grew up with mozzarella that was aged longer then the mozzarella is aged now, so achieving a good melt, even with raw dough, is very difficult.

scott123

scott123

1 hour ago, Robenco15 said:

Was amazed how quickly and efficiently the chamber vac method worked. Was my first time trying it. 

 

How long did the 4 cycles take?

 

You can't completely match the cheese bubble you achieve with raw dough, but, there are a few steps you can take to mitigate the impact.

 

1. Try to get your hands on a well aged mozzarella.  Fresh mozzarella has a higher water content, and water is an effective insulator.  Fresh mozzarella also has a stronger protein structure, which, in turn, resists melting. It's a little more expensive, and can be hard to track down, but unsmoked scamorza is mozzarella that's seen a bit more aging. As mozzarella ages, it turns yellow.  Look for the yellowest cheese you can find.

 

2. The final shape of the mozzarella can promote/resist melting- the larger/thicker it is, the more resistance, the less likely it will bubble..  Assuming you're going with what appears to be the same pre-sliced cheese... that may be okay, although you might get a slightly better melt with grating.  

3. Fat is a good heat distributor and goes a long way to help cheese bubble.  Some folks turn to fattier aged cheeses like cheddar, but, I don't think the sharpness of cheddar works on pizza.  I've grated mozzarella, spread it out and then misted it with oil.  I've also frozen butter and microplaned it on the top of the cheese before it goes in the oven.  I've also taken grated mozzarella, put it in a plastic bag, added some water (not too much) and some oilive oil and massaged it to distribute the oil.  Try to keep the oil/fat localized to the cheese, since it won't do much for you melt wise if it's in the sauce- other than turn the sauce orange.

 

4. Water helps- not in the cheese, but, water on the cheese helps delay the skin that wants to form and keeps the cheese liquid longer.  Your sauce-on-top approach is a step in that direction, although you want to be careful, as too much sauce on top of the cheese will insulate the cheese too much.  Case in point, Chicago deep dish- but that's obviously a different animal.

 

If you're looking at these workarounds and scratching your head as to why i go to such great lengths to make cheese bubble, it's because I grew up with mozzarella that was aged longer then the mozzarella is aged now, so achieving a good melt, even with raw dough, is very difficult.

scott123

scott123

32 minutes ago, Robenco15 said:

Was amazed how quickly and efficiently the chamber vac method worked. Was my first time trying it. 

 

How long did the 4 cycles take?

 

You can't completely match the cheese bubble you achieve with raw dough, but, there are a few steps you can take to mitigate the impact.

 

1. Try to get your hands on a well aged mozzarella.  Fresh mozzarella has a higher water content, and water is an effective insulator.  Fresh mozzarella also has a stronger protein structure, which, in turn, resists melting. It's a little more expensive, and can be hard to track down, but unsmoked scamorza is mozzarella that's seen a bit more aging.

 

2. The final shape of the mozzarella can promote/resist melting- the larger/thicker it is, the more resistance, the less likely it will bubble..  Assuming you're going with what appears to be the same pre-sliced cheese... that may be okay, although you might get a slightly better melt with grating.  

3. Fat is a good heat distributor and goes a long way to help cheese bubble.  Some folks turn to fattier aged cheeses like cheddar, but, I don't think the sharpness of cheddar works on pizza.  I've grated mozzarella, spread it out and then misted it with oil.  I've also frozen butter and microplaned it on the top of the cheese before it goes in the oven.  I've also taken grated mozzarella, put it in a plastic bag, added some water (not too much) and some oilive oil and massaged it to distribute the oil.  Try to keep the oil/fat localized to the cheese, since it won't do much for you melt wise if it's in the sauce- other than turn the sauce orange.

 

4. Water helps- not in the cheese, but, water on the cheese helps delay the skin that wants to form and keeps the cheese liquid longer.  Your sauce-on-top approach is a step in that direction, although you want to be careful, as too much sauce on top of the cheese will insulate the cheese too much.  Case in point, Chicago deep dish- but that's obviously a different animal.

 

If you're looking at these workarounds and scratching your head as to why i go to such great lengths to make cheese bubble, it's because I grew up with mozzarella that was aged longer then the mozzarella is aged now, so achieving a good melt, even with raw dough, is very difficult.

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