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[Bar-B-Lew]

Bentley, IMO the cracker type crust is Chicago thin pizza and nothing like pizza on the East Coast (i.e. NY, NJ,PA).  The pizza here is the kind you fold in half to eat.  Now if you wanna talk the Grandma's Pizza that I recently discovered back here that is a different story (and remember that I lived here for 23 years before moving away for 23 years...not sure how this style popped up in between but I love it).

[Trooper]

I gotta back up a bit on my comments about Chicago Style Pizza. The stuff I  can't handle is Chicago's way of doing a deep dish. The last attempt, (downtown) was awful.

Not on the south-side, where we would get a thin somewhat crispy crust pizza - cut into squares that was sensational. We are about 2:45 out of the south-side of Chicago. My family and relatives would travel on a afternoon to the south-side, (Giovanni's on Sibley Blvd), and then drive back home after pizza. Worth every bit of it.
So there is very significant difference in the thin crust variety that I would get on the south-side and the thick round pizza that looked like a baked cheesecake.

[Bentley]

My experience is just the opposite, you fold NY, you are not gonna fold Me n Ed's or most Neo I have ever had...Will have to try this thin crust Chicago style, never knew it existed!

I know 00, no idea what NY uses and it is always about the water...so Iam sure you are spot on on that...Not sure how to articulate it, but I am not a "bread" type pizza eater!

New York is typically high gluten flour, and cooked around 600 degrees. The high gluten flour gives it an entirely different texture. It also has a less pronounced Rim, and is more crispy and firm than neo.

Neo is 00 flour, cooked 750+ . Has a puffy Rim, and is usually a little floppier than NY.

There are plenty of differences between the two, but the base flour is the main one in my opinion.

[Trooper]

For this project - its all about the dough/crust.
I'll be using KAF bread flour, because that, and all-purpose flour is all I have.
The cheese. toppings, and sauce will all fall into place.
The crust is where I crashed on the initial attempt,

Oh by the way, FMT, your deep dish crust looks EXCELLENT.

[Free Mr. Tony]

My experience is just the opposite, you fold NY, you are not gonna fold Me n Ed's or most Neo I have ever had...Will have to try this thin crust Chicago style, never knew it existed!

I know 00, no idea what NY uses and it is always about the water...so Iam sure you are spot on on that...Not sure how to articulate it, but I am not a "bread" type pizza eater!

New York is typically high gluten flour, and cooked around 600 degrees. The high gluten flour gives it an entirely different texture. It also has a less pronounced Rim, and is more crispy and firm than neo.

Neo is 00 flour, cooked 750+ . Has a puffy Rim, and is usually a little floppier than NY.

There are plenty of differences between the two, but the base flour is the main one in my opinion.

I think good ny is supposed to crunch when you slice it, crack but not break when you fold it. True neo is cooked super hot which you would think would increase crisp, but it's kind of the opposite. I've been to a few certified neo places, and have come to realize I like a neo/ny hybrid more than certified neo.

Chicago thin is also referred to as tavern style. It seems to be making a comeback, as it was kind of looked at as old school for a long time. It's thin and buttery crust, and often cut in squares. Google home run inn Chicago to see one of those.

There is also a version of Chicago thin that is built like a deep dish,  but with thinner crust. I posted awhile back on pelletheads with one of those.

My version of tavern style. 16 inch pie baked in pan. Hadn't cut the squares yet in the pic.


Thin Chicago built like deep dish. Sliced Mozz on bottom, sheet of raw sausage, sauce on top, parm sprinkle.




The bottom pic was probably one of my favorite pizzas I've ever made.

[Trooper]

Chicago thin is also referred to as tavern style. It seems to be making a comeback, as it was kind of looked at as old school for a long time. It's thin and buttery crust, and often cut in squares. Google home run inn Chicago to see one of those.

The lady and I will be hitting Chicago on a overnighter in a few weeks. She has not been to a HomeRunInn. I've been there once. It's on the agenda for a Friday evening with Lawry's on tap for Saturday eve.

[Free Mr. Tony]

Chicago thin is also referred to as tavern style. It seems to be making a comeback, as it was kind of looked at as old school for a long time. It's thin and buttery crust, and often cut in squares. Google home run inn Chicago to see one of those.

The lady and I will be hitting Chicago on a overnighter in a few weeks. She has not been to a HomeRunInn. I've been there once. It's on the agenda for a Friday evening with Lawry's on tap for Saturday eve.

For your anniversary? I know the royal was your anniversary one year, so the timing would be about right in a few weeks for the old royal time frame. Have fun. My aunt used to live there right downtown, so I've spent a fair amount of time in the city.

[SmokinHandyman]

Bently, it does look like from you photos you salvage the good part. THE TOPPINGS!

[Bentley]

I did do that.

[Free Mr. Tony]

Begs the question, is your definition of thin crust NY style or is it Neapolitan like mine...I hear people say NY is thin crust...The two times I have had it in NY, 202 and 2004 it is not even close for me. 

Was a place in Fresno, and now the whole Central & Southern San Joaquin Valley, called Me n Ed's, different ownership now then 40 years ago when I was in High School.  Not a true Neapolitan, but close.  3 item, Linguica (sp), Pepperoni and Sausage, best pizza I have ever eaten.  2nd best was a place called Double Play Pizza in Camarillo, CA!

Very thin cracker crust pizza with a garlic sauce is it for me, will eat others, but its about the toppings and crust for me!

Bentley, I was re-reading some of this thread. I mis-read this originally, and never really answered your question.  To me, no ny would not be thin crust. Based on being from the Midwest, I would think cracker style when I think thin. Tavern like I talked about above, or an even drier version like pizza hut thin.  I would consider ny more like hand tossed. Thin I would define as rolled out,  or ran through a sheeter.

[LowSlowJoe]

Personally,  I've never had detroit style pizza. Main thing I know is cheese gets burnt on the edges,  as it's cooked in blue steel pan.

[Bentley]

I think there is a chance with all the folks I know in what I call the Great Lakes area and that includes Minn.  I might make it to the Chicago area again...will have to look for both this Chicago thin and Tavern and now I need to get to Detroit, just because I have never been, I now want to try this style pizza and I want to go to both American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island as I am now learning (always debatable I guess) that the Coney Dog, which is basically a chili dog was invented in Detroit...

I am thinking, have one, move next door, try another, then back over again...I am gonna say 4 to 6 should be enough to figure out which is better!

[Bar-B-Lew]

I think I have been to the American Coney when I was working out that way 14 years ago.  Hopefully, I am in Chicago for work when you visit again.

[Trooper]

now I need to get to Detroit, just because I have never been, I now want to try this style pizza

I will meet you there, comrade.
We will go to a north suburb - Hazel Park and go to Louie's on Dequindre. Or we can do a pizza crawl in the Detroit area. Or we can have some at my house.
But I haven't nailed it quite yet.

It's the crust as always. Flavor was wonderful but the crust was somewhat tuff. Went in tonight at 500f on a stone and cut the time back to 12 minutes.
I don't really know what to do to remedy. Did I knead it too long? Was it still cooked too long? Should I have gone longer? I have no expertise in this matter.

Out of the pit and "resting".


On the cutting board and getting ready for slicing serving


The pizza had been assembled in somewhat of a Detroit style. Pepperoni both under the cheese and on top. I kept the left side as is and added other toppings to the right side of the pizza. (Onions, Italian sausage, green pepper) I spooned on a small amount of sauce before cooking and added more sauce once on my plate.
Basically this was all just experimenting and it further confirmed that I really don't know what I'm doing most of the time.

[Free Mr. Tony]

Come through Fort Wayne on your way, and I will buy you as many coneys as you can eat. People allegedly drive from Indianapolis, buy 12, then eat them all the way back to Indianapolis. I work about a block and a half from it, and maybe eat it once a year. They are good, but the place makes you smell like something you have never witnessed before. Bring a change of clothes.