Frozen Pizza.

Are there people other than me who dont like frozen pizza? The ONE and only frozen pizza that I can somewhat tolarate is the ones made at the local meat market. They use their own meats and ingredients. Otherwise they have to be fresh and never frozen or baked. Papa Murphys is a personal favorite. So is Luigis(A local pizzaria) or sometimes Piggly Wiggly.

I live in a pizza rich area, many fine choices. I recently picked up a couple of frozen pies from Trader Joe's for convience and must say they were very good and the price was right. I'd purchace them again with out hesitation. Chow Jim

sometimes i can get into a frozen pizza... it helps if it's baked properly. a stone is nice but i've found that if a stone isn't available, a standard aluminum pizza screen works better than a solid pan and keeps the oven clean.

tombstone, red baron or tony's. the standard cardboard crust versions, i've never had a so-called rising crust frozen pizza bake properly in my oven....

quote:

Originally posted by Jimeats

I live in a pizza rich area, many fine choices. I recently picked up a couple of frozen pies from Trader Joe's for convience and must say they were very good and the price was right. I'd purchace them again with out hesitation. Chow Jim

i've never had a bad product from trader joe's, but i've never tried their pizza... i love the chicken enchiladas though

try the rising crust 4 cheese version of Red Baron- and bake on a stone- add your own fresh ingedients- like peppers, tomatoes, onion, sausage or hamburger meat, a little fresh garlic rubbed on the exposed crust- it's a pretty fair inmitation of a pizzeria pizza. Since we live in Texas, pizza that's good is hard to come by- when we first moved here over 20 years ago from NY, we discovered that most Texans idea of a good pizza was Chucky Cheese-UGH! So we made our own from scatch for a while- but using the REd Baron isn't as time consuming.

quote:

Originally posted by mland520

"Since we live in Texas, pizza that's good is hard to come by- when we first moved here over 20 years ago from NY, we discovered that most Texans idea of a good pizza was Chucky Cheese-UGH! So we made our own from scatch for a while- but using the REd Baron isn't as time consuming."

Since many of the folks over on the chili thread were recently extolling the virtures of putting everything from poultry to BEANS in our national dish, taking a nice big bite out of a Chucky Cheese pizza is a form of poetic justice!

We like Trader Joe's Olympia pizza but always add a little more goat cheese and garlic. We live in an area rich with many good mom & pop pizza places so the Greek pizza is just for a lazy night and don't want a big meal.

Is Tree Tavern pizza still made? To me, they were the best of an otherwise uninspired brand of food, but that was in New Jersey. In New Mexico, you can't locate Tree Tavern.

Tree Tavern is still made, but with an entirely different recipe. Not as good as it was!

If you can't find Tree Tavern in your supermarket, you'll find you are in the same ballpark, or at least same frozen food plant with these:
http://www.betzios.com/privatelabelproducts.html

Wink wink, nudge nudge, Say No More.
I guess very few products taste the same after 50 years and several plant relocations.

Interesting David.....
I remember Victory Markets in Marlboro, MA.
And Shaws and Stop N Shop in Maine..
I see they even make Kosher private label pizza.

Peppy's Pizza out of Montgomery NY. Very good if cooked properly in a home oven on a stone or better yet in a pizza oven.

Matt

I like Betzios & thought it to be pretty close to the original Ellios (not the Mccain crap that's out today). Guess my taste buds were right. Here's the bio from the Betzios site:


Elias Betzios was born in Epirus, Greece. He is a graduate of Athens Engineering School. He emigrated from Greece to the Unted States in 1955 and settled in New York City. There he pursued his career as a machine designer/engineer which he continued successfully for eight years, working for several engineering companies in New York City.

Through a mix of creativity and good business sense, he has managed to successfully carve his niche in the frozen food market not once, but twice. In 1963 he created a frozen brand name (Ellio's Pizza) which, 37 years later, is still very much a household name.

In the mid 1980's the Betzio's brothers made the business a family affair together with Elias' sons Steven and Demetri. Beginning in 1994, the family decided to venture back into the brand-name pizza market with BETZIO's Pizza creating a household brand name along with the private labels.

With so many pizza shops around our area, it's rare that a frozen pizza is purchased. But when there is, for me it is usually a Stouffer's French Bread "Deluxe" pizza.

JJ
(used to love Totino's too)

quote:

Originally posted by Joisey

I like Betzios & thought it to be pretty close to the original Ellios (not the Mccain crap that's out today). Guess my taste buds were right.

Good catch! I, too have found Betzio's closest to the old Ellio's that was around in my formative years -- guess that explains it.

Dunno if Betzio's makes it for the stores but Shaw's store brand (or maybe it's Stop-and-Shop -- it's been a while) is also very close.

Never mind, found the site you were referencing. It turns out Betzios makes private label pizza for BOTH Shaw's and Stop-and-Shop, as well as several others: http://www.betzios.com/privatelabelproducts.html

Frozen pizza used to be good. (For what it's worth). Years and years ago there was a brand around here called Mr. Chef which was almost like a pizzeria pizza. Then Tombstone USED to have the best sauce, and Red Baron USED to be the best in toppings. No more.. Toppings are about as thin as the crust now. If I have a pizza craving, and no time to doctor one up or toss my own, I go with the $1 Totinos. Seems like they're the best buy for the buck. As for the Self Rising pizzas, Freschetta has to be about the nastiest one out there (IMHO). Then DiGiorno is more crust then anything (And also thin on toppings now).

I grew up eating Tonys frozen pizzas. I used think it was the cats a$$. Then Digiorno came along and changed all that. I get the Supreme with the cheese in the crust. mmmm mmmmm mmmmm, aint nothing better. Well, for frozen that is.

I have no problems with the DiGiorno rising crust pizzas, either. They're not the same as that served by a pizzeria, but they taste OK to me. It does take a few tries to get the time/temp right for your particular oven, but once that's sorted out I've been fairly consistent.


Tom

I just received the new issue (Feb/Mar) of Cook's Country which is a first cousin of Cook's Illustrated. In it they have a short article on frozen pizza. They taste tested 9 pies and stayed from any toppings so they wouldn't confuse the issue; just cheese and sauce. It read "while frozen pizza is not going to fool anybody it's fresh" the 4 recommended according to their testing panel were:

• California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Crust Margherita 12.8 oz. $5.99
• Freschetta Ultra Thin Golden Baked 5-Cheese Pizza 12.8 oz. $6.29
• Tombstone Extra Cheese Original 20.5 oz. $5.19
• Amy's Cheese Pizza 13 oz. $3.99

They didn't much care for the DiGiorno. It finished in the 7 spot.

Has anyone tried frozen pizza when it is still frozen? Wierd as I can be, I actually like the taste (well a few bites anyway) Something about the frozen cheese and tomato sauce....O well....

how can you eat it? it would break your teeth.

quote:

Originally posted by MBFDFyre

how can you eat it? it would break your teeth.

Molars

I have never eaten a frozen pizza that I liked. They always look great in the froz. food section, but after cooking them and then after the first bite I'm mad at myself for buying one. I have tried adding extra cheese and other ingredients, but still no good.

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

Has anyone tried frozen pizza when it is still frozen? Wierd as I can be, I actually like the taste (well a few bites anyway) Something about the frozen cheese and tomato sauce....O well....

Ummm.. Ya..

I actually like Tombstone. I just view it as a different food group than regular pizza. I usually just go get a real pizza but sometimes a Tombstone just sounds good to me. They are best when cooked quite a bit longer than the recommended time so they get really brown. And for some reason I like to have them with a glass of milk.

I'm in DC and there is a brand called "Fox Deluxe" that makes a good pepperoni pizza.

Wow, eating pizza right out of the freezer, that's tough.

I'd like to see somebody doing that. Frozen pizza, all of them, seems to me to be "off". I agree that most brands are better slightly burnt.

I like totino's party pizza's

small enough for one person, easy enough for a quick snack.

Add some extras to it and it is not too bad.

We have tried all the various brands, none of them really stand out as the best. I just wish we had a real pizza place locally.

Some years ago I made my own frozen pizza's.

The trick is to use Compressed Yeast ("fresh" yeast) ... this would be the little yeast cakes found in the refrigerated section at supermarkets.
The compressed yeast rather than the foil packed "instant active dry yeast" (fast rise yeast) or regular "active dry" yeast ... works better to preserve the dough's ability to rise after it has been frozen.

A tip with fresh (compressed) yeast ... don't let fresh yeast come in contact with salt. Make sure you put the salt in your mixing bowl first and then put the flour on top - that way the moisture from the liquid you add does not create a salt-solution which will inundate the yeast culture. As you mix in the water which has the yeast dissolved in it (no sugar in that water), the liquid combines from the top down and becomes incorporated before the the salt is brought up into the mix from the bottom of the bowl and is kneeded through.
Also, use Kosher salt - the larger crystals will resist becoming as incorporated with the yeast as well.

When you are ready to do the final bake on one of these frozen pizzas, let the pizza come to room temperature so the yeast can get re-established and rise before going in the oven.

It's possible to make some *real* nice "rising crust" frozen pizzas when you make em yourself.

IMHO, for the money you spend on a frozen pizza, ya may as well go get a real pizza.

we have a pizzaz pizza cooker that works
really well on frozen pizzas.
we get the california pizza ovens
thin white pizza.

I used to love the Celentano's frozen pizza,that square pie with a little extra olive oil on top baked till the crust was a golden brown,was always a favorite,it's a shame that they left Verona,NJ.

Easiest, best pizza: I buy fresh pizza dough rounds from my local pizza shop. They have already "risen" and are cheap! $2.00 bucks each! I add my own cheeses and toppings and bake at 500 on a stone in my oven.
They come out just as good and crusty as the ones I would have to pay $12-15.00 for at the pizza shop.
And, I control the amount and type of cheeses and toppings. No more paying $1.00 each for additional toppings.
I usually buy 3-4 fresh dough rounds at a time. what I don't make right away, I freeze for another time.

Anyone know if Betzios is still around?  I have not sen them or the local store brands they made (shop rite, foodtown) in my area in some time.  Hoping they did not go out of business.

I don't really like frozen pizza, BUT, the best I've found is Home Run Inn.  No preservatives, and the crust has that "buttery" quality that you sometimes find in Chicago pizzas.  http://www.homeruninnpizza.com/frozen-pizza/
 
I used to love the Stouffer's French bread "pizzas," but they've changed the sauce and I don't care for it as much now.  My favorite version was the pepperoni and mushroom, which is not distributed in Minnesota, but which I could buy in South Carolina when I visited my father there. All I can find here is Deluxe and Pepperoni.

I haven't had Home Run Inn for years but I remember it being pretty good.  It's been a long time since I've seen it in the store, but that could just be related to which stores I shop at.

Believe it or not, Target brand pizza is pretty good.......
 

I've never met a frozen "pizza" i could love, or even say was "good"  I agree with the food guy, for what you pay for some frozen fast food "pizza"...add a few bucks and get the real thing(from a real Italian Pizzeria(not a chain). Or like twinwillow said...get real pizza dough...and do it yourself. I guess it takes all kinds. They make(and I presume sell) pre made frozen pancakes and egg sandwiches, and even pre cooked bacon slices...so I guess people will buy pre made and flash frozen pizza....don't get it...unless you live where real pizza isn't sold. My sister's nearest pizza is 20 miles away...and it's a Dominos(God!!). I understand,then, buying a frozen Pie. Here in the NorthEast, you're never far from the real thing!!!!!

Lately, I've been enjoying Wholefoods' "365" brand of frozen pizza. They're very good!
I like the Pepperoni and their Quattro Formaggi the best. Only, $4.99 each!

Believe it or not, my 9 and 11 year old grandsons like a plain cheese pizza from Food City for $1.00.  I have bought them more expensive pizza's before but they would not eat them.  I buy them  for their use but on occasion I use one and I kick them up a bunch of notches with a little more pizza sauce, green and jalapeno peppers, onions,  mozzerella cheese and pepperoni on top.  I have to bake them almost twice as long with a preheated oven at 425F.  I oil the bottom and they brown and get crispy very good.  They are not very big but two slices with a evening cocktail ain't bad.  The slices are not very large but they sorta make a great horse derver.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Try Corky's in Arlington. I'm from Rome NY, an Italian American community and Corky's is better than any I had there.

I had coupons for Digorno's, so I got 2. They are absolutely terrible. Regular price is about $7. I can get 10 slices of Ohio Valley style for that! That said, I love Tombstone pizzas. When I was a kid, my grandmother would make me a whole pie for a snack before dinner. You have to make the crust crunchy, but not burn the cheese. The Stouffer's French bread white pizzas are good too.

There's a local pizza shop here (Augustines) who sells frozen pizza in grocery stores and supposedly Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Sweet sauce, and it's pretty good. Odd crust, as its thick and flaky kind of like a deep dish, but not the same.

Weirdest cooking instructions I've ever seen though. I'm doing this by cooking it once, so it's probably a bit off. Thaw pizza, preheat oven to 400, put pizza on cookie sheet, pour olive oil on top, bake for 10 min, cut into slices, bake for 10 minutes longer.

One other thing. I was at a bar once where they made pizza burgers. Big deal right? Burger with mozzarella, sauce and pepperoni. This place used those frozen square slices as the bun for a plain burger. Toppings were added to the burger. It was very, very good!

big g in joisey


I used to love the Celentano's frozen pizza,that square pie with a little extra olive oil on top baked till the crust was a golden brown,was always a favorite,it's a shame that they left Verona,NJ.

I used to love Celentano products. Haven't seen them on the store shelves in years, though.
 
 
 
 

I'm no fan of frozen pizza, but occasionally I'll pick up a Home Run Inn or Stouffer's French Bread for dinner. These are the only two decent brands of frozen pizza I've found so far.