Storing Pizza dough.

[Shani]

I figured this was the best place to ask....
I normally make pizza dough and use it straight away but we are having friends over tomorrow night and pizza is the plan, but we are also out all day tomorrow so I don't have time to make all the dough when I get home so I want to make it tonight and just roll it out and cook it tomorrow with the toppings.

Is it ok to freeze pizza dough to use later? I read somewhere you can keep it in the fridge for a couple of days then use it but the yeast starts to ferment making your pizza smell a bit of beer (I seriously hate beer so that's just a huge turnoff) so would freezing be a better option?

Thanks
Shani

 

[kadesma]

Shani, put it in a zip lock baggie and toss it in the refrigerator..If you don't use it tomorrow just pop it in the freezer..I leave mine several days and it's fine..I just take it out at least 1/2 an hour before I pat it onto my pizza stone dish and it works great..
kadesma

 

[Shani]

So it doesn't small all beery then? Great! Thanks!

 

[Wart]

My best pizzas reek of beer after letting them age in the cooler for a few days.

After cooking and in the eating they don't taste like beer.

So if you catch the odor of beer don't let it put you off.

 

[Shani]

Do they still smell of it when they are cooked?
Honestly that smell makes me want to gag

 

[VeraBlue]

I currently have about 25 dough balls in the freezer....freeze it. It takes about 3 hours to defrost. Put it into plastic wrap before it rises. When it defrosts, let it rise as you normally would, then shape it.

 

[GotGarlic]

Or start using this method: No Knead Pizza Dough: Pear and Gorgonzola Flatbread with Baby Arugula and Shaved Parmesan

It makes four pizzas and keeps in the fridge for up to 12 days. HTH.

 

[JPolito830]

I just freeze mine as well...Seems like you best bet, as long as you take it out 3-4 hours before using.

 

[Wart]

Do they still smell of it when they are cooked?

Not that I can tell.

Doesn't smell or taste like fresh dough made that day but then its not suppose to.

 

[philso]

I usually make a huge batch of pizza dough, put it in a plastic shopping bag i the fridge, and use it for over a week, maybe even 10 days or so. in my opinion, using it the same day gives the worst results, likehaing pizza topings on top of a piece of bread. i like the consistency much better 3 or 4 days down the line. i've never thought that it smelled like beer. it all depends on the type of crust you like. i prefer the main body of the pizza to have a thin crust, but with the rim to be quite thick, having some large bubbles, rather than being more evenly grained like a loaf of bread. personal preferance

 

[DaveSoMD]

I actually buy mine frozen from a small local store that makes their own homemade dough and sauce. I take the dough out in the morning before work and put it in a oiled bowl cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge until I get home from work then let the bowl sit on the top of the fridge until I am ready to make the pizza.

 

[Russellkhan]

Dough freezes well, but for one day you're better off keeping it in the fridge. The flavor will improve with a day in the fridge, and that is not enough time to give it a beery smell. From my experience, doughs don't start to get a beery smell unless they overrise and the yeast dies. This is not likely to happen overnight in the fridge.

I know of many pizza bakers who will not even consider using pizza dough on the first day that it is made - it needs time to let the flavors develop.

Russ

 

[mcnerd]

I usually make a huge batch of pizza dough, put it in a plastic shopping bag

I hope you realize that a plastic shopping bag is not "food grade" and chemicals from it are probably leeching into the dough. Of course that may give it flavor.