A pizza stone is a type of baking stone specifically used to make pizza. It is usually a round piece of porous material, like cast iron, ceramic, or stone, that can be put in a regular oven. A pizza stone works by absorbing heat and using it to cook your pizza quickly,, similar to traditional brick pizza ovens. The stone slab lets air into your dough while exposing it to high temperatures. This bakes the dough from the bottom up, making it crispier than a traditional baking sheet or pizza pan.
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How to use a pizza stone?
Before you use your pizza stone for the first time, it’s a good idea to read up on the proper way. Misusing a pizza stone can potentially damage it (even crack it) or yield an improperly cooked pizza. Here is a step-by-step guide on using a pizza stone to make the perfect pizza with a crispy, toothsome crust.
1. Preheat your stone- If you want your home oven to be as hot as a pizzeria’s brick oven, you must heat your pizza stone properly. To do this, you need to confirm that your pizza stone is as hot as it can be before adding your pizza on top. To preheat your pizza stone, put it in the cold oven and turn the temperature up as high as it goes. (Most conventional ovens go to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.) Preheat your pizza stone for about an hour to allow it to absorb as much heat as possible.
2. Assemble your pizza- The best way to transfer your pizza onto your pizza stone is by using a pizza peel, the big wooden pizza spatula you see at pizza parlors. To help your pizza dough slip off your pizza peel, lightly dust it with semolina flour or cornmeal. Then, assemble your pizza on top of the pizza peel. You are using a wooden cutting board or rimless dish to make your pizza without a peel.
3. Place your pizza on your pizza stone- After your pizza baking stone has been preheating for an hour, carefully slide your pizza onto the hot stone using a pizza peel, paddle, or another method. Place the pizza in the hot oven. You can also use oven gloves to remove the oven rack and place your pizza safely.
4. Cook your pizza- Baking times will change depending on the size and heaviness of your pizza, but pizzas usually take between six and ten minutes to cook on a pizza stone. The cheese should have been slightly browned, and the crust should be golden brown for your pie to be considered done.
5. Take out your pizza- Turn off the oven, then use your pizza peel or other kitchen tools to remove the pizza from the stone.
6. Brush your stone- After you remove your pizza and the rock cools, brush it with a stone-safe scouring pad.
How do you clean a pizza?
Many people store their best pizza stones in the oven and never take them out because these kitchen tools shouldn’t be cleaned with the conventional soap-and-water method. The porous material of a pizza stone absorbs whatever comes into contact with it. Never use water and dish soap to clean a pizza stone. With that in mind, there is an unconventional yet straightforward way to clean a pizza stone that doesn’t even involve running it under a faucet.
1. Scrape away the residue- Make sure your pizza stone is at room temperature before cleaning it. Allow it to air dry on your counter outside of your pizza oven. After your rock has cooled, use a plastic spatula, bench scraper, stone brush, or other pan-safe scouring pad to remove any stuck-on grime or burned food gently. Move in a circle.
2. Wipe with a damp cloth- Use a soft cloth and a bit of hot water to dispel any remaining debris from the stone after you’ve scraped any of the initial cheese or pieces of food off of it.
3. Make a baking soda paste- You can use a baking soda/warm water paste to remove any stubborn stains you want to get off your pizza stone. Mix baking soda and warm water until it forms a paste, then use a cloth or toothbrush to apply it to colors in a circular motion. Wipe down the stone again with a damp cloth.
You may purchase pizza stones from various vendors, but always make sure the company is reliable. Instructions on how to use and maintain your pizza stone should be included. A pizza stone is ideal for your oven and comes in various shapes, including rectangles and circles, brilliantly colored glazed pieces, and plain slate sheets.
Buying guide for the best pizza stone
Material: There are four main types of pizza stone materials, carbon steel, stone, ceramic, and cast iron.
- High carbon steel is hefty and more expensive than other alternatives, but it cooks rapidly, maintains heat well, and produces a lovely crispy crust.
- Stone produces a lovely golden crust and is resilient and prone to breaking.
- Ceramic cooks a pizza to a golden brown color but is lightweight and inexpensive compared to the other materials.
- Cast iron retains heat well, perfect for consecutively cooking pizzas, but it is heavy and requires frequent seasoning.
Shape: Stones will either be round, rectangular, or square. Many rounded rocks have handles and are designed for serving, but the surface area for launching your pizza is smaller. A court or rectangular stone has more surface area covering the oven; This is great for baking other things besides pizza or teaching a novice how to put pizza on a rock.
Size: The weight of the stone increases with its size. If you plan to make individual 13″ pizzas, go for a pizza stone of at least 15″, providing you with more space to fit your pie.
Thickness: Thicker pizza stones keep heat better than thinner ones, but they are heavier and more expensive.
Here are the top 5 best pizza stones in India
Leifheit Rectangular Baking stone Pizza Stone , Ceramic baking stone Baguettes making stone with a wooden spatula
About this item
- Bakes items like pizza, baguettes, onion cakes, etc., similar to a stone oven
- Absorbs a great deal of heat and distributes it evenly again
- Moisture-absorbing for the particularly crispy bottom. 33 x 38 cm ceramic baking stone
- Baking Stone thickness 6.3 mm
- Includes wooden pizza peel for safely picking up, moving, and setting down the food. Made in Taiwan
Femora Carbon Steel Stone Ware Non-Stick Coated Pizza Plate
About this item
- Bakeware features: – Heavy-Duty Steel Rolled-Rim Bakeware construction provides years of long-lasting, warp-resistant baking performance.
- Non-stick coating for easy release: – Commercial I LAG Technology Non-stick Bakeware features an exclusive grade of dual-layer, diamond-quality non-stick finish. For the non-stick coating to function appropriately, baked goods must release and be simple to clean.
Hans Grill Pizza Stone Baking Stone for Pizzas use in Oven and Grill/BBQ Free Wooden Pizza Peel Rectangular Board 15 x 12 Inches Easy Handle Baking | Bake Grill, for Pies, Pastry Bread, Calzone
About this item
- Pizza stones for grill and oven | Our best pizza stone is formulated from toughened porous cordierite stone. FDA-safe and heat resistant up to 1112°f(600℃).
- Baking stone | Multiple-use set for Italian-style pizza, pies, pastry, frozen pizza, and calzone.
- Indoor or outdoor | The ideal stone pizza pan used in an oven or barbecue.
- Dine outside under the stars or inside where it’s warm and comfortable.
Weber Barbecue Stove BBQ Grill Pizza Stone
About this item
- Material: Ceramic, Color: Beige
- Package Contents: Gourmet
- Cordierite stone absorbs moisture for light and crispy thin-crust pizza
- It fits into the cooking grate of the gourmet barbecue system so that it remains in place during grilling.
Nordic Ware, Tan Pizza Stone Set
About this item
- Produce brick oven pizzas at home
- Stone heats evenly and absorbs moisture
- Produces a crispy, delicious crust
- Perfect for pizzas, calzones, flatbreads, and cookies
- Globally sourced
