A baking stone is a portable cooking surface used in baking. It may be made of ceramic, stone or, more recently, salt. Food is put on the stone, which is then placed in an oven, though sometimes the stone is heated first. Baking stones are used much like cookie sheets but may absorb additional moisture for crispier food. A pizza stone is a baking stone designed for cooking pizza.
Do you really need a pizza stone? A pizza stone is not "necessary", but it's a plus. ... However, a good old stone oven pizza stone does wonders for crust development because, unlike a baking sheet, it's thoroughly heated before the cordierite pizza stone is placed upon it. Not that you can't preheat a baking sheet; you certainly can.
Convenience Rate
A pizza stone and baking sheet are the same in size and shape. You can build the pizza base on stone and then place it inside the oven. The stone is already heated, and when you start building the pizza on it, the crust part makes it perfect for basic use that’s why you can find it highly reliable as well as better to use. Keep it in mind that we are talking about convenience so we can’t take a biased decision.
When you use a baking sheet, you can quickly build the base and start baking inside the oven. Both require the same method, but you don’t have to preheat as the stone requires. Otherwise, pizza stone requires pizza peeling tool and lots of effort. So, the verdict is, a baking sheet can provide a better convenience rate, and it doesn’t feel that heavy and sticky during the use that’s why it is better for beginners and intermediates.
Baking Skills required beginning
Considering that a baking sheet is commonly used utensil in every home, it is also the most versatile and it is known for the ease with the baking purpose. You just have to build the pizza on a baking sheet and then you need to bake it perfectly. The required skill level is not that high. Just a beginner can get used to the method and it won’t be causing many issues with the usability.
If you consider pizza stone then there is a need for higher experience and most of the intermediate and experts prefer it for crisp taste. So, the pizza stone takes time and you have to be making a habit of preheating the pizza stone at a specific temperature and then building pizza on it. Otherwise, you can’t bake a pizza and forgetting the preheating part will make you spend extra time on the whole process.
Taste Difference
It is totally a personal preference but we will say that pizza stones work perfectly for a thick base and they can provide impressive crust while cooking. They may be hard to use but the taste will be finger-licking. If you try the same method and prepare the same pizza on the baking sheet then you will find a difference in the crust and it will matter a lot with the taste.
So if you want a better taste with a thick pizza crust, you can easily rely on the use of pizza stones. They are highly reliable and if you want better taste with thin pizza then you can go with the pizza baking sheet. They do a great job and they are highly durable that’s why you can find it better in terms of investment because the product will last for years.
Ceramic vs. Steel Pizza Stones
If you want to cook just pizza, steel is most likely the way to go, especially if you like ultra-thin crust pies, like the Neapolitan-style. Because steel conducts heat better, it can cook pizzas more quickly than a ceramic can, not to mention give your pies the nice browning you want on the bottom. If you're looking to use the pizza stone on the grill, heavy-duty steel will handle the heat no problem (although most steel pizza rounds don't come with handles, so grill mitts will be a necessity.) Another note: Baking steels tend to be mighty heavy, so if you're not ready to be lifting and swinging 15 or more pounds, steel is out.
If you're looking for a versatile, lightweight pizza stone that you can use for pizza and beyond, then a stone option is a better bet. A ceramic stone distributes heat more moderately, and gives everything from pizza pies to regular pie crusts, just the right crispiness, and flakiness, without burning. Cordierite clay, in particular, is great for pizza stones because it's extremely durable and heat tolerant, and can usually be used on the grill too.
How to use a pizza stone?
You have the dough, the sauces, the cheese, the toppings, and the pizza stone.
If you've never used a pizza stone before, here are the steps to follow.
1. Step One: First, place the pizza stone in your cold oven.
2. Step Two: Next, preheat the oven to approximately 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the oven preheat completely and wait another 5 minutes to allow the stone to become very hot.
3. Step Three: Once the stone is nice and hot, take it out of the oven (I usually put it on the stove) and quickly build your pizza on top of the stone. As soon as the dough touches the stone, it will start to cook, so move quickly. Another option: build your pizza while your stone is heating and slide it into the stone with a pizza peel.
4. Step Four: After about 10 minutes, your pizza will be ready. Check the bottom to make sure the dough is crispy. Place the pizza on a slicing board. The stone will dull your pizza cutter.
5. Step Five: Let the stone cool off and scrub it with warm water and a sponge, avoid using soap. That’s it!
What is the best size for the pizza stone ?
This is probably one of the most important elements when choosing a pizza stone. The key to what size you should choose is, of course, the size of your oven.
A conventional oven doesn't reach the really high temperatures required to produce an authentic wood-fired result. When it comes to shape, that's why we generally prefer rectangular pizza stones. To get the stone to reach an authentic wood-fired temperature it helps if it is as tight a fit as possible into your oven. If possible you want the stone to be touching the sides of your oven which allows it to heat up quicker and retain the heat longer. Obviously, make sure it's not so tight a fit that you can't remove the stone from your oven. The effect is slight but in our opinion can make a difference. So we kinda covered this a little bit above. They tend to come in either square, rectangular or round shapes. We like to get a really tight fit into the oven as mentioned above so, for this reason, we tend to prefer the rectangular shaped ones.
How to Use a Pizza Stone ?
Ready to Bake
Ready to Grill
Just like when you bake, you want to pre-heat your stone before grilling. Place it on a cold grill, close the top, and heat on a medium flame. Then follow the baking instructions, using a peel to slide the pie on and off. If you can safely transfer your stone to your table, it makes for a beautiful serving piece (don’t forget your trivets).
After you’ve perfected your technique, the sky’s the limit. Try your hand at the deep dish, Neopolitan and thin-crust. Play with toppings, from red pizzas to white to experimenting with different varieties of cheese. Make your own chile and garlic oils for drizzling on top of piping hot pies.
Founded in 1996, Shengye Refractory Material Co., Ltd. is one of the largest pizza stone and grill stone manufacturer in China.
After years of good management and with the expansion of business, Shengye has gained a reliable and elite name in pizza stone and grill stone manufacturing by providing high quality goods, excellent service and competitive price. We also build stable and long-term relationship with many customers and buyers at home and abroad.Our goods are very popular in North America,Europe,Australia,Korea,Japan,Mid-East,as well as at home.
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