Perfect Pizza Stone: Expert Tips for Choosing
Image by Lars Beulke from Pixabay
Homemade pizza is a pleasure for those who like cooking, or they’re lucky to have family members with culinary abilities. Nowadays, it’s very easy to make a pizza even if you haven’t done this before. The right ingredients and skillful fingers are not all that you need.
A proper pizza stone is what highlights the taste and makes a perfect crispy dough. Those tools you can find on the pizzaovenradar.com website, and here is a small guide on how to choose the best option for you.
Steel vs Stone
You may think that a pizza stone is used only to cook pizza. However, it’s a universal item. Besides pizza, you can also make bread, biscuits, pies, and anything you can come up with. But not all materials are suitable for this. In case you’re choosing a stone specifically for the homemade pizza, I recommend you considering a steel tool.
The metal stone heats up really quickly. Also, you can cook at low temperatures and still get fast results. Pizza tastes better when it has crispy dough outside and is a little wet inside. The steel stone provides this easily. But, it’s not fitting to cook most other dishes. It won’t break as a ceramic or stone item can, but it’s also heavier.
Many stone tools are made of cordierite ceramics. It is chosen by the manufacturers because it absorbs moisture, and its surface heats up smoothly. That’s why such tools are perfect for preparing diverse pieces of bread, scones, tarts, biscuits. They’re lightweight and easy to transfer. However, they require high temperatures and more time to heat up.
Round vs Rectangular
Some people prefer round stone because they have a classic design, and others choose a rectangular shape because it’s more convenient. Actually, it also depends on your oven type. The round stones are usually smaller. That’s why if you have a tiny oven, the rectangle tool is not suitable for you. You need to have at least one inch of free space between the stone and oven walls.
The rectangular stone allows you to maneuver your pizza easier. If you want to rotate the pie around to make it bake evenly, the round shape is not suitable for this. Also, a rectangular stone is perfect for bread cooking. Some people leave it inside the oven to protect the stone from breakage, and it’s not an obstacle to put other dishes on it.
Texture and Thickness
As I have noted before, the pizza tastes better with the crispy dough. And it depends on the stone texture. If the tool is too smooth, the air will hardly get under the dough – as a result, the moisture will be kept inside. That’s why the professionals prefer the stone with a little harsh surface.
The steel heats up faster, so if you choose a metal stone, it should have a ⅜ to ½ inch thickness. A ceramic one should be thicker. It will be ok with the ½ to ¾ inch height. Also, consider the stone weight – the heavier one will heat up longer and is not very comfortable. But it’s better to choose the medium weight of 8-10 lbs for ceramic stones and 6-8 lbs for metal.
Let’s Recap!
Before choosing a pizza stone, measure your oven size and think about what you want to cook on the tool. Then our guide will help you to find the most fitting option for you. After that, visit a pizzaovenradar.com site. There, you will find many diverse models for any taste – start your pizza cooking with a good mood and high–quality pizza stone!