Pizza Stones

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Somebunny

Executive Chef
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
2,537
Location
Blaine, Washington
I am in search of a good inexpensive pizza stone for the grill. We intend to use it on a smaller grill when we go RVing. I own two large rectangle stones, one I use for pizza and the other for artisan breads. One is a Pampered Chef stone and the other one is from a company called Cookin'. (I don't think they are in business anymore, they were a home sale business like PC) both of them are good heavy stones. I will need a stone that is no larger than 13". Does anyone have a particular brand that they would recommend?
 
I don't believe a particular brand will make any difference in crispness, or effect the flavor of a pizza. Get whatever physically fits your grill or oven.
 
I love my pizza stone (pampered chef), but I wish I knew what brand my DIL has. It never seasoned properly. Don't know why.
 
I did as Alton Brown suggests and got a case of unglazed quarry stone. I think I got it from Lowes. You can get them in 12 inch or six inch squares. The whole case cost around 30 dollars when I bought it. I got the smaller squares and have covered the whole bottom of my oven with them. I still have enough left to do it again some day if the need should arise. They work like a dream and I can make any size pizza or bread that will fit in my oven. Cheaper than any pizza stone I have ever see on the market.
 
First, a pizza stone doesn't require seasoning. All it requires is a wiping down with a damp cloth to remove any dust particles.

Second, quarry tiles, unless you do your research, may contain poisonous lead. And lining the bottom of a regular oven with tiles is problematic at best, because many have an irregular, sheet steel pressed bottom that will not hold tiles evenly.

And third, a 17" pizza stone (medium pizza size) can easily be purchased in any kitchen store for under $20, and it even comes with a steel rack with handles for removal. I've never found it too small for any purpose, even baking artisan bread.

I suggest you stick with something already designed for that use - baking pizza. Just a little looking will give you satisfactory results at an inexpensive price.
 
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After cracking, (just from heat) 3 or more stones. I decited to spend a little more money and get a good one. I've had mine for about 10 years now. I cook lots of pizza @ 550* As hot as my oven will get , and have had no problems.
They cost about $50 now. Look under the FibraMent website to veiw.
 
I was considering using several 4 x 6 x1 inch brick pavers large enough to do the job.
Wouldn't that work ?
 
You can buy individual unglazed stoned from an opened box. They are cheaper to buy singular than a whole box. You don't want to cover the whole bottom. It will affect your heating element. Just buy enough for a large size pizza. About 15 inches.
 
I also thought a pizza stone was a pizza stone, and I never had a problem with them cracking until, interestingly, I started using them right.

You really should crank your oven to 450 or more, and then preheat at least an hour so the stone can be roaring hot. This is the kind of surface you need to bake pizza crusts at home so you have a nice, slightly crisp bottom and a perfectly cooked top. Unfortunately, this stress tends to crack cheaper ones. Then again, since they are fairly cheap and are hard to wash, I don't mind buying a new one every so often.

Unless someday my wife lets me drop a few grand on a gas Blodgett or Baker's Pride pizza oven. LOL, fat chance.
 
I've been lucky I guess. I set my oven at 550 for pizza and haven't cracked my cheapo stones yet, but I'm sure that it is just a matter of time, I don't treat them very well...
 
I am in your corner bakechef. If it requires special care, then I don't want it. I don't have the patience to handle with care. I bought it, I paid for it and I want to be able to use it without restrictions. That's why I quit buying non-stick pans. I was given by my son some restaurant aluminum heavy duty skillets . They take all the abuse I give them and my food never sticks. I do keep my equipment clean and covered.
 
Pizza stone

Hi,
My local cookware shop suggests keeping the pizza stone on the bottom of the oven and not putting the actual pizza on it,but baking the pizza on a rack above it. What do you think?
 
Hi,
My local cookware shop suggests keeping the pizza stone on the bottom of the oven and not putting the actual pizza on it,but baking the pizza on a rack above it. What do you think?

I think your little shop doesn't know what it is talking about. Through use of putting the pizza directly on the stone, your stone is going to become stained, dirty looking, etc. All that is called character. And character is what is going to give your pizza flavor. You don't get flavor from ss racks. :chef:
 
The whole purpose of the stone is to create a crisp crust on your pizza, the stone is preheated, and maintains that heat helping cook the pizza quickly and evaporating moisture from the dough rapidly, it would make no sense at all to use a stone in the oven and then not set a pizza directly on it.

The local cookware shop is confused.
 
I got gifted a pizza stone when a friend moved. I had one years ago. Do I have to soak it in water before I use it in the oven? Do I put the rack in the oven and then the pizza stone on top?
 
Wetting a pizza stone is not necessary and will probably reduce its effectiveness. It will not heat to full temperature until all the water has evaporated. Just place the stone on an oven rack, preheat, and cook the pizza right on the surface of the stone. Assembling the pizza on some parchment paper may make the transfer to the stone easier and will not seriously impair bottom browning.

Where the stone is placed in the oven can significantly affect pizza quality. Many techniques call for stone placement low in the oven, but you may have better success with balanced browning by mimicking the low overhead of a professional pizza oven and placing the stone in upper third of the oven. It will significantly improve top browning by making the pizza accessible to reflected radiant heat from the top and walls of the oven..
 
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