Cooking pizza on a stone makes the proper crispy-chewy pizza crust! I’m sharing my years of testing that will help you get pizzeria-quality outcomes utilizing a pizza stone in your house oven.
After a decade of testing pizza recipes and a number of journeys to Italy, I’ve realized there’s one instrument that you must make next-level pizza in a house oven: a pizza stone! I’ll admit it, even after years of expertise I nonetheless get a bit of nervous transferring my dough to the blazing sizzling stone.
However right here’s the factor: utilizing a pizza stone is the one solution to obtain that excellent crispy on the surface, chewy on the within pizza crust. Out of doors pizza ovens are costly, so at round $35, a pizza stone is a steal for a do-it-yourself margherita pizza that tastes prefer it’s straight out of Naples!
Why Cooking Pizza on a Stone Works
Ever questioned why pizzeria pizza has that signature snap whereas do-it-yourself pizza crust can style dense and smooth? The reply lies in moisture and temperature. House ovens entice steam, which is the enemy of a crisp crust. House ovens additionally solely attain 500°F, whereas wood-fired ovens can attain temperatures of 900°F to 1000°F.
A pizza stone is porous. Whenever you add do-it-yourself pizza dough onto a blazing sizzling floor, the stone absorbs moisture from the dough whereas concurrently blasting it with saved warmth. This creates the “leoparding” (charred spots) on the underside of the crust. It turns your house oven into one thing extra like an out of doors pizza oven.
What’s The Finest Pizza Stone?
I take advantage of this pizza stone, and it’s held up very effectively over time. Simply be certain that by no means to position a chilly pizza stone in a sizzling oven or to submerge it in water. Decrease motion and dealing with of the stone and solely transport it when it’s room temperature.
Preheat, Then Preheat Extra
One mistake I see house cooks make with a pizza stone not preheating lengthy sufficient. Ceramic takes a very long time to soak up warmth. I like to recommend inserting your stone in a chilly oven after which setting the temperature as excessive as it would go (often 500°F or 550°F).
As soon as the oven hits that temperature, let it sit for no less than one other 30 to 45 minutes. You need that stone saturated with warmth in order that once you add the chilly dough, it doesn’t lose temperature.
Vital tip: By no means add a chilly pizza stone to a preheated oven as a result of the pizza stone will crack.
Suggestions for The Switch
Getting the pizza from the counter to the stone is the half that scares most individuals (together with me!). You want a pizza peel for this. In case you don’t have one, a rimless baking sheet can work in a pinch, however a peel is well worth the funding.
I like this commonplace pizza peel, however my precise favourite pizza peel is that this conveyor pizza peel. It makes it really easy to slip the pizza proper onto the stone (although it’s a bit dearer).
To forestall sticking, I take advantage of semolina flour on the peel reasonably than cornmeal. Cornmeal can burn and smoke at excessive temperatures, whereas semolina doesn’t and helps the dough slide proper off.
Vital tip: Do the “shimmy” take a look at earlier than topping. Earlier than you add toppings like pizza sauce or cheese, give the peel a delicate shake. If the dough slides freely, you’ll be able to add toppings. If it sticks, elevate up the sting of the dough and toss a bit of extra semolina flour beneath.
The way to Cook dinner a Pizza on a Stone: Step-by-Step
Able to bake? Right here is my workflow for the proper pie:
- Place Rack: Place a rack within the middle of the oven. Place the pizza stone on the rack.
- Preheat the Stone: Flip your oven to its highest setting (500°F or increased) and let the stone warmth up for no less than 45 to 60 minutes.
- Prep the Pizza: Stretch your dough on a peel dusted with semolina flour. Add your pizza toppings, however go mild! Heavy toppings could make it tougher to slip.
- Switch: Open the oven door and place the tip of the peel close to the again of the stone. With a assured, fast movement, jerk the peel again so the pizza slides onto the stone. (In case you’re utilizing a conveyor peel, gently pull again the conveyor.)
- Bake: Bake for five to 7 minutes.
- Cool: Use the peel to take away the pizza: in a fast movement, slide the peel underneath the pizza, then take away it from the oven. (For the conveyor, gently pull out the pizza utilizing the conveyor). Let it relaxation on a wire rack for a minute so the steam can escape.
Caring for Your Stone
One factor that you must know: that pizza stone goes to get ugly. That’s factor: a well-used stone ought to look darkish and noticed.
To wash a pizza stone, by no means use cleaning soap. As a result of it’s porous, it would soak up the cleaning soap which might have an effect on the flavour. For a full information on upkeep, take a look at my put up on The way to Clear a Pizza Stone. Usually, bringing it to room temperature, scraping off burnt bits, and wiping it with a moist material is all you want.
Troubleshooting Frequent Points
- My pizza received caught to the peel: Attempt lifting the sting and including a handful of semolina flour underneath the caught spot.
- My stone cracked: This occurs to the very best of us: I’ve gone by a number of pizza stones! Pizza stones crack often attributable to “thermal shock.” By no means put a chilly stone in a sizzling oven! All the time let it warmth up and funky down with the oven. Additionally by no means put a pizza stone on a grill (I’ve additionally tried this, and it instantly broke).
- The toppings are burning however the crust shouldn’t be cooked: This often means the stone wasn’t sizzling sufficient. Subsequent time, preheat longer!
Finest Pizza on a Pizza Stone
Right here’s find out how to make pizza on a pizza stone! This do-it-yourself pizza dough baking on a blazing sizzling stone makes restaurant-quality outcomes.
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Relaxation Time: 45 minutes
- Cook dinner Time: 7 minutes
- Whole Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
- Yield: 1 pizza 1x
- Class: Pizza
- Methodology: Baked
- Delicacies: Italian
- Eating regimen: Vegetarian
- 1 ball Selfmade Pizza Dough*
- ⅓ cup Simple Pizza Sauce**
- 2 to 3 ounces contemporary mozzarella cheese (or about ¾ cup shredded mozzarella)
- Parmesan cheese, for topping (non-obligatory)
- Kosher salt
- 2 basil leaves
- Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel
- Make the Dough: Make my Selfmade Pizza Dough recipe.
- Place Rack: Place a rack within the middle of the oven. Place the pizza stone on the rack.
- Preheat the Stone: Flip your oven to its highest setting (500°F or increased) and let the stone warmth up for no less than 45 to 60 minutes.
- Prep the Toppings: Slice the mozzarella into ¼ inch thick items. If it’s watery (all manufacturers range), permit it to sit down on a paper towel for quarter-hour, then dab the mozzarella with the paper towel to take away any further moisture.
- Prep the Pizza: Stretch your dough and place it on a peel dusted with semolina flour (see The way to Stretch Pizza Dough). Unfold the pizza sauce throughout the dough. Prime with the mozzarella cheese. Add a skinny layer of contemporary grated Parmesan cheese and some pinches of kosher salt.
- Switch: Open the oven door and place the tip of the peel close to the again of the stone. With a assured, fast movement, jerk the peel again so the pizza slides onto the stone. (In case you’re utilizing a conveyor peel, gently pull again the conveyor.)
- Bake: Bake for five to 7 minutes.
- Cool: Use the peel to take away the pizza: in a fast movement, slide the peel underneath the pizza, then take away it from the oven. (For the conveyor, gently pull out the pizza utilizing the conveyor.) Let it relaxation on a wire rack for a minute so the steam can escape. Add the basil leaves, slice into items, and serve.
