Pizza stone recommendations?

worktogthr · Mar 10, 2014

Been messing around with pizza lately and researching a lot of techniques with a pizza stone in the oven and on the grill. Someone had given me the pizza stone so I don't know about its heat resistance. Well I preheated the oven to. 550 with stone in it... Slid the pizza on... Waited 12 minutes, pulled out the pizza and it was perfect...only problem...pizza stone cracked right down the middle. Any one have a good recommendation for a stone that can withstand really high heat? I am considering messing around this spring with a raised pizza stone on some fire bricks in my weber gasser which can get up to almost 700 degrees.

Thanks!

shertim · Mar 10, 2014

I use mine on the grill all the time, with no problems, not sure what brand just from the local bbq shop, only thing they said was put in when it's cold and don't move until it is cold again, I use it at 220 to 230 Celsius

daveomak · Mar 11, 2014

worktogthr said:
Been messing around with pizza lately and researching a lot of techniques with a pizza stone in the oven and on the grill. Someone had given me the pizza stone so I don't know about its heat resistance. Well I preheated the oven to. 550 with stone in it... Slid the pizza on... Waited 12 minutes, pulled out the pizza and it was perfect...only problem...pizza stone cracked right down the middle. Any one have a good recommendation for a stone that can withstand really high heat? I am considering messing around this spring with a raised pizza stone on some fire bricks in my weber gasser which can get up to almost 700 degrees.

Thanks!

The stones will crack if you touch the hot stone with a cold metal tool....... No need to ask how I know that... and don't bother to ask Bride how I know that..... I still catch heck every time I put the NEW stone in the oven.....

Anyway, check out Kiln Shelves.... they take really high heat..... and I think they are cheaper.....

frog1369 · Mar 11, 2014

You might want to check these guys out, steel not stone. I owned a pizza shop in a previous life and swear by a good stone oven but I've been watching these for a while for home use and really considering it.

http://bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel/

I have a couple no names at home and a Pampered Chef one that was a gift. I've had that one to 550 and had no problems but I'm still thinking the steel one is in my future one day.

worktogthr · Mar 11, 2014

I followed all the safety instructions to avoid cracking...preheated te stone with the oven, only tool that made contact with it was the pizza peel which is wood. Haha figures the best pizza i have ever made cracks the stone...There is one on amazon that I found and the reviewers say they use it on their grills cranked up to 800-900 degrees to replicate wood fired oven temps...it's about 40 bucks which is a little more than I wanted to spend but if it works well than its worth it. I am thinking about a set up like this for the nicer weather...
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139009/homemade-pizza-on-the-grill-first-shot#post_1132165

donr · Mar 11, 2014

The pizza was relatively cold. That is probably what cracked it. Putting cold food onto a hot stone normally cracks them.

I used stone bar pans on the grill many times. One time I set a hot stone down on an oven mitt. It popped out an oven mitt shaped section out of the bottom of the pan. The insulative properties of the oven mitt didn't allow the stone to cool equally. I heard about that for month's until I finally found a replacement.

ernurse28 · Mar 25, 2014

I have a kamado joe grill and I use a stone made by Primo. I have a local dealer who ordered mine in for for about 70.00. Pricy but I've cooked pizzas @ 750 F and works great. I also use a metal pizza peal with no issues. Hope this helps!

unsell · Mar 31, 2014

Oh my gosh, the same thing happened to me last night. I heated oven to 550 according to pizza directions, used a Pampered Chef stone, and halfway through baking, about 5 minutes I heard a loud pop in the oven and sure enough, my stone broke in half. Did you find a stone to withstand high heat as I can't find one.

daveomak · Mar 31, 2014

Did you put the stone in a cold oven and then crank up the heat.....

worktogthr · Mar 31, 2014

I had it in the cold oven and it still cracked. I ordered this one from amazon and so far so good. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000E19MW/?tag=smokingmeatforums-20

duckybud · Apr 4, 2014

I have had very good luck just using an 18 x 18 unglazed floor tile from Home Depot, (I have heard the glazed ones have lead in the glaze} I have cracked 2 in a year, but at $5.00 each it is no big deal. The last one cracked when a drop of cold sauce hit it as I was putting a pizza in. I just put the new stone on top of the cracked one the last time and leave them in the oven all the time, that was over 6 months ago and it is still going strong. I can get 550 out of my oven and that is where I cook pizza. I do not wash the stone, just scrape it iff after it cools and it is ready to go.

Bud

LanceR · Apr 5, 2014

Those of you with cracked stones don't mention how long you preheated for but 30 minutes is a good starting point for protecting thestone and getting a crips crust. You need to really soak the heat in. Also, a thicker pizza will take more heat from the stone than a thin Neapolitan style and may make the stone more prone to cracking as the center cools more than the edges.

The stone needs to be bone dry too.

We bake a lot of pizza and, especially, artisan style breads. We've gone through a lot of stones looking for the durability we want. We havea nice thick one that has been really durable. I just checked and it was made by the T. I. Wan company. Somehow I don't think you'll find them online.....

On the recommendation of a friend I got a Lodge Pro-Logic cast iron pizza pan. They list for $60 but I odered it online from Wal-Mart and had it delivered to the local store for $39. It has worked really well for breads and pizzas.

I've never had it over 600 degrees but suspect that if it were preheated somewhat slowiy in a grill it would do just fine at any temperature your grill can stand. I wouldn't recomment tossing it in a hot grill.

Lance

worktogthr · Apr 5, 2014

LanceR said:
Those of you with cracked stones don't mention how long you preheated for but 30 minutes is a good starting point for protecting thestone and getting a crips crust. You need to really soak the heat in. Also, a thicker pizza will take more heat from the stone than a thin Neapolitan style and may make the stone more prone to cracking as the center cools more than the edges.

The stone needs to be bone dry too.

We bake a lot of pizza and, especially, artisan style breads. We've gone through a lot of stones looking for the durability we want. We havea nice thick one that has been really durable. I just checked and it was made by the T. I. Wan company. Somehow I don't think you'll find them online.....

On the recommendation of a friend I got a Lodge Pro-Logic cast iron pizza pan. They list for $60 but I odered it online from Wal-Mart and had it delivered to the local store for $39. It has worked really well for breads and pizzas.

I've never had it over 600 degrees but suspect that if it were preheated somewhat slowiy in a grill it would do just fine at any temperature your grill can stand. I wouldn't recomment tossing it in a hot grill.

Lance

The one I had that cracked was either given to me or left to me by my mom and I think she may have misused it (put it in a hot oven, washed it improperly, etc..). The reason I say this is because prior to it cracking I read up on avoiding cracking and preheated it with the oven for at least a half hour and it still cracked. So I think it was the combo of misuse and poor quality that did her in. The new one I ordered is great. Did pizza and calzones already and the crust was perfect.

mdboatbum · Apr 5, 2014

Get the Lodge 17" skillet. $65 on Amazon, so a bit more than a pizza stone, but it can also be used for other things unlike a pizza stone. It also won't crack. I put mine (a 12") on the bottom rack upside down and just slide the pizza on an off the bottom of the pan. It will give the very same mahogany charred crust. Any CI skillet will work, I just recommended the 17" because it's huge and doesn't have a long handle to get in the way. I do pizzas at 550˚ by the way, and haven't had any issues with the pan in 7 or so years.

timberjet · Apr 5, 2014

Mdboatbum said:
Get the Lodge 17" skillet. $65 on Amazon, so a bit more than a pizza stone, but it can also be used for other things unlike a pizza stone. It also won't crack. I put mine (a 12") on the bottom rack upside down and just slide the pizza on an off the bottom of the pan. It will give the very same mahogany charred crust. Any CI skillet will work, I just recommended the 17" because it's huge and doesn't have a long handle to get in the way. I do pizzas at 550˚ by the way, and haven't had any issues with the pan in 7 or so years.

I second this. Have been using the same one for years. I do a lot of deep dish too. can not beat it.

wy will · Apr 5, 2014

I use one that just says Huey Hang and Taiwan on it. I usually put it in the oven after the oven is already preheated. I do all of my biscuits, muffins, and even cookies on it. Never had a problem with it. I just seasoned it when it was new and never had any issues. I've had it for 10 or more years now.

tjkoko · Apr 8, 2014

I use a FIBRAMENT baking stone. And get the rectangular one, not round. That way you can bake more stuff with it.

worktogthr · Apr 8, 2014

That

Mdboatbum said:
Get the Lodge 17" skillet. $65 on Amazon, so a bit more than a pizza stone, but it can also be used for other things unlike a pizza stone. It also won't crack. I put mine (a 12") on the bottom rack upside down and just slide the pizza on an off the bottom of the pan. It will give the very same mahogany charred crust. Any CI skillet will work, I just recommended the 17" because it's huge and doesn't have a long handle to get in the way. I do pizzas at 550˚ by the way, and haven't had any issues with the pan in 7 or so years.

That thing is a monster! Must weigh a good amount. I like the idea of deep dish and thin crust being a possibility. My fellow New Yorkers might kill me but I think deep dish is awesome. I prefer Neapolitan style because that's what I am used to but my few deep dish experiences have been good ones. If the stone doesn't work out I will definitely look into that pan.

tjkoko · Apr 9, 2014

My first baking stone lasted 10 years until it cracked. It cracked because I subjected it to every kind of abuse known, including throwing ice onto it to produce steam. 8^0 And after four years of no abuse my Fibrament stone is holding up well.

Pizza stone recommendations?

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