Pizza stone recommendations?

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Thanks to +mdboatbum for the "bottom of the skillet" suggestion! I got a GMG Davy Crockett recently, and was thinking of getting a pizza steeI. Since I'm only cooking for one, I can now try it first by using the bottom of one of my my 10.5" Lodge skillets! I took out one of the two grates so the pan sits flat.

Great (grate?) suggestion!

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I've used a 16" x 1/4" round steel for a number of years now with no issue. 550 deg is the norm. The pizza sizzles when it hits after a 45 minute warm up. Found this on the auction site. I see they are now available 16x18 rectangle for around 30 bucks plus shipping.
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I've read there's an old saying: There are stones that crack, and stones that have yet to crack, because all stone's crack. I don't know if that's true or not.

I've been using an old Weber stone from the now defunct Red Sky Grilling Products for several years. It was designed for the 22.5" Weber Kettle, but after I read about it cracking, I only use it in the kitchen oven where I can control the warm-up, recovery after cooking a pizza, and the cool down. I've had it for several years. No cracks yet.

For the Weber I now use a 14" CI pizza pan as a "stone" in my Weber Kettle pizza attachment.

I use a 15" carbon steel paella pan in the WSM, no stone or CI pan. Take out the water pan, all vents full open, two full chimneys of hot RO Briquettes. I oil the paella pan really well, work the dough with my hands outside the pan, drape the dough in the pan, build the pizza, and in the WSM it goes. Takes 10-15 minutes compared to the Weber Kettle attachment, but works really well. You could probably do the same thing with any pizza pan.
 
I bought a pizza stone once, somewhat reluctantly, thinking "How long is this novelty going to last". It wasn't long, about 6 months before it cracked. It could have been a crappy stone, or pilot error, but it cracked none the less.

A few years ago I read about "The Baking Steel" and thought that it made much more sense than a stone. I believe I originally saw the steel on a Kickstarter deal at around $80, and I wasn't interested in getting involved in that. I did, however, contact a local metal fabricator and he cut me a 16"X16"X1/4" piece of carbon steel for $20. It was a little rough around the edges and in need of some minor cleaning and finishing, but that wasn't much. The bottom line is that it was about half the cost of the stone I bought and produces a far superior result. Also, it's obviously not going to crack or break.
 
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This is the one I use. I have used it on the gas grill and in my oven for a few years and it holds up great. The thing holds heat forever. If I pull it from a hot oven and set it on the stove I can't touch it for at least 30 minutes. One of the selling features for me was that it is dishwasher safe. Too bad it's too big to fit in my dishwasher. :) Cleanup is still easy even by hand. I picked it up on for a pretty good price at Bed Bath and Beyond using one of the 20% off coupons I get in the mail.
 
Just as a disclaimer... I am not a food scientists nor do I have the equipment to test if this is safe... BUT.

I use an UNGLAZED mexican tile from Home Depot. Cost me $3 and it works pretty damn well. I did a lot of research that led me to believe this is perfectly safe, and I've used it for a long time, but definitely do your own research to decide if you feel safe doing it.

This coupled with the absolutely necessary 3-day pizza dough cold ferment and it's hard for us to settle for delivery.
 
Guys who say that steel is a good choice are absolutely right. Steel pizza stones are usually lighter, warms up faster and never cracks. I personally purchased one right after I cracked previous while my brother was on vacation. He cooks well, never forbids to use his stuff, but also never tells me any recommendations or useful stuff. So I learn myself most of the time.
I've chosen new pizza stone according to recommendations review about best pizza stones for grill and my bro not only wasn't mad but even said that I'm little smartass b***. :emoji_sweat_smile::emoji_grimacing::emoji_fingers_crossed:
 
Not my best but here is one baking. Steel is 16", pie is approx 14". This was a test pie with a new recipe and a smaller dough ball for an easier launch.
 

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Here is what I use. Heat to 500 degrees. Never had a problem.
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Steel pizza stones are usually lighter

Not really. For the same dimensions, steel "stones" are much heavier than traditional pizza stones. Even the thinner cheap 1/4" steels are heavier than most stones .
And 1/4" steel gives you about the same cooking performance as a standard thickness stone so the only advantage is that they won't crack. I have 4 stones, one almost 30 years old, and have never had any crack. If you want better performance than a ceramic pizza stone, you've got to get to about 1/2" steel.
 
Just as a disclaimer... I am not a food scientists nor do I have the equipment to test if this is safe... BUT.

I use an UNGLAZED mexican tile from Home Depot. Cost me $3 and it works pretty damn well. I did a lot of research that led me to believe this is perfectly safe, and I've used it for a long time, but definitely do your own research to decide if you feel safe doing it.

This coupled with the absolutely necessary 3-day pizza dough cold ferment and it's hard for us to settle for delivery.

What size is the tile and are you using more than one?

Jim
 
I have a cordierite rectangular stone that I use quite a bit. It has gone to 650 On my grill and it works well. My only problem is that it tends to produce a burnt odor when using indoors. Even when I scrape really clean. Anyone have any hints or tricks to get rid of the smell? I have also been thinking of a steel. I bake a lot on my stone now and my 13 inch cast iron too.
 
Like Sandy, I use the Lodge C.I. pizza pan they only cost $25.
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(Not my pie or picture)
I use this on the top rack then a 1/4'' pizza steel on the rack under it. I launch the pie onto the C.I. Lodge pizza pan cook until the peel slides under the pie easily, then launch the pie onto the pizza steel or stone if you don't have a steel. But in all reality you could buy two of the C.I. Lodge pizza pans for the price of a good stone or steel.
 
Pizza stones are great if pampered.

Various precautions need to be taken with them.
  • Must be completely dry
  • Cannot drop cold pizza sauce on them when cooking pizzas.
  • Must be handled carefully.
  • Expensive
  • Etc.
I went through so many stones(regardless of how careful I was) that I resorted to finding them on Craig's List whenever I could.

This solved my problem. I liked the steel so much that I bought two.

As frog1369 frog1369 said:

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/

Great product and can be used for all your baking needs.

I hope this helps,

John
 
Doesn't the thickness of the stone matter? I did research before finding this and was convinced i was ok with stone at 5/8 inc versus thinner stones. Most stones are 1/4 some even less. I assumed (maybe incorecctly) that at 5/8 i won't have the issue with cracking if i am equally careful.
 
I would only use a wooden peel on a stone regardless of the thickness. All that it takes is one time forgetting to warm up the aluminum peel and the cold aluminum hitting the stone is a crack waiting to happen.
Wooden peels are much better for launching pies any ways and safes if you use a stone.
 
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