A pizza stone is a simple kitchen utensil used and known for baking pizzas that come out of the oven with a crispier crust. Pizza stones are also known for producing less fattening pizzas. These baking devices work by stimulating the extreme, even heat of an oven, especially ones that use wood fires. These stones can also be used commercially in large hotel restaurants, for example to make the perfect pizza for customers. They can also be used in home ovens or on a grill to give pizza a crispier, healthier crust. These special stones are quite easy to use and maintain.
Why use a stone?
There are a number of benefits to using a pizza stone, including the following;
• Easy to clean. Stone is fairly easy to clean, so you’ll simply wipe it down with a sponge and some water. There will be no need to scrub it.
• Balances the heat. The stone will also distribute the heat evenly over the food being cooked. As a result, the food comes out evenly cooked.
• Gives pizza a crispy crust. The stone is specifically designed to bake your pizza with a crispy crust, different from those baked with a cookie sheet.
• Bakes faster and perfectly. Compared to the aluminum pan, a stone will bake much faster, but it will be well cooked. This helps save you time.
• Easier to remove food when done baking. When the food is ready, it will be easier to remove as it will not stick to the stone.
In general, the pizza stone is not just a stone, but rather a kitchen companion, which will make cooking easier.
How to use a pizza stone
First things first, before you begin, you should have a pizza peel or paddle, which is used to get the pizza onto the stone and into the oven. When you are done, you will need to perform the following steps;
• Place the stone in the oven to preheat.
• Spread cornmeal or flour on the shell, before putting the dough on it.
• Place the dough on the peel, then add the ingredients to the pizza.
• While the pizza is still in the oven, use a long spoon to spread the cornmeal over it.
• Use the paddle to insert the pizza that is already on the stone into the oven and set the oven timer.
Baking time and instructions will depend on the type of pizza you are baking.
remove the pizza
When you finish baking your pizza, always know that the stone will be very hot at that time. If you want to remove it, never use a kitchen towel or regular oven mitt. Instead, you should use the same items you used to place the stone in the oven. For example, you’ll need to use the peel to remove the pizza, before removing the entire pizza stone if that’s what you want to do. Many people prefer to simply leave their stones in the oven until they bake with them again. After you have removed the pizza, you can remove the stone later when it has cooled.
