Reddit mentions: The best pizza pans & stones

Here is my method, for our semi-weekly pizza parties: I've gotten fancier as I've gone along. That said--the very simplest way to go is to mix the dough by hand and put it on a baking sheet. It will still taste good. You can spend a few hundred dollars to improve it though, but no need to go all-in at once.

1. Prepare your pizza dough, and let it ferment covered with lightly-oiled plastic wrap overnight in the refrigerator. Give room for it to triple in volume. I like Peter Rheinhart's recipe. A long, slow ferment is needed for a complex flavor in the dough.
   
2. Remove at least 2 hours before you want to use it. If this is hard, keep it at 50 degrees at least during the day (I can do this by putting it in my unheated hallway on a cold day, or maybe the basement).
   
3. Preheat your baking stone (or even better-baking steel like this) to 550, or as high as it will go, for 30-60 minutes. Stone needs more like 60 minutes.
   
4. Divide the dough--the recipe above makes 4 pizzas that will just cover my stone. Let it rest a few minutes. If too springy, let rest longer.
   
5. Shape the dough gently with your hands into a circle. Try not to flatten all of the nice rise it has--if you need to use a rolling pin, do it gently. You can put it on a parchment paper. (Or--even better to use a pizza peel, but it take a little practice--this helps.)
   
6. Lightly sauce it, cover with cheese, lightly top-don't get it soggy with too many wet ingredients.
   
7. Place pizza with parchment directly onto the stone. As soon as possible, likely a few minutes in, remove the parchment from the bottom of the pizza. Or--use your peel to place it directly on the steel.
   
   On my pizza steel at 550, this will cook in 5 minutes with no parchment. I have one pizza steel, and one stone, with a double oven. So I cook two pizzas at once--the steel and high heat gives a nice tender crumb with a crisp crust, really comparable to good restaurant pizza. The stone is not quite as fast, and not quite as tender a crust, but still delicious enough that I haven't convinced myself to buy two steels.
   
   A little bit of anchovies is great in the pizza sauce. If you use fresh basil, add it after it comes out of the oven. Pepperoni definitely needs to be on top of the cheese, experiment to see if you like your toppings under the cheese better for other ingredients.

Okay, here we go...

Mandatory items:

• Food processor or stand mixer
  
  
• Baking scale that measures in grams and ounces
  
  
• Baking stone ^1
  
  
• Wood pizza peel ^2
  
  
• Aluminum pizza peel
  
  Notes:
  
  ^1 Most people will swear by a baking steel instead of a ceramic stone. If your budget allows it, a 1/4" thick steel is much better than a stone.
  
  ^2 I linked to a fancy one, but it really makes dismounting your raw pizza onto your hot stone/steel an easy task. There are cheaper wood peels that don't have the canvas conveyor.
  
  Recipes:
  
  For the dough, my favorite is Kenji's. I follow it to the T, weighing out each item in grams, and it's perfect. Honestly, I've only tried two other dough recipes, and the differences between all of them are minor, but Kenji's is the lightest and crispiest, but not too crispy.
  
  For the sauce, I've only tried a couple, but I love u/dopnyc's sauce. I tweak it a little. I use canned whole san marzanos, but only the tomatoes, I omit the juice they're in and the water in the recipe. I blend the whole tomatoes and then add all of the other ingredients. This makes enough for about four 12" pizzas. It will freeze well.
  
  For the cheese, the most important thing is you need whole milk, low-moisture mozz. Avoid pre-shredded anything, the added cellulose prevents proper melting. Avoid skim/part skim, and avoid fresh mozz (the stuff in water). It's kind of hard to find, but at my local grocery store, Kraft sells string cheese called Creamy that works great. It's delicious. However, it doesn't shred well, so I have to freeze it for about 15 min before grating. Now, I'm not saying that string cheese is the best option, it's just my only option at my local store. There are better options sold in a brick. Again, whole milk, low-moisture is the key.
  
  Toppings:
  
  Try to find a log of pepperoni and slice them off yourself. This will usually yield the coveted pepperoni cups once baked, each with their own personal portion of delicious pepperoni grease.
  
  I like Kenji's itallian pizza sausage recipe. It's very flavorful. You can make this with a food processor instead of a meat grinder/stand mixer.
  
  I gotta go for now, but let me know if you're still interested, I can write up some more on technique for dough balling and stretching and baking.

It does depend on what she loves making for the most part, but greaseproof cupcake liners are awesome. You can get some here in some of here---> https://shopsweetsandtreats.com/ favorite colors. The benefit to greaseproof is that the color stays vibrant and doesn't dull down when baked (because it doesn't absorb grease).

Portion scoops in various sizes. I don't have a restaurant supply store by me, so I buy from webstaurantstore.com. This type of place would also be the place to buy stainless steel half-sheet pans. Note that restaurant supply stores are not necessarily the same as baking supply stores. One is geared more toward commercial users (but most sell to residential users), the other is likely a retail store that just stocks items commonly used in baking, but at retail prices.

You said she already has the stand mixer... if it's a Kitchenaid, you could upgrade the flat paddle and the whisk attachments. https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KFE6L-5-5-6-Bowl-Lift-Beater/dp/B006HGZ7AY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511341329&sr=1-1&keywords=KitchenAid+Flex+Edge+Beater+for+pro+600+stand+mixerhttps:// and www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KN211WW-11-Wire-Whip-Bowl-Lift/dp/B000PJ6XGQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511340838&sr=8-3&keywords=11+wire+whip+kitchenaid . Make sure you get the one that fits the right model number of the mixer you have (if you, in fact, have a Kitchenaid). These attachments are better because they are more efficient AND are completely dishwasher safe.

You could also get her an extra bowl for the stand mixer. Comes in handy more often than you might think.

Edit: Came back to say that if she's going to bake artisan breads, the best baking "stone" I've ever had isn't stone, it's cast iron. ttps://www.amazon.com/Lodge-P14P3-Seasoned-Baking-Pizza/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511341833&sr=1-3&keywords=lodge+baking+stone

DO IT! This is the one we put on our registry and got today! Lol I made frozen pizza on it and it was AMAZING! You could probably find one for cheaper but I love that brand- if you look through the page it’s hilarious lol, and they included an amazing note 😂 aaaaand also yes the pizza stone is great haha!

Stone for pizza is kind of two thousand and late :)

Some ovens aren't suited to steel, because the broiler is in a separate compartment, or because the peak temp isn't high enough to make the most of it, but, other than that, there's very few reasons to choose stone over steel.

The price of steel might be off putting, but, a quality stone will run you around $40. If you source the steel yourself locally,

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=31267.0

you can get one for as little as $60. If you buy one online, you can get a pretty good sized steel for $90. All stones will eventually crack, while a steel will last you lifetimes, so, for the price of 2 stones, you can never have to purchase a stone again. Another big selling point is that, while a stone can't do everything a steel can, a steel will give you every bake time that a stone can and considerably more. Lastly, steel pre-heats considerably faster than stone, another big plus.

Can you find out the specs of the giftees oven? Peak temp? Does it have a broiler in the main compartment?

If you're truly are dead set on a stone, this is good one:

https://www.axner.com/cordierite-shelf-16x16x34square.aspx.

I think, though, with handling charges and shipping, it will run you at least $45.

Before it sold out, this stone

https://www.amazon.com/Pizzacraft-Round-ThermaBond-Baking-Pizza/dp/B005IF2ZNM/

was selling for $23, which, considering it's width and 5/8" thickness, was an amazing deal.

This one

https://www.amazon.com/Pizzacraft-Square-ThermaBond-Baking-Pizza/dp/B005IF3086/

is from the same company, but it's smaller than the other stone- 15". Pizzacraft sells a measly 1/8" steel sheet that they fraudulently advertise as being 'steel plate,' so I'm not a fan of the company, but the page does reference this stone as being cordierite, which would be very difficult to lie about- and would be quickly evident in the comment section if they did.

If you're up for a bit of a gamble.

https://www.amazon.com/CucinaPro-533-Extra-Thick-Baking/dp/B005CXCZLW/

The brown color seems to point to it being cordierite, as opposed to being a poured refractory, which is incredibly fragile, and is usually grayish white (and very cheap). At the same time, though, the company doesn't mention cordierite, but the comments section does. Cordierite usually has a slightly warmer color, but, if I had to bet, I'd probably bet on this being cordierite.

I'm also not that amped about advertising a 3/4" stone, but shipping a 5/8" one. 5/8", for this price, though, is a good deal.

Lastly, Old Stone is a very respectable brand

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-Round-Pizza/dp/B0000E19MW/

but, the comment section references a 3/8" thickness, which, imo, is too thin. The thickness of the stone speaks, to an extent, to durability and it governs the number of pizzas you can make at one time before needing to give it time to recover.

Like steel, a huge component of the cost of online stones is shipping. If you can find a ceramics supplier locally, you might be able to find a better deal on a cordierite kiln shelf. The cordierite kiln shelf you find at a ceramic supplier is the identical material retail baking stones are comprised of.

But, imo, steel is the better gift- if your friend's oven is a good candidate.

Okay, so the point of most of these things is to increase the rate at which heat can be transferred into your dough and get that pizza cooked as fast as possible. I think that for your standard thin-crust pizza, most people would agree that the faster you can cook the dough, the better it's going to be. Heat it really slowly (say, by taking it out of the Elio's box and baking it at 350 or whatever), and you get soggy, lame pizza. Heat it really quickly, and you get the ideal thin-crust pizza, with a nice airy crust and little charcoaly bits of deliciousness.

The problem is that really good restaurant pizza is cooked at insanely high temperatures (800 ºF, maybe? I don't know) in a wood- or coal-fired oven, which of course you can't do at home. But what you can do is build a reserve of heat in a baking stone or pizza steel, which can then conduct heat into the pizza and get it cooked much faster than you could otherwise. Baking steels retain the most heat and apparently work great, but I think they're a little unwieldy, especially at school. (I wouldn't bother with the regular, thin "pizza pans", perforated or otherwise—I've never read anything good about them.)

Personally, my device of choice is this pizza stone. It's $40 and works just fine. Another option that people will tell you is to go to Home Depot and try to find an "unglazed quarry tile" there. Worth a try if budget is a concern. Either way, they're not as heavy as the steel, so they're easier to store. You can get really good results if you heat them at the top rack at the highest your oven will do, then switch on the broiler (if you have a top-mounted broiler) to heat it even more for the last ten minutes of preheating. Kill the broiler just before adding your pizza.

EDIT: If you want to really make the best of whatever you buy, I suggest this recipe as your starting point. The key step is to let it rise in the fridge for up to five days, which allows all kinds of wonderful flavors to develop. If you don't have a food processor, you can just knead the ingredients by hand into a shaggy ball before putting it in the fridge. You'll have to experiment to get it just so (I cut down to about 1/3 of the yeast because it rose too quickly in my fridge, and also add a little less sugar and oil), but once you dial it in, it'll be better than all but the best pizzeria in town, I gar-on-tee.

It doesn't go boom when it goes on the floor (or the grill/broiler like some stones) . Also, it transfers heat more quickly, which is good for pizza, but not for croissant, cookies and bread. Also, you need to season it (like a cast iron pan), otherwise it'll rust.

Generally speaking, a good pizza stone (or steel) should have two qualities:

• rough surface (smooth one will trap steam)
  
• at least 1/2 thickness (1/4 for steel, although 3/8 is preferable)
  
  If you want the absolute best pizza, The Original Baking Steel 3/8 is the best choice (for ~110USD).
  
  But since you said affordable, you'll probably like this more (~40USD) - it doesn't transfer heat as quickly as some other stones, but the difference in crust quality won't be noticable, as long as you let it reheat for longer between the pies (about 7 minutes).
  
  But the slower transfer means that it's better for croissants etc, so it's more versatile.

It’s an expensive item but well worth it for sure. Just make sure when you research it you get the right steel. I purchased this one but in 3/8 thickness and anything thicker will bend the rack in your oven. It looks like they sold out of this thickness unfortunately but I’m happy with this one. I think I paid $85 for it if I remember correctly. If you go to their website they probably have it. Good luck.

I don't have an actual recipie handy, but a few key tips:

-If you're gonna google a recipe, just bite the bullet on buying xanthan gum. Its ~$15+ for a small package, but you'll use it a teaspoon at a time and it really is the best thing at its job. Lots of people try to find ways around it, but nothing is really a good substitute.

-Its pretty much gonna be thin-and-crispy crust. If you're aiming for thick, puffy, bread-like 'pan style', I haven't got one to work well yet (but haven't tried much). I prefer thin and crispy anyway though.

-http://www.againstthegraingourmet.com/ actually makes a pretty decent frozen cheese GF pizza. Its nice becausue you can dump your own toppings on to make whatever variety you want.

-They seem to undercook in the middle really easily (including the frozen one above), and are slimy when undercooked. You really need a perforated pan. I think a pizza stone (or pre heated cast iron pan like http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14P3-Pizza-14-inch/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1368297372&sr=1-3&keywords=pizza+stone) would work too, I want to buy that one I linked there.

I had the same problem and it was really frustrating. I even have a nice pizza peel but I couldn't freaking slide the pizza on the stone. My method was to get all the toppings and everything ready by the oven, get the dough onto the stone and then super quick sauce and top it and then close the oven.

Super lame and very frustrating.

Then I bought this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CI8VHS/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and my life is 1000x better. Every single pizza I've made since buying that pizza screen has been fucking delicious. I just build the pizza right on the screen then when its ready put the screen on the stone. You don't even need a peel (though its nice and makes me feel fancy)

I have that exact griddle and it's great. I don't have an oval burner (yet! my new stove is coming this weekend) so it's a little awkward to get the heat right across two burners, and having two hotspots is a little annoying. It's still great, but not optimal.

However, I also bought this lodge 14 inch pan and I may like it better than the griddle, at least if you don't have an oval burner. You get a single hotspot, plenty of room to cook and can move stuff off to the sides to keep it warm while you cook in the center. Preheated right it's a great pizza pan, too. Great purchase!

I make almost everything from scratch but have yet to perfect a pizza crust. We typically buy them premade and then add our own spices, sauces and toppings. Our favorite is Still Riding Pizza which is very close to an authentic thin crust, easy to make and the cheapest crust I've found on the GF market. Our second favorite is Against The Grain and comes in second because it has the taste and texture of a pastry dough (like Croissants) but crispier around the edges. Whatever you make I strongly suggest using either a pizza screen or a pizza stone to improve texture.

>Looks awesome! Would you please share the dough recipe?

I did.. over here.

>Do you use a stone?

Absolutely. I use this one.

>Any other special techniques?

I'm glad you asked! My whole procedure from front to back is documented in pictures here.

Hope that helps! :)

Amazon. I know it's a sin to actually order stuff off of teh Interwebs instead of physically going to a store, but you can find almost anything there that would be next to impossible to find in most stores -- and you can usually get then at a discounted cost far less than Williams-Sonoma, plus free shipping with Amazon's "super saver shipping." Some of the things I've ordered from there that simply could not be found in a typical store: Bayou Classic 16-quart cast iron dutch oven, Reddit's favorite Victorinox chef's knife, the Lodge "double dutch" oven combo, and two cast iron items that were far less expensive at Amazon than you'd find at Williams-Sonoma -- the Lodge cast iron wok (purchased with a 2010 Xmas gift card) and the Lodge cast iron pizza pan (purchased with a 2011 Xmas gift card).

I was posting this up last year for people come xmas time. Hopefully it helps depending on what she likes to bake.

Bread:

• A really nice lame 1
  
• Bannetons 1
  
• A couche 1
  
• Large dutch oven
  
• Pizza stone 1
  
• Peel 1
  
  Cookies:
  
  
• Kopykake (Note buying it new is pricey but these can sometimes be found used for $50 and still in nearly mint condition!)
  
• This awesome cookie sheet 1
  
  Cake:
  
  
• Silicon molds 1
  
• Ring molds 1
  
• Acetate
  
• Airbrush
  
• Portion marker 1
  
  General kitchen stuff:
  
  
• Whetstones
  
• Glass mixing bowls
  
• Really nice rolling pin
  
• Chef knife
  
• Bread knife
  
• Kitchen scale
  
• Cookbooks!! (Textbooks are great to!)
  
• Deepfryer
  
• Marble board
  
• Ramekins
  
  Some of the links might be dead, havent really checked
  
  As far as new and fancy things go, there really isn't all that much out there for us bakers. You savory guys get all the fun toys.

Some quick questions:

1. Any tips for freezing dough? My #1 recipe is the Roberta's Pizza Dough Recipe and my #2 is the NYT Pizza Dough Recipe. At what point in the process can I freeze the dough? How long can it last in the freezer? How should it be stored in the freezer? Put it in a freezer bag & get all the air out?
   
2. How long do you think I can freeze store bought pizza dough? Recently I bought premade pizza dough and it was frozen, I kept it frozen a few days and I made it today, it turned out great. If it can last a few days frozen can it last a month?
   
3. I'd love to know how to make a thin crust pizza that ends up looking like this. Does anyone have a dough recipe that can do that? I've never made thin crust before.
   
4. Would this cast-iron pan pizza recipe be considered deep dish?
   
5. So the classic deep dish (Chicago style) pizza isn't very appealing to me but a [deep dish like this] (https://holroyd.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/img_5304.jpg) very much so is assuming that's just dough, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Recipe-wise do you think to make a deep dish pizza like that I would basically just take my go-to pizza dough recipe aka #2 and put it into a deep dish pan, put sauce, lots of cheese and then the pepperoni on? Or are there "deep dish" specific ingredients/techniques for me to use?
   
   Thanks for any help you can give!

I use a food processor and this NY style dough recipe and my dough is always perfect. I've tried others but they've been subpar in comparison. I like it best after it's been sitting in the fridge for about 2-3 days. Takes a maximum of 50 seconds to put make.

I'd also suggest getting a pizza steel ([here's the one I bought almost 5 years ago](http://www.Dough-Joe.com/ Pizza Steel Baking Sheet The Samurai--15" x 15" x 1/4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LBKWSKS)) which will get you that leopard crust. A steel is superior to a stone because it gets hotter and won't crack so you don't have to baby it. Mine just lives in my oven permanently.

Try the above and please report back!!

Flipping multiple times will help that issue with burnt edges but no crust in certain spots - as will adding more oil. I use avocado oil. The oil helps to transfer heat; if part of your steak has no crust it's probably because it was not exposed to the same heat as other areas, ie it wasn't touching oil.

Unfortunately it's tough to make 4 steaks at once with one cast iron. If you have access to a grill; I'd suggest a reverse sear finishing on the grill OR I like to use a cast iron pizza pan for multiple steaks.

As for the temperature take several readings from different areas and defer to the lowest. If the issue persists, get a new thermometer.

If you need to get 4 steaks ready, you can always reverse sear in the oven (lowest possible setting for 1-2 hrs depending on thickness), bring them to like 115-120, take them out, sear them quick (one by one), and back in the oven all together to warm them slightly (monitoring temp). Could even broil them for a couple mins right before serving. Regardless, if you're searing them separately, the steaks will be slightly different - but you can minimize that by a super hot, super quick sear while relying on slow heat to cook the inside.

> How did your great grandmother bake her pizza? Did she use a stone or did she use a pan?

Honestly? I Have no idea. I know the recipe specifies it being 16" in diameter though, so that's why I'm assuming it isn't grandma style. I never saw her bake it, my relationship with her was when she was in her late 80s to early 90s. I just assumed that a stone would be the best way to do this

I'll look in to the steel option as well, thank you.

Would I be able to bake this on just standard aluminum pizza pans? Something like this?

Thank you for the extremely detailed answer

• Pan was this LloydPans 10x14 pan.
  
• For the crust, I started with the recipe and method described in post 199 of this excellent thread. After ~3 hours of room temperature rise, I covered it with plastic and put it in the refrigerator for ~24 hour cold ferment. After the cold ferment, I let it rest at room temperature for ~90 minutes before baking.
  
• Baking was @450F on a baking steel. I parbaked the crust without any toppings for maybe 5 minutes.
  
• Cheese was a mix of cubed white cheddar, muenster, smoked mozzarella arranged on top of the par-baked crust, with special care to place cheese cubes around the edge to create that glorious brownness. Grated pecorino romano went on after the bake.
  
• Sauce tomatoes, garlic, and pepper flakes that simmered while the dough was resting after the cold ferment and while the pizza baked. I sauced the pizza after baking; flavors are much brighter this way.

The deal, from my perspective is that it was impossible to get a pizzeria pizza from a home oven, even with the use of a stone. And that is consistent with my long experience. A home oven will typically not go over 550F. A pizza oven can reach to 800F and up, and as anyone with discerning taste will tell you, it makes a world of difference.

Recently though, there was a post here that outlined the technique for baking a pizza under the broiler using a preheated cast Iron pan and I want to tell you. This makes a pizza that compares with any pizzarea pizza. I have made three pizzas so far with this method using my 10 X 15" flat cast iron grill.

The difference in taste is incredible. The increased heat leaves the crust crusty on the outside and bottom, yet a bit chewy underneath. The increased heat will just start to burn the very edges of the crust and impart that "smokey, pizza oven flavor" I am totally hooked on this. I made one for my wife and her sister two night ago and they were like OMG! Good!

The beauty of making your pizza at home is your choice of quality ingredients/ sauces- home made crust is soooo good.

Here are pictures of my cast iron grill, the grill under the broiler, and the finished product.

<a href="http://imgur.com/RAPJy" title="Hosted by imgur.com">http://imgur.com/RAPJy.jpg</a>

<a href="http://imgur.com/7Q9BU" title="Hosted by imgur.com">http://imgur.com/7Q9BU.jpg</a>

<a href="http://imgur.com/Pzld8" title="Hosted by imgur.com">http://imgur.com/Pzld8.jpg</a>

I heated the grill on the stove top to very hot and sprinkled some corn meal on it. I then shaped the crust on a sheet pan sprinked with corn meal. I then slid the crust onto the cast iron. Then I added the sauce and toppings while the bottom was starting to cook.

I am lucky that my broiler is in the actual oven and not underneath as some old ovens are.

I put the pan about 6" under he broiler checking frequently especially the first time. It took about 3 1/2 minutes untol smoke started to whiff off the edges of the crust and some of the toppings. Next time I am going to drop the rack down one notch and broil it longer, just to test the difference. In this case though, the pepperoni, onions and mushrooms were well cooked and he Mozz cheese was bubbling.

It was a eureka moment for me- Maybe that's not something you can get excited about, so be it.

Sooooo, I got curious and started looking around and lo and behold, there are actual 14" cast Iron pizza pans for sale and I ordered one yesterday, since round crusts are far easier to shape than rectangular ones, and I have some other uses in mind for the round cast iron pan.

It weighs 11 lb and you can buy it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-Cast-Iron-14-Inch-Pizza/dp/accessories/B0000E2V3X

Yes the cast Iron is hot to work with but so is every other pot we use.

Hope this is helpful!

Cast iron pizzas are the best. I researched pizza stones, but Amazon convinced me to get a Lodge Cast Iron Pizza Pan instead. Best homemade pizza by far. :)

I did laugh and upvote the other guy, lol, but you're right, it's a fair question especially if you're new to cooking.

On a somewhat related note, I can make fantastic pizzas on my pizza steel in my oven. Takes about 8 minutes. Here's the steel I have (https://www.amazon.com/Dough-Joe-Baking-Sheet-Samurai-trade/dp/B00LBKWSKS), I've found the key is to preheat the stone for about an hour, then once I put the pie in, I turn it to broil. Basically, the stone is cooking the pizza so the broil just needs to brown the top.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! :D

Took me a while to figure this out myself.

I am sure there are may techniques that works for others, but this is what works for me.

​

1. Cast Iron > Nonstick pan. I have something like this from Lodge and I love it. Even heat across the surface, and maintains steady heat longer.
   
2. Temperature : between 400-450 F , I use a laser thermometer to confirm as I dont trust my judgement on the right temp :)
   
3. I don't put oil on the pan, you shouldn't have to. This leads to the bottom of the batter layer to slide when you are spreading the dosa batter, leaving the large empty regions you mention. Oil goes over the dosa when its about half done.
   
4. A wad of soaking wet paper towel. use that to wipe the griddle (use tongs) before laying down the batter. This wipes out oil that would have seeped through the previous dosa.
   
5. Flat bottom ladle. This works best for me, as you can just float the ladle in expanding circles over the batter layer to get an even spread.
   
   ​
   
   Again , as I mentioned, this is what works for me. I am sure there are experts that have a simpler method that works for them. It took me a few rounds of trial and error to come up with a method that keeps the guess work out.

It still looks delicious! I make my own Chicago style out in Utah and people love it. Go and buy this pan, and it will help you with the dough work. If you use the real deep dish guide for a 14" pie it works PERFECTLY!

Chicago Metallic 16124 Professional Non-Stick Deep Dish Pizza Pan,14.25-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YKGS4A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0atODbH5B9V0T

I love cast iron and use it frequently for making pizza. I think they are beautiful pieces and really inject heat well into the base of the pizza. I have these at home:

1. https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Baking-Pre-Seasoned-Round-Handles/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lodge+cast+iron+pizza&qid=1563143291&s=gateway&sr=8-1
   
2. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GKZZMSF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   These are both great for me. My oven goes to about 585-600F. The first one is thinner. The second one is thicker at about 0.3 inch, which retains more heat.

>I wish I could pull off the frisbee technique.

I tried it once. Sauce and toppings everywhere. It looked like a crime scene in a pepperoni factory. :)

> I haven't even gotten the method of dough tossing worked out yet, though.

It takes tons of practice. I've made a lot of pizza at home, and my dough-tossing skills are still a bit shaky. Just remember that softer dough is easier to toss, so be careful not to over-knead it. Also, if you buy ready-made dough, be sure to let it sit out to warm up to room temperature. And catch with your knuckles, not your fingertips.

Rolling pin works, too. :)

>When you use the screen, so you leave the pizza on the screen and set the screen + pizza on the stone?

Exactly. Use the screen just like a pan. No need for a peel.

>Would aluminum foil be an acceptable substitute?

You could certainly use it in a pinch, but I wouldn't really recommend it. Foil would offer much less support than a screen, so you'd almost need a peel anyway. Plus, the foil lacks the ventilation provided by the screen. A good pizza screen only costs as much as a couple of rolls of foil anyway, so there's really no reason not to use one.

>Thanks for the tips.

Happy to help.

To go with your pizza peel, do you also have something to bake the pizza on, such as a kitchen steel or pizza stone or at least an Air-Bake pan? (I use the "natural" aluminum Air-Bake pan, rather than the non-stick version, because I cook at high temperatures; it looks ugly after getting a brown patina of olive oil baked onto it from many uses, but it's cheap and works for me:)

https://www.amazon.com/Airbake-Natural-Large-Aluminum-15-75in/dp/B000063SKQ/ref=sr_1_3

When it comes to Dutch ovens, I prefer a big oval one because mostly what I use mine for is baking loaves of bread in rectangular pans -- a medium-size loaf pan fits inside big oval Dutch ovens. But if you plan to mostly use your Dutch oven on the cooktop, then a circular one might be better. (You can still bake round loaves in a round one, on a piece of parchment.)

And you can never have too many baking trays (large and small) for things like cookies!

Do you have a big spice rack and some empty spice jars? Your collection of store-bought spices is going to grow and grow as you do more cooking, and empty jars are wonderful for making your own seasoning/spice mixes.

I use a ton of plastic deli containers -- they're sold as disposable, but you can wash and re-use them several times before you recycle them. They come in cup, pint, and quart sizes that all share the same lids. (Some brands are dishwasher-safe and can even be microwaved.) They're so much cheaper than proprietary food storage products like Rubbermaid/Glad/Tupperware, and you never again have to worry about which lid goes with what container. These are similar to the ones I use:

https://www.amazon.com/DuraHome-Containers-Leakproof-Container-Microwavable/dp/B075X416X8/

(I haven't used that brand -- I got my deli containers for free at the bulk food store.)

Just curious, are you cooking in that oven? How hot - 525 max probably? What kind of surface - you using a stone, quarry tiles, screen, pan...? I bet the 18"-er barely fits! :)

I recently got a Lodge 14" cast iron pizza pan, and it works pretty darn good, especially if I kit out the upper rack with tile. Good times. Rock on there, fellow pizza-bro.

* Edit, just saw your other comments about how you use a 23"x18" pizza stone on a grill.

I have been making pizza for about 5 years with my kamado. Finding the method that works best for you can be tricky (and fun!).

Here's my method: I usually buy dough from a pizza joint. I heat the kamado to about 500F with a heat deflector in place and let it stabilize. Then I put this Lodge cast-iron pizza pan in to heat for 10 minutes before placing the pizza on it. I use parchment paper to help transfer the pizza to the hot pan, then I slide the paper out from under the pizza after a couple minutes. With practice I can now cook the pizza joint's dough better than they can.

Would love to hear your method when you get it dialed in.

Tell me about pans. Right now I make one pizza on a stone and one in a cast iron frying pan, but I'm thinking about branching out into pans. But I'm not sure what the difference is between all of them.

I like a thicker crust (usually). I was looking at a couple:

This Wilton One although it looks quite shallow.

This Chicago Metallic one looks alright - does anyone have any experience with non-stick pans?

This Starfrit One - what's up with the perforated part? Is it useful?

Any other notes would be helpful too.

>What's your go-to recipe?

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/07/basic-new-york-style-pizza-dough.html

>What's the easiest way to make pizza if you're just a college student without fancy stones or ovens?

You can make a decent pizza on a cookie sheet, but you can get a stone for $16 or steel for $22.

For the oven, you just need 450 degrees (though 500 or 550 would be even better). Most are capable of that.

>Do you make your own sauce? Or do you store buy? Do you ever experiment with types?

Both. I've only found a couple packaged sauces I enjoy and they're hard to find, so I've been making my own lately. Just lightly blending a can of diced tomatoes with some salt, oregano, basil, etc.

>What's your go-to ratio of crust:sauce:cheese:toppings?

I like a thin crust, medium sauce, and medium to light cheese and toppings. Too much sauce or cheese on a thin crust and it won't get crisp.

I worked in a pizza shop growing up. We used pizza screens. As an adult I make pizza weekly and still use them in my oven. I never cared for the pizza stones. I get the logic but still love my screen and make great pizza with them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001CI8VHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1517832963&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=pizza+screen&dpPl=1&dpID=51QfrzF11vL&ref=plSrch

I'd say the essentials include a non-stick frying pan, a smaller pot (2-3 qts), a larger pot (5qts+), a cutting board, a chef's knife, measuring cups, measuring spoons, mixing bowls, a whisk, heat resistant silicone spatula, stirring spoons, serving spoon, ladle, aluminum baking sheet, tongs and can opener. With all of the above, I can cook ~ 90% of what I usually cook.

I, personally, don't care much for cast iron skillets. They require too much care and too much oil to keep up to snuff. I prefer a nice three-ply fry pan (This is what I own). A couple splurges on my part were a 2 qt saucier (was on sale for $50) which is great for making sauces of any sort because the whisk can fit in the rounded bottom of the pan. I also like the All-Clad 4Qt. Essential pan, with the tall sides and wide top. It's easy to make something a bit larger with this pan.

Finally, I bake all of my pizza on a cheap round pizza pan. It's not the fanciest, but it gets the job down well.

I use this. It allows me to maintain a high temperature in my charcoal grill, but won't crack or break like a typical pizza stone (I have had 2 cheap ones break). I use lump charcoal and can get my grill well over 500 degrees. The only shortcut I sometimes take, is buying fresh dough from my local grocery store in order to save time. Cheaper and tastier than 75% of the pizza places I find here in Minneapolis.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14P3-Pizza-14-inch/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1413991783&sr=8-25&keywords=lodge+cast+iron

Sure. I use this one. I didn't choose it as it was a gift but it has worked well and also makes great bread. My pizza crust recipe can double as a bread recipe. Here's the stone http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000E19MW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1426110572&sr=8-3&keywords=pizza+stone&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41JEJM7BVWL&ref=plSrch



Here's a pic of a pizza crust dough ball cooked as bread instead (you cook it as a ball, score the top with a knife and spray with water every 3 mins for the first 9 mins. Cook at 425 for 50 min) http://imgur.com/3whZ7di

Click Here this one is perfect for pizzas, breads and all things stone worthy. It's large, it's thick and it gets hot. Make sure you preheat the stone for at least 20 mins.

If you can afford a stainless steel plate get that instead. Otherwise this is the best option I've found.

Looks good! I would personally have let mine cook just a tad longer, but I like mine a little crispy. If making pizza is something you really enjoy, I'd suggest getting a pizza stone and a peel. Preheating your oven with the stone in there for a while lets you get the surface really hot, then you drop the pie on there with the peel, and that's how you can get a good crispy bottom. I dunno, that's how my Sicilian cousin taught me to make it. Also, get some basil!

You'll be needing a pizza stone and a pizza peel. Use the stone every time you bake pizza, to season it. Even if you're heating up a boxed pizza, use the damn stone.

Next, you want to make sure you're using a good recipe. This is one that I have used. It's damn good. Just follow the directions.

As for sauce, I prefer a white sauces to red, but that's entirely up to you. Find a recipe that you fancy, learn it, and be ready to use it.

As for the rest of the ingredients, I'm not going to tell you to spend a bucketful of money to make a pizza, but better quality ingredients yield better flavor. Keep that in mind.

No, you definitely wouldn't want to use a cutting board to cook it on. I suppose it's possible to use something like a sheet pan, but I would recommend that if you're serious about making pizza you should consider investing in a pan just for pizza. You can get one for $10 and it's worth the investment. A pizza stone will run around $20 for the cheaper ones.

An alternative could be making a deep dish or a pan pizza in a cast iron skillet! If you have a skillet that can be a great option.

Check out Lodge's pizza pan:
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-Cast-Pizza-Black/dp/B0000E2V3X
I have been using a stone for years, but this pan has given me a consistently better result. Similar concept as the pizza steel.
Edit: There are 209 reviews on Amazon filled with some great information and tips.

I have a 5+ year old one by Old Stone Oven that looks a bit different but here is the current one: https://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-Rectangular-14-5-Inch/dp/B0000E1FDA

I had a few cheaper ones crack on me in my early pizza-making days, but this one has been a champ and is a lot thicker (which equals more heat retention).

Definitely recommend going with a rectangular one opposed to a circle.

Here is a 14 inch comal that would look nice for serving https://www.amazon.com/Home-Complete-HC-5001-Grilling-Durable-Even-Heating-Versatile/dp/B016ILHNS6



I mean that stone you linked looks great. The issue is if you want a single-use versus a multi-use kitchen thing. My kitchen doesn’t have much space so the stone my brother got me is stashed where it isn’t convenient to get out. I leave the comal out on the stove since I use it pretty much every day.

And this is just me but I worry about dropping the stone and I feel more confident about the cast iron. But I am a huge fan of cast iron.

Hugs and cuddles make me feel loved...but when I can't get those words are really important :)
2. I don't think I actually have any add-on items!
3. Here!
4. Affirmation (woo!)
Thank you!!

>If you aren't, a 4-5 minute bake could mean either steel plate or aluminum plate

I have a home oven that reads 525; Should I get a Steel or aluminum plate?

• Stove info: https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/PRG304GH.html
  
  Recommended Plate Thickness? (1/4, 3/8, 1/2 inch?)
  
  Are there any best bang for buck plates that I should consider? OR is best DIY?
  
  
• Nerdchefs Steel Plate - .25 - https://www.amazon.com/NerdChef-Steel-Stone-High-Performance-Standard/dp/B00JXVNUHW/ref=lp_9453142011_1_1?srs=9453142011&ie=UTF8&qid=1549303763&sr=8-1
  
• Lodge Cast Iron - Pizza Pan - https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Baking-Pre-Seasoned-Round-Handles/dp/B0000E2V3X
  
• Baking Steel -.25 https://www.amazon.com/Baking-Steel-Original-Ultra-Conductive/dp/B00N205G22/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1549304615&sr=1-4&keywords=pizza+steel
  
  ​

If you want to make pizza at home on a regular basis, I'd go to a gourmet/kitchen shop and get a stone and a peel.

The other piece of equipment I like is a Kitchenaid mixer. I can do it by hand, but it makes a bigger mess. Using the mixer with a dough hook, I can make a 2-pizza batch of dough, get it in the refrigerator (to let it rise for a day), and clean up in 30 minutes, and that's counting 15 minutes to let the dough rest in the mixing bowl before mixing again.

Watch some Youtube videos. Youtube is a great resource for techniques.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Efw5NLf004o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrEmMXSgRmU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSxx2BB_PSY

This is the one I have:

http://www.amazon.com/Rada-Cutlery-Stoneware-Round-Baking/dp/B0037FT26S/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1373289600&sr=8-11&keywords=pizza+stone

And I love it. I bake bread on it all the time (heartier breads like whole wheat stand up really well to rustic baking on the stone) and pizza is amazing.

You need to HEAT UP THE STONE in the oven first. I didn't do that the first time and my crust didn't cook and it stuck to the stone. Also, before you put your dough on it, sprinkle a light layer of corn meal on the stone before you put the dough on it to go into the oven.

FYI I use this stone I got an Amazon and I love it. I've only cooked with a steel a few times and find the stone does a better job of drawing the moisture out of the dough to crisp up the outside.

+1

Although I wish I got a bigger one than 32 qts, I just accomplished a 15.2 lbs BIAB mash in it with 71% efficiency (5 gallon batch). The only challenge is lifting the heavy bag out of the pot. I let the bag drain over the pot using one of these and it made it fairly easy.

A nice pizza screen

Halloween

Happy! And Thanks!

I honestly can't even say what's the best in the last 12 months, but in the last month I got a pizza steel. It's totally transformed my homemade pizza game and is just wonderful.

I bought this .25" steel from amazon after I broke my ceramic pizza stone. I figured I might as well splurge for someone that won't break, and after more research I learned the steel is far superior to ceramic for more reasons than durability. I opted for the .25" model mainly because it is the most manageable weight to deal with.

With my ceramic I only used flower to keep it from sticking, which also worked well on the super hot steel, but for this specific pizza I used cornmeal

I actually used instant grits/polenta that I ground in a mortar and pestle because I did not have cornmeal on hand

While chemical sensitivity is a rare thing that is often overblown (much like gluten), there are people who actually are sensitive.

However I'd ask why not a better induction plate system? If your pots and pans will not work with the induction, are they non stick pans? I'd be much more concerned about chemical outgassing from non stick pans.

I'd suggest a larger inductions surface like this and the use a flat surfaced cast iron griddle

You'll find your induction system is much more flexible if you use a cast iron griddle or pan as an interface with your older equipment. I know a freidn of mine uses this exact system to heat up a huge stainless steel 12 qt pot for canning.

Your pizza looks great but the dough looks under cooked. Consider this constructive critisim. Full disclosure, I am a Pizza man. Please for all that is holy never ever ever cook a pizza in a pan again.
Get a Baking stone and a [peel] (http://www.amazon.com/New-Low-Price-Solid-Cherry/dp/B003J81IKG/ref=sr_1_12?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1344003288&sr=1-12&keywords=pizza+peel)
then you will get results like this.

Cool! That's good to hear.

But, you know, I'm honestly reconsidering this baking steel these days.

I sat down and thought about this the other day... and it seems I've never eaten a Neopolitan or a NY style pizza... I always get pan pizza from Pizza Hut. And, JKenjiLopezAlt's pan pizza recipe actually calls for a cast iron skillet for that, not a baking steel (or a stone).

One other thing to consider: it seems many different companies make baking steels... and some are cheaper than others. The one Kenji seems to often talk about goes at about 70-something dollars, but here's one for 40-something dollars at amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dough-Joe%C2%AE-Baking-Sheet-The-Samurai-trade/dp/B00LBKWSKS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

edit: So, I did just go out today and ordered a pizza that was cooked in a brick oven (from Bertucci's, actually: http://www.bertuccis.com/ - I got the BBQ chicken pizza (I know, probably a bad choice, I regret getting it). Anyway, much to my chagrin, the outer crust was... hard to chew. If this is what the coveted Neopolitan pizza is like, then I'm not as excited. I was had by the excitement of all the other folks (including J Kenji's articles) -- really, this is how I try out stuff: I just see what other folks really find exciting, and give it a chance.

So yeah, I'm actually not sure what to make of things anymore. I'm gonna try making a pan pizza using a cast iron skillet, and perhaps try to buy a Neopolitan/NY style pizza elsewhere (hard to find around here, actually!) and see if I change my thoughts.

This is my list:

• kitchen aid mixer ($350)
  
  
• Dutch Oven ($50)
  
  
• good digital scale ($20)
  
  
• good thermometer for the kitchen ($10-20)
  
  
• Mixing Bowl set ($20)
  
  
• Bakers Couche ($15)
  
  
• Banneton ($10) (x2)
  
  
• Commercial Food Storage ($5-10) (x4 because I use these a ton)
  
  
• Bench Scrapper ($5)
  
  
• Measuring Cup (2 cup size)
  
  
• Measuring Spoons
  
  
• Pizza Steel Or Stone ($40-80)
  
  
• Loaf Pan
  
  
  Total = $620 (no tax)
  
  
  add in an awesome workbench table for 300 and you are good to go.

I bought this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NMLKW6Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And I'm perfectly happy with it.

I've ad great success using the "Air bake" pizza pans. http://www.amazon.com/AirBake-Nonstick-Pizza-Pan-15-75/dp/B000063SKU/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1463845480&sr=1-1&keywords=large+airbake+pizza I just make toss/spread the dough, put it on the pan, add sauce/cheese/toppings while on the pan, then slide it onto the bottom rack of the oven.

You can make good pizza in a sub-500 degree oven. Try Pete-zza's papa john clone. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6758.msg59217.html#msg59217 The nice thing about this recipe is that you don't need a stone and peel and you can make it in a sub-500 deg oven with great results.

You'll need a pizza screen, but you should be able to pick that up for ~$3 at a restaurant supply store. Around here we have GFS Marketplace and that's where I got mine. It looks like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CI8VHS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000638HNI&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=132K7JRKV0368G553KWM (I mostly use 14", but have a 12" also)

BTW, if you have a self cleaning oven, you can hack it to get up to 900 deg :D

If you haven't picked out a stone yet I'd recommend the one from Old Stone Oven:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000E1FDA

You might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere also, I got mine on eBay.

I've gone through 3 stones before this one, this is by far the most solid I've used and has already outlasted the other ones. Works great for baguettes and other bread, too.

I've got a pizza stone and a steel. I like them both, but pretty much use just the steel nowadays. Picked up this one from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JXVNUHW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When I was last looking for a pizza stone, I read reviews and lots of people preferred cast iron pizza pans instead. I bought one and recommend it, and you don't have to worry about it breaking like a stone will. Makes a nice crispy crust.

Here you go. http://smile.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-4467-14-Inch/dp/B0000E1FDA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1425798820&sr=1-1&keywords=pizza+stone

Half the price and twice as useful. Just buy a damn pizza stone if you make your own pizza.

Edit: Check out the price zombie below, you can get this stone for cheap, or other pizza stones for a third the price as this stupid appliance. Pizza is really fucking easy to make. Making dough from scratch and freezing it works awesome.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14P3-Pizza-14-inch/dp/B0000E2V3X

Probably. I have one and it's pretty great. Can be used for other stuff too.

I've been using the Old Stone Oven round one for about seven years now. I love it! I make large pizzas on it several times a month. I get a nice crispy crust every time. https://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-Round-Pizza/dp/B0000E19MW

the best thing you can do to bring up the pizza tastiness is to buy a nice pizza tray, that allows the pizza crust to breath.

something like this http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-AMB-14PP-Classic-Nonstick-Bakeware/dp/B0000D8CAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317583896&sr=8-1

a net design works better but they are much more hard to fined. try getting a job at a domino's and nab one of theirs. =P

This is a cast iron pan that i picked up on on amazon here.

The two side handle are a little different to get used to, but i love how short the sides are. I have one of the two burner rectangle lodges, but I get cold spots in between the burner spots. Being a circle this seems to heat more evenly.

Finally i prefer this pan because the bottom is completely smooth. I use this on an induction burner occasionally, which you cant do with one of the reversible pans with grates on the bottom.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FY5PHIK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this is the pan I got. I love it though I have washed it once or twice with soap...perhaps I should not be doing that anymore. Thanks for the heads up

This is the one I have. Works great for me, and the handle is nice. I never wash mine, just rinse it after use. You will wonder how you got by without it.

Is this steel thick enough, or should I look for one like this?

I currently have a stone but like the stone on top theory...

I have a cast iron pizza pan and pre heat it and slide a 12" pizza on it, if you got it well over 550F it's only a few minutes for a thin crust, if you want pan pizza use a cast iron skillet and don't preheat it, also toss in a chunk or two of smoke wood, it's awesome. dough is cheap, take a few shots at it in the oven @ 500F first, then when you got it down do in grill.

A normal baking/cookie sheet should work fine. It might take some fine-tuning of your method for a sheet like that, mostly just adjusting the cooking time or maybe temp. A decent pizza stone is pretty cheap.

1. Adjusted the recipe myself from several different sources over a couple years. The only one I can remember that lent to it was a video from Binging with Babish.
   
2. If doing a room temperature rise for 24 hrs, it needs to be punched down about halfway through. But if I'm going for 24 hours I stick it in the fridge and take it out the morning of with no need to punch it down. In my experience, the longer rise has a better taste. Strangely enough, the texture is a little better when I make it the morning of and just do a 12 hour rise. This is just anecdotal though, and I'm no professional.
   
3. I got the 1/4" steel. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JXVNUHW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   Good luck!

Just a standard 2:1 bread flour/water ratio.

• I make 5 cups of flour
  
  
• Add a tps of salt.
  
  
• Add a tsp of yeast to the water(warm)
  
  
• Sometimes a tea spoon of olive oil in the dough.
  
  
• Run it in the kitchenaid on slow and finish kneading it by hand.
  
  
• Let it rise for ~hour (much longer if it's cold).
  
  
• Get the oven as hot as I can (mine 550)
  
  
• Slap it on the pizza stone (the difference a stone makes in the crust is unbelievable.) Link
  
  
• Take it off when it looks done/can't wait anymore.
  
  
• Wrap the dogs in the rest of the dough
  
  
• Throw some egg wash on there
  
  
• Put them on the stone when the pizza comes out.
  
  I'm still trying to get a better crust. It's pretty good but doesn't have that restaurant pizza taste. I'm thinking of trying 00 flour next time. I still have an issue of overcooking the toppings and undercooking the crust.

https://www.amazon.ca/Chicago-Metallic-16124-14-Inch-Stick/dp/B003YKGS4A/

Pretty good!

I have a gas oven and have never had a problem with soggy dough. I wouldn't precook your dough unless you were using a grill. I use a pizza stone placed on the top rack. Contrary to popular belief, putting your store on the top rack creates a "mini-oven" since the top reflects heat back down onto your pizza. What kind of oven do you have? Is it a builders-grade type oven that will barely toast a piece of bread? You may have a problem regardless if that's the case...

This stone was rated #1 by Cooks Illustrated Magazine. It's the only stone that hasn't cracked. And god knows I've cracked a bunch.


http://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-4467-14-Inch/dp/B0000E1FDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343671339&sr=8-1&keywords=old+stone+oven+pizza+stone

I've really been enjoying a cast iron one like this. Plus you can also use it to cook bacon and stuff. Can't do that with a stone.

>So jelly, I would LOVE to try a baking steel.

Any thoughts on a cast-iron pizza pan?

>Lactic acid powder is very difficult to source.

Eh...Google searching yields some good results - eBay auctions even. Can't think it's that hard...

Awesome! I just ordered the Wooden and Aluminum pizza peel. For the Baking Steel would this one be fine?

When you say to shake it, do you mean to move the wooden peel around a bit after putting on each topping?

Haha, no, you can buy them at places like Walmart and on amazon.com, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-2105-0244-Perfect-Results-Ceramic/dp/B006JIGM5O/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1463523876&sr=1-1&keywords=pizzastone

fyi: temperature for dough expansion is important... too hot or too cold and the dough rising will be affected

also temperature of oven is very important... it needs to be at least 500 degrees F (250 to 260 degrees C) it would also be good to invest in pizza stones to ensure a crispy crust

Exactly, its a third of the cost and does everything a BGE can do. I am using one of these Pizza Pans as my heat shield on top of a Weber replacement grate. Also by using the grate, I was able to replicate this high heat sear which is amazing for steaks and burgers.

The most expensive part is the cheese. Everything else is pretty cheap. For my sauce, I always use jars of spaghetti sauce - one large jar will get me probably 4 pizzas.

Invest in some halfway-decent pizza pans. It'll make your crust a lot better. This is the one I use.

If you don't particularly like crust, try rubbing it down with olive oil and sprinkling it with garlic salt and oregano.

I'd say a large pizza (15-inch) costs me $2 to $5 on average, depending on the toppings I use.

I use this cast iron pizza pan. All of my pizzas come out great!

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14P3-Pizza-14-inch/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1427207492&sr=1-1&keywords=cast+iron+pizza+pan

I wrote down the recipe by hand after checking it out from the library, so I can't verify what advise she gives, sorry. Personally, I use a baking stone preheated to 550 (hot as my oven gets, electric oven) for about an hour. I also put in a small stainless steel All-clad frying pan while preheating the stone.

After I put the proofed loaves on the stone, I immediately pour in a cup of boiling water into the pan to generate huge amounts of steam.

This is the one I have and I love it.

I decided to pony up after the second stone broke. I ended up with the Dough-Joe because I could get it in a 3/8 inch thick size. The 1/2 inch just seemed too heavy and everything I read about them said the thicker the better. And with Prime, I figured I wasn't paying shipping on something close to 30 pounds so I ponied up the extra $10.

Get one. They're great.

I bought the Pizzacraft 14x14 steel and love it. Can't comment on differences in steel thickness. The idea of a steel is that it has very high thermal conductivity - it transfers heat FAST. So it doesn't necessarily need to hold onto heat, meaning thickness isn't that big a factor.

Anyway here's the bottom of one of my last pies.

Here's a profile view, so you can see the thickness of the browned layer

I use the steel on the very bottom rack and a pizza stone 2 notches above that.

Creme brûlée

item

Cheesecake all day everyday

Thanks for contest!!!!!!!!!

I have the 14 inch pan! I got mine on Amazon, link is below :)

Lodge 14 Inch Cast Iron Baking Pan. Pre-Seasoned Round Baking Pan with Dual Loop Handles for Pizza or Baking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1L24BbHHTHQVJ

These placed directly on a propane grill set to high ~ 500F. Preheat them for about 15-20 mins. Place homemade pizza directly on tiles and in about 5-10 mins you have an amazing restaurant quality pizza.

I have this Link and it has been holding up great for two years. I haven't used the other brands mentioned in the post so I don't know how well it stands up.

Depends on how much you cook.

I have one of these: (it's at least 3 or 4 years old) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000E19MW

Don't buy the pampered chef stone. Those things break very easily. Also, get a pizza peel as well, cheap ones can be had at a restraunt supply place or AceMart.

Assuming you already have a oven

you'll save money in the long run if you do the cost with an initial investment of $55, 35$ pizza steel and $20 pizza peel

Cost of packaged ingredient(Assuming basil is free):

$4 for cheese

$3.49 for centos tamto puree

$6.49 for king arthur bread flour(2270g)

Now for the cost of a one pizza(270g each) not including cost of water and salt:

$0.48 for 133g of flour

$.44 for sauce(1/8 of puree, it usually takes me 8+ pizzas to use the entire can)

.8$ for electricity assuming 5300W/1000w * .15kwh = .8$ 550F @45m-60m baking time

$2 for half cheese, it takes half a mozz for a one pizza

that's a total of $3.72 for a ~12" pizza.

assuming domino's prizes $8 * CA tax(1.08237) - 3.72 = 4.93896 in savings

at this rate it would take only take 11-12 days to get your money back, if you consume one pizza on a daily basis. And this is assuming you didn't buy anything in bulk prices.

Here's what your pizza would look like(these are mine no machine used unlike the guy in the video), no kneading required for the first one; it actually comes out better too. Look up the no knead method or pm I will gladly to ***

https://imgur.com/gallery/GTimP5O

https://i.redd.it/e7n1qp0u0yq21.jpg

EDIT:Price may vary depending on your location. All prices and taxes are relative to bay area CA. Ingredients may also very depending on which method is used to prepare the dough. No sugar was considered, because using sugar is stupid and the bread browns well enough without sugar. No need to bring more sugar into your life.

Sources for pricing:

https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Pomodoro-Aluminum-Foldable-Homemade/dp/B01NBX7GOB/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=pizza+peel&qid=1554793116&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1https://www.amazon.com/Pizzacraft-Square-Baking-Kitchen-Barbeque/dp/B00NMLKW6Q/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=pizza+steel&qid=1554793163&s=gateway&sr=8-6

https://www.instacart.com/products/270974-whole-foods-market-fresh-mozzarella-ball-8-oz

https://www.instacart.com/store/items/item_29690029

https://www.instacart.com/store/items/item_185825888

Is your stove gas or electric?

What I used to do is build the pizza on a cast iron pizza pan, and then start it on my highest power gas burner. While doing this, I heat the broiler in the oven. Once the bottom of the crust is nice and light brown (it'll keep cooking so don't overdo it) you transfer it to the oven and let the broiler cook the top.

The other option is to convert a weber grill with some kiln shelves and refractory cement into a wood fired oven.

I've also found that the cast iron pan works better than stones in an oven. You heat it to 550 and let it come to temperature, then switch on the broiler to get it even hotter. When you put the pizza on the iron quickly cooks the bottom, and the broiler cooks the top. The iron has a quicker recovery time than a stone if you're cooking more than one pie.

Make your own. Very easy, much tastier, and won't make a mess in your oven.

Dough recipe: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001199.html

Pizza stone: http://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-14-Inch-16-Inch/dp/B0000E1FDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1249390134&sr=8-1

Topping ideas: http://pizzaacasa.com/Pizza.html

You can do better. Locally sourced would be the best option but there's also:

• 1/4" for $39 shipped.
  
• 1/2" for $98 shipped.
  
  Cheaper, and they had the sense to make theirs square.

Pan: https://smile.amazon.com/LloydPans-Kitchenware-Detroit-Pre-Seasoned-Resistant/dp/B01FY5PHIK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526579323&sr=8-1&keywords=detroit+pan&dpID=313RjhSNbxL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Recipe that I use: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/02/detroit-style-pizza-recipe.html

Enjoy!

I'm a complete pizza novice but I know how to cook.

I quickly glazed over a guide and it said letting the yeast ferment/sit 24 hours prior to cooking is essential. How essential? Are talking night and day difference of taste?

Secondly, I've been making frozen pizzas off this thing for awhile. Can I successfully cook a home made pizza on this thing? (it's just a stainless steel pizza pan. It conducts heat very well. Good or bad?)
https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-AMB-14PP-Classic-Nonstick-Bakeware/dp/B0000D8CAO


Third; altitude should affect cooking time and taste right? I'm by the rocky mountains in Canada and we sit at exactly 1,045 m (3,428 ft) . Will this affect it dramatically?


Fourth : Think it's overkill if I use some expensive (mostly tomato) pasta sauce as my pizza sauce? I hate pizzas with cheapo sauce. But then again I heard I should just make my own?

I plan on making a test run pizza. Just quality dough and no-thrills ingredients. I don't want to waste some expensive ass cheese/sauce on a trial run.

I'd highly recommend either getting a pizza stone or a pizza steel (which I'm dying to try but can't justify purchasing right now). I just don't think you can get the same sort of crust without it. There are pizza pan alternatives you can buy ([like this. I used one previously] (http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-AMB-14PP-Classic-Nonstick-Bakeware/dp/B0000D8CAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395764701&sr=8-1&keywords=pizza+pan)), but I think it's worth it to buy a stone and peel.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-P14P3-Seasoned-Baking-Pizza/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1517824595&sr=8-3&keywords=cast+iron+pizza

Cast iron pizza pan. Will last forever if you care for it.

This pizza stone is $19.41 and on prime.

You are pretty.

Noice! I grew up going to Mountain Mike's every weekend and dumping my entire allowance into their TMNT: Turtles in Time arcade game. How's the land of 10,000 lakes treating you?

If you can get the hang of making the dough doing pizza at home is surprisingly easy and cheap. Plus everything tastes better when you make it yourself. Everybody should at least try it at some point.

I got a friend who swears by this cast iron pizza man: https://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-Baking-Pre-Seasoned-Round-Handles/dp/B0000E2V3X

Personally I prefer a traditional pizza stone because I have bad luck with cast iron: https://smile.amazon.com/Unicook-Ceramic-Grilling-Resistant-Rectangular/dp/B06XGV3RS4/

One of these days I want to step it up and buy a Blackstone propane pizza oven but that's a lot of coin to drop on an outdoor cooking item I'll probably only use a couple times a year.

This is the stone I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000E1FDA

When I'm rolling the balls, I'm using the two hand method, tucking in the dough. For this last pizza I actively tried to seal the bottom by rolling the ball on the surface of my counter top. I didn't achieve a perfect seal though.

I usually preheat the oven for 40-50 minutes, until I see the thermometer read 500F. Today it was preheating for an hour and a half at least ( I got distracted kind of forgot I was supposed to be in the kitchen).

Fellow Chicago resident here... The only time I eat deep dish is when tourist friends are in town. Going to whip up my own pizza on the grill tonight on this:

http://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-4467-14-Inch/dp/B0000E1FDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405449265&sr=8-1&keywords=pizza+stone

good point on the stone. But $20 is not enough for a stone that will last. This is the stone you should get:
http://smile.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-4467-14-Inch/dp/B0000E1FDA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1449795030&sr=8-4&keywords=pizza+stone

I'm going to guess that it's not this one. This states it's only good up to 400 degrees.

I got this bad boy and I love it. Not only does it make great pizzas but it doubles as a griddle on the stove

Hey all, this is a cross-post. Here's my recipe and process...

Yeast in a jar, mix two teaspoons into cup or so of hot tap water (115 F ish I don't check it just use the hottest) add tablespoon olive oil and tablespoon honey or a pinch of sugar. When it's foamy add to 3 cups of flour with tablespoon of garlic powder (optional) and tablespoon of Italian seasoning (optional) in a large bowl. Stir together with fork then knead it for like 2 minutes adding water if needed until right consistency. Cover bowl and let it rise for about an hour. I put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the cold cast iron and spread the dough evenly to the edges. Make pizza - add sauce cheese and toppings. I also melt a tablespoon of butter and mix in a litte garlic powder and brush the outside edge of the crust that's what makes it brown. Cook at 500 F for 18 minutes.

Mine always seems to be nice and brown on the bottom but I read you can just put the cast iron on a hot burner after taking it out of the oven for a minute or two to brown the bottom further if needed.

Link to pan:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000E2V3X/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just using one of those circular metal pans with holes in it, a pizza tray? Like this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000063SKU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1449479038&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=pizza+tray

If you like pizza, you should get a pizza stone! http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14P3-Pizza-14-inch/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1411907978&sr=1-3&keywords=pizza+stone

OMG. Get one, like today! Here's a 15" stone, from Amazon.

Yes, I typically let it rise at room temperature for a few hours. I'll try letting it sit longer once it's rolled.

I'm cooking it at 450 on a Heritage Ceramic Pizza Stone

https://www.amazon.com/Heritage-Black-Ceramic-Pizza-Stone/dp/B00O83CTOK

Some thoughts. It seems that you put the pizza in the oven for too long, at a not high enough temperature. Home ovens don’t get as hot as wood fired ovens can, but if you get a pizza stone, you can very cheaply solve that problem.

Instructions on how to use a pizza stone, and other good tips: https://www.silviocicchi.com/pizzachef/quale-temperatura-cuocere-la-pizza/?lang=en

I also suspect you will get better results if you use Caputo 00 Pizzeria flour. Explanation here.

I use the below pizza stone and pizza screen. Make sure to pre-heat you oven for at least 30 mins at the highest temp possible. Mine goes to 525 and I cook for 12 mins, rotating 180 degrees 6 minutes. And I let the pizza cool on the pizza screen. Made the mistake when I first got one of trying to take the pizza off it right after coming out the oven.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019EAL2SK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CI8VHS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The cast-iron pizza pans do the same thing, and are available now. Lodge makes a great one, Mario Batali has one too, but you end up paying for his name with the higher price.

Just gonna throw this out there:

Dough

Sauce

You'll want one of these too.

Use semolina flour on your peel. Crank that oven all the way, mine goes to 550°. Bake for five minutes. Shockingly good results.

This is the one I was looking at. Same brand. I'm looking for a circle stone like I had. What do you think?

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-Oven-Round-16-Inch/dp/B0000E19MW

Edit: just noticed the one you sent was made of "stoneware" and the one I found was "ceramic"

it is similar I suppose, it is just a cast iron pan for pizzas.. I will say it does not get them as crispy as I would like and I have been trying to tweak that.. looking at maybe getting a pizza steele instead

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14P3-Pizza-14-inch/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456881887&sr=8-1&keywords=cast+iron+pizza+pan

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_U\_m-W3Db7R82W8Q

Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N205G22/?tag=cioequippilot-20

I use the Lloyds Detroit pan. Amazon also has pre seasoned pans from Detroit Pizza Company for about $10 less, however I cannot attest to the quality. The Lloyds pan is recommended on pizza.com

LloydPans Kitchenware 10 inch by 14 inch by 2.5 inch Detroit Style Pizza Pan, Pre-Seasoned, Stick Resistant, Made in the USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FY5PHIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_FqVYAb98S7RGR

BTW, I recently got a pizza steel. I have had good results using it outdoors on my propane-fired grill. It takes a while to heat up, but I can get it to 700F+ for a fast sear, and I don't smoke up the house.

The only downside is a have to wait a couple hours for it to be cool enough to take back inside. I am afraid it would rust if I left it out there. Also, it weighs about 24 lbs.

Stone
Heritage Black Ceramic Pizza Stone and Pizza Cutter Wheel - Baking Stones for Oven, Grill & BBQ - Non Stain https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O83CTOK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1LCBCb4BRMS34
Steel
Baking Steel - The Original Ultra Conductive Pizza Stone (14"x16"x1/4") https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N205G22/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UMCBCbXGSBD08

I have switched to cast iron as well (here). I used to use a 3/4" Corderite stone. The cast iron seems to cook a bit faster and preheats in 30 mins vs. 1 hour+ for the Corderite.

reddit.com/r/Pizza

In the sidebar is guide to buying pizza steel: https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=31267.0

I didn't get it from an online store. I contacted local metal shops and just took the cheapest one. Getting it on amazon would have doubled or tripled the cost. Look at it yourself: I see 15x15x0.25 for $70. I got double thickness, though one square inch shorter, for $40.

Then there's this bullshit which is 0.14 inches thick. Read up at pizzamaking.com why thick metal is necessary.

If you're looking to get something new ...

That 400 degree limit is BS. Plenty of people in the questions thread have said they have gotten to 550 just fine.

this was with http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-Stick-14-Inch-Pizza/dp/B003YKGS4A on top of a stone.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FY5PHIK/ref=as_at?creativeASIN=B01FY5PHIK&linkCode=w61&imprToken=l5KxLoYrdz8IoLsxzVd0qQ&slotNum=8&tag=serieats-20

I followed these recipes which recommended the aforementioned pan

https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/02/how-to-make-detroit-style-pizza.html

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/02/detroit-style-pizza-recipe.html

The classic is a Lloyd 10x14. Check it on Amazon.

LloydPans Kitchenware 10 by 14 Inch Detroit Style Pizza Pan USA Made Hard-Anodized https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FY5PHIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UfWHDbC33992M

The steel really makes a huge improvement over the baking stone for getting some nice spotting on the bottom. I wish I would have bought one sooner. I got this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LBKWSGW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I could have bought a piece of steel at the local steel place for $35 that was the same size, but I didn't feel like cleaning off all of the crap from it and softening the edges. I just wanted to use it.

About $200.

$80 for a new 18.5 inch Weber kettle, these can be found used for much less or free.

$45 for a nice quality pizza stone, inexpensive ones tend to crack.

$46 for the propane burner

$10-$15 fire bricks, aluminum foil...

Get yourself a pizza screen. You'll never have to worry about your dough sliding off the peel.

[pizza screen] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CI8VHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RUDyybHFGPH7Q)

i just got one of these steels. tell me i'm not going to regret getting one thinner than 1/4 inch (i was on a budget)

http://smile.amazon.com/Pizzacraft-Square-Baking-Kitchen-Barbeque/dp/B00NMLKW6Q?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01

Thanks so much. Here is the link to the stone I used: pizza stone. I had no problems with the shipping--it was packed well.

A pizza pan with holes like this.

I've got an Old Stone Pizza stone that's lasted ~4 years. http://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-4461-16-Inch-Oven/dp/B0000E19MW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1371929974&sr=8-3&keywords=pizza+stone

I have wanted a baking steel for a while, so if you're not set on stone, the steel might be the way to go.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/baking-and-pizza-stone/

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=11932509

http://www.amazon.com/Old-Stone-4461-16-Inch-Oven/dp/B0000E19MW

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=239027&CCAID=CKSCFRGOOG&mr:trackingCode=9BA9A648-DB54-E011-AD03-001B2163195C&mr:referralID=NA

Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000E19MW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1426110572&sr=8-3&keywords=pizza+stone&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41JEJM7BVWL&ref=plSrch

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

I use this one. Old Stone Oven 4467 14-Inch by 16-Inch Baking Stone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000E1FDA/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_D.Idub0PX1M67

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000E1FDA

Lodge Pro-Logic P14P3 Cast Iron Pizza Pan, Black, 14-inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_23fsxbHXSZT86

Here ya go! Lodge P14P3 Seasoned Cast Iron Baking and Pizza Pan, 14 Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000E2V3X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_b7iDAbHG5G3KR