All About Pizza Stones

Pizza, when made at home, often doesn't taste nearly as good as those that are produced in brick or stone ovens. Crust is often left doughy when the toppings are done, or the bottom gets burnt when the toppings are still raw. Cooking pizza evenly can seem like the closest thing next to impossible but, a pizza stone can make baking the perfect pizza simple and hassle-free.

A pizza stone is a circular stoneware platter that is flat and provides the cooking surface, in your oven, for the pizza. The pores in the pizza stone, which are invisible to the naked eye, sap moisture from the dough while still distributing the heat uniformly along the entire surface. The final result is pizza that is cooked perfectly with the crust done just as well as the toppings.

Despite being made of stone, pizza stones can be fragile and break if they are dropped. Sudden changes in temperature can also cause pizza stones to fracture so avoid putting a cold stone in a hot oven. The best way to use your pizza stone is to place it in the unheated oven, on the middle shelf, and allow the stone to preheat along with the oven. After the oven heats to the appropriate temperature, use a pizza peel or paddle to place your pizza on the baking stone.

Pizza stones are made out of a number of different materials with the most common being terra cotta or condensed sand. Pizza stones are also manufactured in different thicknesses with the thickest baking with the most uniform and evenly distributed heat.

Pizza stones are very affordable and can usually be purchased for around $30 or so. They can be found easily online as well as in most department or specialty stores where baking items are sold.

Cooking with pizza stones

Oils and sprays should never be used on a pizza stone unless it is specifically called for by the manufacturer. Often cornmeal, but sometimes flour, can be used on the pizza stone to prevent your pizza from sticking. After the pizza is thoroughly cooked through, remove the pizza from the stone with a peel or paddle. Leave the stone in the oven and allow it to cool as the oven cools.

Never cut your pizza when it is still on the pizza stone as this will scar the surface or damage it further. If made out of stoneware, as most are, expect your pizza stone to darken with age.

More information on pizza stones