Perfect Pizza Ovens

Can't Afford Pizza Ovens Right Now? - Use Pizza Stones Instead!

If you want to improve on your pizza cooking right away, then you should take a look at pizza stones.  This is a simple change you can implement with very little cost.

So, what do pizza stones do and what are they made of?
They are basically 'tiles' which absorb heat inside your oven, just like the floor of a masonry pizza oven, so that when you place your pizza on this preheated stone it will draw out moisture very quickly and crisp up the dough base of your pizza to perfection.

They are made of highly porous materials, such as terracotta or ceramic or special stone with a high thermal mass - which means they get very hot and stay hot and distribute the heat very evenly through the material and over the surface.  You can buy commercially made pizza stones or make your own. Unglazed earthenware or ceramic tiles are the cheapest option, well scrubbed before use.  

How Do You Use A Stone?

Preheat slowly in your kitchen oven or stove from cold. Never put a cold pizza stone straight in a hot oven. Heat up slowly and leave to cool down inside the oven.  It is a good idea to leave the stone inside the oven permanently if you have a double oven, one part can be your own 'dedicated' pizza oven!


Handy Tip...
To avoid your dough bases sticking to the surface you can sprinkle with cornmeal or semolina just before you add the pizza. This will really help.

A minor issue with pizza stones is that they absorb just about anything!  Grease and oil from cheese and meat toppings are the main culprit along with tomato. Cleaning should be done without soap, using a stiff brush to give the stones a scrub.  If you take the view that they are meant to look well used and stained, then marks and blotches etc, will not bother you - they just add character!