How to Transfer Pizza to Stone
Pizza is a classic dish made with lots of different toppings. You can cook the pizza on the stone in the oven for a crispy crust if you have a pizza stone. In this blog post, we will give you some tips on how to transfer pizza to stone without ruining it. When you’re cooking a pizza at home, there are a few things better than the result: a hot, fresh, and crispy pie straight from the oven.
But what do you do if your oven can’t reasonably accommodate a pizza size? Or, heaven forbid, your oven breaks down in the middle of baking? Don’t worry; with a few simple tricks, you can quickly transfer your pizza to a stone for that perfect crust. Read on for tips.
What Are Pizza Stones Made Of?
Pizza stones typically consist of a non-porous ceramic material, which is why they can absorb moisture from the pizza dough. In addition, the porous non-stick surface is designed to simulate the crispness of a brick oven’s floor.
Pizza stones are great for cooking pizza because they can conduct heat and maintain a high oven temperature. This makes it possible for the dough to quickly rise in the oven before being charred on its surface.
Why Use A Pizza Stone?
If you want to make a pizza with a crispy crust like you would get from a brick oven, you need to have a stone at home. The stone’s porous surface will help the crust cook evenly and become crispy.
You should not put a hot stone in water or run it through the dishwasher. You can clean your stone by scraping off any toppings with a spatula and then soaking the stone in warm soap and water for about an hour.
Steps to Follow: How to Use a Pizza Stone
Step 1:
First, you should preheat the oven with your pizza stone inside for 30 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, make sure not to place it near an open flame or on the bottom rack. Next, pour one cup of warm water into the tray below the stone before placing the pizza dough on top. This will create steam, which is necessary for ensuring your crust cooks the way it’s meant to. Now you’re ready to start adding your toppings! Begin with a layer of sauce, followed by cheese and whatever else you like.
Step 2:
Slide the pizza onto the stone using a spatula or by hand. It should be relatively easy to transfer the dough if you’ve made sure it isn’t sticking before putting it in your oven. If it begins to stick, slide a spatula underneath.
Step 3:
Only cook the pizza for 8-10 minutes total as you want your crust to be slightly undercooked as it will continue to cook after being removed from the oven. After this period has passed, remove your pizza from the stone by sliding a spatula underneath.
Step 4:
After taking out your pizza, allow it to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving. If you cut straight into it after removing it from the oven, all juices will run out, resulting in a thin crust and a dry meal.
10 Ways on How to Transfer Pizza to Stone:
1. Transferring the Pizza:
The ancient and time-tested method takes a pair of tongs to get the pizza from the peel onto the stone. This has been used for generations and is likely to continue as such. It’s the easiest way to transfer a pizza onto the stone. A good pair of tongs will not stick to the pizza dough and will allow you to easily slide it off the peel and onto the hot stone.
2. Pizza Paddle:
Another popular method is to use a pizza paddle, which is usually quite wide and flat, with some gripping mechanism on one end. You then place the paddle on top of your stone, place the tip of the handle on the edge of your stone, and then quickly flip the whole thing over so that your pizza will land on top of your stone. You can use a similar technique with the back of a cookie sheet, which is just big enough to accommodate a pizza stone. Once you’ve gotten your stone out of the oven, it’s time to get to work on your pizza dough.
3. Upside-Down Rimmed Baking Sheet:
This method is commonly used with a baking sheet with a raised rim. First, place the stone on the lower rack and set your oven as you normally would. Then comes the tricky part: once you’ve rolled out your dough onto a floured piece of parchment paper, transfer it to your upside-down baking sheet. Then, part of the way through cooking your pizza, you’ll need to remove the baking sheet with your pizza on it and place it directly onto the stone.
4. Baking Steel:
This is an excellent option if you have one available to use in your oven already! First, place your steel at the lowest position possible inside your oven and allow it to preheat for an hour or so at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the stone has been heating for that amount of time, slide your dough onto your steel using a paddle made out of either wood or metal.
5. Paper Parchment to Transfer the Pizza:
This method is straightforward and doesn’t require any special tools. Use a large piece of parchment paper to roll out your dough, transfer it to the oven, and then carefully pull the parchment away once the pizza has been placed onto your stone.
6. Aluminized Steel Foil:
Aluminized steel foil can be used in the same way as baking parchment above. Just roll out your dough, transfer it with your hands onto some aluminum foil, and then carefully place the foil-side down onto the stone using tongs in one hand. Make sure to be quick about it so that you can avoid losing too much heat in your oven!
7. Silicone Baking Mat:
If you don’t have a baking stone or would like to try something new, a silicone baking mat is another great option. Just place the mat on the uppermost rack of your oven and preheat for an hour before adding your pizza.
8. Rigid or Stiff Cardboard:
A popular method for many years is to use rigid or stiff cardboard with one corner folded over to provide a small ledge for the pizza dough to sit on top of safely. Transfer your pizza onto this mini-ledge using tongs, then carefully remove it once you’ve finished cooking.
9. Oven Rack:
This method is as simple as it sounds. Just slide your dough onto the oven rack and, once you’ve finished cooking, use a pair of tongs to remove it from the oven using the same method that you used to place it onto the rack in the first place.
10. Pizza Box or Pizza Pan Lid:
This method is similar to the rigid cardboard one, and only you’re using a pizza box or an aluminum pan lid. Use a floured piece of parchment paper to transfer your dough onto the lid, and then gently lift it away once it’s been placed on top of your stone.
You Can Check It Out To Make a Metal Pizza Peel
Tips to Prevent the Pizza Crust from Sticking to the Surface
1. For a gas stovetop, turn the knob on the back burners to low and keep an oven mitt over the handle, so it doesn’t snap up.
2. Put a baking stone or pizza stone on the rack as high up in the oven as you can manage.
3. Make sure to sprinkle semolina flour or cornmeal on your pizza stone before setting any dough to bake; this will prevent it from sticking.
4. If you are baking directly on an oven rack, make sure there are no racks above or below and enough room for airflow to circulate the dough.
5. Preheat your oven with a pizza stone inside for at least 45 minutes, and use an oven thermometer to make sure it reaches the correct temperature.
6. If you want to transfer your cooked pizza from its pan or sheet back onto a baking stone to crisp up the bottom (and you should), avoid sliding it off with a spatula. This will only leave the dough to stick to the pan or sheet! Instead, slide it off gently with a hand underneath.
Conclusion
The best way to transfer the pizza onto the stone is by using a metal spatula. If you don’t have one, use tongs or another long utensil to touch the dough. Press down on one side of the crust and then slide it across so that all of your pie will be in contact with the hot surface for even cooking time.
Be careful when doing this; make sure that it doesn’t slide off of the pan and onto the floor.
You can also use parchment paper if you don’t want to risk anything happening with your food. After reading this post, you should better understand how to transfer pizza to stone. But what about when it’s time for cleanup? Let us know if we can help!
