Make pizza at home? You want a baking steel

Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2016/07/12/make-pizza-at-home-you-want-a.html

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Not disputing the results, but there is a technical error in the description:

Stone holds a lot of heat, and but steel holds more and conducts it far, far faster.

Steel does have a higher thermal conductivity than stone. However, the heat capacity (specific heat) of steel is lower than most types of stone:

Steel: 0.49 kJ/kg K

Stoneware: 0.8 kJ/kg K
Marble: 0.88 kJ/kg K
Clay: 0.92 kJ/kg K
Firebrick: 1.05 kJ/kg K

These types of stone will hold more heat than a steel “stone” of the same mass.

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What’s wrong with the grill?

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Been reading about the merits of steel for quite some time, but haven’t bitten yet… problem is, the only good place to store my stone is in the basement, and the thought of lugging a much heavier baking steel up and down the stairs is holding me back…

As for dough, I like cold fermented, as it allows me to make it a few days ahead (and minimal kneading - just use a food processor) – thanks, Kenji!

Edited.

Winter.

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What about cast iron? I thought that was the ideal material for crispy-chewy-bubbly crust, no?

Evidently steel offers faster thermal transfer rates.

Your grill doesn’t work in the winter? Mine works all year, it’s great.

I have no fear pushing snow off the top of my grill for anything. You’re not out there standing next to it the entire time, you can go back inside. It’s like grilling in the rain.

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I have odd memories of my dad firing up the Weber just outside the garage door during blizzards. The man is a dedicated griller.

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I purchased a 3/8" thick steel disk for $30 on Amazon and it works great. If you have a large-diameter cast iron pan, you can flip it upside-down if you want to “try before you buy.”

The only problem I’ve encountered is with making pizza on the grill. It gets way too hot and burns crust almost instantly. Still figuring out how to use my kamado grill, so it’s probably user error.

Ya’ gotta’ bank the coals. No direct heat.

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is that only if you are grilling directly, though, right? I’ve been tempted to put the pizza stone in the grill to take advantage of the higher temps (at least until I can convince my wife to let me buy a pizza oven). Anyone done it this way?

Yes, a stone would make it indirect, as it’s evenly spreading the heat. Yeah, get crazy. You’re looking for at least 500 degrees and your oven inside can’t compete.

I just throw mine on the grill though, I got tired of pizza stones and dealing with all that hassle. I recommend using the back of a sheet pan to move the pizza into the kitchen by the way instead of buying a peel just for that.

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I was excited that my new oven goes to 550, rather than the 500 my old one did, but I’d like to get it higher. Just got a new grill for father’s day, and it should get even hotter… I am gonna just have to go ahead and try it one day. We all want different pizzas, so even a minute or two off each pizza saves time and gets us eating pizza sooner :slight_smile:

Kinda hard with a kamado. I bought a dampener - a ceramic heat blocker - that’s supposed to make it more of a convection oven. Hopefully that will fix things.

That explains why all of those stone pizza ovens don’t make crisp… oh wait…

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I shall leave this here for your enjoyment.

Yeah, I saw that article. Pizza is not made with parchment paper and rolling pins. Those pizzas are not really my (snobby) style.

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Meh. When I worked at a pizza place we would sometimes use aluminum foil, parchment is just a better version of that. I’m much more of an end result person than getting wrapped up in the “right” way of things. So, whatever works for you.

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