Getting the most from your Pizza Stone

[james]

I've been thinking of adding a Forum on pizza stone baking for some time, and it seems like the time is right. The Pizza Stone Baking forum focuses on making great pizza and bread using a pizza stone and conventional oven. I think it works well on the Forno Bravo Forum for a couple of reasons. Many of the pizza making techniques and ingredients we are the same for pizza stone baking. Also, many of us still use our pizza stones when we don't fire our pizza oven. And many (most?) of us who have a pizza oven started out with a pizza stone. I alway joke about the number of stones I broke before I finally bought a good quality stone -- it was a lot.

Topics for the forum might include two-stone baking, pizza techniques, heat and time, and creating steam for baking bread.

Welcome. I hope this forum is valuable.

[CanuckJim]

James,

Good idea. Can't remember where I picked up this tip, but it does help to spray the stone liberally about ten minutes before you bake. Add a few sprays during the first minute or so of baking, plus a steam pan (these as recommended by Peter Reinhart) and crispness improves.

Jim

[grapeape]

Originally Posted by james

I alway joke about the number of stones I broke before I finally bought a good quality stone -- it was a lot.

I just read this topic for the first time this morning and wouldn't ya know it; my stone broke. What kinda of net-fu tricks are you trying to play on me?

[james]

Now, this is a PG rated forum. Still, I have to smile -- those cheap stones really do break.

Have I written this story before? Our producer was asked by WalMart to quote a huge # of pizza stones a few years ago, so they could put a gazillion (a mathematical term) pizza stones in every store. They told the producer the price point they needed to hit, as WalMart does. It turns out that the cost of the materials in our commercial-grade pizza stones is higher than WalMart's target price. Ouch.

Well, at least you know the Forno Bravo pizza stones are nice. Guaranteed to not break for 10 years.

James

[grapeape]

Originally Posted by james

Well, at least you know the Forno Bravo pizza stones are nice. Guaranteed to not break for 10 years.

There is my delema -- buy another (a good one) stone, or use this as an excuse to start on the oven! Whoa is me...

[grapeape]

Oh, and I gotta add... Now I know why I was able to get the stone, New in the box, for only 12 dollars!

After breaking two "Gourmet" Pizza Stones I started using a scrap piece of marble I scavenged to cook pizza on. That worked so well I bought a 16"x16" red granite paver and added that.

I put the stones in a 550° oven for an hour and start baking pie. Three minute pizza.

[Xabia Jim]

Pizza stone materials?

I see granite and marble used in the last post.....What about a slate roof tile?

....but I thought pizza stones were fired clay....

James, is the FB stone essentially a firebrick then?

[canadianbacon]

Hi Jim,

what are you spraying on your stone with just before baking ?

I'm going to assume water, but then, I'm thinking this could crack an el-cheapo stone, if it were preheating in the oven at 500 degrees F or so for 30 mins. I have a cracked pizza stone, which I bought several years ago, but haven't changed it, because I also use **unglazed ** quarry tiles I picked up from a place like HomeDepot for 35 cents a piece ( they are about 5"x5" ) and I have lined my kitchen oven with them... then the cracked pizza stone goes on top, and it has never cracked more over the last 3 years or so. ( it cracked right down the middle )

Originally Posted by CanuckJim

James,

Good idea. Can't remember where I picked up this tip, but it does help to spray the stone liberally about ten minutes before you bake. Add a few sprays during the first minute or so of baking, plus a steam pan (these as recommended by Peter Reinhart) and crispness improves.

Jim

[swripley]

For years I have been using I 16" square unglazed terra cotta tile about 1/2" thick to not only bake pizza on but also bread. I spray water not only on the stone but on the walls of the oven just before I put the pizza/bread on the stone. For bread I spray again about half way through the bake time.

Really improves the crispiness of the crust.

Now that I am building my oven, I am wondering if anyone has an opinion about spray water into the oven? Good idea? Bad idea? Not worth the effort?

S