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Original poster

Do pizza stones work?

42 replies

lolalotta · 21/03/2012 06:16

Hello, we make homemade pizza once a week (well the bread maker does the dough bit) just wondering if pizza stones really do make a better pizza/ crisper base and are they worth the investment/ cupboard space? I was looking at one on the John Lewis website and it said it needs to heat in the oven for 40 mons before you use it, does this sound right? Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
lolalotta · 21/03/2012 06:17

40 mins even! Smile

OP posts:
CarpeJugulum · 21/03/2012 06:20

DH uses one and he swears by it I just think its a pain in the arse to store

He switches the oven on to heat up with the stone in it and then slides the pizza on to the pre-warmed stone. Seems to work for him.

It does get filthy though and you can't clean it.

Original poster
lolalotta · 21/03/2012 06:30

Carpe, I think that might make me twitch too, but I do lime the idea of a crisper base!!! So do you wash them at all????

OP posts:
Original poster
lolalotta · 21/03/2012 06:31

Sorry about the typing errors am on my phone!

OP posts:
CarpeJugulum · 21/03/2012 06:58

Nope. The leaflet that came with it expressly forbade us to do so.

I just chip off the melted cheese and brush off the crumbs and try to ignore the miscellaneous stains caused by sauce, pepperoni et al

BeanutPutter · 21/03/2012 07:00

We used to use a stone and it does work but I hated the thought of 40mins in an oven heating for something that only takes 12-15 minutes to cook.

I found a non-stick pizza tray in tescos that we now use and the pizza is just as crisp. It was £3 and it can be washed. :)

Chopstheduck · 21/03/2012 07:05

I have one, I preheat it for around 15 mins max, with the oven on full (230c) and then a pizza takes about 3 -4 minutes on it.

I think it's only really worth having if you have pizzas that are really thin, authentic Italian style. Dh likes to overload his with toppings, so I tend to precook the bases on the stone now, and then top them and cook again in the evening. Otherwise the middle doesn't cook because there is too much cheese and stuff on it!

I was it sometimes with water, but never soap. Mainly brush off the burnt on bits. To start with it looks a bit vile, but after a lot of use the stains pretty much cover it and it gets a lovely aged look to it, and stops looking quite so dirty!

Chopstheduck · 21/03/2012 07:07

I use it for homemade naan and pitas too. They puff up into big balls and are lovely!

BettyBathroom · 21/03/2012 07:33

I make pizzas every week - started with a pizza stone, works preheated at the highest heat possible, I then invested in a Pampered Chef pizza stone which suggested that it didn't need preheating - wrong! Unless you like soggy pizza base! I use a baking tray, a Tefal heavy baking tray and that works better than anything else, crispy pizza and no prelonged preheating time, second best is the stone. For crispy bases aviod lighter baking trays and Pampered chef!

4merlyknownasSHD · 21/03/2012 09:53

Forget about it taking up cupboard space. If you keep taking it in and out of the oven you will chip it or drop it at some stage. Mine lives in the oven. Great for bread (which was why I got it) as you get a real "bounce" when baking a free-form loaf, i.e. not in a loaf pan.

FredFredGeorge · 21/03/2012 10:23

I was going to say the same as 4merlyknownasSHD it should live in the oven, no need to store it anywhere.

storminabuttercup · 21/03/2012 10:25

I love mine, I cover mine in semolina so it doesn't stick, I preheat for half an hour or so on full whack!

JasperJohns · 21/03/2012 10:27

We used to use one but now use those holey round pizza tray things which are much better (according to dh who does all the cooking!).

sparkle12mar08 · 21/03/2012 11:04

So does no one just put the pizza directly on the shelf then?! We always have and no soggy bottoms here!

shrinkingnora · 21/03/2012 11:13

If you put fresh pizza dough directly on the shelf surely it would just fall through?

My brother has a pizza tin with holes in the bottom which does seem to work but making sure the oven is really hot before the pizza goes in works just as well. Or cooking them on foil as it is much thinner.

Chopstheduck · 21/03/2012 11:31

Pizza on the shelf doesn't work with fresh dough - it bends!

TreacleSoda · 21/03/2012 12:06

I have a pizza stone and I like it for home made dough, definitely find it crisper than just using a baking tray.

AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 21/03/2012 12:09

i do mine on a flat tray. got it at tkmaxx but it's by mermaid. think it was a fiver, and it gets roasting so we always have crispy bottoms...

PatriciaHolm · 21/03/2012 12:12

Ours has a metal carrything you put on the bottom when you take it out, so you can use it to eat off or put on the table - much easier to slice when flat rather than flopping over the side of a too-small plate.

Frontpaw · 21/03/2012 12:12

It's good for pizza and bread - but terrible if it isn't hot enough.

AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 21/03/2012 12:15

re freeform bread, if you heat the bejesus out of a casserole pot and sling the dough in there, lid on, it makes a dutch oven. lid off for last ten mins for crustiness.

FootprintsInTheSnow · 21/03/2012 12:19

I roll at top mine on foil & then slide the foil on the shelf.

Means I can cook 3 at once ( or more small ones) which is good for DC.

Chepstowmonkey · 21/03/2012 14:54

Well this is a very interesting discussion! I am quite new to this pizza making and I recently got a pizza stone for my birthday. I have to say that the pizza's are so much better with it (compared to just on foil on the oven shelf) so I was thinking of buying another but now I've read all you people talking about a pizza tray I'm thinking this may be a cheaper option.

Totally stupid question:- do you think there is a different between a pizza tray and a baking tray (apart from the shape obviously)?!

Frontpaw · 21/03/2012 15:07

I find the stones do make a better crust than the trays - which are a nightmare if your dough is a bit wet! I assume you mean the ones with all the little holes. I once had my cooker filled with bloody breadsticks as the dough slopped through the holes!

Chepstowmonkey · 21/03/2012 15:57

Some of the trays have holes? Okay - I'm confused! I was imagining just a round baking tray with a tiny lip.

Very interesting post OP - I think I'll hold off buying another pizza stone until I hear more about it!