Pizza stone woes

[mike.stavlund]

Any tips for keeping these things in one piece? I try to warm these things up gradually, treat them gently, and store them dry. But still only get an average of maybe 5 cooks on each one before they start to split. And even when I'm buying them at the thrift store for 5 bucks, it's still frustrating.

My current solution came in the form of a cast iron pizza pan at the Lodge outlet yesterday. Which I expect to last a lot longer but can anyone share their experience on cooking pizza on metal vs. stone?


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[iCARRY]

I have had many break on me inside my house. Never used one on the kettle. I have bought cheap ones, expensive one, they always break. Ugh. Was looking into the cast iron pan yesterday. Think I might give it a try too.


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[Nate]

Here's what I have. http://www.amazon.com/CucinaPro-533-Round-Pizza-Stone/dp/B005CXCZLW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1417098252&sr=8-4&keywords=Pizza+stone+16
     Works great, so far, and I heat it up fast with a blazing fire. You can kind of see the stone in my pizza videos I've posted.

[Winz]

Try a kiln shelf.  They are rated to a bazillion degrees and come in many different sizes.  I picked one up at my local ceramics supplier, but you can order them online as well.


Winz

[pbe gummi bear]

Try a kiln shelf.  They are rated to a bazillion degrees and come in many different sizes.  I picked one up at my local ceramics supplier, but you can order them online as well.


Winz

And they are cheaper than a pizza stone!

[2mnygrills]

I had the same problem with pizza stones so I went to the local metal fabricator store and bought a new piece of 1/4 inch steel.

I had them cut it 14x16 and then cut about one inch from each corner to kinda round it a little.  When I got it home I took my hand grinder to the edges to round them over a bit, and then then took a brillo pad, soap and water and scrubbed it to remove the oily film.

I then seasoned it on my Genisis like a cast iron skillet.  With that dimension, I can put a fire brick on edge under each end to raise it from the coals and the lid will fit over it but is has to be centered.  It works great.  Just don't drop it on your toe.  Those dimensions are what I came up with but you could go a little smaller and it might even work better.  I can't remember the cost, but it wasn't bad.

Also since this is flat, a peel works well.  I wasn't sure how a cast iron pizza pan would work with the peel because of the raised edge.

[mike.stavlund]

Great tips, thanks.

I'm also concerned about working around the raised edge of the CI pan. I am considering flipping it upside down for that reason.  And yet also wondering if that raised edge will shield my pies and protect them from the blackened edges they have suffered of late.


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[MacEggs]

Try a kiln shelf.  They are rated to a bazillion degrees and come in many different sizes.  I picked one up at my local ceramics supplier, but you can order them online as well.


Winz

Yup!  These work great!  Mine hasn't cracked yet, and I don't think it will.  Highly recommended. 

[brettbrown]

Don't know if this helps,but home depot has a pizza stone for black Friday for $8. By a few and it's no big deal when they break.

[Copperkettle218]

My solution was a Baking Steel.  Better performance than ceramic, crisper crust.  Cost quite a lot, but it will never, ever break. 

[austin87]

@2mnygrills is your piece similar to this? http://www.bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel

Also, do you recall what you paid? Kiln shelves are a little less expensive so I'm kind of between that for cost but I think the steel could also be used as a griddle.

[2mnygrills]

Well it's the same size. The corners were just clipped about a inch and are not rounded.   

I can't remember the cost exactly, but I'm thinking around $25...and it will last forever!

[Sauce]

I bought the rectangle one from Williams Sonoma about five years ago. No issues. It'll fit a 16" pie. Highly recommend. I think it's one of those things you get what you pay for. I think it was $40.

Sauce