We rarely experience life’s finer pleasures, and one of the best is hot out of the, oven pizza. So heading off to the nearest pizza restaurant is often the only way to enjoy the tasty bad boys they serve. There’s nothing better than crispy pizza crust and melted cheese, which is worth noting; these are two things you can’t get with a takeaway pizza.
Luckily, there are now many home pizza ovens, so you can enjoy your baked goods at home and hot as they are intended. To get the ultimately cooked crust on your pizza directly from the oven, you need a pizza stone, which you can get from a nearby home improvement store.
You may wonder what the benefits are of a pizza stone and how you use them. Besides this, if you have made a whopping 12-inch plus pizza, you may not have a plate large enough. Hence the question, can you cut pizza on a pizza stone?
Without further ado, you can scour our guide and learn how to use pizza stones, care for your pizza stones, and possibly how to cut pizza without pizza cutter blade. (Read Pork Fat Substitute For Sausage)
What Is The Purpose Of Pizza Stones?
As you may guess from the name, it’s one tool required for properly making a pizza.
A pizza stone is a circular cooking slab designed to absorb heat and disperse it evenly throughout your bread as it evaporates excess moisture from the dough.
What are The Benefits of Pizza Stones?
Using one of these is typically a good option as the bread may bake more uniformly because of the even distribution of heat. In addition, a soft yet crunchy pizza crust is produced with this technique.
You cannot bake pizza in a regular oven or grill, which frequently results in overdone or soggy pizza. Neither of which is appealing to eat.
Baking a pizza in an oven or grill is also significantly more time-consuming.
Pizza stones retain heat, and once your dough hits the surface, they suck out the moisture, which turns into steam and creates air pockets as your pizza is cooked.
What Is A Pizza Cutting Tool
Pizza is sliced into slices using kitchen instruments such as a knife or pizza cutter and a pizza wheel.
Stainless steel is typically used for the blade, and plastic is typically used for the handle.
Manufacturers have flooded the market with various pizza cutters, all of which come in various sizes. Each variety has unique advantages and applications.
Pizza cutters make cutting pizza quicker and easier. However, a knife isn’t recommended if you want to know how to cut pizza without a pizza cutter. A better option if you don’t have a proper cutter is a pair of scissors.
Can I Use A Pizza Cutter On My Pizza Stone?
If you’re a newbie in the kitchen, you might wonder if you should cut pizza on a stone or prepare your pizza on a sheet pan. The answer is “it depends.”
The first step to successfully cutting a pizza on a stone is to prepare the stone. It should be well greased and allowed to cool completely before use. Then, it’s time to cook the best authentic Italian pizza!
It’s best to pre-heat your pizza stone. When cooking a pizza on a stone, ensure it’s at room temperature. A cold dough may crack if it’s too hot. Once it’s hot, pizzas cook for eight to 10 minutes. It’s a good idea to use a sharp knife and spatula, but be careful! (Read Can You Freeze Sausage Casings)
How To Transfer Pizza To Pizza Stone
Learning how to transfer a pie on a pizza stone is the first step in creating pizza at home. Because of its consistent cooking temperature, a stone is the best surface to cook your pie on.
Avoid using wax paper when moving a pizza to a stone since it can burn fast in a hot environment. Use oven-safe parchment paper instead to allow food to brown without burning.
To transfer the pizza to the stone, use a thin metal spatula. Alternatively, you might use a firm piece of cardboard or the back of a sizable baking sheet. Make sure the pizza stone is at the proper temperature to prevent sticking.
You can transfer your pizza onto the stone after it reaches the proper temperature. You can help by adding cornmeal or flour beneath your pizza base.
A rimless baking sheet or a pizza peel is also acceptable. If you’d instead not use a pizza peel, try a baking sheet without rims.
Can You Use A Pizza Cutter On A Pizza Stone
You may have one question: Can you cut pizza on a pizza stone? A pizza stone is made of rugged, durable material, so it could damage your pizza cutter before your pizza cutter could damage the hot surface of your pizza stone.
Don’t use a pizza cutter on your stone; move the pizza to a cooling surface. Of course, you can always slide it onto a flat surface, cookie sheet, or parchment paper.
Once the pizza cooking process is over, and your pizza is baked, transfer it to one of these cutting board options to continue.
Transfer the pizza to a cutting board before you slice, and also, the cutting board should be cool as the pizza cutter won’t be able to cut through the cheese if it is too hot.
Pizza Stone Suggestions
Here are some tips to remember for your pizza stone.
- Don’t handle the stone too much.
- Store flat when not in use.
- Avoid washing and oiling a pizza stone.
- Be consistent with the cooking temperatures you use with your pizza stone. A good example is don’t add your cold pizza stone to a hot oven. Instead, you should place your stone in the oven before you start heating your oven.
- A pizza stone is suitable for many different kinds of pizza.
Using a Pizza Stone From Scratch
In an oven, place the pizza stone. The top rack in the center is best for cooking pizza and cookies. The middle rack in the center is preferable for baking bread, biscuits, and other foods.
Initially, use a cold oven. Never place a cold pizza stone in a hot oven because thermal shock could cause it to break.
Note: Placing a frozen pizza on a pizza stone will cause a broken stone, as will placing a cold stone in a hot oven—Cook frozen pizza on the rack.
Using a pizza paddle, place the food item on the pizza stone. Avoid using oil or grease. You might wish to add a little cornmeal to breads and pizza dough to help with removal.
A pizza paddle is a helpful tool, especially for placing uncooked pizza dough onto the stone; however, it may take some getting used to.
You can also use flour in place of cornmeal to submerge your dough. To prevent the dough from sticking to the paddle, use rice flour.
At the very least, keep the pizza stone in the oven until it completely cools. It contributes to the brick oven effect and helps keep your oven warm between cooking pizza. (Learn How Long Does An Egg Sandwich Last In The Fridge)
Cleaning A Pizza Stone
Remove any food that has dried on the surface of the stone. For example, the cheese will melt onto the stone, yet you don’t need to wash this away; scrape it off using a metal spatula.
Of course, only do this after the pizza stone is safe to handle.
- Never use dish soap on a pizza stone, although you can use clean water to rinse your pizza stone.
- Removing oils is unnecessary as these help season your stone and make it smoother and easier to use.
- Limit the time the stone sits in water; you should often give it a quick swill.
- If the stone has soaked up lots of water, it will crack from containing too much moisture as you heat it.
- If you have stains, don’t panic, as these are common. Instead, after cleaning, put your stone in the oven or keep it in a secure location.
- While baking other foods, keeping your pizza stone in the oven is OK. Put them inside your oven and onto the stone.
- Before cooking something substantial, transfer your stone to the lowest rack.
Can A Pizza Stone Bake Frozen Pizza?
If your pizza stone is large enough, you can use it for baking frozen pizzas. As a thin layer of cheese and dough cannot develop a crust without thawing, it will be more equal.
You must pre-heat the stone before placing the pizza on it to avoid cracking when the frozen pie is inserted into the oven.
As a result, you can simply place your preferred pizza on top of your dry pizza stone and bake it to perfection with any desired toppings.
Pre-heating your new pizza stone for roughly 15 minutes is the best way to clean it. Never apply oil to a stone because doing so will damage the crust.
The care of a pizza stone requires specific instructions. Do not use soap or dish soap to wash it. Instead, clean it with hot water. (Learn How Long Do Cooked Veggie Burgers Last In The Fridge)
A pizza stone should be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s directions if you intend to bake pizza on it.
