How A Pizza Stone Works & Which Is The BEST For Making Pizza

Do you know what the trick is to a really great pizza? No? Well, here it is, TEMPERATURE + EVEN COOKING.

The best way to cook a pizza is at a high temperature, but it is hard to get even cooking unless you are using a pizza stone. Let's talk about what a pizza stone is and which one we recommend for making that mouth-watering, perfectly cooked pizza.

How A Pizza Stone Works

A pizza stone is an evenly-surfaced cooking stone made specifically for maintaining an even temperature while slowly distributing it to what you are cooking directly on it. This is why a pizza stone is the best tool for cooking pizza on! It is why traditional pizza ovens are made from stone or brick, and pizza is cooked directly on them. Investing in a pizza stone for your oven is the next best thing.

When you are baking pizza in the oven on a baking sheet or pan, it is hard to get the temperature in your oven up to the level you need it at (which is somewhere in the 500-degree range) without it affecting the pan. On a baking sheet, your dough will most likely burn on the bottom quickly, leaving a doughy middle section. So you are really forced to bake it in the 400-425 degree range, which makes a huge difference in how your pizza will come out.

Cooking your pizza on a pizza stone is essential because the pizza stone distributes the heat evenly to your pizza. Especially since it is used by putting it in the oven prior to cooking. That brings it to the proper pizza cooking temperature. Then you bake your pizza on it.

How To Choose A Pizza Stone: Which Is The Best?

The biggest assumption when cooking on a pizza stone is that you can heat any pizza stone to high temperatures. However, you need to look into that before making a pizza stone purchase, as they are not all created equally.

Some pizza stones will say they can only be cooked on up to a certain temperature, but you really want one that can handle the higher heat for perfectly cooked pizza.

When you are looking for a pizza stone, there are a few things you will want to consider before buying:

1. Pizza Stone Shape: When you think of the word "pizza stone", does your mind instantly picture a circular pizza stone? Well, I think that the circular pizza stones need to go. A rectangular is much more forgiving in that you can put rectangular-shaped pizza on it, circular ones, even heart-shaped pizza if you want. Plus then you can use it for other items such as long loaves of bread or fish, or whatever you would like to cook evenly!

2. Temperature Threshold: As I said, not all pizza stones are created equally. Don't think just because you are buying a pizza stone, that it is fine for handling high temperatures. There are some out there that can't handle the heat and can crack. What a disappointment.
   
   
3. Cooking surface: Do you need those cute handles on the sides of your pizza stone? Probably not. Let's talk about pizza stones in terms of practicality. You want to be able to use the entire cooking surface for your dish. You are going to be taking it out with oven mitts on anyways, so why not have that handle space be used for more cooking surface? I don't think handles are necessary.

We would like to recommend the Pizza Stone by Old Stone Oven. This one covers all the bases. It is a rectangular 14" x 16" pizza stone created from a blend of lead-free clays, and it can withstand high temperatures in the 500-degree range. It is also just a plain rectangular stone with no handles, and will absorb the heat from the oven to distribute evenly to your pizza, kicking up your pizza from fine to fantastic! Plus, it is a great price on Amazon right here.

We hope you found this article helpful and you can go and make delicious pizza the right way. You may also be interested in reading our article, Best Pizza Making Tools, Accessories And Equipment to learn some of our other favorite tools for making perfect homemade pizza!

Browse all personalized, handmade items you can find on Etsy HERE

FREE TRIAL FOR OUR READERS

We love listening to a good audiobook while we are cooking for the family. If this is something you would like to try, we are giving away a FREE 30 day audible trial to our readers! And you are completely welcome to cancel before your 30 days is over! So try it, have a listen to whichever book your heart desires for free, on us :)

And be sure to Pin this article to find it again later. We would appreciate that.

Happy cooking!

Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

---

Also in Food Craft