I did nothing to it before I cooked my pizza, and the pizza stuck bad. I need to know what I was suppose to do, and I need to know how to clean it properly?
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1Did you pre-heat? Really well? Use flour or semolina when rolling your dough?– Stephie ♦Apr 6, 2016 at 19:10
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Did you...read the instructions? What did you do that didn't work?– Cos CallisApr 6, 2016 at 19:16
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1@CosCallis some come without... Mine did, for example. (Admittedly, I got just a fat slab of chamotte.)– Stephie ♦Apr 6, 2016 at 19:20
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As for the cleaning part: cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/1484/…– Stephie ♦Apr 6, 2016 at 22:40
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@Catija, it's actually a hybrid between seasoning (your link), cleaning (my link), and using the thing.– Stephie ♦Apr 6, 2016 at 23:14
1 Answer
Option 1: Season the pizza stone just as you would with a cast iron pan.
Option 2 (with or without Option 1): Ensure that the bottom of your crust is well-floured, or sprinkle some corn meal on a counter and press the dough onto it before transferring to the stone.
Option 3 (actually not very optional): Always, always, always pre-heat your pizza stone to your baking temperature or slightly higher. I generally opt for 15 to 20 degrees higher, then turn the oven setting to baking temp when I put in the pizza to bake. It results in a crust that is crispier on the bottom and less likely to stick.
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2I preheat my pizza stone at 500 degrees for an hour, then turn the oven down to bake the pizza. I think that's the only part that matters; parchment works for option 2. I don't think seasoning a stone is a good idea, though. At least for me, the absorbed oil starts to smoke and impart off flavors. Apr 7, 2016 at 16:18
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I'd agree with Chris -- go with #3 & #2 -- #1 means that you can't crank the heat on the stone. It could also end up sealing the pores of the stone, making it more difficult for moisture to escape (and give you a crisp crust). I have seen stoneware that mentions 'seasoning', but I suspect that's there way of saying, "don't worry if it discolors with use"– JoeApr 7, 2016 at 17:08