How To Choose and Use A Pizza Stone For Grill?

Have you ever cooked a grilled pizza? Grills are known to reach much higher temperatures in comparison with home ovens. Hence, an increasing number of homeowners have started grilling pizzas in the comfort of their yards, particularly in the summer period.

Placing the dough directly on the grill is likely to result in a burnt crust due to the extreme amount of heat. Therefore, individuals are encouraged to invest in a baking stone that provides ideal heat balance.

When looking for a pizza stone for grill, the following tips will assist you in selecting the best model and using it properly.

Circular Vs. Rectangular

The first consideration of buyers when shopping for a pizza stone for a grill is choosing between a circular and a rectangular model. Most baking stones are shaped in the form of a circle in order to imitate the form of the pizza. Nevertheless, these are less spacious in comparison with the rectangular ones, hence providing space for solely one pizza.

Rectangular stones, on the other hand, are more suitable for individuals who own rectangular grills. These models enable people to grill two pizzas at the same time, particularly convenient for large families. Make sure you select a form that fits the shape of your grill in order to use the baking stone adequately.

Pay Special Attention To The Material

Probably the most crucial factor to consider when looking for such a cooking utensil is the material. The quality of the material is vital in the performance of the stone, as well as its overall use. Pizza stones for grills are generally made from ceramic, cordierite, and cast iron, all of which provide cooking benefits.

In spite of the various types of ceramic, basic ceramic is the type chosen for the manufacturing of baking stones, hence requiring the use of glazes. It has a fantastic ability for heat absorption and retention, but the fragile nature of the material makes it prone to thermal shocks. Therefore, individuals are advised to use fresh dough instead of cooking frozen pizzas to minimize the risk of stone cracking.

Cordierite, on the other hand, is more resistant to thermal shock when compared to ceramic. In fact, this mineral is used in combination with ceramic in order to enhance its properties and provide better durability. Consequently, baking stones made with cordierite are an ideal solution for people who lack time to make homemade dough but choose to cook frozen pizzas instead. Go to this page to check out an interesting recipe for homemade pizza.

Cast iron baking stones tend to be heavier than those made from ceramic and cordierite, hence being more challenging to maneuver. However, this material is popular for quick heat absorption, which makes it an ideal choice for baking surfaces. Also, cast iron models are incredibly long-lasting and impose no special requirements with respect to cleaning.

Consider Heat Transfer

Traditional metal pans are no longer preferred when cooking pizza since the dough isn’t cooked evenly. These pans fail to provide a balanced heat transfer, as the heat concentrates in a couple of spots, not everywhere. In contrast, pizza stones are capable of providing heat balance, hence cooking the dough evenly.

Moreover, in order for the crust to be perfectly crispy, the burning coals are supposed to be placed around the surface, not under the utensil. Anyhow, using an overly large model would leave no space for you to place coal around it, which is why the surface has to be neither too big nor too small for the size of your grill.

Take Notice Of Durability

Charcoal grills are believed to reach extremely high temperatures, as much as 700 F˚. Consequently, the materials exposed to such temperatures have to be resistant to cracking. Fortunately, ceramics is capable of withstanding abnormally high temperatures of a maximum of 1,800 F˚. Despite its surprising resistance to heat, this material is too fragile to resist shattering. Conversely, cordierite stones not only withstand high temperatures but also are much more resistant to breaking.

Keep in mind that the thickness of pizza stones plays a major role in their resistance to heat and unexpected drops. Thicker models aren’t as susceptible to damage when accidentally dropped in comparison with the thinner surfaces. However, the former aren’t capable of transferring heat evenly, which results in either undercooked or overcooked dough.

How To Use It?

In order for the toppings not to be raw and the crust not to be burned, the pizza stone has to be used at adequate temperatures. For instance, owners of gas grills are advised to preheat the grill along with this cooking utensil until it reaches a temperature of at least 500 F˚. Afterward, make sure you transfer the dough to the cooking surface and put it back on the grill.

There is no ideal temperature when it comes to cooking pizza on a grill, as a myriad of factors affects this factor. For instance, the size and type of your grill, as well as the amount of ventilation, play a key role in the choice of temperature. Also, the type, thickness, and material of the baking surface should be taken into consideration as well. Believe it or not, even the weather is thought to be an important factor in the cooking process.

The only way to find the right temperature is to experiment with different temperatures every time you decide to grill pizza. Since many people end up with a soggy crust instead of a crispy one, one is advised to make a thin crust that needs a few minutes to cook. Additionally, in order for your toppings to be cooked at the same time as the dough, make sure you use pre-cooked ingredients. As a result, you won’t have to wait for the meat to cook while the bottom gets burnt.

How To Clean And Store It?

After the surface cools down, make sure you use a spatula or a blunt knife to remove the burnt bits. Instead of soaking the utensil in water, wipe the surface with a moist cloth. It’s paramount for the pizza stone to be entirely dry on the inside in order to avoid a soggy crust.

Regarding storage, always keep the utensil in a dry place, where it’s not affected by dampness. The area is supposed to be well-ventilated and clean, which is why most individuals decide to store these utensils in the oven.