How To Use and Clean A Pizza Stone

Pizza stones are generally made of a ceramic composite material which is great for high heat grilling and baking. They’re great for just about anything you can think of because of their ability to retain and distribute heat evenly, similar to cast iron. One of the benefits of using a pizza stone on the grill or in the oven is that it will help to wick away moisture in baked goods so that your breads and pizza crust will have a light and crispy exterior. The natural surface of a pizza stone won’t retain food flavors, so last night’s garlicky pizza won’t flavor tonight’s home-style honey biscuits. Not just for baking, your pizza stone can be used to help evenly distribute heat while roasting. Place a roasting pan on top of a preheated pizza stone when cooking poultry. This will help brown the bottom of the bird, cooking the dark meat at a rate similar to the breast meat, so they will both be done at the same time.

Pizza stones are easy to use and the end results are amazing. Follow the tips and tricks below to get the best from your baking stone.

1. Place the cold stone on your cold grill or in a cold oven and preheat from there. You want the stone to reach a temperature of 425°F or more before cooking, which will require preheating for a little longer than it takes the grill or oven to reach this temperature – at least 30 minutes. This prevents the stone from cracking due to intense temperature changes. Also, the longer the stone has had to preheat, the better results on your bread or pizza dough.

2. When sufficiently preheated, sprinkle the stone with cornmeal before placing food on it. You can also use parchment paper, just make sure that the paper is trimmed to the same size as the stone, with very little overhang when using on the grill.

3. Transferring food to the stone is much easier when you use a pizza spatula. A little cornmeal or flour here will make picking up and transferring food much easier too.

4. When finished with the stone, leave it on the grill or in the oven to cool completely before handling. It is 400°F+ and dangerous to handle, even with heat resistant gloves.

Cleaning your pizza stone seems like a daunting task, however, it’s as simple as using it.

1. Once cooled completely, remove the stone from the grill or oven for cleaning.

2. Remove stuck on bits by gently scraping them with a wooden or stiff plastic spatula. You can also use a soft nylon dish scrubby.

3. Rinse, or wipe the pizza stone with warm water and a soft cloth. Allow the stone to dry for at least 24 hours before using again.

4. Store flat. You can store the stone in the oven or on the grill. Keeping it there can increase heat retention and convection of the appliance. Just remember that the stone is there before cooking.