Pizza sticking to stone

Ms.

Hi... It's been a while, it is a complicated summer. I haven't been able to write here, nor on my blog, for a while, due to my mom's cancer (she's doing fine now), but I have kept cooking on my egg...

Now, I have a question:
I have made a few pizzas, and only one of them has not stuck on the the pizza stone... Since then (and yesterday too), all of them just stick so hard on the stone that I need a serrated knife to remove them from it! :pinch:

Any clues of what I once did right? :(

Thanks guys!

fishlessman

either the stone isnt up to temp or your not cooking hot enough. sometimes sauce gets underneath as well, spilled, thru a hole, or soaked thru but if your not getting that burnt sauce taste its more likely temp. i dont use anything under a pie and it doesnt stick but i cook really hot

MJF24

How long are you heating up the stone before putting the dough on it? You should make sure that the stone is nice and hot (maybe 30-45 minutes in the Egg) before putting the dough on.

You could also solve the problem by putting parchment paper under the dough (on top of the stone) or using corn meal on the stone. Either of these approaches will prevent sticking.

Good luck!

troutman

Hello and all my best to your Mom. I hope her quality of life gets to be great again.

I use corn starch on my stone, throwing some on just before I plop down the pie for cooking. I preheat the stone for at least 30 minutes after the lump has reached temp, throw on a bit of corn starch, and the first pie.

Before each additional pie I use a spatula to scrape off the stone, add new corn starch, and then the new pie.

This works well for me and I've never had a pizza stick. The corn starch is like little ball bearings under the crust.

There are probably easier ways but this always works for me so I'm good.

Good luck.

Little Chef

Troutman: I have heard of folks using corn meal, but never corn starch. The corn starch isn't too powdery?

Ms.

Aaaah... heating the stone. Now I remember.

Thank you so much - I knew I'd get an answer here!

fishlessman

yep, cold stone wont work

fishlessman

i use a little ap flour rubbed into the board and it doesnt stick, i can see the cornflour working to a point but not at higher temps, even the coarse meal will burn then. never knew people used the corn meal until coming here, is that a southern thing with pizzas

EmandM'sDad

Semolina flour (coarse ground) works well, also!

EmandM'sDad

I've measured the surface of my stone at around 450F

troutman

LC, I just use a little bit directly on the stone. It just rolls around like crazy, just like little ball bearings. Doesn't seem to burn.

My daughter used corn meal to roll out her pizza crusts. It sticks to the bottom of the dough, and she likes the cooked tasted. I buy stone-ground cornmeal from this place for my cornbread and other things, and she uses it:

http://www.fallsmill.com/store.html

I'm not any sort of expert like you and many others here, but these little tricks work for me. I highly recommend the corn meal from Falls Mill, and just vacuum seal and freeze batches of it until I'm ready to use it.

Thanks for all your great tips, I lurk and drool a lot. - Scott

jemrx

I sprinkle corn meal on my wooden peel to transfer my pie to the stone, haven't had one stick yet.

Little Chef

troutman: Your first post you stated you use corn 'starch'....that was my question. Did you really mean corn starch? You second post says corn 'meal', which I fully understand. I was perplexed by the corn 'starch' post. And I too, use some corn meal, sometimes mixed with flour. And I do the same, I brush the stone off between pies. Best to you! Happy Eggin'.

tach18k

I put in everything in, platesetter, grate, stone, little green feet when I light the egg, when the temp is ready so is everything else.

troutman

LC: Corn "starch" on the stone. Corn meal on the pizza peel to slide it onto the stone. Corn meal in the food.

Whew. I was so confused about what I was trying to say that I went to the pantry to make sure. These senior moments are getting more frequent, I think, although I'm probably forgetting most of them.

Thanks for the conversation. - Scott

PhilsGrill

troutman wrote:

LC: Corn "starch" on the stone. Corn meal on the pizza peel to slide it onto the stone. Corn meal in the food.

If this is true, you don't need the corn starch. Corn meal on the peel is all you need.

Judy Mayberry

Why don't you give a pizza screen a try? It's absolutely foolproof.

chrono

I second the pizza screen idea. I've been using them for a few weeks and won't use anything else.