Pizza Peels

4Runner

Metal or wood?  Gotta pick one or the other.  Seems like all the pizza joints in town are using wooden so  I was leaning that way.  Thoughts?

crghc98

I used to work at a joint way back, and I would say back then the metal ones were not heavy duty enough to take the abuse doled out in a pizza place....may still be the case.  I'm guessing they would be fine for home use though. 

I'd test them out, weighing cost, maintenace, and feel.  I also always found the wooden ones to be better balanced and more sturdy.

NotabuttDave

Perhaps, but have you seen the new (to me) BGE peel?  It folds.  For my occasional use, it looks great.

The Naked Whiz

Personally, I prefer wood.  But that's just a feel thing.  I would think a metal peel would be more likely to stick to the dough if you don't keep it agitated, but again, that's just a guess.  I've never had a problem with dough sticking to the wood peel as long as I dusted it with a little flour or cornmeal and gave it a shake now and then.

4Runner

Think I'm going to go with wood.  Now, I just did a quick search and found some at less than $10 and others at more than $40.   Not sure why the $30 swing as they looked close in size.  What will work or will any old peel do the trick?  Found a $10 wooden one a Bed, Bath and Beyond.

The Naked Whiz

I use peels that I made myself:  Make a Peel  I was making kaiser rolls at the time and I could fit 3 rows of 3 rolls on my stone at one time, so I wanted a peel with a square end, vs. the rounded ones you usually see. 

4Runner

Ha Ha.  That is a good one.  I will share this idea with my wife and then post her reaction/response.  I'm sure all will get a chuckle.

You should see the locker shelf I made for my boys...or the false drawer I nailed to our kitchen cabinet.  It would take me all weekend to make a peel and then I would have to go out and buy one anyway. I'm more of a computer geek than woodworker.  :-B

Lit

Don't get a peel. I have 2 of them taking up space because the pizza always sticks. Get one of these pizza mesh trays and you build the pizza on it and put it directly on the pizza stone. http://www.murdockmetal.com.au/service5.html

crghc98

take a look at the cheap one and see where the seam is and how well put together it is....My fear would be if it is cheap it will split. 

Also obviously no need to get a long handled one.

The Naked Whiz

Where is the new BGE peel?  I can't find a reference to it?

crghc98

wonder if it is this one.  says handle is collapsable.

http://www.outdora.com/11275pqpp-pizza-peel-for-big-green-egg.html

The Naked Whiz

crghc98, you may be right.  I saw that, but for some reason my mind didn't equate that folding handle with the original statement that "it folds".  I was thinking the peel itself.  $32?  Unless one considers it ideal for their purposes, I think I'd visit a restaurant supply store and pick up a less expensive one. Thanks!

semper fi shane

i was looking at these today..the BGE was $10 more for the same exact generic one.  also, beware that on the folding ones, the nut / screw cap that tightens the handle in the straight position is only a wooden thread and will strip easily. That is the reason i did not buy it. I opted for a non folding metal peel

BrewnChew

I have both.  I turn out my skins onto the wooden peel.  A couple tricks to help with sticking are a light dusting of flour and shake the peel now and then to keep the skin moving.  The other thing that works very well is to lift up the edge of the skin and give a quick blow.  Once you get that air under the skin it moves very easily.  Make sure you do this close to the egg.  You don't want to do this inside and then get moving too fast or you will knock that pizza right off the peel.

I use my metal peel to move it around on the egg and to pull it at the end.  I found that the metal peel just works better at this than the wooden peel.  Of course I only have both because I bought myself the wooden peel and received the metal one as a Christmas present.  The metal peel is very solid and came from Fred's Music and Barbeque.  It is the Forno Bravo 13" model.  While I think it is worth the cost because of the quality, I do think a smaller more cost effective peel would be better for turning the pin and pulling it.

Squeezy

Not sure where I heard this, metal peels are thinner than wooden for obvious reasons, hence can in theory slide under a bit easier. A peel that is floured/corn mealed properly will be easier to work with at any rate ...

smokeyj

I bought the super peel. Works great.

http://ceramicgrillworks.com/products-page/accessories/page/3/