Using a pizza stone for the first time.

Irish407

Hi folks! When using a new pizza stone, does it need to be "treated" or "seasoned" in any way prior to use? Do you normally use the place setter with the stone and if so...legs up or down? Do you normally place the stone on the stainless steel grid placed on the plate setter legs up or directly on top of the place setter positioned legs down? Any information would be very helpful! Thank you!

Ladeback69

Welcome to the Eggdiction first of all.  I go legs down on the plate setter, grate, raised grate then BGE pizza stone.  No seasoning needed.  I cook around 500 to 550.  Make sure to let it sit at your cooking temp for about 45 minutes  before putting a pie on.  I also use parchment paper to keep the pies from sticking on the peel.

Good luck.

tgs2401

You want to use the plate setter legs down. Add the ceramic feet, or copper elbows or balls of aluminum foil to create an air gap and then add the pizza stone. Be sure allow plenty of time for the plate setter and stone to come to temperature (30 minutes at least). There are lots of posts for dough, temperatures, and times if you search for them. I use store bought premade dough and run at 500 degrees but you will see lots of different opinions and recommendations on here.

buzd504

Why plate setter legs down.  It seems to me you don't want to be deflecting heat at the gasket level (or thereabouts) if you can avoid it.  I would do platesetter legs up -> grid -> and then raise the stone as high into the dome as you can (I use the AR and extender).

jeponline

If you do plate setter with the legs up and the pizza stone on the grate, that provides the air gap you need.  Definitely use the plate setter though, you don't want the pizza stone directly over the fire, it will get too hot.

ThrillSeeker

@irish407 Which pizza stone did you get?  (brand, size, etc)

jtcBoynton

Irish407 said:

Hi folks! When using a new pizza stone, does it need to be "treated" or "seasoned" in any way prior to use? Do you normally use the place setter with the stone and if so...legs up or down? Do you normally place the stone on the stainless steel grid placed on the plate setter legs up or directly on top of the place setter positioned legs down? Any information would be very helpful! Thank you!

Seasoning the stone - no no never.  Yes you want the plate setter (or other indirect setup). You need an air gap between the plate setter and the pizza stone.  Legs up or down is not the most important thing - the gap is.  You may also find that raising the pizza stone up to be 2-3 inches above the felt line will give you better results than having it at grid level.  Make sure you warm up the pizza stone before cooking - you will hear differing recommendations on exactly how long that should be, but 45 minutes to an hour is pretty good.

Photo Egg

I like platesetter legs down for 2 main reasons.
First, it gives more room for the fire to breath as I normally load my Egg up with lump.
Second, I don't like the large gap you get going legs up with pizza stone above.
The super hot air just rolls around the platesetter and right into the bottom of the pizza stone. 
I would rather have the super hot air roll around the platesetter and the pizza stone into the dome. Just use a spacer between your platesetter and pizza stone. This will also get you a little higher in the dome.
Nice thing about cooking, there is no right or wrong, just what works for you.

3woody

Anyone ever use bricks? Place bricks on grate and pizza stone on top of bricks?

thanks 

bgebrent

I prefer PS legs up with stone on raised grid. Lots of ways to skin a cat...

jtcBoynton

3woody said:

Anyone ever use bricks? Place bricks on grate and pizza stone on top of bricks?

thanks 

I use firebrick on the grate to get the pizza stone up a bit higher.  Works well.