Settle a dispute: How long to preheat pizza stone

Angela

We are making pizzas tonight and the hubby and I can't agree on how long to preheat the stone. We are doing multiple pizzas. All will be normal type thin crust. We haven't cooked pizzas on the egg in ages and we can't remember how long we preheated it last time :laugh:

So I'm taking a poll on what everyone thinks

Little Chef

We usually put ours in with the platesetter, as soon as we know the fire is established, and let it come up to heat with the Egg. But I am sure you will get other opinions too....

WessB

I usually allow 1 hour stabalized.....everything is nice and even by then..

FearlessGrill

I put it in when I start the Egg up and let it heat along with the Egg. Once the whole thing is up to temp and the smoke is clear, I'll start cooking.

-John

Angela

That is what we do also, the debate is how long for the stone to preheat once the egg is up to temp.

The Naked Whiz

I generally allow 30 minutes after the Egg is close to the temp I want.

Angela

I'm in the 1 hour camp with you. He says 20-30 minutes. I told him he could make his pizza first and let it be the guinea pig :laugh:

WessB

That would be the ultimate test..and the definitive answer..

RRP

Depends! My stone stays outside in a protected large plastic container along with my plate setter. I say protected but not waterproof anymore due to a broken corner on the container. My stone is 8+ years old and is a beautifully seasoned shiney black. Just the same it draws moisture, so my preheating depends on the time it takes for my stone to sweat out the moisture - and it DOES sweat - and become very dry. At that point it will bake pizza after pizza, but not until - I learned by eggperience! Normally I allow at least 45 minutes to 1 hour and I always bake my pizzas at 450 to 475. Hope that helps!

Nature Boy

27 minutes, 30 seconds works every time.

Happy pizzateering!
Chris

Nature Boy

The second pizza is always better.
Hope you are enjoyin' your chillin' brutha.
Chris

BobS

I let mine come up to temp with the Egg and then let it stabilize at least 30 minutes.

FWIW, Peter Reinheart recommends 45 minutes in his latest book.

WessB

"chillin".... :laugh: ..It's friggin cold, actually today was a decent break..but it's coming..nothing like your recent outing though....

Grandpas Grub

 
I bought a inexpensive IR thermometer - 500° - 550° on the stone and egg stable. Usually takes about 30 minutes. To be save 1 hour as Wess said above.

GG

Angela

Well by the time he got done prepping his pizza we were hitting 45 minutes anyway. It was over an hour before I got the one on for the kid and then I baked mine. They came out good but next time I'm upping the temp more.

Angela

oh an IR therm sounds like a great idea, didn't think of that.

Grandpas Grub

 
Watch the top vs the bottom being done, adjust your dome temperature for an equal cook. Thick pizza and thin pizza may require different temperatures.

My stone is ontop of an adjustable rig and 500° dome usually is a great cook temperature.

GG

JB

Preheat 45-60 mins

Little Chef

Once the Egg is up to temp, it's a mute point, as the stone is up to temp as well. Long as the lump smells good....good to go!

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Can’t really tell you how long it takes, and perhaps all of this depends on the outside air temp. too!
What I can say is that I am in the camp of LC and Fearless.
I fire up the Egg and once I have a good fire established the plate setter and stone go in. The dome goes down, the daisy wheel goes on and the temp. is adjusted. Once I have the temp. stable and a clean fire (that is most often, hand in hand) the pies go on.
I have never been disappointed…

LFGEnergy

Did a pizza cook last night, 3 pies. I have always fallen into the 30 minutes preheat and it is ready to go camp(read kids are hungry). However, last night let it go 45-50 minutes at about 475 and cooking was much more consistent and better results . So, I would say let it get up to temp before dropping pies. Otherwise (my experience) is that crust lags the toppings.

Dave in Keller, TX

Serial Griller

I agree with GG.
I store my plate setter and stone in my table .I bring my plate setter & pizza stone inside to come up to room temp before firing up the egg. In winter I let the stone preheat for 45 minutes after the egg reaches 450'.My 2 cents.

fishlessman

three beers is just about right. i dont own a watch, just wait til the smoke smells right and its hot enough has always worked for me. i cook really hot so by the time the egg settles in, everything is hot

Angela

Crust lagging the toppings was my experience too. These were good, but not perfect, basically like the last time we did them from what I remember. I'm picky so it's going to take some more experimenting.

LFGEnergy

It also may be your setup. After experimenting, and reading a lot of posts, i have gone to the following:

Platesetter legs down.
4 large steel nuts for spacers.
Place pizza stone on steel nuts.

I have been cooking at about 450 letting it creep up a little, but have been real happy with results. last evening was easiest cook, and again, i attribute to a heated egg (and maybe less peeking :blink: :laugh: ).

Also, saw your pics and it looks like you have a thicker crust than we use which makes getting top and bottom done at same time more of a challenge. We have even been getting thin crust pizzas from Papa Murphys which are a favorite.

Pics look good, especially the bottom pizza!

Have fun - figuring it out is ALMOST as much fun as the eating,

Dave in Keller, TX

Cory430

GG,
Do you use the plate setter or just the stone on top of the Adj. rig?

Angela

I was plate setter, grid and then stone.

I'm going to play with the set up tonight.

oh sorry just noticed you weren't asking me lol

Grandpas Grub

 
I just use the stone on the AR.

GG

Cory430

Thanks!