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Granite pizza stone?

Hi54putty
Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
edited January 2012 in EggHead Forum
Does anyone have experience with the 16 1/2 inch granite pizza stone from Williams Sonoma? Info says it is made for grills. Would 16 1/2 inch square be too big for a large Egg (airflow)? Is granite a good material for Cooking pizza? I really appreciate the help. Thanks.
XL,L,S 
Winston-Salem, NC 

Comments

  • Just ordered a 13" stone from ceramicgrillstore.com for my large egg. I have read alot on here about people using 14" and recommending 16" and I have also read that a 13" stone was enough.  If you are thinking about getting a spider for your egg, the 13" stone works with it and if you get the adjustable rig from ceramicgrillstore.com they have a setup that comes with the spider and stone. 
    Large BGE Dyersburg TN
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Thanks. I'm not really interested in the spider and the 12 inch pizza stone I have now is way too small.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • How does a granite stone compare to a ceramic one? I mean from a cooking stand point.
    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    That's what I am trying to find out!
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Ike
    Ike Posts: 288
    edited January 2012

    16 1/2 inch square probably will not fit on a large, if that is what size you have.  Gotta remember to measure on the diagonal when putting a square or rectangle on the round egg.

    Owensboro, KY.  First Eggin' 4/12/08.  Large, small, 22" Blackstone and lotsa goodies.
  • rodent
    rodent Posts: 106
    Pretty expensive stone.
  • So you are. :)
    Guess I am echoing your question. I have a large piece of granite my brother gave me. I have access to a saw and was considering making a large cutting/hot plate for my egg table. I never considered making a pizza stone.
    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • bghiii
    bghiii Posts: 25
    one of the dealers I like to go to swears by soapstone. Does anybody have an opinion?
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    There was a soapstone griddle on the last woot off for like $59. Said it
    Was safe to like 1200 degrees.
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    16 square won't fit the large.  needs to be closer to 13 to 13-1/2 square to fit the 19" round opening.  That's 19 at the felt line.  

    Any large stone, you'll need to get it above the felt line or you risk the chance of burning off the wool felt.  I use a 16 inch round ceramic stone on the rig and rig extender, puts the stone 3 inches above the felt line. Works well with pappa murphy style thin crust pizzas.

    image

     
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Thanks for the feedback. didn't really take time to measure it. I guess i will just get the BGE stone.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Mighty_Quinn
    Mighty_Quinn Posts: 1,878
    I also use a 16" stone on my large above the felt and put out great pizza every time.
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Mighty_Quinn,
    Do you use a ceramic? BGE brand?
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • rodent
    rodent Posts: 106
    The pizza stone from cgs is excellent.
  • I guess I am asking is there a geologist out there willing to ponder a guess as to whether a granite stone will perform as well as a ceramic one. 
    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • rodent
    rodent Posts: 106
    I just read online that granite stones will chip and sprawl at high temps, greater than 500.
  • Rodent, did you mean spall?

    The reviews on the WS website report a lot of stones cracking, and in general a problem with the stone getting too hot and burning the bottom, requiring relearning how to cook a pizza using this stone.  I remember when we had our granite counters installed someone telling us to never put hot pots or pans on it lest we damage it.  Lacking any other information, I'd wonder why try using granite when a normal ceramic stone is cheaper, more predictable (apparently) and what is used by most pizza joints in some way, shape or form.  I didn't find any authoritative results from a quick google search.  Anyway, FWIW....
    The Naked Whiz
  • No opinion on the stone (other than whatever you choose will discolor quickly due to the pourous nature of the granite), but TNW, one of the selling points to granite slab for us was the ability to put hot pots and pans on the stone without fear of it breaking or melting (in the case of our old formica tops).

    OK, now that I think about it, I wouldn't use granite for a pizza stone...just the difference in feel between it and what I have at home is enough. It seems like granite would keep the dough more moist (soggy) than other material. Not a scientific opinion by any means, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express recently.

    A muslim, a socialist and an illegal immigrant walk into a bar 

    Blogging: Never before have so many with so little to say said so much to so few.

  • rodent
    rodent Posts: 106
    Rodent, did you mean spall?

    The reviews on the WS website report a lot of stones cracking, and in general a problem with the stone getting too hot and burning the bottom, requiring relearning how to cook a pizza using this stone.  I remember when we had our granite counters installed someone telling us to never put hot pots or pans on it lest we damage it.  Lacking any other information, I'd wonder why try using granite when a normal ceramic stone is cheaper, more predictable (apparently) and what is used by most pizza joints in some way, shape or form.  I didn't find any authoritative results from a quick google search.  Anyway, FWIW....


    I did mean spall. Damn autocorrect.
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Thanks for the feedback. I went to my local BGE dealer and paid full sticker price ($44) for the BGE pizza stone. Seems like the best option.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Well at least it didn't do anything like those alleged incidents you see posted on Facebook, :))
    The Naked Whiz
  • mwraulst
    mwraulst Posts: 131

    Total guess, but i would imagine that the pizza stone and pizza stones in general are generally more porous than granite, hence why you have to be careful about exposing the stone to soap or other liquids than water. Granite is a harder, more dense rock, at least in nature ( by that i mean i don't know how this granite pizza stone is finished, it could be smooth/finished like countertops or rough.

    We have a local eatery here that uses pieces of granite as a "hot rock". They heat the granite up to 800 degrees and bring it to the table. The also bring raw fish and steak to the table to be cooked on the "hot rock". They use a finished/smooth piece of granite and it seems to help with the meat sticking. I couldn't imagine heating my bge stone up and trying to cook pieces of fish/steak on it, outside the egg, and cleaning up after.

    I'm guessing the fact that the stone is pourous doesn't matter as much as one would think. Other than holding heat well, i would guess that the stone releases moisture under the pizzza dough, likely keeping it from burning/crisping immediately. Unfortunately , that wouldn't seem necessary or even as if it does anything because i know plenty of pizza eateries that never shut their brick ovens down, if this were the case the moisture would have left bricks/stones after under heat for the time.

    my brother is a geological engineer, i should just ask him. Unfortunately he can't cook and likely doesn't realize what a stone is or how to cook on one.

  • rodent
    rodent Posts: 106
    I've been told that porous pizza stones draw moisture from the crust of the pizza/bread and allows it to crisp, which is why they use stone in pizza ovens. I can't see granite doing that.
  • rodent, that is one of the two reasons for using a stone given my Julia Child....
    The Naked Whiz
  • Did some googling and found Jamie Oliver and others seem to swear by Granite.  Jamie may not have much pull on a green egg forum.  It is a natural stone that is pourous and is used widely for cooking.  I would say that cost would be a serious deterent unless you have a piece of counter scrap like I have. 

    I am going to cut mine up into a 16.5" pizza and a 13" for the spider. 

    I will update if it explodes, cracks, or cooks a pizza that has a crust like bread pudding. 

    Worst case would be that I have an ugly roundish cuttiing board/hot plate. 

    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • rodent
    rodent Posts: 106

    Did some googling and found Jamie Oliver and others seem to swear by Granite.  Jamie may not have much pull on a green egg forum.  It is a natural stone that is pourous and is used widely for cooking.  I would say that cost would be a serious deterent unless you have a piece of counter scrap like I have. 

    I am going to cut mine up into a 16.5" pizza and a 13" for the spider. 

    I will update if it explodes, cracks, or cooks a pizza that has a crust like bread pudding. 

    Worst case would be that I have an ugly roundish cuttiing board/hot plate. 

    Keep us posted. Interesting to find out how it works.