Aluminum or wood?

[JoeyVelderrain]

What type of peel works best. I am using an aluminum one and have only had one pizza stick to it thus far. Do you find the wooden ones stick less?

[Alter ego]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I only have an aluminium peel and have had a few pizzas stick to it so I would also like to know if a wooden one is easier to use. I have only just started making pizzas in my oven so maybe I just need more practice to know how much flour to use on the peel and to get the action right?

[david s]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I use a wooden one to prepare and to put the pizzas in with, while the stainless steel one is used to remove or turn them.

[Wiley]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I too build my pizzas upon a wood peel. Once in the WFO an aluminum peel is used to turn and remove. I have had very little problem with sticking to the wood peel and use rice flour as my non-stick/lubricant.

When placing bread I also use my wood peel unless the size/quanity is large (say a half dozen rolls at one time) and then I use my large aluminum peel with baker's parchment.

Hope this helps,
Wiley

[Nabber86]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I agree with the posts above. Use a wooden peel to build and transport the pie to the oven (dont forget a little corn meal under the crust to make it slide off) and a metal peel to remove from the oven. You need serveral peels in you collection anyway. Get several wooden peels so you can make several pizzas in a row. THen just one steel peel is needed to retrive the pies.

[JoeyVelderrain]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

so is there any treatment that can be done to a wooden peel to help it be nonstick?

[Les]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

Since I made all my metal peels - I figure I should make some out of wood as well. How thick are they and what type of wood is usually used?

Les...

[Fairview WFO]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I use GI Metal perforated peel to load and it works great, but you have to scoop a little flour first and then load the pizza.

Watch this video and he shows how to use them.

YouTube - Pizza Champions introducing GI.METAL perforated pizza peels

[Nabber86]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

so is there any treatment that can be done to a wooden peel to help it be nonstick?

I think corn meal provides the best non-stick treatment for a pizza peel. It's like a thousand little ball bearings that allow the wet crust to slide right off the peel. However, it may not be as "traditional" as using flour. My suggestion is try them both and see what works for you best.

[papavino]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I think corn meal provides the best non-stick treatment for a pizza peel.

There is a discussion in another thread about this. One recommendation that I took away from reading that thread is to try rice flour. I have to admit that I like it a little more than corn meal. But I do think corn meal works well, also.

[splatgirl]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I like a rub of flour on a wood peel for prep, metal for turning and removing. It seems like I have much more of an issue with sticking with a metal peel for prep...something about the wood holding onto the flour dust differently I think. That said, I prep my pies on the peel vs. transfering them from the work surface to peel post prep.

The wood peels I have seem to be pine or some other soft wood, but I think you could make them out of anything. 1/2" thick with a beveled down to ~1/8" or so at the edge.

[Les]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

The wood peels I have seem to be pine or some other soft wood, but I think you could make them out of anything. 1/2" thick with a beveled down to ~1/8" or so at the edge.

Thanks! That solves the problem of jointing the wood.

Les...

[Nabber86]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

Since I made all my metal peels - I figure I should make some out of wood as well. How thick are they and what type of wood is usually used?

Les...

I think Beech is the wood of choice for kitchen ware. The wood peels that I have are about 3/8" in the center and taper around the edges to about 1/4" or less.

[tfasz]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I made myself a wood peel out of some western red cedar leftovers from making a wine rack. I cut the pieces in half down to about 1/4" and then planed the leading edge down to about 1/16". It is a bit flimsy (I'm sure I could easily snap it in half along the grain), but it is quite strong with the grain and the center pieces extend about 18" to make a handle that never bends.

I certainly like the wood peel for prep. I'm guessing any wood you have around would work fine. If you use the wood for a handle, just be sure it is reasonably straight grained as it would be a shame snapping the handle as you tried to put the pizza in the oven. I do like keeping it pretty thin as it does seem to make it easier to get the pizza onto the peel and maneuver it in the confines of an oven.

[trockyh]

Re: Aluminum or wood?

I use a wooden to load and metal to turn and remove.
Semolina flour works great and doesn't leave the burn taste like cornmeal.
I have't tried rice flour yet, but will soon.

Tom