Just got my first stone... it's the start of a legendary addiction.

[jabguit]

Re: Just got my first stone... it's the start of a legendary addiction.

I've tried replacing cornmeal with flour, but the uncooked crust always stuck to the peel.

I don't mind the taste or texture of the very small amount of cornmeal, but I hate the taste of burnt flour.

I am going to try the rice flour next time.

[KEmerson]

Re: Just got my first stone... it's the start of a legendary addiction.

Corn meal: I would avoid it. It has no relation to tradition and you'll end up a better pizza maker in the long run if you accept the challenge.

As for stones in conventional home ovens, I have tried several and so far the FB stone I bought years ago is by far the best. It's the only one that held up to the heat as it lay on my (gas) oven floor. For a home oven, this altered radically how my pizza turns out.

[LauderdaleLegend]

Re: Just got my first stone... it's the start of a legendary addiction.

James knows his stuff. I'll be switching from corn meal to rice flour if it works for him. From my experience, the tips you've been given are the real deal!

[texassourdough]

Re: Just got my first stone... it's the start of a legendary addiction.

One warning! In my experience New York style pizzas do better on stones in a conventional oven. I only tried to make thicker pizza once in my WFO. The top and bottom burned before the dough could cook through - which is why I only tried once. WFO lends itself to thin crust, relatively sparsely populated (with really tasty stuff) pizzas.

In my experience one can do great pizza in a conventional oven but I making New York style pizza in a WFO probably requires running the oven abnormally cool.

I use very course semolina on my peel. Corn meal is "weird" and burns too easy in my experience. Haven't tried rice flour. Look forward to a report.

[Bob C]

Re: Just got my first stone... it's the start of a legendary addiction.

I use stones in the "off season". A few minutes under an infared broiler then into the oven...pizzas come out great...be careful...some stones strictly prohibit use under a broiler.
Bob