Pizza Baking Stone/Bread Stone: It’s the Only Way
June 11, 2008 by Marye Audet
Filed under Bakers' Tools, Breads, Tips and Techniques
The bread in the image above is Kalamata Black Olive Bread
In order to get those awesome artisan breads and pizza crusts you have to have a pizza baking stone of some type in your oven.
Why?
Simply because the baking stone makes for a far superior crust. It is the only way to get the crust right.
Personally, I have plans to construct an outdoor, brick bread oven..oh yeah I do! Probably not this summer but definitely by next summer…mmmm. They are not that hard to do as long as you are careful and use fire proof brick. But I digress…
If you are a serious bread or pizza maker then eventually you are going to want to try baking on these stones. They are expensive! Most of the time they are made for pizza and they are round, which does not work great if you are trying to bake 3 loaves of bread.
You can also run to your nearest Home Depot or Lowes and pick up unglazed quarry tiles. They are very inexpensive and they are square so you can cover an entire rack, or both racks for that matter, with them. I have heard of some concern about lead in them but the lead would be contained in the glaze and these are UNglazed. I do suggest before you use them that you buy a lead test kit and check one of them if you are concerned. The tiles, depending on size, are less the $2 each.
Before you use the tiles wash them with either plain water of a baking soda solution. You are going to cover all but a couple of inches of your rack with the tiles and then you can just leave them in there.Before baking your bread you will preheat the oven to like 450 or so with the tiles in, slide the bread onto the heated tiles (no pans) and bake as usual. Obviously if you are making regular loaves in glass pans, or casseroles in ceramic dishes, you need to take the tiles out first.
Below are some examples of stones I found on Amazon. It was the easiest way to get images for you to look at. 
As you can see they are very expensive, although they are graded for food so you would not have to have even the slightest concern for lead.
Once you start using them and get used to it you will probably not go back to bread loaves made in a pan again…Nope. You will be making bread in baguettes, boules, and cloche. You will be like a mad scientist creating bubbling vats of sourdough…I am telling ya, it’s addictive!
Image:Marye Audet
I love my baking stone. You’re right about them not being cheap, but I bided my time until I found one on sale and then I grabbed it. I use it for both pizzas and breads. I’ve even been known to bake some cookies on it.
I have two problems though: It took forever for me to convince my DH that you don’t use soap to clean it and my teens (and DH) like to cut directly on it when they use it for pizza.
Marijke
http://www.helpmhurt.com
http://www.wombwithin.com
A sharp knife across the wrists will stop both those actions..
JUST KIDDING!
$128 for a STONE…that’s crazy! I got both of mine from Pampered Chef and LOVE them. I agree with you…there is none other. I haven’t tried by bread on them, but I’m not sure it would give me the desired shape…I want loaves! I do use them for cookies and they are perfect.
I loved my stone until I started using a convection oven. Things have to be adjusted for the convection feature.I haven’t had a chance to look into what to do. It takes much longer to cook things on a stone or the insulated cookie sheets. yeah, so I could simply use the regular oven feature….but one pizza for the family????? not gonna work.
Calire I agree..128 is insane. I like the unglazed tiles option.
Ginger..that is the problem with havig abig family..you need commercial sized utensils and appliances. I woud seriously have the commercial hobart mixer that sits on the floor AND about 6 ovens if I could..and I have 4 ovens as it is!
My aunt got some for friends at um, that store… wait… dang, they sell blankets and kitchen stuff (I hate shopping – let me go look). Ok I can’t find it, but I think it’s linens and something? Linens and stuff? Things? Anyhow, she paid like $14 for the ones she got.
That story aside, there is no other way to bake, agreed. I LOVE how even simple biscuits and cookies come out picture perfect on baking stones. All nice and golden with no burning EVER. I just love stones for cooking. I don’t mind the shape, because you can shape bread loaves by hand, they’re not perfect, but perfect beauty is overrated anyhow.
Agreed. I got mine through Pampered Chef YEARS ago. Now it’s so nice and browned, nothing sticks to it. And you can leave things in the oven on it forever, and nothing burns! It’s great for anything with crust.
I really loved my stone…. until it broke… haven’t replaced it yet. I’m with you, Marye, I’d love to have an outdoor brick oven… someday… LOL
Jennifer, not a shopper either but maybe Linens and things?
Tiffany- yep! I don’t like pampered chef though..I know..I am weird. I don’t like Kitchen aide either.
Monica- Just have Jim build you one!
One of my simple breads needs a bread stone – mine is almost in constant use! I haven’t tried making pizza on it yet, though. I’ve only had it for a month or two.
It just gets better, Jen
As much as I’d love Jim to build me one… I’m pretty sure our HOA covenants would have a coniption fit!
Tell them it is a bomb shelter.
My mom just took her pizza stone back to NC with her, I should’ve kept it. She offered it too me, but I forgot to take it out of the box. Dumb me! This one was from Pampered Chef, as well and always made great pizza crust.
Yummy!
Must be baby-brain on your part.
That $126 for SIX stones. Not a bad price in bulk, but I’m never gonna cook that many pizzas at once! :-0
Ween…I have to make that many EVERY time I make Pizza…LOL! (4 ovens here)