| Experts with homemade pizza often use pizza peels | | | | with the peel and then pull the peel back towards you |
| when moving their pizzas to and from the oven. What | | | | quickly. If the pizza sticks, pull it back out while on the |
| is a pizza peel? It looks something like a giant spatula | | | | peel and blow under part of your pizza crust to create |
| or flat paddle. Good ones are usually made of wood, | | | | a small wrinkle. This is usually sufficient to get the pizza |
| though metal ones also exist. Some have a | | | | mobile enough to slide off. Some people find the metal |
| rectangular or square shape while others are rounded | | | | peels easier to use when taking the pizza out of the |
| on the end. Metal peels are thin all the way along their | | | | oven, while the wooden ones work best when placing |
| length, while wood ones taper to a thin edge. | | | | the pizza in the oven. It all depends on your preferred |
| Learning to use a pizza peel takes practice, like any | | | | method. |
| kitchen tool. Some people will build their pizza right on | | | | Peels also work very well when you make pizza on |
| the peel and then use it to slide the pizza into the oven. | | | | the grill. |
| In order to help the pizza slide off easily, you need to | | | | Caring for your Peel |
| do a little preparation. | | | | Wooden pizza peels may be made of birch, bamboo |
| You can place cornmeal or parchment paper on the | | | | or any hardwood. You can also find them made of |
| pizza peel. Both of these options make it simple for the | | | | pressed wood fiber. Metal peels are usually made of |
| raw dough to slide off the peel onto the pizza stone in | | | | aluminum. Wooden pizza peels need some |
| the oven. If you prefer to use flour, whole wheat is | | | | maintenance to stay in good shape. A good mineral oil |
| coarser than white flour, so the pizza will slide off | | | | will keep the wood sealed so it does not split. Do not |
| more easily. Any grains that slide off the peel will need | | | | use vegetable oil or it can turn rancid. Do not let your |
| to be removed from your pizza stone later, as they | | | | peel sit in water. It can cause damage or cause the |
| will burn eventually. | | | | wood to warp. Dust the peel with flour or cornmeal |
| Now that you have your parchment or cornmeal on | | | | before putting the pizza in the oven or taking the pizza |
| your peel and have built your pizza on the peel, it is | | | | out of the oven so the pizza slides easily on the |
| time to put your pizza in the oven. Grab the handle of | | | | surface. Brush off crumbs, melted cheese and bits of |
| your peel securely. Put the far edge of the peel to the | | | | sauce to keep your peel clean. Do not set your peel |
| farthest edge of your pizza stone. To get the pizza to | | | | on a hot surface or it will warp. |
| come off, make a short, sharp movement forward | | | | |