The Baking Steel Product Review

The Baking Steel, a terrific pizza accessory.

Item: The Baking Steel
Price: $72
Overall Impression: Fantastic and durable pizza accessory, one that will help your pizza cook much faster and give it a deliciously chewy, blistered crust.

Do you use a pizza stone? Putting a heavy stone in your oven helps stabilize its temperature, retain its heat, and transfer it more efficiently and directly to your pizza. I had a pizza stone a long time ago, but broke it rather promptly, and ever since then I've baked my pizzas directly on an oven rack. Well, that's all changed now, as I bought one huge hulking chunk of thermal mass, The Baking Steel, and it's making my pizzas that much better.

The Review

Characteristics and Specs: The Baking Steel is a 15-pound, 1/4-inch-thick piece of steel that goes into your oven when preheating it for pizza. The dimensions: 16 x 14 x .25 inches.

Favorite details: This is a beast one heavy piece of steel! Its thermal mass helps my oven maintain a more even temperature, and the crusts on my pizzas have been so much crisper and faster-cooking since I started using it.

Potential problems: It's heavy! It takes some concentration to pull it in and out of the oven, and forget about moving it if it's still hot. Also, this isn't exactly a problem, but it is worth noting that my crust bottoms cooked so fast that the tops didn't get as browned as I would prefer. So I found that this is best used on the very top rack of the oven.

Splurge-worthy? If you are really into pizza, this is a great splurge. It works so well, and it will optimize even a weak oven, turning it into a hotter, better vehicle for great pizza. I haven't tested it on breads yet, but I'm looking forward to baking rustic breads on it this fall. (Also, Kenji at Serious Eats points out that it also makes a great stovetop griddle, fitting easily across two burners.)

Good for small kitchens? This is more easily stored than a pizza stone, since it's very slim and can fit between cabinets or even under the couch! You also don't need to worry at all about breakage.

The Baking Steel was designed by Andris and Eric Lagsdin, two brothers and owners of a family steel manufacturing business. Inspired by Nathan Myhyrvold's Modernist Cuisine, they realized that their core product, steel, could make a far superior sort of baking stone. Not a baking stone, in fact, but a baking steel.

They designed a simple flat sheet of recycled steel, weighing 15 pounds and small enough to slip into almost any home oven. The result: Pizzas that cooking blazingly fast, almost like in a wood oven. Kenji at Serious Eats called it, "...the most impressive home pizza product I've ever tested." The Kickstarter campaign they started to help fund the startup product exceeded its goal tenfold.

I bought a Baking Steel during the Kickstarter campaign, eager to put it through its paces. And I was not disappointed. After heating up the oven with the Steel inside for over half an hour, I found that my pizzas cooked easily in under 5 minutes sometimes less. They also had much crisper crusts all the way through, not just on the edges.

This thing makes fabulous pizzas, and in its recycled plastic case, it fits just about anywhere in my kitchen. I keep it slid out of the way behind a cabinet right now; it takes up almost no space.

Have you tried on of these Baking Steels? What are your thoughts on it?

Read the reviews at Serious Eats
Early Word On Baking Steel: It Works
The Pizza Lab: The Baking Steel

Find It! The Baking Steel, $72 (without case) or $102 (with case) at Stoughton Steel

Related: How Do I Take Care Of My Pizza Stone?

Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. This product was purchased by the author.

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Try Turkish Pizza: Lahmacun

Tired of the same red sauce and cheese pizzas? Bored with pesto? It's time for a pizza twist. It's time to try Turkish pizza!

Lahmacun is a flat bread topped with spiced lamb and tomato paste, accompanied by a wedge of lemon. Eaten alone or topped with vegetables and rolled, lahmacun is a popular casual food across Turkey and is easy to make at home. Just like traditional pizza, start with a yeast dough and roll out into thin rounds. Cover with a mixture of ground lamb, tomato paste, garlic and spices and bake on a pizza stone. In no time, pizza like you've never had it before!

Try a Recipe
Flat Bread with Lamb and Tomatoes (Lahmacun) at Saveur
Lamb Lahmacun at Telegraph UK

Related: Clay, Cast Iron, Steel: Which Pizza Stone Material Is Best?

(Images: Flickr user andrewdo licensed for use under Creative Commons)

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Clay, Cast Iron, Steel: Which Pizza Stone Material Is Best?

In every pizza lover's quest to approximate a fiery-hot brick pizza oven at home, a pizza stone is first on the list of necessary equipment. But of the variety of materials available stone, cast iron and even steel which one is the best pick for you?

Picking the right pizza stone depends on your personal needs and kitchen habits. Are you looking for a stone that produces an ultra-crispy crust? Does it need to move easily in and out of the oven? Are you a pizza professional, willing to pay any price for the latest equipment? Here are some of the pros and cons of each material.

Clay or Stone:
The classic pizza stone absorbs moisture as the pizza bakes, resulting in a crisper crust. Stones come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and some people even DIY stones with inexpensive unglazed quarry tiles.

Pros: There are a wide variety of stones to choose from at various price points. Produces a crisp pizza crust.
Cons: Must be preheated in the oven for at least 30 minutes (longer for thicker stones). Difficult to clean. Can crack or break.

Cast Iron:
If you want to make pizza without buying any new equipment, you can use a cast iron skillet to cook pizzas on the stove. Or you can try Lodge's cast iron pizza pan, which heats up in the oven quickly.

Pros: Heats quickly. Easier to clean than stone. Has handles for maneuvering in and out of oven. Won't break or crack.
Cons: Heavy. Lodge pan has a lip that some reviewers have complained about. Lodge pan is recommended only to 400F, which is cooler than ideal for cooking pizza at home.

Find it: Lodge Cast Iron Pizza Pan, $46 at Amazon

Steel:
The baking steel is a new product that we learned about through the folks at Serious Eats Pizza Lab, who give it a big thumbs up. (Watch for our own review later this week.) Baking steels conduct heat better than stone, and can cook food more evenly at lower temperatures.

Pros: Cooks pizzas more quickly and evenly. Stabilizes at a lower temperature than stone. Won't break or crack.
Cons: Expensive ($72 for the 1/4-inch version). Very heavy and does not have handles, so it can't be easily moved once it is hot.

Find it: Baking Steel, $72 at Stoughton Steel Company

What kind of pizza stone do you use?

Related: How Do I Take Care Of My Pizza Stone?

(Image: erwinova/Shutterstock)

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The Pizza Lab: The Baking Steel Delivers Slice Pizza Blog It's time for another round of The Food Lab. Got a suggestion for an upcoming topic? Email Kenji here, and he'll do his best to answer your queries in a future post. pizza pans & stones, cookware, kitchen & dining,...: Target Shop for pizza pans & stones at Target. Find pizza pans & stones Pizza tools, old stone oven, Insulated Pizza Bag, pizza pan ... home products products ii education recipes gourmet cutlery sharpeners sportsmans corner porcini links: pizza supplies...on sale! Derek on Cast Iron - Cast Iron Recipes Cast iron recipes, seasoning, cleaning, health benefits, and humor. Cast iron is the original non-stick cookware and contains no teflon, PFOA, or other nasty stuff. Lodge Cast Iron Cookware From the Kitchen to the Table Lodge Cast Iron Cookware. For more than 112 years, Lodge Manufacturing has been perfecting the process of making cast iron cookware. When Joseph Lodge began making ... Steel sheet instead of pizza stone? The Fresh Loaf News and Information for Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts. Clay ovens Outdoor Cooking - Compare Prices, Read Reviews and Buy ... Superior Clay Corp. Imagine baking bread or pizza in your own authentic brick oven. www.superiorclay.com/ Clay Ovens Sale; Save on Clay Ovens. Compare 000s Deals in ... 18 inch pizza stone Cooking & Baking - Compare Prices, Read ... Best prices on 18 inch pizza stone in Cooking & Baking. Check out bizrate for great deals on Cooking & Baking from . Use bizrate's latest online shopping features to ... Pizza Stones - How To Information eHow.com Don't just sit there scratching your head, find useful info on Pizza Stones on eHow. Get essential tips and learn more about everything from How to Heat a Pizza Stone ... Pizza Stones: Rip off? Quarry stones: Safe? - cooking baking oven ... I have googled this question, but I seem to only get discussion boards and Amazon reviews saying "yes they are," "no they aren't." I'm hoping someone with some ...

Weeknight Dinner Recipe: Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza Recipes From The Kitchn

In a blazing-hot oven, a homemade pizza bakes in under ten minutes, but that doesn't always make it a quick meal option. With all the chopping and precooking some toppings require, it often seems easier to pick up the phone and order delivery, especially at the end of a tiring day. Instead, give this weeknight-friendly pizza recipe a try. Topped with a layer of chewy, crisp-edged prosciutto and finished with a couple big handfuls of fresh, peppery arugula, it comes together in a flash, no chopping or precooking necessary.

The combination of fatty, salty prosciutto and spicy arugula is a classic, which is why I've been making this particular pizza for years. I used to tear up the prosciutto and randomly scatter it over the dough before baking, but I've since discovered that paving the surface of the pizza with an even layer of pork is the way to go. Laid out this way, every bite includes some prosciutto, a little chewy and crispy at the edges after baking.

Hot out of the oven, the pizza is scattered with a generous amount of arugula, which softens a little at the edges but doesn't wilt, lending a spicy bite that cuts through the salty porkiness of the prosciutto.

And on busy nights, I appreciate that the only ingredient prep this recipe requires is opening a couple packages which sounds very Sandra Lee, but this pizza doesn't taste packaged. Even on weekends when I have a little more time and am making several pizzas for a group of friends, a prosciutto and arugula pie will invariably make its way onto the menu. It's quick, it's easy and everyone always always loves it: isn't that the very definition of pizza?

Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza

Makes one 10-12" pizza

1 ball pizza dough, store-bought or homemade (see Additional Notes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato sauce, store-bought or homemade
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
4 slices prosciutto
A couple handfuls arugula

If you have a pizza stone, place it on a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 550F (or maximum oven temperature) for at least 30 minutes.

If transferring the pizza to a stone in the oven, assemble on a well-floured peel or cutting board. Otherwise assemble on the surface you will be cooking on (parchment paper, baking sheet, etc.). Roll or stretch the dough into a circle. Brush the edges of the dough with olive oil. Spread the tomato sauce over the rest of the dough. Sprinkle with about half the cheese. Lay the prosciutto slices so they are evenly covering the dough and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake the pizza until edges are lightly browned and cheese is bubbly and browned in spots, about 6 minutes at 550F. Remove from oven and scatter arugula over the top.

Additional Notes
My favorite quick dough recipe is Mark Bittman's basic pizza dough recipe, which rises in an hour or two, or in 6-8 hours in the refrigerator. One batch makes two pizzas; the other half of the dough can be refrigerated or frozen for later.

Related: Pizza & Beyond! 15 Recipes for Pizza, Flatbread, and More

(Images: Anjali Prasertong)

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Recipe: Yeast-Free Pizza Dough Recipes from The Kitchn

My future mother-in-law is allergic to yeast. I'm talking full-on, debilitating allergic, which totally sucks, because before she developed the allergy she really, really liked bread. And being a huge space cadet, I am always shoving a new yeast-laden recipe I developed into her face (yes, even Irish car bomb cupcakes are guilty, too), which she always so gracefully declines, while I stand there wanting to smack myself for forgetting for the umpteeth time.

So you can imagine my surprise while dining together one nightjust the two of usas I watched her willingly take a bite of a pizza the chef sent to us. I admit, the pizza was a thing of beauty: a wood-fired sourdough crust piled with ripe figs, blue cheese, prosciutto, arugula, and a balsamic vinegar glaze. She turned to me and said, "it's too perfect not to try. It's worth every ounce of sickness that comes my way."

I felt honored to share that moment with her, if only because I knew it was not only rare, but maybe the only time she willingly ate something with yeast; something strictly for pleasure knowing later it would only cause her pain. That, my friends, is for the love of food. A love we both share deeply.

Needless to say, developing a yeast-free pizza dough has been on my to-do list ever since that very night. After whipping up this beyond easy recipe, now I am only wondering what took me so long. Gone are the days of "pizza waffles" and "pizza tortillas"; she can finally enjoy the same pizzas as the rest of us. Even if you aren't allergic to yeast, give this recipe a try. It's great if you're crunched for time, or just plain terrified of yeast. I'm not going to swear up and down that it's just as good as delivery, but it's pretty darn close. This one's for you, Tina!

Yeast-free Pizza Dough

Makes 1 large pizza or 2 individual pizzas

2 cups self-rising flour (I prefer White Lily)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup water plus additional as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500F.

In a large mixing bowl whisk self-rising flour, cornstarch, salt, and garlic powder together until mixed. In a separate bowl, combine water, olive oil, and honey. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until a cohesive ball forms, adding more water a tablespoon at a time if necessary. (The dough should be moist and firm but not sticky.)

Form the dough into a rounded disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to form a perfect circle. Transfer the dough to the hot pizza stone and cook in the oven for 2 minutes.

Remove the dough from the oven. Top with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, and additional toppings as desired. Cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is very crisp, another 7-10 minutes. (For the pizza shown, I added the arugula and prosciutto after it came out of the oven.) Cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Related: Whoa! Pizza Dough with Just 2 Ingredients

(Images: Nealey Dozier)

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Updated recipes for gluten-free/yeast-free pizza & bread veganza I have adjusted a couple of my recipes. Heres some updates. Pizza Ive made my pizza dough a little healthier. Pizza dough ingredients: half cup potato starch Yeast-Free Pizza Crust Gluten-Free) Recipe - Food.com - 298216 What's a Cookbook? You can save and organize your favorite recipes into FREE online cookbooks. Create as many as you want! Gluten Free Yeast Free Pizza Crust Recipe Easy pizza crust for someone with multiple food allergies... Gluten Free / Dairy Free / Egg Free / Soy Free / Yeast Free Basic Grilled Pizza Dough Recipe - CHOW - Recipes, cooking tips ... Recipes, cooking techniques, and news, updated daily. Chow.com - devoted to the pleasure of food and drink. Pizza Dough Recipe : : Recipes : Food Network 1 hr 27 min; 1 package active dry or fresh yeast; 1 teaspoon honey; 1 cup warm water, 105 to 115 degrees; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 ... Basic Pizza Dough Recipe : Dave Lieberman : Recipes : Food Network 2 hr 45 min; This dough recipe works great for thick crust pizzas and calzones; 1 package active dry yeast; 3/4 cup warm water, about 110 degrees F; 1 teaspoon sugar ... Basic Pizza Crust Tasty Kitchen: A Happy Recipe Community! Pumpkin Crumb Muffins With Cream Cheese Glaze. by Chloe. These muffins are moist and bursting with pumpkin flavor. The cream cheese glaze really complements it (uh ... Whole Wheat and Honey Pizza Dough Recipe - Allrecipes.com Want to make your pizza dough, but don't have time for it to rise? This is a quick and easy recipe for you! Just combine whole wheat flour, yeast, wheat germ, salt ... pizza dough Jamie Oliver Food Recipes (UK) This is a fantastic, reliable, everyday pizza dough, which can also be used to make bread. Its best made with Italian Tipo 00 flour, which is finer ground ... Easy Yeast Free Pizza Crust Recipe - Free Diet Plans at SparkPeople Easy Yeast Free Pizza Crust Submitted by: XEMPRESS Introduction This is my favorite pizza crust recipe. You can make it in matter of minutes. You can double to make a ...