Pizza stones crack if used in the gas grill?


 
There’s two type of pizza stones in the market. One that’s cracked and ones that’s going to crack.

I had a 14.5” x 16” 3/8 in. A36 steel plate made at a local metal fab shop. With rounded sanded edges, it cost me $62.

Ive come to love how my steel works and will never go back to stone. You just need to learn and adjust how you cook on a steel. For me, I find that dial gauge temp of 450° is optimal for perfect pizza. Any higher and the pizza cooks unevenly in my Summit gasser and or my Kamado E6.

I have a new thermal IR reader coming soon and will then know exactly my optimal steel plate cooking temp so I can stop playing with cook temps.
Brett: How thick is the steel?
 
I've had my Broil King grilling stone for probably 10 years....been used at least 70-80 times at temperatures up to 900 degrees....still like new (well, dirty, but new). It's 3/4" thick which helps prevent cracking as well as heat retention.


I've also got a baking steel...this thing will outlive me, every grill I've ever owned, and my kids too. It cooks "different" than the stone, but is an amazing surface up to about 500 degrees - I've never found anything to cook on it at hotter temps. Above that it transfers heat mighty quick for most foods. It's also 15" round and 1/4" thick so stacks perfectly with my stone so I can put them directly over super-hot coals with an air-gap between so I can get my stone up into the 700 degree area without hot spots underneath.

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Correct. Made locally.
I have a Genesis II SE-315 gasser purchased 2021. I've got a metal fabricator where I live. When I call them tomorrow morning, just tell 'em to make it like Brett's? I measured the depth of grates. It's 17 inches of depth clearance. So I'm thinking 16 deep by ... ? I don't know how wide. What do you think? Make it square? I also have an Ooni pizza oven. We're gearing up for a crowd for my 70th birthday. Theory is to have both the Ooni and the Genesis going at the same time. I have an IR reader. I'm thinking that we measure the surface of the steel just as we measure the surface of the Ooni stone, correct? The fete is Sunday. Figuring to do some rehearsing Friday and Saturday on the steel (assuming I can get it by then).
 
I have a Genesis II SE-315 gasser purchased 2021. I've got a metal fabricator where I live. When I call them tomorrow morning, just tell 'em to make it like Brett's? I measured the depth of grates. It's 17 inches of depth clearance. So I'm thinking 16 deep by ... ? I don't know how wide. What do you think? Make it square? I also have an Ooni pizza oven. We're gearing up for a crowd for my 70th birthday. Theory is to have both the Ooni and the Genesis going at the same time. I have an IR reader. I'm thinking that we measure the surface of the steel just as we measure the surface of the Ooni stone, correct? The fete is Sunday. Figuring to do some rehearsing Friday and Saturday on the steel (assuming I can get it by then).
I’d recco 16x14.5”. Most pizzas you’ll cook are 12-14 inches max. The extra size, say of a 16x16 will weigh more and cost more for zero added benefit.

Have them round the edges and smooth them.

Remember this can be a guillotine so don’t drop it across your toes. You’ve been warned.

When you cook on the steel, target temp of 550°F. You can incinerate a pie in 30 seconds above that 600/650/700°F temp.

Use a laser gun to measure the steel’s surface temp. I also recommend using pizza screen to start to learn how the steel works.

This will insulate the pie bottom from burning before cooking.

And deck the pizza after 3-4 mins on the screen to develop the final crisp (undercarriage).

Ask away any other questions. Hopefully I’ve already experienced it and can share my results.
 
I’d recco 16x14.5”. Most pizzas you’ll cook are 12-14 inches max. The extra size, say of a 16x16 will weigh more and cost more for zero added benefit.

Have them round the edges and smooth them.

Remember this can be a guillotine so don’t drop it across your toes. You’ve been warned.

When you cook on the steel, target temp of 550°F. You can incinerate a pie in 30 seconds above that 600/650/700°F temp.

Use a laser gun to measure the steel’s surface temp. I also recommend using pizza screen to start to learn how the steel works.

This will insulate the pie bottom from burning before cooking.

And deck the pizza after 3-4 mins on the screen to develop the final crisp (undercarriage).

Ask away any other questions. Hopefully I’ve already experienced it and can share my results.
Thanks for all of this -- very helpful. About using the screens (we have a good supply of them): do you oil the screens before putting the dough on them?
 
Thanks for all of this -- very helpful. About using the screens (we have a good supply of them): do you oil the screens before putting the dough on them?
No. I form my pie and then place it on the screen. Then dress and top it and then place the whole thing atop the steel and cook the pizza. Once the cheese is bubbly and the dough is set, I descreen the pizza from the screen and deck it onto the steel for crisping and final cook.
 
I’d recco 16x14.5”. Most pizzas you’ll cook are 12-14 inches max. The extra size, say of a 16x16 will weigh more and cost more for zero added benefit.

Have them round the edges and smooth them.

Remember this can be a guillotine so don’t drop it across your toes. You’ve been warned.

When you cook on the steel, target temp of 550°F. You can incinerate a pie in 30 seconds above that 600/650/700°F temp.

Use a laser gun to measure the steel’s surface temp. I also recommend using pizza screen to start to learn how the steel works.

This will insulate the pie bottom from burning before cooking.

And deck the pizza after 3-4 mins on the screen to develop the final crisp (undercarriage).

Ask away any other questions. Hopefully I’ve already experienced it and can share my results.
I'm now the owner of a 16 x 14.5 x 3/8 inch steel plate ($43.29 cut from a remnant). In the photos you will see that it has some paint on it. I suppose this is the price of buying a piece from remnant. I met my eldest son at a wood-metal coop tool shop where he used a grinding wheel to take off the sharp edges. The plate is guillotine heavy as advertised.

The metal shop guy said to hit it with a steel brush to get the paint off, then season it like I would season cast iron -- oiled at 250F. I'm reluctant to season it in our oven as my wife has a nose like a bloodhound, so probably will try doing this in the grill.

My son says acetone would be good for cleaning the steel. I'm not sure about that. Brett, what did you use to clean yours when you first got it? And did you season it thereafter?
 

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I'm now the owner of a 16 x 14.5 x 3/8 inch steel plate ($43.29 cut from a remnant). In the photos you will see that it has some paint on it. I suppose this is the price of buying a piece from remnant. I met my eldest son at a wood-metal coop tool shop where he used a grinding wheel to take off the sharp edges. The plate is guillotine heavy as advertised.

The metal shop guy said to hit it with a steel brush to get the paint off, then season it like I would season cast iron -- oiled at 250F. I'm reluctant to season it in our oven as my wife has a nose like a bloodhound, so probably will try doing this in the grill.

My son says acetone would be good for cleaning the steel. I'm not sure about that. Brett, what did you use to clean yours when you first got it? And did you season it thereafter?
mine had machine oil on it. i used dawn dish soap, then dried it, then oiled both sides with vegetable oil and then placed in the the bbq to cook off and set the finish. i still add additional finish layers at different times so as to build up a nice patina and carbon over time as i keep my plate outside.

DO NOT cook it in the house with oil. you will not get that smoke and smell out for years.

i'd soften up those edges and corners. an angle grinder will do the trick.

looks like you're in for a good time. just get a laser gun to measure heat of the steel so you know what you're doing. the steel is very versatile and easy to use. less is more as the steel retains heat and has a low recovery time between pizzas, unlike ceramic or stones do.
 
You might find it better to simply use denatured alcohol as it's mostly ethanol (non-toxic), will evaporate with no residue. You can then maybe scrub it down with Dawn (which is a great grease cutter).
If you're only planning on cooking on one side of it, I would make some stainless steel handles for it. Not that you're gonna grab it right off the heat, but regardless it will make your life easier moving it around.
Season it I guess like any carbon steel cookware (though here I am NOT an expert) I have horrible luck seasoning my CI and literally am kinda giving up on it and moving on to stainless steel
 
You might find it better to simply use denatured alcohol as it's mostly ethanol (non-toxic), will evaporate with no residue. You can then maybe scrub it down with Dawn (which is a great grease cutter).
If you're only planning on cooking on one side of it, I would make some stainless steel handles for it. Not that you're gonna grab it right off the heat, but regardless it will make your life easier moving it around.
Season it I guess like any carbon steel cookware (though here I am NOT an expert) I have horrible luck seasoning my CI and literally am kinda giving up on it and moving on to stainless steel
i wouldn't put handles on it. those will get in the way of spinning pie or making breads.

i use similar gloves to these to move the steel once cooled. they work just fine and these are my goto bbq gloves and hot meat gloves.

and yes, season the steel so it becomes nonstick. oil, heat, cook off and you're good to go.

 
Very different than carbon steel. And very different heating properties.
I know. But seems I am all thumbs in taking care of CI so, I am done. I'll put up with very high quality SS products. That griddle weighs a ton. Solid copper core, made in Belgium. Got a good deal on it. Just haven't had a cook on it yet
 
I have a stone inside the gas grill pizza oven thing I bought for use on the Genesis II E-325.
Onlyfire Stainless Steel Pizza Oven Kit for Gas Grill, Charcoal Grill and Propane, Portable Grill Top Pizza Oven Kit Baking Tools Including Pizza Stone, Pizza Peel & Thermometer https://a.co/d/08co1cJR

Have had it 2 years and it shoes no signs of cracking.
It sits directly over three burners to the right of the grill as I face it.


Have a steel for the Broilmaster at the beach house. I get similar results with it. To clean either, I flip them and use the scraper on the grill brush.
Seems to work just fine.
THERMICHEF by Conductive Cooking - Round Pizza Steel Plate for Oven Cooking and Baking (3/16" Thick Standard Version, 14" Round) - Made in USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085S6RD5C?tag=tvwb-20
 
There’s two type of pizza stones in the market. One that’s cracked and ones that’s going to crack.

I had a 14.5” x 16” 3/8 in. A36 steel plate made at a local metal fab shop. With rounded sanded edges, it cost me $62.

Ive come to love how my steel works and will never go back to stone. You just need to learn and adjust how you cook on a steel. For me, I find that dial gauge temp of 450° is optimal for perfect pizza. Any higher and the pizza cooks unevenly in my Summit gasser and or my Kamado E6.

I have a new thermal IR reader coming soon and will then know exactly my optimal steel plate cooking temp so I can stop playing with cook temps.
Mine's the same only 1/4" thick and it's been in my oven for years.Love it. ITs a great heat sink.
 

 

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