Pizza stones are some of the most common pieces of cooking equipment around, but not everyone has a pizza peel. It’s possible to get good results without one—just follow these easy steps to learn How to Use a Pizza Stone Without a Pizza Peel.
Pizza stones are not essential for making pizza and can be replaced with any other surface that can withstand high temperatures without cracking or breaking. If you don’t have a pizza stone in your kitchen, don’t worry! There are plenty of other ways to achieve crisp crusts on homemade pizzas without it.
Pizza stones aren’t necessary for making pizzas because they’re just one among many possible ways to achieve crispy crusts on homemade pies. But if you do happen to have one lying around somewhere (or if someone gave you one as a gift), here’s how:
How to Use a Pizza Stone Without a Pizza Peel
1. Prepare the pizza
- Make the pizza dough.
- Prepare the sauce.
- Prepare the toppings.
- Prepare the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).
Preparing a rimless cookie sheet is optional, although it makes for an easy transfer of your pizza from cutting board to stone. If you don’t have one handy, just follow these instructions:
Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the baking sheet and then flip it over so that it is now facing down on top of your baking sheet. You can then use this double-sided technique when transferring your finished product onto another surface or into a serving dish!
If you do not have parchment paper available, try using aluminum foil instead; this will also be helpful when removing any excess oil from your hands after handling raw dough ingredients since both materials are made from nonstick materials and won’t stick easily like regular utensils might do in other situations where grease may be present such as when dealing with messy meats like pork chops for example (or chicken breasts too!).
2. Heat the stone
Heat your pizza stone in the oven for at least 30 minutes, but not more than an hour and a half. If you’re using a preheated oven, this will be less time—you’ll want to check on it after 15 minutes and again after 10 minutes if needed.
You’ll know when your pizza stone is hot enough because it will feel warm to the touch (not hot!). Try tapping on it with something wooden like a spoon handle or spatula; if there’s no reaction from the tapping, then you’re ready for step 3!
3. Transfer the pizza to the stone using a rimless cookie sheet
If you don’t have a peel or don’t have a peel, you can transfer your pizza from the countertop to the stone with a rimless baking sheet or cutting board. Place it on top of the pizza and carefully lift it off. Then slide your pizza onto the preheated stone using a rimless baking sheet as a “peel” (or just use an extra large spatula).
4. Bake it!
Now that your stone is hot and ready, place your pizza directly on top of it. You may want to use a spatula or wooden peel for this step; the stone can get a little hotter than we’d like if you try to pick up the pizza by hand.
Bake the pizza for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. If you want to check on its progress midway through baking, use an oven mitt (or two) to lift off the lid and peek into your oven—then quickly put it back down before you burn yourself!
Once done, let your finished pie cool slightly before slicing with a pizza wheel or sharp knife so that everyone can have a piece in one piece without getting burned by hot cheese or toppings while they take their first bite of piping hot goodness!
Using a rimless cookie sheet lets you transfer pizza easily from your cutting board to your pizza stone — no peel necessary.
- Use a rimless cookie sheet.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet.
- Use a stiff piece of cardboard.
- Use a rimless baking sheet.
pizza peel alternative
If you don’t have a pizza peel, here are some other options for getting your pizza onto the stone:
- A rimless cookie sheet. This is my preferred alternative to a traditional pizza peel. A rimless cookie sheet works well if you are using a large rectangular stone and don’t need much clearance from the oven door (because it won’t be sticking out). The edge of the pan makes it easy to get under the crust with your spatula and move it around on top of the hot surface of your stone, as shown in Step 4 above. You can also use two spatulas, one in each hand, or two sets of tongs if that feels more comfortable for you!
- Stiff cardboard cut into half-inch strips (or even quarter-inch strips) that measure at least 4 feet long by 6 inches wide.* Wax paper or parchment paper.* Cutting board.* Rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan (you may need two pans depending on how deep they are). In many cases, these are slightly more expensive than other options because they come with handles built into them so that they could be easily picked up off a hot surface without burning yourself if needed!
How do you get a pizza onto a pizza stone?
You can use a pizza peel to transfer the pizza to your hot stone. If you don’t have a peel, here are some alternate methods:
- A rimless cookie sheet, coated with non-stick spray or olive oil and sprinkled with cornmeal.
- Wax paper on top of a cutting board, with parchment paper underneath (for a lift).
- A rimmed baking sheet, covered in parchment paper (for a lift).
If none of those options work for you, try sliding the pizza onto the stone from directly above it. Don’t worry about getting sauce or toppings on your hands just wash them when you’re finished!
What can you use if you don’t have a pizza peel?
You can use a rimless cookie sheet. If you don’t have a pizza peel, you can also use a rimmed baking sheet or cutting board as an alternative. Another option is to buy some wax paper and cut out some circles for each pizza that way.
Do you put pizza dough directly on the stone?
The answer is “yes if you want to,” but it’s not necessary. You can use a pizza peel—a flat piece of wood or metal used to slide pizzas from the oven onto a surface—to transfer the dough onto your stone or pizza pan.
If you’re using parchment paper and don’t have a peel, simply place the dough on top of parchment paper, which acts as an intermediary barrier between the hot stone and your hands. The result is similar: easy cleanup after baking!
Takeaway:
The bottom line is this: You can get great results using a rimless cookie sheet as a pizza peel alternative. It’s an easy way to transfer the pizza from your cutting board to your hot stone, and it helps you avoid the mess that comes with using traditional wooden peels. If you want to save some money and don’t mind doing some extra work at home, this method might be just what you need!
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