To make that irresistible and
delicious pizza with a well-cooked bottom, one needs to have some aid to load
that pizza into the oven. That is where the pizza peel becomes a great help. It
looks like a giant spatula with a long handle that is equipped with a flat
paddle for taking out pizza from the ovens.
The common 2 types of peels
found are the wooden pizza peel and the metal pizza peel. This article is all
about finding the best peel out there.
Wooden Pizza Peel
Generally, the uncooked dough
used for making pizza can stick to the peel. So to prevent this from happening,
wood is the best material that can be used for the peel. This is essential if
the toppings in the pizza are not to be disturbed. It would be disappointing if
the beloved topping dropped all over from the pizza. Additionally, the wooden
peel gives a rustic appeal. The storage and maintenance of the wood peel should
be properly done for it to last a long time.
After washing and before storing
them away, always make sure they are air-dried. An alternative to washing is to
rub the surface with white vinegar, which acts as a disinfectant and also
removes tough stains. Never try to use the wooden pizza peel as a cutting board
since it can leave scratches and the pizza cannot slide with ease. Some people
rub mineral oil on the wooden surface of the peel. The truth is that it is
unnecessary and can be safely used.
There is no need to seal the
wooden peel. When using the raw peel, make sure to dust it with either cornmeal
or flour. This helps to slide the raw dough easily.
The biggest con of using wooden
pizza peels is that they are thick. The thickness is given because it can
prevent burning easily. But it becomes difficult to use when half-cooked pies
are rotated and fully cooked ones need to be retrieved.
Metal Pizza Peel
For metal pizza peels, the most commonly used
material is aluminum. When compared to the wooden peels, the metal peels are
easy to clean, durable, and easy to use. Since it is completely made out of
metal, it requires no high maintenance. No unwanted stains or odors can be here
because a metal peel cannot absorb anything. Another advantage is that the
metal blades are really thin, which can easily go under the pizza to either
rotate, move, and retrieve it from the oven. But it is not a good option for
keeping the raw dough into the oven because the raw dough can easily stick to
the metal surface when compared to the wooden peels.
Final verdict
The truth is that both are
needed to make that special pizza for satisfying the pizza cravings. The wooden
pizza peel should be used for assembling and launching the pizza into the oven,
and the metal pizza peel can be used for retrieving and moving the pizza inside
the oven.
No matter what the peel is used,
make sure it is the correct size for the pizza stone and also should have a
handle that is comfortable to use.
