This post exists because of a question I get all the time: "Why did my pizza stone crack?" The truth is, it's not your fault. Pizza stones are fragile. They're susceptible to thermal shock, they absorb moisture, and they can't handle the high heat required for great pizza.
I created the Baking Steel after cracking one too many pizza stones myself. I knew there had to be a better way. Steel is virtually indestructible, it conducts heat 18x better than ceramic, and it creates a crispy, blistered crust that stones can only dream of. This isn't just a replacement for your pizza stone. It's an upgrade.
Too Lazy to read it all? Buy a Baking Steel Now!
Top Reasons Why Pizza Stones Crack
1. Putting a cold baking stone into a hot oven
When you throw a cold pizza stone into a hot oven, your stone experiences the dreaded "thermal shock," which basically means your stone can't handle large temperature changes. Since it's usually made of ceramic, that can cause a fracture in the stone. Sometimes it's evident immediately. Other times it lies dormant until your next baking session.
2. Allowing moisture into the baking stone
You should never wash your baking stone, because if the stone isn't allowed to dry appropriately before the next baking session, it can weaken the stone. Also, contrary to some old-wives' advice out there on the interwebs, never oil your baking stone. That's a one-way ticket to Cracksville.
3. Placing cool or cold food onto the baking stone
Even if you've pre-heated your stone, you want to be careful about placing cool pizza dough onto it. And especially be cautious with placing frozen pizza dough on there. That'll rock your stone quicker than you can say "thermal shock."
4. Handling the stone too much
Even though with a name like "stone," you may expect your baking stone to be tough as nails, it's really much more fragile than you may think. Repeated handling of the stone can weaken its internal integrity over time. And, of course, the results don't show up until you're in the middle of baking that perfect pizza with company on the way. It's just how the world works, right?
5. Removing the stone too soon from a hot oven
Just like throwing a cold pizza stone into a hot oven can shock the senses out of it, pulling it out of a hot oven and setting it on the stove to cool can have a similar impact. It's just not ready for that kind of sudden temperature change.
6. Using too much heat
This is a really unfortunate one, because the hotter you can get your oven, the quicker your pizzas will bake. And, you'll get that perfect crust. There's a reason wood fire ovens get up to 800 degrees. You need heat to turn out the perfect pizza. The bad news for your baking stone, though, is when you start to crank up the heat, you run the risk of shattering it into a few interestingly-shaped pieces.
Instead of being so negative, though, let me spell it out for you in positive terms how you should treat your pizza stone.
How To Prevent Your Pizza Stone From Cracking In The Future
- Keep your pizza stone in your oven all the time. If you like a pretty looking stone, cover with foil so drips from other things don't stain it.
- Always put a pizza stone into a cold oven and do a long pre-heat.
- Minimize handling. Moving in and out of the oven can cause cracking.
- Handle carefully. Any kind of drop will cause fractures.
- Avoid washing or oiling a pizza stone. The moisture can cause it to crack.
- Use only dough that is room temperature or warmer. Some have even suggested warming it slightly on the stove top before placing it on the stone.
- Wait until the pizza stone is completely cold before removing it from the oven.
- Don't put frozen pizzas on your pizza stone. Ever.
- Use a folded towel and place it on the counter before you take the stone out of the oven, so the counter won't send your stone into "thermal shock."
- Don't use high heat with it. This one's kind of a bummer, since high heat makes unbelievable pizza.
- If you leave your pizza stone in the oven, remove it for the self-cleaning cycle. With the drastic temperature changes, you're asking for trouble.
Are Pizza Stones Worth This Kind Of Kid-Glove Treatment?
If you've made pizzas on your baking stone, you'd probably answer with a hearty "yes." You're a die-hard fan. Let's face it, pizza stones work pretty well. They have quite a bit more thermal mass than a baking sheet, so they store and distribute heat better than a flimsy metal pizza pan. That thermal mass part is pretty important. That's where the magic happens. The stone gets about as close to the results of cooking a pizza in a brick oven as you can reasonably get, and usually gives you a decent looking crust and a nice tasting pie.
Make Better Pizzas And Never Face A Fractured Stone Again
So, here's where the news goes from kind of bad to unbelievably good. Several years back, Modernist Cuisine published some findings from their research that if you wanted to make truly amazing New York style pizza at home, you should skip the ever-present baking stone and opt for baking your pizzas on a piece of steel. Steel conducts heat 18x better than ceramic, which means it delivers heat into your dough far more aggressively than a simple baking stone and does all the stuff that makes great pizza great. Plus, it's practically indestructible.
Since we love making amazing pizzas, and we hate cracking pizza stones, we went looking for someone making a baking steel and couldn't find anyone. So we made it ourselves. Now we're excited to help other pizza enthusiasts make the best pizzas of their lives at home with the Baking Steel. You owe it to yourself to at least see what you may be missing by simply replacing that cracked pizza stone. We're pretty sure you'll never want to buy another stone again.
Baking Steel vs. Pizza Stone
| Feature | Baking Steel | Pizza Stone |
|---|---|---|
| Durability | Indestructible | Fragile, cracks easily |
| Heat Conductivity | Conducts 18x better than stone | Poor |
| Seasoning | Pre-seasoned by hand, ready to use | Never season a stone |
| Cooking Time | 6-8 minutes | 10-12 minutes |
| Crust Quality | Crispy, blistered | Can be soggy |
| Maintenance | Easy to clean | Stains easily, can't be washed |
| Versatility | Pizza, bread, griddle | Pizza only |
| Warranty | Lifetime | None |
Why we season every Baking Steel by hand
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do pizza stones crack?
Pizza stones crack from thermal shock, a rapid change in temperature. This happens when you put a cold stone in a hot oven, put cold food on a hot stone, or expose it to moisture. The ceramic material can't handle the stress and fractures.
Can you leave a pizza stone in the oven all the time?
Yes, but you risk cracking it if you forget to remove it during the self-cleaning cycle or if you spill something on it. A Baking Steel can be left in the oven 24/7 and acts as a heat sink, regulating your oven's temperature.
What's the difference between a pizza stone and a baking steel?
A pizza stone is made of ceramic and is fragile. A Baking Steel is made of solid steel and is indestructible. Steel conducts heat 18x better than stone, resulting in a crispier crust and faster cooking times.
Can I put a pizza stone in a hot oven?
No, this is the number one cause of cracking. Always put a cold pizza stone in a cold oven and preheat them together.
How do you prepare a new pizza stone?
You don't need to season a pizza stone. Just wipe it with a damp cloth and let it dry completely before first use. Never wash it with soap or oil it. A Baking Steel is different: it is hand-seasoned with organic flax oil and baked before it ships, so it also needs no preparation, but for the opposite reason. The seasoning is already on it.
What's the best pizza stone for an oven?
The best surface for making pizza in an oven isn't a stone, it's a Baking Steel. It's more durable, conducts heat better, and produces superior results. If you must use a stone, choose one that's at least 1 inch thick.
Why did my pizza stone crack in the oven?
It likely experienced thermal shock. This could be from preheating the oven without the stone, placing a cold pizza on the hot stone, or moisture getting into the stone.
Can you repair a cracked pizza stone?
No, a cracked pizza stone is a goner. The crack will continue to expand with each use. It's time for an upgrade to steel.
What's better: a pizza stone or a pizza pan?
A pizza stone is better than a pan because it retains more heat. But a Baking Steel is better than both, conducting heat 18x better than a stone.
Can you use a pizza stone on a grill?
Yes, but you risk cracking it from the direct, high heat of the grill. A Baking Steel is a much better option for grilling pizza.
About the Author
Andris Lagsdin is the founder of Baking Steel and co-author of Baking with Steel with Jessie Oleson Moore. After cracking one too many pizza stones, Andris engineered the Baking Steel, a 1/4 inch thick steel plate that's virtually indestructible and conducts heat 18x better than ceramic.