Have you ever had a pizza peel warp on you? You’re not alone. A wooden pizza peel will warp if it comes in contact with water (pizza peel's kryptonite) or encounters a hot surface. While there are many different brands of peels, we love our handmade cherry wood peel.
The solution is simple (and cheap!) Applying mineral oil to your peel before using it for the first time will help to prevent any cracking or warping. Just follow these easy steps:
1. Pour mineral oil on your board and lightly spread it in with a dry cloth. Be generous enough so that the entire peel is able to be covered by the oil.
2. Let the peel absorb the mineral oil, once the wood dries the peel will be ready for use.
3. Repeat this process as often as you feel necessary. Take into account how often you use your peel. As a frequent pizza maker, I typically coat my peel once a month.
In addition to coating your peel with mineral oil there are a few precautions you can take to help preserve your peel. Since water and wood do not mix well, we suggest you use white vinegar (full strength) to clean your peel. The vinegar acts as a disinfectant and will eliminate bacteria such as Salmonella and E. Coli.
If you are reading this AFTER your peel has already warped, try this trick: lay your wooden peel out over night with the warped side facing the down. Placing a heavy object such as a book will help straighten the curve. This should decrease the warping and help bring your pizza peel back to life!
There is no reason a pizza peel should not last you a lifetime. Coat your peel with mineral oil, keep it away from water and high heat, use white vinegar to disinfect it and you will never have to buy another peel again!
-Andris
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