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[gijoe985]

I have two separate questions. First off I read this thread-

I used unglazed quarry tiles for few years until they eventually broke. When I went to an Italian tile store to buy replacements, they asked me what I wanted them for. When I said "for making pizza", they suggested a piece of granite countertop. They have all sorts of scraps from custom countertop jobs and can cut a piece to fit your oven exactly (I had him cut my piece into two for easier handling). Be sure to use with the unglazed side up. Mine are 3/4 of an inch thick and are far superior to the quarry tiles. I've been using granite for about 10 years now.

It made me wonder if anyone could backup that statement? Is granite slab ok to use? I can get this really easily... I used to do that for a living in high school. I read elsewhere that the unglazed side was the rougher side. Also, I am assuming I'd want to prebake it at least one time. I saw Pete suggesting that to someone else when using quarry tiles.


Secondly- Cooking on two levels at once. I have read about it a few times, but none in great detail. Could I put two stones in and cook at two different levels? Wouldn't that affect the circulation? If not, how is it done best? I'd imagine bottom rack and then second from top. Not the top just because I figure I'd need room to get my peel in and whatnot.

I'm very interested in both of these. Thanks!


Edit- I did a pretty lengthy google search of this site on granite stones. Seems that many commercial ovens use granite, adna  few members have seems to like it. I've read threads about a tv chef who used it and raved that it is the best, I've also seen member son here say you won't get an even bake with granite. So I'd still love to hear opinions. I do know that granite can come in coarse and fine grain. Or so I'd describe it. Wouldn't it be better to get a sandy granite then let's say the amazonian river bottom type, which actually has whole fossils in it. I figure being composed of smaller particles will make a more even temp. Just a thought.

[Kemosa]

I can't comment on your granite question, but I've always used two stones in my oven.  One all the way on the bottom and the other about 2/3 up from the bottom.  My only recommendation would be to keep the pies rotating.  Start the first pie on the top and then rotate that pie to the bottom when you throw in the second pie. 

[gijoe985]

I can't comment on your granite question, but I've always used two stones in my oven.  One all the way on the bottom and the other about 2/3 up from the bottom.  My only recommendation would be to keep the pies rotating.  Start the first pie on the top and then rotate that pie to the bottom when you throw in the second pie. 

How long do your pies cook? I only ask because I can cook 1 pie in my oven in about 4-5 minutes. That's if I haven't been playing around with my oven thermostat. Yesterday i cooked one in about a minute flat... Which lead to the death of my cheapo target stone... Luckily I can get a slab of granite for free...

[Trogdor33]

When I had the same problem you did (cheap stones breaking under high temps) I ended up getting a 15x20 fibrament-d from http://www.bakingstone.com. Let me tell you that you will be hard pressed to find something that works better than this. Granite may work, but they most likely won't work as well as a real baking stone. I actually use my old broken stone to give me some thermal mass in the upper part of my oven. What I really need is another fibrament to put on top, but my next pizza purchase is some PSTK deep disk pans for making PH pan pizza. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,9537.msg82633.html#msg82633 is a link to my post on my oven config.

[UnConundrum]

I've used granite for years, 1" thick slabs.  Only downside was long preheat times and you really can't know when they're heated through.  I baked more bread than pizza on them, but both turned out dandy.  I gave up on them when I built my WFO.

[gijoe985]

I actually use my old broken stone to give me some thermal mass in the upper part of my oven. What I really need is another fibrament to put on top, but my next pizza purchase is some PSTK deep disk pans for making PH pan pizza. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,9537.msg82633.html#msg82633 is a link to my post on my oven config.

How well does having a stone on top help? If I had a second granite stone to put on top, do you think it'd be worth it? I seem to already have tops that cook faster than bottoms...

[Trogdor33]

If your tops cook faster than your bottoms, I would be leaving the stone on the bottom rack and having nothing on top. My weird setup there is so that the top will cook at the same rate as the bottom. If I didn't use a pizza screen, the bottom would be pure carbon by the time the top was cooked (don't ask how I know this).

-Joe

[Jack]

<snip>
What I really need is another fibrament to put on top
<snip>

Joe,

Get the second Fibrament.  It's amazing as a top stone. 

I was fortunate in that UPS dropped and chipped the first 19 inch Fibrament stone that was shipped to me.  When the box arrived, you could see a cresent shaped hole where the stone started to blow through the well packed box.  It was replaced immediately and I got to keep the damaged stone too; thanks Fibrament!!!.  I started using the double stone method (top and bottom shelves) a while back and won't go back. 

Stone sizing - I bought a 19 inch stone.  It is just slightly larger than the front to back size of my oven.  The folks at fibrament indicated it was OK for me to grind flats on the stone, so that it would fit in my oven.  I only had to take off about 1/2 inch from opposite sides, I left 1/8 inch of clearance for expansion, and I can now easily make a 17+ inch pie.  The stone grinds like concrete, which makes perfect sense, if you have ever dried it out a new Fibrament stone.  They smell like wet concrete drying.

Jack 

[gijoe985]

Well, I swung by my old high school workplace this last weekend. Picked up two stones. I got a 5/8" piece of Verde Butterfly and a 1 1/4" piece of Giallo Ornamental. The thinner one is oval, about 15X18" and the thicker one is about 16x18".  I hope that if I ever get a deeper oven I can cut one of these in half and then just put a strip in the middle (not glued) or else I could just get another one...

I did take the time to shape these and put 1/4" rounded edges on them. I didn't go for a perfect oval on the thicker one since I was getting them for free, I didn't want to use up a whole grinding stone...

I cooked three pies in my parents oven. It's not quite as hot as my oven, but they came out well. I cooked on the thick stone and kept the thin stone three racks up. I actually only left it there because I preheated both stones to 550 in the morning and then let them cool for about 4-5 hours before I was going to preheat for dinner and the stones were still hotter than I wanted to handle... I was pleased and frustrated all at once.

My suggestion, find a small time granite business and offer them $10 for a sink cutout... It is practically worthless to them and they typically have to dispose of it...

[gijoe985]

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