Pizza Peels

[Everlast]

I haven't tried semolina flour, but I find that rice flour works really well.

[MightyPizzaOven]

Checkout this post http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,20986.0.html

[Smokepit]

I have a wooden peel that I got from the kitchen collection store at my local outlet mall. For the most part I don't have a problem with sticking with just a little flour rubbed on it. I have noticed however if I load a pie up heavy (like I like it) and if it sits on the peel for a bit it will. I have found if I pick up the edge of the dough and blow under the crust it will break loose and slide right off.

[The Dough Doctor]

Just about any slow absorbing material can be used as a decent peel dust. Bran also works very well. Flour is the least desirable since it hydrates quite fast, and once it begins to hydrate the dough will stick to the peel.
I am least fond of blowing under the pizza skin to free it from the peel. Why you ask? Well, I am trying to drink my coffee, but it is too hot, would you mind coming over here and blowing on it to cool it off so I can drink it? See my point? I really don't have an issue with it since the next stop is the oven and a "kill step", but it still just doesn't come across to your customers, or guests very well.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[pizzaneer]

Can of air?   Same thing you use to blow the dust out of your computer case.

[rcbaughn]

The cans of air have the bittering agent in them to stop kids from inhaling the stuff to get a short high. I don't know whether that stuff might also get on the bottom of the crust or not. Maybe someone needs to give it a go on a scrap of dough.

[petef]

Bed Bath & Beyond sells this thin lightweight pizza peel. I almost bought it today until I noticed it's only heat resistant to 350 Deg F. My stone is typically 500 to 650 Deg F, so I pictured this peel melting on the tip.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14457607

I don't get it, how can they market a relatively expensive $34 pizza peel that's only heat resistant to 350 Deg F.?

---pete---

[pizzaneer]

Amazing. That looks and sounds like plastic... a cheap kind of plastic.

[scott123]

Bed Bath & Beyond sells this thin lightweight pizza peel....
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14457607

Actually, Pete, that is the perfect example of a thick peel.  Do you see how the majority of the peel is one thickness, but there's a taper about an inch from the edge?  That kind of abrupt point is a major hassle to work with.  The taper should start all the way at the handle and very gradually come to a point.

And then, of course, there's the whole plastic thing. Even if this were wood, though, I'd still advise against this peel.

[JConk007]

That peel is NSF approved for the health department. Believe it or not there are some HD who do Not allow GI metal or Wood! What a joke but they're the boss ! Its not a stone to cook on so 350 should not melt in standard oven ? probably would not use in a 900 degree wfo though.
John

[Chicago Bob]

That peel is NSF approved for the health department. Believe it or not there are some HD who do Not allow GI metal or Wood! What a joke but they're the boss ! Its not a stone to cook on so 350 should not melt in standard oven ? probably would not use in a 900 degree wfo though.
John

How wide is the launch peel you use John? GI, correct? Perforated?

[JConk007]

Vpn rules state pizza must be 12" somrthing like that  so I make em close to that. No bigger  so I use the A32RF/120 measures  13.5"  the A32F is the same width but but round head no so slippable under better for Pizzeria where pizziaola slides onto peel and adjusts stretches to size  Like keste  and amano. I use the I-23F 9" perf head for the turning peel. Let me know if you need anything placing another stock order soon!
John

[bfguilford]

Bed Bath & Beyond sells this thin lightweight pizza peel. I almost bought it today until I noticed it's only heat resistant to 350 Deg F. My stone is typically 500 to 650 Deg F, so I pictured this peel melting on the tip.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14457607

I don't get it, how can they market a relatively expensive $34 pizza peel that's only heat resistant to 350 Deg F.?

---pete---

Someone gave me one of those as a gift, and I've used it to remove pies from the oven (I use a superpeel to launch). It hasn't melted coming in contact with a 545 degree stone (and can't imagine it would unless you left it on the stone or in the oven for a while, but why would you do that?), but I certainly wouldn't buy one myself.

Barry

[petef]

Someone gave me one of those as a gift, and I've used it to remove pies from the oven (I use a superpeel to launch). It hasn't melted coming in contact with a 545 degree stone (and can't imagine it would unless you left it on the stone or in the oven for a while, but why would you do that?), but I certainly wouldn't buy one myself.
Barry

Thanks Barry and others for your comments. That peel looked like a something between a metal peel and a thick wooden peel useful for loading a pizza to the stone. It was lightweight too. I'll steer clear of it.
---pete---

[henkverhaar]

FWIW,

I use homemade peels, made from slabs of basswood, about 3/8 of a inch thick (10 mm), thinned to a fine edge over the entire 'length' of the paddle using a hand plane. Used with corn flour, I have no problem sliding my pizzas or other dough structures onto my baking stone.

[petef]

I wound up making my own peel. You will notice I don't cut out a handle.
I prefer to handle my peel using two hands which gives me more stability
and control.

This peel is very light and thin. 23" x 16" x 3/8" thick.  Works great.

I actually made it from a length of 2x4 (FIR) cut into strips and then glued it all together.


---pete---

[Glutenboy]

Semolina solved my problems.  It's coarse enough to do the same job as cornmeal, but it doesn't burn or change the flavor.  A light dusting of bench flour and a generous sprinkle of semolina spread over the peel works very well for me.  BTW, I use a wooden peel.

- GB

[DenaliPete]

I use rice flour, works pretty great.

[The Dough Doctor]

Pete;
That's one fine looking 2 X 4!
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[petef]

Pete;
That's one fine looking 2 X 4!
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Thanks Tom, I go the idea after my last home made peel of the same size warped. The old one warped because it was made up of 5 strips instead of 11 as I have now and all the boards "cuppped" in the same direction. For the new one, I had to study the end grain to detect the natural cupping of each strip. I then alternated the cupping direction from strip to strip to ensure the best stability. It's working well.

---pete---