Author Topic: Kenji likes the baking steel (Read 8392 times)

Mal · « **on:** August 29, 2012, 12:35:33 PM »

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/08/early-word-on-baking-steel-it-works.html

buceriasdon · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2012, 01:39:06 PM »

Nice write up by Kenji. I do have to say we've been discussing the use of steel since 2010 but it's good to see Slice catching up.

Don

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2012, 11:19:50 PM »

Quote from: buceriasdon on August 29, 2012, 01:39:06 PM

Nice write up by Kenji. I do have to say we've been discussing the use of steel since 2010 but it's good to see Slice catching up.
Don

And yet not a single person here thought of marketing it. Sad.

pizzaneer · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2012, 11:36:56 PM »

Thanks for pointing that out, Craig... (holds "L" on forehead)... thanks.

Jet_deck · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2012, 11:43:55 PM »

No personal opion here, but is Kenji Lopez Alt a guy or a girl? I don't follow Slice mutch: but just wondering, not that it matters for a person with all the hoopla as a name.

scott123 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2012, 11:51:26 PM »

Quote from: TXCraig1 on August 29, 2012, 11:19:50 PM

And yet not a single person here thought of marketing it. Sad.

And yet not a single person here thought of charging people three times the money for what they can get locally. Happy.

scott123 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2012, 11:59:40 PM »

Quote from: Jet_deck on August 29, 2012, 11:43:55 PM

No personal opion here, but is Kenji Lopez Alt a guy or a girl? I don't follow Slice mutch: but just wondering, not that it matters for a person with all the hoopla as a name.

Kenji is a guy.

Pappy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2012, 12:21:57 AM »

Scott:

In the comments, you upbraided Kenji for misleading his readers on a four minute bake time using the 1/4 inch steel, because he has a "freakishly hot oven." What temp does he bake at, vs. the 550 we home plebes have to deal with?

scott123 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 30, 2012, 12:36:57 AM »

Mike, I don't know what exact temp Kenji is baking at, but, I do know, from the results the members are getting here with 1/4" steel, that it's not 575 or lower. I just took another look at his Reinhart inspired

recipe

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/07/the-pizza-lab-three-doughs-to-know.html

and noticed that he's working with 2% sugar and 5% oil, both of which will encourage browning at lower temps, so maybe he might be close to 575, but I kind of doubt it.

Pappy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 30, 2012, 12:58:12 AM »

Scott:

I started to read Kenji's NY style recipe from the link you posted, and stopped at this line:

Quote

New York pizzas take between 12 and 15 minutes to bake.

Jet_deck · « **Reply #10 on:** August 30, 2012, 01:05:07 AM »

Hells Bells, I live in TX, and know better than that,

scott123 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 30, 2012, 01:11:18 AM »

Quote from: Pappy on August 30, 2012, 12:58:12 AM

Scott:

I started to read Kenji's NY style recipe from the link you posted, and stopped at this line:

Yes. If you look at the comment section, I upbraided Kenji there as well. That interchange actually earned me the cyberstalker that initiated the whole Reinhart dialog. Thank you 11USCCH7!

Kenji and I have what you might call a generational disconnect when it comes to defining NY style. For many younger New Yorkers, NY style is 12-15 minute McPizza.

Pappy · « **Reply #12 on:** August 30, 2012, 01:34:31 AM »

Quote

Yes. If you look at the comment section, I upbraided Kenji there as well.

I hadn't noticed your comments on that thread, as you were unusually tardy in getting in there. I did notice that you didn't waste any time ripping into Andris Lagsdin, the purveyor of Baking Steel, in an earlier thread. You don't take any prisoners, do you?

scott123 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 30, 2012, 02:10:23 AM »

Quote from: Pappy on August 30, 2012, 01:34:31 AM

I hadn't noticed your comments on that thread, as you were unusually tardy in getting in there. I did notice that you didn't waste any time ripping into Andris Lagsdin, the purveyor of Baking Steel, in an earlier thread. You don't take any prisoners, do you?

Yes, I'm not too happy with Mr Lagsdin. I can kind of understand Kenji not being entirely aware of our activities on this forum, but if you're going to sell a steel plate for baking pizza on, the LEAST you can do is google

steel plate pizza

and see what people have to say about it.

Regardless of how hard I was on him, it looks like some of what I said got through. He's now offering a 1/2" thick version. Somehow I kind of doubt that I'll be seeing any cut of those proceeds.

At the end of the day, though, even if he's offering a better thickness of plate, if it's 4 times the price what people could be paying locally, it's still really scummy, imo.

pizzaneer · « **Reply #14 on:** August 30, 2012, 06:49:44 AM »

I'm the only person I know, aside from via this forum, who would repurpose random junk for cooking on. For 90% of people, unless it came from a store, with directions, they would never think of using it.

Case in point: while on a camping / diving trip, I was cooking burgers over the fire, and realized I forgot to bring onions. I walked 10 steps away, picked some nice big chives, put them on a cutting board and sliced the bulbs up. My friends looked at me aghast. "What the hell are you putting on the burgers?!" was the kindest comment I got. Seriously, I had to explain that chives were a kind of wild onion. No one believed me - until they tried it.

Sure, baking steel bought in a store will be overpriced. Does that matter? Same damn people buy Pampered Chef products and think they're stylin.

Jackitup · « **Reply #15 on:** August 30, 2012, 06:53:30 AM »

Pampered Chef is some of the most over priced stuff out there. Not that it's not fair quality, but WOW, they sure got a spell on people!!

Jon

scott123 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 30, 2012, 07:41:54 AM »

Quote from: pizzaneer on August 30, 2012, 06:49:44 AM

Sure, baking steel bought in a store will be overpriced. Does that matter? Same damn people buy Pampered Chef products and think they're stylin.

I don't really mind someone selling a raw commodity to consumers with a markup. It's the size of the markup that I find offensive, though. Retail baking stones are probably double the price of kiln shelves. Doubling is reasonable. But quadrupling (or possibly even quintupling?). That crosses a line.

widespreadpizza · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2012, 09:35:21 AM »

Question. I am moving very soon, and leaving my WFO behind, at least for a few years as I am leasing out my house. Obviously, at times this will be very painful, and cause serious cravings. I am debating steel vs silicon carbide for my new electric oven. I had read a while back about someone having a hard time finding a source for silicon carbide. Are there trusted sources for both types of plate that people have had good luck with? I just want to make sure whatever I select is as safe as possible, and if it ends up being steel, that it is not covered in metalworking residue. Thanks -Marc

Jackitup · « **Reply #18 on:** August 30, 2012, 09:40:45 AM »

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=7066.0

http://boardreader.com/thread/Silicon_Carbide_Baking_Surface_9f64X5ga.html

Here's a couple links I found that cover some info on it.

Jon

widespreadpizza · « **Reply #19 on:** August 30, 2012, 09:54:35 AM »

John, thanks, I wasn't using the right search. now the big question. It looks like the SiC shelf price may have dropped, Unless RN had included shipping in the 127 price. I was expecting to see 127+ shipping. Now the big question. Electric oven, convection option, 550 max temp, no more information yet. Steel or Silicon, and why? Thanks -Marc