Author Topic: Best Peel? (Read 6529 times)

mrbthree · « **on:** December 31, 2005, 12:53:34 PM »

Hi everyone,
I would like to get input from youabout the best quality peels available in the US. The only ones I can find locally(Dallas area) are not very good. Thanks

Pete-zza · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2005, 01:23:04 PM »

mrbthree,

There are many good brands of peels, both wood and metal, but I personally favor the American Metalcraft (AM) line. Their products are generally of high quality and their prices are reasonable. They are also very widely available. If you do a Google or similar search you will find many restaurant supply places that carry AM products. A good example is instawares.com, at http://www.instawares.com/1.55-peels.1.0-1-0-7370-3-3.htm.

Peter

JPY · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2005, 08:19:04 PM »

There is also a copmany called GI Metal, they have a whole range of Italian made peels. Little more expensive then the American Metalcraft. Cora in IL is the US distributor.

http://www.gimetalusa.com/

David · « **Reply #3 on:** January 01, 2006, 10:41:47 AM »

As far as Gi Metals / Cora goes,I've found the peel to be fine.However Cora were absolutely rubbish as far as packing/shipping are concerned.I had to return my first shipment due to inadequate (Extremely poor!) packing and resulting damage.They made me wait until all the claims etc. with UPS had been settled before they shipped a replacement.This also happened leading up to the 4th July w/e when I NEEDED the peel.Poor Customer service IMO.
I also use a small perforated turning peel,the plastic handle of which broke within about two months?I know it can be replaced,but I was a little surprised (Silicone would be a better option possibly?)

JPY · « **Reply #4 on:** January 01, 2006, 11:43:06 AM »

There is also a company called Mr. Peel. http://www.mrpeel.com They have some similar items to the AM line. In regards to GI Metal, I don't use them myself, but I see the company at pizza shows and restaurant shows and the products look pretty good, but they are expensive. Actually the AM all aluminum peel is made by GI metal. I'm not sure abut Cora either, I know way back he used to sell a line of Italian made wood fire ovens. But I can say customer service is key for any business. For us if something gets lost or damaged we take care of it right away.

lilbuddypizza · « **Reply #5 on:** January 03, 2006, 09:04:58 AM »

I got mine from:
http://www.fantes.com/
It's a metal peel with wooden handle and it is ten times better than my all-wood peel. Fantastic.

GI.METAL USA · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2006, 08:49:04 AM »

please have a look at the web site www.gimetalusa.com The warehouse located in Countryside, IL dispatches pizza peels and accessories for pizzeria across the whole US territory. Any Information about products is available calling, emailing or faxing to contacts on web site page. Thanks for your attention. Andrea

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2006, 09:14:25 AM »

Quote from: GI.METAL USA on January 30, 2006, 08:49:04 AM

please have a look at the web site www.gimetalusa.com

Not that I'm condoning the use of this forum for free advertising, but there some very interesting peels at Andrea's site. I'm especially intrigued by the perforated peels which are said to reduce the problem of excess flour. Anyone ever tried one of these?

Bill/SFNM

David · « **Reply #8 on:** January 30, 2006, 09:27:47 AM »

The guys at the Caputo stand were using one of these at the NY Pizza expo.I think board member Upper Crust was helping them out ,so maybe he can shed some light on them.

Perk · « **Reply #9 on:** January 30, 2006, 09:42:02 AM »

I have only used a wooden peel, so I can't really give any advice, but the technique I use with my peel is corn meal.
I don't believe I could use it with a metal peel. My dough is sort of cold,

I rub the corn meal into the peel you can say. Wood would be the only surface I could do this.
I tilt the peel and brush off any accessive amount of corn meal.

This leaves very little corn meal to come off the peel also I
stick a knife in between the pizza and the peel to get air under the pie.

My oven never smokes, and many people have problems with a smokey oven because of the corn meal.

The only peels I would buy would be wood, but that's just me.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #10 on:** January 30, 2006, 09:59:36 AM »

Quote from: Perk on January 30, 2006, 09:42:02 AM

the technique I use with my peel is corn meal.

Residual corn meal burns and leaves a bitter taste on the bottom of the dough in my oven which has deck temps of 800F-900F. Semolina works OK, but I tend to use very wet and sticky doughs. As I get more experience, I get better at unloading the pie into the oven, but every once in a while, especially at the worst time with everyone sitting at the table waiting for the next pie, the pizza sticks to the peel. I also prefer a wooden peel for unloading and a metal one for turning and removing the pie.

Bill/SFNM

David · « **Reply #11 on:** January 30, 2006, 10:37:45 AM »

I think this topic was addressed somewhere before Bill,but IMO it really depends on the type / size of Pizza you make.I only make 12" Neapolitan,so for me the metal peel is the best.I can lift it off the countertop,place it and although i do screw up with it sticking from time to time it is much better than a wodden peel once you master it.I've seen Pizzas made up on a wooden peel in a very well respected Pizzeria here in the US and from my experience invariably they suffer from a bitter burnt base.My belief is that there is too much excess flour being used as it is needeed on the wooden peel for easy release.I have also picked up and placed an 18" Pizza with a metal peel,it just takes practice.That's why we have leftover dough!

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2006, 11:33:56 AM »

David,

Do you dress the pizza before placing it on the metal peel? When I was at A16, they pulled a fully dressed pie onto the metal peel in a single motion. I've tried this and need to use so much bench flour that it cakes on the bottom of the pie. That's why I was intrigued by the perforated peel. You're absolutely right that this is primarily an issue of practice.

Bill/SFNM

David · « **Reply #13 on:** January 30, 2006, 03:45:55 PM »

Yes Bill,I build the Pizza and them pick it up with the peel.If my dough is very hydrated (roughly above about 62% ) I find that it is better to "Pull" the dough onto the peel.You can see better than I can explain in this link I think:

http://www.woodstone-corp.com/cooking_naples_style_pizza.htm

Wallman · « **Reply #14 on:** January 30, 2006, 10:34:18 PM »

An other source for peels is http://www.abestkitchen.com/. They have good prices on wooden and metal peels. I purchased a 16 inch wooden peel and a 16 inch screen from them.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2006, 05:22:18 PM »

I was able to try out my new GI metal perforated peel today. Seems very well designed with an extra sharp leading edge. I was actually able to pull a fully dressed pie onto it and most of the excess flour did indeed fall through the perforations (and onto my kitchen floor

). I definitely need to practice this maneuver, but the perforated peel looks very promising.

Bill/SFNM

gottabedapan · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2006, 09:30:19 PM »

Quote from: Perk on January 30, 2006, 09:42:02 AM

I rub the corn meal into the peel you can say. Wood would be the only surface I could do this.
I tilt the peel and brush off any accessive amount of corn meal.

This leaves very little corn meal to come off the peel also I
stick a knife in between the pizza and the peel to get air under the pie.

Perk, you should try the "blow air under the pie" trick. (A straw works great for this, BTW.) First time I tried it, I blew too much air under the pie, and the thing damn near sailed off the peel onto the floor before I even picked the peel up off of the the counter!

It works so well, sometimes I don't even bother dusting my peel.

Bill, just a thought: have you thought about trying the "blow air under the pie" trick to get the loaded pie off the bench and onto the peel? I haven't tried it, but I can easily get a good 1.5" tall bubble under the dressed skin on my peel, which should give plenty of room to slip a peel in there.

Perk · « **Reply #17 on:** February 07, 2006, 09:19:49 AM »

Quote from: gottabedapan on February 03, 2006, 09:30:19 PM

Perk, you should try the "blow air under the pie" trick. (A straw works great for this, BTW.) First time I tried it, I blew too much air under the pie, and the thing damn near sailed off the peel onto the floor before I even picked the peel up off of the the counter! It works so well, sometimes I don't even bother dusting my peel.

Bill, just a thought: have you thought about trying the "blow air under the pie" trick to get the loaded pie off the bench and onto the peel? I haven't tried it, but I can easily get a good 1.5" tall bubble under the dressed skin on my peel, which should give plenty of room to slip a peel in there.

I could have used the air trick the other day when my buddy was making a pizza and knocked his bottled beer on it.
Oh I had a rough time getting that Joker off the peel!!!

JPY · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2006, 04:38:19 PM »

We sell ovens to a restaurant where they prepare the pizza on a cardboard cake disc with some flour. Then they load them on the peel so not too much time is spent on the peel. If the pizza gets stuck you can always have a second peel to use as a spatula. Usually with the lighter pizzas this is not a problem, but if you load up on the dough and toppings you need to move fast.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #19 on:** February 10, 2006, 04:45:40 PM »

Quote from: JPY on February 10, 2006, 04:38:19 PM

If the pizza gets stuck you can always have a second peel to use as a spatula.

JP,

I've seen this maneuver on your video, but it has never worked for me; just makes things worse. Probably because I am using such a sticky dough. My new peel with perforations is working great. I can use plenty of bench flour, transfer to the perforated peel, shake it a few times, and most of the excess flour falls through the holes.

Bill/SFNM