2nd. pizza on a stone / burnt cornmeal

[holdem]

I use cornmeal to keep the dough from sticking. When I bake the second pizza the cornmeal on the stone is burnt. It sticks to the bottom of the second crust. Any ideas on how to avoid this problem? Thanks.

[Pete-zza]

I use cornmeal to keep the dough from sticking. When I bake the second pizza the cornmeal on the stone is burnt. It sticks to the bottom of the second crust. Any ideas on how to avoid this problem? Thanks.

Professionals use rakes/brooms to clean the stones of their deck ovens when using cornmeal. You can brush your stone of any residual/burnt cornmeal between bakes. Another option is to avoid using cornmeal altogether and use a pizza screen to bake the pizza on the stone and deck the pizza directly onto the stone at a convenient time. This is also a method used by professionals (see, for example, the Lehmann PMQ Think Tank post at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?p=7714#7714).

Peter

[DaveH]

Another option is my preferred way. I use parchment paper, on the peel, and remove it after the dough bakes a while on the stone.

[CharlotteSailor]

I used to use cornmeal and also suffered with with the burning.  Now I use semolina works just as good and I have not had the burning problem

[Art]

If  you use a SuperPeel, you don't need anything to keep it from sticking. No muss, no fuss.  Art
http://www.superpeel.com/

[JConk007]

Bobs Red Mill "White Rice Flour" works, and does not burn. Do a search for this
John

[sourdough girl]

Nothing personal, but I'd rather develop honest peel skills (and have) than rely on a SuperPeel.  It's really not that difficult and parchment solves any problems with high hydration doughs... and is much cheaper.  Knowing me, I'd probably burn the crap out of the fabric anyway.  And, like John said, I keep one side of the peel smooth and sometimes use the other side to cut pizza, depending on what's going on in the kitchen, like many family members helicoptering!  It then becomes easier to pull it out onto the "wrong" side of the peel, cut it and slide it onto a plate.

Also, I second John's vote for Bob's Red Mill Rice Flour.  I use it regularly on my peel and have not had a sticking or burning  problem, even with higher hydration doughs like JerryMac's.  I usually bake three 12" pizzas for DH and me and when the oven and stone cool off, I whisk any darkened flour away.

~sd

[Pete-zza]

Even though I don't have one, I personally don't have a problem with the SuperPeel. It perhaps has saved some people from giving up pizza making altogether because of problems using peels. There may also be some people with physical disabilities that makes using a SuperPeel the best choice for them. The main limitation of the SuperPeel, which I have noted on prior occasions, is that it can't be used to make really large pizzas, like 16" and above.

Peter

[sourdough girl]

Even though I don't have one, I personally don't have a problem with the SuperPeel. It perhaps has saved some people from giving up pizza making altogether because of problems using peels. There may also be some people with physical disabilities that makes using a SuperPeel the best choice for them. The main limitation of the SuperPeel, which I have noted on prior occasions, is that it can't be used to make really large pizzas, like 16" and above.
Peter

Sorry, I didn't mean to give the impression that I think the SuperPeel is wrong altogether, I just see no reason for one in MY kitchen.  I guess it's kind of like learning to drive.... if you learn to drive a stick shift, you can drive ANY car... if you learn to drive an automatic.... you have limitations.  I prefer no limitations.

I might be wrong, but I think they are also limited by the amount and type of heat you're using to bake the pizzas.  I seriously doubt that they could be used in LBEs, 2stones or WFOs.

~sd

ETA:  I guess it's better to be limited to an automatic (and pray there is no emergency that requires you to drive a stick shift) than no car at all.

[Mad_Ernie]

I use cornmeal to keep the dough from sticking. When I bake the second pizza the cornmeal on the stone is burnt. It sticks to the bottom of the second crust. Any ideas on how to avoid this problem? Thanks.

Probably not an answer you are looking for, but I use semolina flour instead of cornmeal because I have encountered the exact same problem in the past with my pizzas.  I have had plent of burnt cornmeal problems in the past to make me gun shy of using it again, but I have never had the same problem when I use semolina.

In fact, of the 3 main ingredients I've used on a peel, semolina would be my first choice, plain flour my second, and cornmeal my third.  That's just my own personal experience, for what it's worth.

[rsimon719]

I agree with the semolina flour. I use it and never have the problem. Its not to say that the stone doesn't get some dark semolina on it after using it, but it has never been a problem the way corn meal was.

[Ronzo]

I'm going to have to try the semolina or Bob's RM rice flour.

I've been pretty active the past few weeks making pies and have A LOT of black corn meal dust in my oven (would probably help a little if I cleaned it out now and then, I guess ).

[Mad_Ernie]

Ronzo:

That black dust problem may not go away with the semolina, as I have had some of that problem, too.  However, it does not burn as readily on my pizza as cornmeal, and the semolina on the finished crust is actually not bad compared to cornmeal, burnt or otherwise.

[Ronzo]

Thanks for clarifying.