Peel Issues (not a heck of a whole lotta fun)

[Steve973]

I've only been making pizzas for a few weeks now, but I have been making them frequently, so I have gotten a lot of use out of a couple of peels.  The first one I bought is rather cheap.  The wood is completely unfinished but accommodates flour on its surface rather well.  The peel is only about 14 inches wide, so I bought another one so that I could make larger pizzas.  The peel that I purchased is made of a higher quality wood, and it also is sealed a little bit (somehow, but not sure exactly what they used).  I thought this would be great since the surface itself was smoother.  I didn't realize that it would be harder to lightly but evenly coat it with flour.  So I ruined a couple of pizzas with this newer, cooler looking peel.

The first peel was from Bed, Bath, and Beyond:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=11479618

I bought the second peel from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BD6VJU/ref=oss_T15_product

Last night I made the purchase of an American Metalcraft peel.  This is the Amazon link but I bought it from a different site that someone mentioned in this forum, but I forget the name:
http://www.amazon.com/16-17-Wood-Pizza-Peel/dp/B0001MRSKM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1258134158&sr=1-1

I have looked over various threads mentioning others' experiences of sticking on the pizza peel, but if anyone would like to comment, that would be quite appreciated.

[ThunderStik]

For me I use a 17" wide peel. I would say start off using corn meal. Its much easier to use and it will help you get the "feel" for using a peel. After you have a good grasp on the hand action then move onto flour. Flour is little more finicky but you will be ready after a few batches with the corn meal.

I "calizoned" my second pie and have never had problems again.

[pacoast]

I don't like the taste or texture of corn meal as a peel "lubricant". YMMV though.

The most important thing is that you confirm that the pizza is not sticking to the peel immediately before you go to slide it off the peel into the oven. If you don't you may end up with a crumpled mess if it was sticking to the peel. Just pull the peel back & forth horizontally, letting inertia confirm that the pizza slides a little bit on the peel.

After you get a little practice, try to wean yourself off using too much excess flour. It makes for a pasty or sometimes bitter taste on the bottom of the pie, particularly in a WFO. I find that I never dust the peel anymore, I just use a bit more bench flour as most of the excess falls off while handling the dough. I also think that rice flour works a bit better than normal flour or cornmeal.

.

[norma427]

Steve973,
I have tried different flours and right now am using a mixture of bench flour, semolina and rice flour.  I use more bench flour than the rest. 
I agree with pacoast that by making sure the dough slides before putting trying to put the pizza in the oven.  I usually shake once after saucing and again after putting the other ingredients on.
I used to use a screen after decking some pizzas, but finally learned how to slide the pizza off the peel.
Good luck,
Norma

[Jack]

Use some fine sand paper on that unfinished peel, then rub flour into it hard with your hand.  lightly dust the peel, them put a dough on it that is completely dry on the outside and you should be fine.  Periodically, as you build the pie, shake the skin on the peel to be sure it isn't sticking.  If it is, shoot a little bit of flour under where it sticks.

Jack

[Ev]

I've been using rice flour lately. It works really well. I sometimes will lift the edge of an uncooked pizza and blow a good size air bubble underneath it. This works well when you suspect your dough is sticking to the peel.