Unloading sticky dough into oven

[Bill/SFNM]

I find I get the best results with dough with high hydration. Also, the less bench flour I use the better, but I need to use just enough to prevent sticking, but about 10% of the time disaster strikes. I do not like to use corn meal or rice flour on the peel, both of which work better than flour, but do not give the taste and texture I want. 

So my question for others here who use highly hydrated doughs: what do you do to prevent sticking? What type of peel do you use? I do have a product called the SuperPeel which is good for pies 12" and under, but I prefer to go about 16". Thanks for any help.

Bill/SFNM

[Steve]

Lightly dusted peel (w/flour). Lift one edge of the pie and blow an air bubble under the pizza. The pizza will literally float off the peel. 

[Bill/SFNM]

You blow the air bubble in before topping?

[PizzaBrewer]

I saw a huge improvement when I switched from a metal peel to a wooden one.  MUCH less prone to sticking.

---Guy

[duckjob]

I use the same technique as steve and it works great. You do it after you top it, just before its going into the oven. Just be sure to keep the peel steady, it will slide right off onto the floor if you're not careful. I use high hydration doughs(65%-66%) and I havn't had an issue since I started using this method.

Brian

[Steve]

You blow the air bubble in before topping?

Just before you put the pizza in the oven.

Here's how it works: You lift an edge and blow a bubble of air under the dough. when you drop the edge back on the peel, the air bubble is trapped and the weight of the dough is pressing down on the trapped air. This causes the pizza to become a "hovercraft" of sorts which rides on a cushion of air. The first time I tried this my peel was ever-so-slightly cocked at an angle. Well, the pizza *almost* slid off and onto the floor! 

[Bubba Kuhn]

Steve you are so right thats the best way to loosen a sticker.
Here is a little known trick that I worked out in an emergency on night.
Corrigated cardboard makes a great temp pizza board that is very slick. It works like the air with out the air.
I used the top to a Pizza box on a night when my board broke mid shift. I also use this to train novice pizza makers who cant get the "shake" of a wood board down right away. It should be great for pizza at home.
What did I learn? Keep an extra pizza board around.

Remember to flour buff and scrape with the grain to prep any new pizza board before use and to maintain any current working board in good condition.

[duckjob]

Bubba, what exactly do you mean flour buff and scrape with the grain? It sounds like rubbing flour into the board with the grain of the wood. Am I even close?

[Bubba Kuhn]

Yes. Rub the flour into the board with the palm of your hand. Press hard and kind of grind it in especially for a new board.  Then use a dough knife to (do you know the tool) to scrape the flour out of the board. Repeat until the surface of the board is smooth. Re-flour the board before each use.

[pftaylor]

As an alternative to rubbing and scraping you can use fine grit sandpaper to achieve the same end result. I just broke in a new peel by sanding the surface until smooth. It worked like a champ.

[Bill/SFNM]

I've been using a wood fiber make up board:

http://www.pizzatools.com/productdisplay.aspx?catid=36

in the belief that it might prevent sticking for a moister dough. Do you think a plain wood one would be better or worse?


Bill/SFNM
 

[Lars]

Fiberboard is very heavy and cannot be made very thin, and so I would think regular wood would be better.  Also, those looked like cutting boards, which would not be good for removing the pizza.  The first peel I bought was aluminum, which I found to be useful mainly for removing the pizza and not for getting it in.  I ended up using a large wooden chopping board to get the pizza in.

If you don't like the taste of cornmeal, try using semolina flour on your peel.  It works just as well and doesn't change the flavor of the dough.

I'll have to try that bubble trick!

[Bubba Kuhn]

The semolina is a good trick instead of the corn meal.
I have been using wood boards for thirty years. They seem to work for me.

[pizzamagic]

Maybe this is cheating, but I haven't cursed at a pizza since I started doing this. I make my 15" pie on a piece of Reynolds Parchment Paper with a small amount of dusted flour. I lift the pie and place it on a peel with the paper. I put it in a 500 degree preheated oven with a large Fibrament Stone. When the pizza is done the paper slides right out. The crust is crispy and charred as if no paper had been there. I love it!

[DKM]

The semolina is a good trick instead of the corn meal.
I have been using wood boards for thirty years. They seem to work for me.

I also like semolina.  It works quite well.

DKM

[pyegal]

So many helpful tips to get the pie off the peel and into the oven! I plan to work on my peel before the next pizza baking, either sanding it down or scraping it with my dough knife or both.

I've always used cornmeal sprinkled on my peel as I like the little bit of added crunch as well as the ease of getting the pie in the oven. Last week I realized I had a bag of semolina from Whole Foods in the freezer and used that. Then I tried the combination of a little flour rubbed in the peel with a little semolina sprinkled on top as the "ball bearings" which worked great for me.

For those having trouble transferring pizza to oven, try to work as fast as you can to top the pizza once it is on the peel. Have your sauce, cheese, and any additions ready and waiting. If needed, practice dressing the skin as quickly as you can to get this technique down pat.

pyegal

[Bill/SFNM]

The problem I've found with cornmeal is that it burns very quickly on a 750F-800F deck giving an unpleasant taste to the crust. I'll give semolina a try. I'll also sand/scrape a wooden peel and also try the "hovercraft" method. l really am a big fan of highly hydrated dough and appreciate all of the input.

Bill/SFNM

[pizzamagic]

Is parchment paper such a sin? It really works well. You can slide it off a piece of unfinished plywood!

[Jack]

Is parchment paper such a sin? It really works well. You can slide it off a piece of unfinished plywood!

Nothing is a sin.  It's your kitchen, do as you wish. 

That said, however, I sanded my peel and rubbed in some flour and have had no issues sliding a 63% hydration pie yet.  I occassionally jiggle the pie as it sits on the peel to insure it loose.  While jiggling the pie once cheese and topping are on it are difficult, overall it seems easier to me than cutting parchment for each pie.

Jack

[bolabola]

I like the parchment paper too but want to get practice sliding it directly off the peel..it impresses your guests more if you like to show off
I've tried the semolina and it works well..never tried blowing a bubble under the dough and will have to try it..