The Steel Plate Buying Guide

[TXCraig1]

I don't know that you necessarily need any clearance front to back, but I'd give at least an inch on the sides.

[typicalsam]

I don't know that you necessarily need any clearance front to back, but I'd give at least an inch on the sides.

Thanks Craig! I figured if my oven is 15.25" deep, and I make the steel 14" deep and 16" wide or so, however, regarding the front to back clearance, I did eventually find this in a search:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=57076.msg573285#msg573285

You're going to need to make sure you have at least 1-inch of clearance on all four sides. This is necessary to allow for airflow around the pizza and to keep the pizza far enough away from the walls of the oven  to allow for a consistent bake. Rack position will be more critical than it would for a smaller diameter pizza, a slightly higher than normal rack position will probably provide the best bake.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

So I think that settles it!

[DoughFoSho]

Hey guys!

Haven't been here in ages (moved houses and had no oven to make Pizzas on)

I'd like to get back into business and was wondering how up to date this guide is. My oven can reach up to 250 C (482 F). Does that mean I should go for a 1/2" thick baking steel?

Thanks!

[Jon in Albany]

Hey guys!

Haven't been here in ages (moved houses and had no oven to make Pizzas on)

I'd like to get back into business and was wondering how up to date this guide is. My oven can reach up to 250 C (482 F). Does that mean I should go for a 1/2" thick baking steel?

Thanks!

In this part of the guide, Scott recommends a minimum oven temp of 525F for steel. Based on personal experience with a 500F oven, I agree.

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=31267.msg311003#msg311003

[DoughFoSho]

In this part of the guide, Scott recommends a minimum oven temp of 525F for steel. Based on personal experience with a 500F oven, I agree.

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=31267.msg311003#msg311003

Yeah, not gonna lie, I did see this (albeit it was after I had already posted my question).

I then dug to find the manual to see if I can calibrate the over, but I can't (it's not even digital).

Am I SooL then? No baking steel for me? That's a huge blow

[Jon in Albany]

Yeah, not gonna lie, I did see this (albeit it was after I had already posted my question).

I then dug to find the manual to see if I can calibrate the over, but I can't (it's not even digital).

Am I SooL then? No baking steel for me? That's a huge blow

My experience was with a 1/4 in thick piece of steel. I didn't like it in a 500F oven. At the time, Blackstone Pizza ovens were on sale and I went that route instead of learning how to use the 500F oven for pizza. You may want to research other materials like cordierite. I just typed in a corderiete search and found this from pre-steel plate buying guide Scott123 where he recommends the half inch plate you were originally considering.

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=12723.msg122794#msg122794.

All I can say with certainty is that the difference between a 1/4 inch thick steel plate at 550F and 500F is very noticeable and in my opinion was not a move in the right direction. I can't speak to 1/2 in steel since I have never baked on it at any temperature.

[Chicago Bob]

Yeah, not gonna lie, I did see this (albeit it was after I had already posted my question).

I then dug to find the manual to see if I can calibrate the over, but I can't (it's not even digital).

Am I SooL then? No baking steel for me? That's a huge blow

it will work out just fine for you...fo sho. 🤫

[typicalsam]

it will work out just fine for you...fo sho. 🤫

I just checked and my oven is supposed to reach 270c / 518f

Using an IR thermometer that's the approximate temperate that the middle of a half inch thick steel plate reaches after somewhere between 1 and 2 hours pre heating

I can do a reasonable 4 min ny style at the top of the oven switching to broil before launch (but using a screen due to lack of space) or about 6 mins in the middle shelf straight from peel to steel

Go for it! 

[communist]

Typicalsam, my experience over the years is very similar.  NY Pizza at 520f, with broiler on for 45 seconds after launch, on 1/2 inch steel.  4 minute bake.  I did this weekly for several years.  The advantage, as Scott 123 pointed out in the past, is that you get a thin slice NY pizza, yet it has a bit of puff and air because of the good transfer of heat.  I have been playing with Neapolitan in my pizza party wood oven, and at 950f, the crust is beyond a little puff, and enters the realm of pillowy.  There are no bones left.

[quietdesperation]

decided to give this a whirl in fl, the first place I called was willing to do it for $40. Thank you again scott!

[justcliff]

I went to a local fabricator in Apopka Florida and paid $55 for a 1/2” thick 18” diameter piece of A36. The smoothed then edges and removed the mill scale. I’ve done a few cooks on it and seasoned it with vegetable oil and spray from a can stuff. I’m using an Akorn Kamado charcoal grill with a deflector stone and the temperature on the dome thermometer reads 500F for an hour prior to cooking. The crust comes out well done and cooked up great. I hope to figure out how to lighten it up a bit, thinking I’ll try Caputo 00 for my next recipe and see how that turns out. Currently using High Gluten flour from Gordon’s Food Service. They sell a 55lb bag of Caputo for about $32 so I’ll give it a shot, crust pictured.

[typicalsam]

I wished they smoothed mine, the edges are very sharp and rough

RE mill scale - what do people recommend to soak it in? I tried vinegar which didn't do a lot.

Would oven pride or a similar cleaning product work?