Pizza served on pan or a wire rack?

[Paul Bacino]

Seems like been on a pizza role lately..  Both making and buying.

 

Is it me?  probably

 

When I make pizza at home, immediately after cooking I cut the pizza,  then transfer my to a wire rack.

 

This way the crust of the pizza doesn't get steamed.  Then you preserve that nice crust you make?

 

I know I understand the different pizza styles, with crumb, chew and thickness.

 

What I prefer is not a limp pizza crust?

 

Thoughts?  What type do you prefer?

 

paul

[AlaMoi]

I bake pizza on a stone - use a cookie sheet as a peel - it goes directly on a rack to cool 3-5 minutes even before slicing.

 

as mentioned - no soggy bottom

[dcarch]

I know this is stupid, but fun.

 

When I order pizza, the whole pie, I keep the box and that little plastic chair after finishing the pizza.

 

I would serve my home made pizza in one of those boxes to guests. Always gets smiles. 

 

Also the box keeps the pizza crust in the best condition.

 

dcarch

[Paul Bacino]

So many pizza joints..just put their pies on aluminium rounds.

 

Which then steams the crust..

[Lisa Shock]

I place my cooked pizzas on my wooden cutting board, that absorbs some of the steam and helps the crust. We usually just grab it off the board, I've never served pizza in a formal situation. If I were planning to do so, I would probably consider getting a long wood serving platter of some sort. The wood also helps keep it warm a little better than a metal tray or ceramic platter.

[boudin noir]

I just leave mine on the wooden peel. It stays crisp.

[MSRadell]

The problem using a wire rack is the pizza cools very rapidly. Putting it on the wood cutting board or peel still keeps the crust crisp without cooling it as much. Actually serving it on a hot pizza stone also works very well.

[Ann_T]

Mine goes on to a wood board as soon as it comes out of the oven.  Haven't found that the crust gets soggy at all.  

 

~Ann

Edited November 13, 2014 by Ann_T (log)

[AlaMoi]

I think the "style" of the crust and a few other "issues" have to be considered in the "do you get a soggy crust?" question.

 

a thin crust, bake on a hot bottom, baked through, will have very little moisture remaining - so moisture continuing to 'steam out' of the crust is likely a non-issue.

 

a thicker crust 'fully' baked - hydration factors may apply.... - can certainly have the same sort of 'non-issue'

 

deep dish style is typically done in a metal pan.  does it continue to put out steam making the bottom soggy / soggy-ish?  dunno - don't do deep dish at home.

 

my 'at home' crust is in the medium thickness I'd guess.  not super thin - I find 3-5 minutes on a wire rack before moving it to wooden cutting board does make a difference in keeping the bottom crispy.  I use a qty modified Jamie Oliver recipe - bread flour + semolina at 53% hydration.

[JohnT]

. . . I keep the box and that little plastic chair after finishing the pizza . . .

 dcarch

What on earth is the little plastic chair?

John

[Shelby]

What on earth is the little plastic chair?

John

It's called a pizza saver or a pressure guard.  It looks like this:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_saver

[JohnT]

It's called a pizza saver or a pressure guard.  It looks like this:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_saver

Ha, thanks Shelby, this is the first time I have heard of or see that. Here our pizza boxes are so thick you can sit on them and not squash the contents! No need for introducing plastic chairs to support the box.

[Ann_T]

The stone I have has been  kept in the oven for over 14 years.  And it goes through the cleaning cycle.  Still looks good, especially after a cleaning cycle.   And I roast and bake more often than not at 500°F. After 14 years, it doesn't owe me anything so I think I will continue to keep it in the oven.   

 

~Ann

[Paul Bacino]

I used to use  leave a stone in my oven too..to help buffer oven temps, and help keep the food away from the       , element heating.

 

Now I just raise the rack according to what I wish.. or use a heavier wessel closer to bottom.

 

Back to pizza making!!  I like stone and use them

 

But I also can make a killer pie on aluminum sheets---  and raising and lowering according to what I like--  

 

 

Lower at first and then to the top for a finish-

 

 

 

Carch--I don't feel we have drifted into Oblivion

[Restorer]

My pizzas go into the oven on a pizza screen, on top of the baking stone. Once it's firm enough to move, it comes off the screen and directly onto the stone. I use the screen as a peel to remove the pizza, which sits on the stove for a minute or two, then the pizza goes onto a wooden cutting board to be cut. The crust is only sometimes limp in spots where it's too thin for the amount of topping.

[AlaMoi]

not quite sure what the screen pre-stone bit brings to the party, however,,,

 

"sometimes limp in spots" rings a few bells.

 

the theory of a 'stone' is to provide instant, direct stone-to-dough heat.

a home oven preheated stone cannot provide the 600-650-700'F heat of a commercial (pizza) oven.

home ovens don't go much, if any, above 550'F - lest they set afire the wood cabinet surroundings.

 

soggy spots or soggy bottoms-in-toto just mean the crust is / was /still is / re-became "too wet"

 

either the water could not 'cook out' or the hot cooked dough 're-steamed' it soggy.

 

direct contact with a stone methinks is going to be a lot more effective at rapid heat transfer than a screen - which can only offer really good air contact.

 

past that however, if you take any baked good out of a hot oven and set it on an impervious surface, the steam still escaping from the dough is trapped on the bottom and the bottom goes soggy.

 

my pizza goes directly on the 500'F preheated stone, when done, is removed to a wire rack - allowing the crust steam to escape without re-soggifying the bottom crust. then to a wooden board for cutting.                                                                                                                              

[Paul Bacino]

 

 

 

my pizza goes directly on the 500'F preheated stone, when done, is removed to a wire rack - allowing the crust steam to escape without re-soggifying the bottom crust. then to a wooden board for cutting.                                                                                                                              

Amen

[Praven.Chavan]

The problem using a wire rack is the pizza cools very rapidly. Putting it on the wood cutting board or peel still keeps the crust crisp without cooling it as much. Actually serving it on a hot pizza stone also works very well.

Absolutely True!