Pizza Stone + Microwave = ?

[hillbill]

I've noticed a number of online retailers mention the use of a pizza stone in a microwave. Here's one from Amazon:

While this stone may make a pizza-only diet seem like a good idea, you can also use it to bake and heat bread, croissants, tortillas, bagels, and cookies in a conventional or a microwave oven.

I believe that I also saw a microwave-specific accessory that was essentially a pizza stone a few months ago, although I can't find it again now.

I would like to know if this would be useful for reheating pizza, or cooking microwave pizza, or for the other uses mentioned in the quote (not for making pizza from scratch!)

[andiesenji]

I have the big Sharp Convection/Microwave oven that has a 15-inch diameter round metal pan in the bottom. A round pizza stone just fits and I have used it many times to bake pizza with the convection, however I often leave it in the oven and heat things such a breads, rolls, etc., directly on it using the microwave function.

I haven't noticed that it makes much difference but it hasn't had any bad effects on anything.

[SethG]

I would like to know if this would be useful for reheating pizza, or cooking microwave pizza, or for the other uses mentioned in the quote (not for making pizza from scratch!)

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It doesn't make any sense to use a pizza stone in a microwave-- it won't be preheated, and the heat doesn't radiate like it does in a conventional oven.... I just don't see any reason it would work. Plates get hot in the microwave, but not so as to have any browning effect on the food.

And microwaves do horrible things to breads. Just say no.

Edited December 12, 2004 by SethG (log)

[tanabutler]

And microwaves do horrible things to breads.  Just say no.

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Let's see that again, writ large: And microwaves do horrible things to breads. Just say no.

Yep, that pretty much covers it!

[origamicrane]

no no no

its a combination oven as in a microwave as well as a convection oven and grill.

I used the sharp 9 series combination microwave to great effect. can roast a medium chicken perfectly in 40 minutes:)

has microwave destroy bread but in this case when you use the oven function it just acts as an oven and not microwave.

haven't used the pizza stone for bready things but as the microwave has a normal oven function i don't see why it wouldn't work. i will report back when i have a spare weekend to make a pizza :)

[Tonyy13]

The "science" behind a microwave's heating power wouldn't technically allow this to work. From what I have been taught in my four years of expensive culinary school (oh bother.... in Eyore voice), the micro waves that the machine produces causes water molecules to vibrate back and forth, creating friction, therefore creating heat. I have many a times asked why then, does plastic melt in the microwave (plastic being a petroleum product, not containing any water, and water only being able to be heated to 212 degrees before turning to steam). I have also posed the question as to if I put a pile of rocks in the microwave, would they explode if theyhad any internal moisture, or would they have no effect, if they had none? I am truly convinced that the MICROWAVE IS A THING OF THE DEVIL!!!!!!!! Thus, since crispyness is the absence of moisture (you heard it here first folks), I can't imagine that you would be able to produce a browned pizza that was crispy and chewy for the crust.

[EdS]

I remember as a kid cooking some sort of frozen microwave pizza that came on a piece of cardboard which had what looked like a layer of aluminum foil on top but not exactly. Somehow, the metal would heat to a high temperature and cause the bottom of the pizza to brown.

[melkor]

I remember as a kid cooking some sort of frozen microwave pizza that came on a piece of cardboard which had what looked like a layer of aluminum foil on top but not exactly. Somehow, the metal would heat to a high temperature and cause the bottom of the pizza to brown.

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I did the same thing as a kid, frozen pizza was still better in the oven than the micro - but if you put one in each the microwave one would hold you over until the baked one was ready to eat

I had pretty good luck making grilled cheese in the microwave using two of those discs (one on top one under the sandwich) but then again that was a while ago, somehow I doubt it would taste as good now.