Baking Steel - DIY ideas?

[Not_A_Llama]

So I came across this:

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/10/the-pizza-lab-baking-steel-lodge-cast-iron-pizza.html

Basically, 14x16" sheets of 1/4" steel, that're supposedly amazing for baking pizza.

Thing is, they're $79 (http://www.bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel). Mostly because they're pretty.

I've got (at least) three other friends who want a function-oriented item. Custom-cut 16x14 1/4" steel from metalsdepot.com ends up being about $44 shipped for four plates.

I'm sure this gets us ugly edges and brutal corners, but with an angle grinder, then seasoned with flaxseed oil, we should be ready to bake.

Does anyone have any ideas about having this done locally, or otherwise less-expensively?

[thvigil11]

My wife picked up one of the pizza stones at Bed Bath, and Beyond if I recall correctly. We get great results out of it. Little more fragile than a piece of plate. For cheaper plate, you could check with Dencol up on Washington St. They'll do cuts on anything they got in stock.

[clodhopper]

Not sure I want to lug a 30 lb 1/2" plate into and out of the oven just for a pizza. I will stick with the stone we already use.

[Not_A_Llama]

That's why I'm looking at a 15 pound 1/4" plate.

Results look definitively better than a stone, if you dig into the other articles. Much better oven spring.

I've also broken three pizza stones from thermal shock, so there is that..

[def90]

So I came across this:

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/10/the-pizza-lab-baking-steel-lodge-cast-iron-pizza.html

Basically, 14x16" sheets of 1/4" steel, that're supposedly amazing for baking pizza.

Thing is, they're $79 (http://www.bakingsteel.com/shop/baking-steel). Mostly because they're pretty.

I've got (at least) three other friends who want a function-oriented item. Custom-cut 16x14 1/4" steel from metalsdepot.com ends up being about $44 shipped for four plates.

I'm sure this gets us ugly edges and brutal corners, but with an angle grinder, then seasoned with flaxseed oil, we should be ready to bake.

Does anyone have any ideas about having this done locally, or otherwise less-expensively?

They're expensive because in order to sell them as a food prep product commercially they need to be made with "food safe" materials and approved by the NSF.. Add the machine and finish work and there you have it..

[Buff]

I have 15" Cast Iron Skillet's that are used for pizza's, in the oven, on the gas grill, in the smoker and on the stove top. Durable as hell and multi use.

[StagLefty]

Papa Murphy's [Sarcasm2]

[Not_A_Llama]

They're expensive because in order to sell them as a food prep product commercially they need to be made with "food safe" materials and approved by the NSF.. Add the machine and finish work and there you have it..

Are these NSF-certified? I haven't read anything to that effect. It's relatively uncommon to find NSF-compliant consumer implements.

A passivation later of seasoning will reduce chemical interaction with substrate to uninteresting levels, particularly in a relatively "dry" regime.

My specific purpose is to get the same effect without the pretty.

[Great-Kazoo]

My specific purpose is to get the same effect without the pretty.

Think outside the box. Stop making round pizzas, utilize a cast iron griddle.
https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.6NIQ65mnqMGaOMOnPdDCsg&pid=15.1&P=0

Here's one for $16
http://denver.craigslist.org/hsh/5067968159.html


https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.6NIQ65mnqMGaOMOnPdDCsg&pid=15.1&P=0

[Not_A_Llama]

How thick is yours? Any idea how it compares to the Lodge Pizza Pan? By most accounts, the Lodge pan is thinner than 1/4" and doesn't have enough heat capacity to do justice to the crust.

[Great-Kazoo]

How thick is yours? Any idea how it compares to the Lodge Pizza Pan? By most accounts, the Lodge pan is thinner than 1/4" and doesn't have enough heat capacity to do justice to the crust.

I cook on cast iron till it starts getting brown. Then off it comes and directly on the rack. BUT i cheat and use parchment paper. Been making pizzas for years with no issues.

[Not_A_Llama]

I mean, I'm a huge cast iron nerd myself (Griswold and Wagner mania, I diamond-sand my Lodge pans), and can make a pizza with "no issues".

That said, the link in the OP shows what appears to be a genuinely better result, compared to cast iron, by using a baking steel.

[thvigil11]

Have you checked Dencol?

http://www.dencol.com/

[Not_A_Llama]

Just placed my order at Dencol for six of them. $20-something for plasma cut with radiused corner. Easiest decision I'll make this week.

[thvigil11]

Just placed my order at Dencol for six of them. $20-something for plasma cut with radiused corner. Easiest decision I'll make this week.

Right on.

[Great-Kazoo]

we are not all italian though, how is your kugel?

Not bad. Still perfecting unleavened bread.

[Sawin]

Wow, I guess I need to get on board with the pizza snobbery if I want to improve my status around here ;). I just use a baking sheet or put it directly on the oven rack, depending on the type of crust.... and I don't recall ever feeling dissatisfied with my pizzas... frozen or home made...

ignorance is bliss, as they say.

[thvigil11]

Wow, I guess I need to get on board with the pizza snobbery if I want to improve my status around here ;). I just use a baking sheet or put it directly on the oven rack, depending on the type of crust.... and I don't recall ever feeling dissatisfied with my pizzas... frozen or home made...

ignorance is bliss, as they say.

Heathen!

[Sawin]

Heathen!

Evidently[Coffee]

[Great-Kazoo]

;). I just use a baking sheet or put it directly on the oven rack, depending on the type of crust.... and I don't recall ever feeling dissatisfied with my pizzas... frozen or home made...

ignorance is bliss, as they say.


FROZEN [fail]

[clodhopper]

I heard the best way to cook a pizza is with a mini14.

[mcantar18c]

I have a plasma table....

[DeusExMachina]

Wow, I guess I need to get on board with the pizza snobbery if I want to improve my status around here ;). I just use a baking sheet or put it directly on the oven rack, depending on the type of crust.... and I don't recall ever feeling dissatisfied with my pizzas... frozen or home made...

ignorance is bliss, as they say.

I made pizza a few times on a cookie sheet and every time I resigned myself to just going out if I feel the need. Then I tried a pizza stone and the game changed, suddenly I made better 'za at home. The most recent level of food eureka moments was when I steamed the pastrami I smoked last week. Before that, it was using cast iron to cook with (Le Creuset snob here, peasants) for the first time.

I'm excited to try one of Llama's steels. When Warren starts geeking on something, it's an interesting ride.

[Irving]

When Warren starts geeking on something, it's an interesting ride.

Even when he gets drunk and goes into depth about the economy of the Settlers of Catan for four hours straight?

[DFBrews]

The ultimate drunken bar pizza recipe can be found on the serious eats website...

i have helped build 3 earthen pizza ovens so far with amazing results but for a quick and dirty pizza with as much class as the ingredients you put on they are pretty hard to beat

[DeusExMachina]

Even when he gets drunk and goes into depth about the economy of the Settlers of Catan for four hours straight?

I missed this?

[Irving]

I took a shot in the dark and made it up.

[DeusExMachina]

My lack of surprise at the scenario is your answer.

[Hound]

If you need good steel at a better price and not a feeling of being cattle try Altitude Steel. They are down on 13th and great. Much better service and prices. To be clear: I don't work there or have any personal interest past helping a good company.


My wife picked up one of the pizza stones at Bed Bath, and Beyond if I recall correctly. We get great results out of it. Little more fragile than a piece of plate. For cheaper plate, you could check with Dencol up on Washington St. They'll do cuts on anything they got in stock.

[Not_A_Llama]

http://i.imgur.com/0vjdYPXl.jpg
DenCol Steel, Warehouse 3... they had the order ready on Monday morning, after I gave the OK on Friday afternoon. Alas, I was out of town.

http://i.imgur.com/qu4zRm6l.jpg
Plasma cutting was definitely the right choice. Super glassy-smooth edges and corners. Very much worth the $5/plate.

I scrubbed the dirt and oil off, then applied a layer of flaxseed oil for seasoning.

http://i.imgur.com/2NdjfoHl.jpg
Got anxious to try. Trader Joe's dough, sauce, mozz, and basil from my backyard (which previously came from TJ's)

http://i.imgur.com/H9jxQP5l.jpg
Cooling after 4 minutes in the oven, at 500 degrees. Need to learn some dough management techniques. Also, I can do cold dough, now that I don't worry about my pizza stone cracking.

http://i.imgur.com/9mMSAHGl.jpg
Awesome crust. Can't do this on a pizza stone.

http://i.imgur.com/1whDu4Al.jpg
Aftermath of 3 pies...

[thvigil11]

Neato!

[Dinner]

[Aloha_Shooter]

Wow, that's nice. If I'd known about that, I'd have been tempted to ask you if I could add to your order. I wonder if there's any place closer to the Springs to get something like that done.

[Not_A_Llama]

Might have another batch made. Let's see if anyone else might be interested. Possibly overcommitted on my first batch to share with friends...

:-X

I mean, I imagine Springs has manufacturing and industry, so a local steel supplier seems likely to me.

[fly boy]

Might have another batch made. Let's see if anyone else might be interested. Possibly overcommitted on my first batch to share with friends...

:-X

I mean, I imagine Springs has manufacturing and industry, so a local steel supplier seems likely to me.


What size did you end up going with? What is the weight of one of the plates? Have you tried to cook other things with it?

I might be interested, but I would have to pick it up at a much later date.... shipping to Cheyenne or TX would be too much.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Resurrecting this thread after I came across this article:

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/07/23/630544154/pizza-physics-why-brick-ovens-bake-the-perfect-italian-style-pie

I usually find NPR to be fairly worthless but there are no liberal or conservative politics when it comes to baking good pizza ...

[BPTactical]

I used to use a chunk of 1/4" stainless plate to warm up pizza for lunch at a fabrication shop I worked at years ago.
A couple minutes of oxy-acy torch action on the underneath, toss the pizza on and a couple minutes later toasty warm.

[SideShow Bob]

I used to use a chunk of 1/4" stainless plate to warm up pizza for lunch at a fabrication shop I worked at years ago.
A couple minutes of oxy-acy torch action on the underneath, toss the pizza on and a couple minutes later toasty warm.

Just make sure you don’t put your pizza on the sooty side..........

[Grant H.]

If you need good steel at a better price and not a feeling of being cattle try Altitude Steel. They are down on 13th and great. Much better service and prices. To be clear: I don't work there or have any personal interest past helping a good company.

They can do some processing of steel, but most of the custom stuff gets farmed out to Dencol.

Dencol is hard to beat for having parts cut. For raw materials, Altitude is a WAY better deal.

[Grant H.]

http://i.imgur.com/0vjdYPXl.jpg
DenCol Steel, Warehouse 3... they had the order ready on Monday morning, after I gave the OK on Friday afternoon. Alas, I was out of town.

http://i.imgur.com/qu4zRm6l.jpg
Plasma cutting was definitely the right choice. Super glassy-smooth edges and corners. Very much worth the $5/plate.


They do simpler orders as you wait, and ask for a day for something like you wanted. The two shears in the picture (grey on left, green on right) chop 1/2" 4x8 sheets of steel without even pausing.

You probably ought to consider removing all the mill scale. Muriatic acid and a rubbermaid tub will do this very quickly.

That's not plasma. That's definitely their laser cutter.

You wanted laser, not plasma. Plasma would have had more kerf and would have been a little more ragged.

The pizza looks good! Might have to make one.

[Not_A_Llama]

Sorry, been sporadic on the forums, so just saw people posting here.

If they cut it with laser, they upgraded me for free, twice. I was told laser would be much more expensive.

Mill scale is pretty biologically inactive, and the seasoning keeps the food away in any case. I’ll play with removing it sometime, but so far haven’t found reason to care.

People have been enjoying their steels for a couple years now. Guess I’ll get another batch going.

[Great-Kazoo]

Sorry, been sporadic on the forums, so just saw people posting here.

If they cut it with laser, they upgraded me for free, twice. I was told laser would be much more expensive.

Mill scale is pretty biologically inactive, and the seasoning keeps the food away in any case. I’ll play with removing it sometime, but so far haven’t found reason to care.

People have been enjoying their steels for a couple years now. Guess I’ll get another batch going.

PM me a price for one shipped to Az. Will it fit in the large flat rate box?

[saltydecimator]

im in for 3... $15 each you said? i been using steel cookie sheets in grill (nat gas) and it just doesnt work out like i like... not homemade, papa murphys take n bake.... great thread resurrect btw, was wanting to get a stone, but this sounds better, i love metal!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGm3ByUUA0U

nsfw metal show swearing bah! also, the smoke i referring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGm3ByUUA0U to is from the grill, not reefer!!

[Lars]

Good steel is hard to beat for cooking. It takes a little longer to heat up but it always gets better with age. I've made a few pizza plates out of stainless and mild steel, and both work great. My favorite is my Wok that I made from an old plow disc. They season extremely well and can straight up cook a big batch of fajitas, and clean up is a breeze.

[Irving]

I'd call that more of a cazo.

[Mtneer]

I'll take one steel plate if you do an order.

More info on stone vs steel:
https://slice.seriouseats.com/2012/09/the-pizza-lab-the-baking-steel-delivers.html

For those interested in a Discada: http://www.southwestdisk.com

[sniper7]

Just so everyone pay attention that price was 3 years ago, steel is more expensive now as are dencols prices. I just bought a bunch of steel there after almost 2 years since my last big purchase and was a little surprised at the increase.

[Grant H.]

Agreed. Raw steel has gone up a lot. Dencol has also raised some of their service prices.

My usual 6k+ lb orders for raw steel have gone up over $1000 in the last year.

I don't have laser cutting, but I do have a plasma table, but if there is interest in enough of these to cut up a whole 4x8 sheet, I will price them out for folks. They won't be quite as clean of an edge, but they will work.