Wood or a perforated metal peel will make things easier. Also a dusting of semolina flour or corn meal.
TimpanogosSlim
Yes, and more awkward to retrieve with.
If you prefer to dress the pizza on the peel, wood or fiber composite peels are easier. The “richlite” fiber composite peels are much thinner than natural wood, you can cut the pizza on them without causing meaningful damage, and they’re dishwasher safe. I’ve never used one but they sound like a good idea to me. [https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3221/pizza-peels.html?filter=blade-material:pressed-wood](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3221/pizza-peels.html?filter=blade-material:pressed-wood)
If you prefer to dress the pizza on the bench and then pick it up with the peel, perforated metal peels are superior. This is the method i use.
pinkwooper
I like wood + semolina flour to launch, and metal for retrieving, I have a wood fired ooni
un_happy_pappy
Wood is a natural absorber of moisture so I usually launch with wood and rotate/pull with metal.
SousVideDeezNuts
Wood
USTS2020
What helped me on top of using a bamboo peel was making sure I was using enough flour when stretching the dough, it needs a light coating all over. Then dusting the peel with semolina
Drift---
If you want to use a metal peel, it can be harder if you don’t have all the techniques right. First those cheap aluminium peels don’t work very well. You can get a proper peel from random sellers of Amazon, but if you want to be sure grab one from Gozney or Ooni, I went with a Gozney peel.
As for techniques, yes coat your ball in semolina, but also once you’re done stretching, just throw a bit extra on the side that will be face down, as the stretching will thin the coating and expose sticky dough.
Make sure you’re dough is the same temp as everything else when you start. If you use dough from the fridge that hasn’t come up to room temp, you’ll end up with condensation and it will stick.
Don’t use the same peel for launching and turning/retrieving. Get a separate turning peel. If your launch peel is hot, you gonna get sticking.
Build your pizza on a wood board if possible, this will absorb any extra moisture that might build while putting the pizza together and makes loading it onto the peel easier. Ikea sell a large wood board called the Lamplig. I think it comes in two sizes, you want the larger one.
Lastly, don’t take too long with prep, if you’re working on a wooden board it’s less of an issue, but still, just be efficient.
lawyerjsd
I think so. I use a wooden peel to launch, and a turning peel to, well, turn, and then to retrieve.
8 Comments
Wood or a perforated metal peel will make things easier. Also a dusting of semolina flour or corn meal.
Yes, and more awkward to retrieve with.
If you prefer to dress the pizza on the peel, wood or fiber composite peels are easier. The “richlite” fiber composite peels are much thinner than natural wood, you can cut the pizza on them without causing meaningful damage, and they’re dishwasher safe. I’ve never used one but they sound like a good idea to me. [https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3221/pizza-peels.html?filter=blade-material:pressed-wood](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3221/pizza-peels.html?filter=blade-material:pressed-wood)
If you prefer to dress the pizza on the bench and then pick it up with the peel, perforated metal peels are superior. This is the method i use.
I like wood + semolina flour to launch, and metal for retrieving, I have a wood fired ooni
Wood is a natural absorber of moisture so I usually launch with wood and rotate/pull with metal.
Wood
What helped me on top of using a bamboo peel was making sure I was using enough flour when stretching the dough, it needs a light coating all over. Then dusting the peel with semolina
If you want to use a metal peel, it can be harder if you don’t have all the techniques right. First those cheap aluminium peels don’t work very well. You can get a proper peel from random sellers of Amazon, but if you want to be sure grab one from Gozney or Ooni, I went with a Gozney peel.
As for techniques, yes coat your ball in semolina, but also once you’re done stretching, just throw a bit extra on the side that will be face down, as the stretching will thin the coating and expose sticky dough.
Make sure you’re dough is the same temp as everything else when you start. If you use dough from the fridge that hasn’t come up to room temp, you’ll end up with condensation and it will stick.
Don’t use the same peel for launching and turning/retrieving. Get a separate turning peel. If your launch peel is hot, you gonna get sticking.
Build your pizza on a wood board if possible, this will absorb any extra moisture that might build while putting the pizza together and makes loading it onto the peel easier. Ikea sell a large wood board called the Lamplig. I think it comes in two sizes, you want the larger one.
Lastly, don’t take too long with prep, if you’re working on a wooden board it’s less of an issue, but still, just be efficient.
I think so. I use a wooden peel to launch, and a turning peel to, well, turn, and then to retrieve.