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Pizza Oven Accessories

Pizza oven accessories are meant to enhance your pizza baking experience. In this article, I shall guide you on the pizza oven accessories to turn your foray into an outdoor cooking success. While there may be an endless list of useful pizza accessories, we shall only go through the essential ones.

A good quality pizza spatula

Commonly known as a pizza peel, a pizza spatula is one of the essential pizza oven accessories. When purchasing these accessories, please consider its material, size, and quality.

pizza spatula

For commercial purpose, you need a highly efficient pizza peel. Consider buying a stainless steel one and with a long handle.

Pizza oven brush

If you use a wood pizza oven, then you need a pizza oven brush. This accessory will help clean up ash after the fire has gone out. The recommended oven brush is one with a long handle.

A wire brush is preferred over regular oven brush. This is because it doesn’t burn from hot ash and can be used to distribute heated charcoal.

Pizza wheel

After putting a lot of effort into baking your pizza, you may not want to spoil things in the end. A pizza wheel enables you to cut the pizza without messing with the toppings.

For durability find a stainless steel pizza wheel and with an ergonomic handle.

Tip: when using a pizza wheel always drag the wheel towards you, not pushing it forward.

Heat resistant gloves

While a pizza peel is enough to keep your hands safe when baking, heat resistant gloves are still needed. This pizza oven accessory comes handy when lighting fire. The gloves also make pushing firewood into the oven more comfortable.

When buying gloves go for ones that can handle high temperatures.  The gloves should also fit and extend to cover your wrist.

Pizza oven cover

Pizza oven cover is another primary pizza oven accessories. Once you finish using your outdoor oven, you need to protect it from the rain. If you use a brick oven and fail to cover it, chances are the oven will crack.

Once the water penetrates, it will freeze expanding the crack even more. If you use a metal oven, chances are the oven will rust in the long run. Therefore it's recommended that you cover your oven after use.

To get a good pizza oven cover, you need to be looking out for quality. Heavy duty oven covers are made of a polyester material which does not fade and is entirely waterproof.

Pizza stone

Most home use pizza oven does not have a suitable place to cook a pizza. For crispy pizza, you, therefore, need a pizza stone.

pizza oven accessories

This special stone is preheated before introducing the pizza dough on it. It helps distribute heat across the surface making the pizza crispier.

Laser thermometer

Unlike other thermometers, laser thermometer uses a laser to detect the exact temperature of the oven. By knowing the temperature, you become informed on when to introduce the pizza dough into the oven.

pizza oven accessories

Pizza oven holder basses

To work better with an outdoor pizza oven, you need a work table. Pizza oven tables have adjustable height and wheel for portability. Check the numerous design to see which fits you.

Ash shovel for a wood pizza oven

Once you are done baking your pizza, you are required to remove ash from the burned wood. An ash shovel is one of the pizza oven accessories involved in the cleaning process.

You can choose to use this accessory alongside a pizza oven brush.

Firewood tongs

Firewood tongs are used to grip firewood and help you push them into the pizza oven at a safe distance. This make puts them in the pizza oven accessories for safety and convince.

A more extended set of firewood tongs makes the job easy.

Note: You can choose to buy these items individually or as a set. The second option is more cost effective. For example, you can get a pizza oven accessories set with a laser thermometer, pizza ash shovel, pizza spatula (one for turning and another for placing and retrieving pizza) and pizza oven brush.

We are now hopeful that got a better understanding what pizza oven accessories are, and how to choose them. If you need more information about a particular pizza accessory that we did not mention, don’t hesitate to drop your question below. All the best.

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Pizza Tools And Equipment

People love pizza! Having the right pizza tools and equipment is primary if you need consistent good results. Are you thinking of opening a pizza parlor? How about making pizza right in your kitchen? If so then you need to take some time and read this article.

For a home pizzaiolo, the number of pizza tools and equipment needed will depend on your pizza recipe. In our case we shall list all the equipment required, assuming you are making all ingredient from scratch.

Pizza tools and equipment for home baking

To prepare the dough, these are the pizza tools and equipment you need.

Instant thermometer

When preparing your pizza dough, you will need to measure the temperature of the water used to proof yeast. Having the right temperature is crucial in providing yeast with the optimal condition for growth.

Dough mixer

Once you add water, yeast, and flour, you will need a dough mixer. You can choose to use hands to knead the dough if it’s of small quantity.

Other pizza tools and equipment needed regardless of using bought or prepared dough.

Rolling pin

Some people use hands to stretch and flatten the pizza dough. If you value your energy and want a perfect round pizza, then consider using a rolling pin.

Pizza Peel

A pizza peel or pizza spatula is a long-handled pizza tool used to transfer and retrieve pizza in a hot oven. You can also choose to prepare the dough and serve the pizza if the peel is made of either wood or composite.

Pizza cutter

A pizza cutter, like the name suggests, is used to cut pizza. You can choose between pizza wheel, pizza knife or pizza scissors to cut your pizza. Check out our pizza cutter article for more information.

Pizza stone

For a crispy pizza, you need to bake your pizza on a pizza stone. A pizza stone is preheated in an oven before you place pizza dough on it.

Pizza trays

A pizza tray is used to transfer a hot pizza from oven and also serve. Do not use a pizza tray to cook your pizza.

Pizza Oven

A gas or electric oven with a heat capacity of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit will do the job.

Pizza tools and equipment for pizza parlours 

If you are thinking of opening a pizzeria, then you need pizza tools and equipment that are of commercial standards. Unlike home pizza tools and equipment, these items need to be of more quality and durability.

Pizza Oven

Commercial pizza ovens are large to accommodate many pizzas at once. As you consider the size, it’s essential that you add consideration in regards to the brand of the pizza oven. Some brands have a reputation for manufacturing better pizza ovens.

Pizza cutter

While there are many types of pizza cutters, a pizza Mezzaluna is better suited for a business purpose.

Pizza Peels

The difference between home baking pizza peel and commercial pizza peel is size and length of the handle. Considering the size of the pizza oven, you need a pizza spatula that can reach the far end of the oven and still keep your hands at a safe distance.

Pizza mixer

For all pizza shop owners, a pizza mixer is a primary pizza tool. Unlike for home bakers, mixing a large quantity of dough with hands is tedious.

Refrigerators

If there is excess dough, you need to preserve it for future use. Keeping dough and excess pizza in a fridge guarantees to keep them fresh.

Pizza thermometer

When making a large dough, you need to be even more conscious. Otherwise, you risk compromising the taste of the pizza, which is bad for business. You will use the thermometer to ensure there is an optimal environment for yeast fermentation.

Here are the factors to bethink when buying commercial pizza tools and equipment.

Usage

items such as pizza cutters, pizza peels are heavily used. Consider buying more than one.

The pizza tools and equipment must adhere to safety standards.

The pizza oven, refrigerators, pizza peels should tick with stipulated safety standards. This help to keep your business and customers safe from hazards.

Ease of use: As you buy your pizza equipment ensure they are easy to use. This way, any person with minimal training can handle them.

Check warranty of your pizza tools and equipment.

While some people opt to buy second-hand pizza tools and equipment, new tools are better since they have warrants. If you have equipment with expired warrants, consider insuring them against hazards and theft.

Price

Considering there are other items needed to run a pizza parlor, e.g., furniture, license, wages, you need to remain within your budget.

Do you now feel more confident to venture into pizza baking? Besides this pizza tools and equipment article, check out more of pizza-related articles from us.

 

 

 

 

 

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Best Pizza Peels

Do you fancy preparing a pizza for your family? For the best results, you need the best pizza tools. One of the essential pizza tools is a pizza peel. I will talk about the best pizza peels in this article.

This tool has several uses but helping you place the pizza into and out of the oven is its primary function. To ensure you bake safely, I’m going to tell you about the best pizza peels in 2018.

Here is the list of the best pizza peels as per February 2018.

  1. Exo 2414-AP pizza peel
  2. Heritage acacia wood pizza peel
  3. Kitchen supply 4435 Aluminum Pizza Peel
  4. Cuisinart CPS-445 Grilling Set
  5. Iron Gourmet 28214 pizza spatula

Check out our review of pizza peels here. As you read this review, these are the features you need to consider.

Best pizza peels materials

If you are going to buy any of the above pizza peels, then you need to consider its material it is made of. Typically, the best pizza peels are made of temperature drop materials. They are also very durable. If you love something ecologically friendly, less expensive and with a great look, then go for peels made of wood.

Metal (aluminum and stainless steel) pizza spatula have long in-service life and do not affect the taste of food when they come to contact.

Size and weight

Other factors you need to take into consideration are size and weight of the pizza peel. What is appropriate will be determined by use of the pizza spatula, either as a commercial tool or baking pizza at home.

For home use 12” by 12” or 14” by 14” are recommended. In regards to weight, thicker peels are more heavy to lift so go for light ones.

Conveniences

Most of the pizzas are simple in design. If you are afraid to tear the pizza as you place it into the oven, then consider the best pizza peels with a conveyor belt design.

For efficient storage choose a pizza peel equipped with a hanging opening for hanging or one with a folding handle.

If you have a large family which eats dinner together now and then, buy a pizza peel set to ensure you got everything at once and saves some money.

Exo 2414-AP pizza peel

Exo Polymer Sealed Super Pizza spatula is made in a simple yet versatile design for efficient transfer of pizza. This peculiar peel has linen that works like a conveyor making it easy to use for pizzas with thick toppings and cheese.

The peel has a cloth cover, so it absorbs fewer odors and remains in good condition for a long time.  The Exo 2414-AP cloth is easy to fasten with special clips and also easy to remove. If the cloth wears you can easily find a replacement from the store or online.

Heritage Acacia wood pizza peel

This is another best pizza peel made of wood. Heritage acacia dimension is 14.25” by 4.25” making it suitable for home use.

The size of the peel might not be too long, but it’s long enough for protecting your knuckles from burns. The handle also has an opening to hang it in the kitchen.

Like its name suggest, the peel is made of acacia for optimum durability and strength. By the way, you can use this peel to cut and serve your pizza with no damage.

If you look at its edge, Heritage Acacia wood pizza peel has sharpened edge for chopping even the thinnest pizzas off the pizza stone.

Kitchen supply 4435 Aluminum Pizza Peel

Kitchen supply pizza peels range in size to satisfy all customer needs. If you are looking for commercial or home pizza peel, you are guaranteed to get one that suits. The pizza tool is made of aluminum hence attrition, corrosion, and oxidation resistant.

Its shovel is very thin so you can effortlessly scoop the pizza out of the oven. If to summarize its pros: it’s cheap, has a wooden handle, its thin edge make it efficient to slide under the pizza and has a flexible aluminum paddle for rotating the pizza in the oven.

Cuisinart CPS-445 Grilling Set

Cuisinart CPS-445 Grilling Set is among the best pizza peels 2018 thanks to its superb features.

Its dimension is 9.5” by 10.5” making it ideal for small pizzas.

It has a backstop which prevents pizzas from dropping

The pizza peel has a folding handle for easy storage and is dishwasher safe.

Ironwood Gourmet 28214 pizza spatula

This peel is quite expensive compared to other best pizza peels. So, does the price translate to better quality?

The peel has a hole for hanging on the wall.

-It’s also made from quality wood making it look beautiful.

-its handle has a sturdy base for better grip.

Despite its higher price, Ironwood Gourmet 28214 pizza spatula falls short compared to its cheaper counterpart Heritage Acacia wood pizza peel in regards to unique contrasting patterns and less smooth surface.

Now you have the best pizza peel in 2018. We wish you inspiration and good luck while baking. 

Check out our full website for pizza peels and accessories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Using A Pizza Peel

Are you a big fan of homemade pizza? If yes, then you might have encountered one of the primary tools of baking a pizza, a pizza peel.

Using a pizza peel is not difficult. However, there are some unique techniques you need to know about.

Before we go further, it’s good to know that pizza peels range in regards to material and size. How you used your pizza peel might depend on these two factors.

Using a pizza peel [factor #1]

What kind of pizza oven do you plan on using? The kind of pizza oven you are going to be using has a huge effect on what type of pizza paddle you will be using.

Using a pizza peel [factor #2]

How are you going to be baking your pizzas? You need to know this so you know whether to use a wooden pizza peel or a metal pizza peel.

A wooden pizza peel is the best material to place dough onto the pizza stone as it prevents sticking. Some argue that wood pizza peel are more rustic and decorative as a serving board.

Metal pizza peel, on the other hand, is thin and best for retrieving the pizza from the pizza stone.

A composite pizza peel is a better version of wood in regards to looks and efficiency.

Now that you have an idea of which pizza peel will suit you, using a pizza peel properly is our next task.

Pizzeria pizza peel technique

In the pizzeria technique, the pizzaiolo prepares pizza dough on a stainless steel surface.  From there you slide an aluminum pizza peel beneath the dough and onto your pizza stone or oven. If you are baking your pizza on a pizza stone.

If using an aluminum pizza peel, buying a perforated one is preferred. These perforations create less surface area for the dough to stick. If you insist on a solid one, then you need to dust it with cornmeal.

Some like the taste brought by the cornmeal, others don’t. If you are in the category of don’t, try using flour and sugar. The flour is used to limit sticking and the sugar is used to add browning of the crust.

Again, the technique of using a pizza peel will depend on the type of peel you have. Besides the perforations, select an aluminum pizza peel with a long and light handle. This handle should be hollow and in an ergonomic shape for easy grip. Wooden handles are therefore not preferred, they are heavy and warp if too long.

Baker’s pizza peel technique

Another technique of using a pizza peel is using along with parchment paper. The role of parchment paper is to eliminate the possibility of dough sticking with the peel.

using a pizza peel with parchment paper

You can prepare your pizza dough and even bake on the parchment paper (optional). It has been proven that parchment paper affects neither the taste nor the texture of pizza crust.

The direct technique of using a pizza peel

The cheapest and preferable method of using a pizza peel is to prepare the pizza on it directly. Composite wooden pizza spatula or aluminum spatula are preferred.

First, brush the peel cornmeal or flour. As you knead or flatten the dough, keep shifting it to ensure it is not sticking. This is more important if you are preparing a pizza with a thin crust because chances are better that you will put a hole in the dough.

wooden pizza peel

After assembling the toppings, give the pizza a giggle and slide it into the oven.

If you encounter sticking, don’t panic. You can try using a pizza wheel or another pizza peel, preferably wooden or composite to slide underneath the sticking dough.

If you only have one spatula, use a large spatula to gently scrape the dough and introduce some more flour or cornmeal.

If the above two methods are in vain, try and chill the pizza peel. On your baking tray, put some ice and on top place your pizza peel. The aim is to make the dough firm hence less sticky.

If you are a newbie here are some tips to make the process of using pizza peel flawless.

  • Start off small: You might be in a rush to make pizza for the entire family, but still you need to start by baking small pizza (less than 12 inches). A small size pizza is easy to slide onto the pizza stone.
  • Avoid the temptation to overdo toppings: make a small, less thick crust and keep the toppings to the minimum.
  • Don’t let the pizza dough sit too long on the peel: Prolonged contact with your dough and pizza peel will warm the dough and stick.

Benefits of using a pizza peel

A majority of us love pizza. However, the process of baking it should not be hell. A pizza peel keeps your knuckles at a safe distance from the 500-degree oven furnace.

After retrieving your ready pizza from the oven, you can use a pizza peel as slicing and serving board. To avoid denting your pizza cutter use a wooden or composite pizza peel.

Do you now feel like an expert in using a pizza peel? Hope so. Put it into action and remember to share our pizza peel website link with your pizza loving friend or family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pizza Rocker Knives

Among other pizza cutters, pizza rocker knives rocks. If you fancy yourself making pizza at home, then you will fall in love with this type of pizza cutter.

I know you are asking lots of why’s, e.g., why not choose pizza wheel cutter or pizza scissors cutter. Keep reading, and I will clearly explain why.

Making a great pizza entails paying a lot of attention to details.  Once you are done baking the pizza, the very last steps are to cut and serve. To cut your pizza into slices, any sharp kitchen object can do the work. However, if you do not want a huge mess with the toppings and cheese, don’t use a kitchen knife. Do it like a pro and use a pizza cutter.

At this stage, you have an option to choose these three types of pizza cutters: rolling pizza cutter, pizza scissors cutter, and Pizza rocker knives.

As a professional pizzaiolo, I can tell you that each of this pizza cutters has its own advantages.

For a pizza cutter wheel, you can cut the pizza into your desired shape pieces.

As per pizza cutter scissors, you can cut your pie into perfect triangles and with some, serve immediately.

Now let’s get to our Pizza rocker knives.

pizza rocking knives

Also known as Mezzaluna, pizza rocker knives are large knives curved into a half moon shape. The blade has a handle on both ends of the blade to protect the cutter’s hand. To cut the pizza, all you do is while your pizza is on the cutting board. Then place it on your pizza and rock it back and forth, from one end of the pizza to the other. This is where it got its name, rocking pizza cutter.

If you are planning to purchase pizza rocker knives, then you can choose from a myriad of these cutters in regards to material, size, and designs of handles. This brings us to what factors you need to keep in mind when purchasing pizza rocker knives.

Material

Pizza rocker knives are made of different material. Some of the materials interact with acidic properties from pizza topping resulting in rust. The best material to choose would be pizza rocker knives made from stainless steel.

Stainless Steel neither rusts nor warps when continually used.

Overall size

In regards to size, you should go with a one that suits your use. If you are making pizza at home, medium to the small size is recommended.

If you are buying the pizza rocker knives for a restaurant then a bigger size would be more efficient.

Handle

While pizza rocker knives handles come in different materials, the primary purpose of these handles is the comfort when cutting the pizza. Your pizza cutter handle should, therefore, provide firm and comfortable grip.

If you are more concerned with looks, then check one with handles made from composite material.

Advantages of using Pizza rocker knives

Durability

If you want a durable pizza cutter, then you better choose Pizza rocker knives. But make sure that if you are using it in a commercial application then you should consider getting a pizza rocker knife with high-quality materials.

Some pizza rocker knives come with polycarbonate edge polycarbonate protector to keep the blade sharp and safe when stored.

Easy to clean

Unlike other types of pizza cutters, Pizza rocking cutters are simple by design. This means that food particles don’t have places to hide. This also means that it is very easy for the new guy to use.

You can use the blade to cut other things

If you have been practicing, then you can use Pizza rocker knives to cut other materials such as herbs vegetables, fruits, and spices.

The good thing about this is that you can do a much larger pile of whatever your cutting. With the pizza rocker knives, you can cut more than a traditional chefs knife.

Easy to clean

You do not need skills to cut a pizza using Pizza rocker knives. Again, when cutting, one is not required to hold the pizza while you cut. So this makes it safer for use by children.

Limitations of using pizza rocker knives

Safety issues

Pizza rocking cutters have open blades. This makes it not safe to mix with dishwater, and you should be careful when washing the blade. The same level of caution is needed when storing pizza rocking cutters.

If you need to make customized cuts from your pizza, this type of pizza cutter should be off your list.

So why not upgrade to Pizza rocker knives and make pizza cutting with a kitchen knife a thing of the past.  This safety conscious pizza cutter is perfect for at-home chefs and pizza connoisseurs alike.

For more informative articles like this, check out our website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How To Make Pizza Rise Faster

In this article, I will tell you how to make pizza rise faster

Making pizza is like an art. There are lots of different ways to achieve success and the outcome is completely dependent on the person or system creating it.

So if there are lots of different ways to make your pizza rise faster.

Some people like to let their pizza dough rise at a slower pace and some people let their pizza dough rise very slowly.

If you are one of the people that want to know how to make pizza rise faster than usual then you came to the right place.

But no matter what you do. Always use the best pizza equipment.

How To Make Pizza Rise Faster –

[Just let your uncooked pizza sit out at room temperature!]

 

The process of making your pizza rise faster is actually a very simple one. Dough rises because of the yeast activating in the pizza dough. If the yeast is activating at a higher pace then the pizza dough will rise at a faster pace.

So how fast your pizza rises all depends on the temperature you are rising your pizza in. Because temperature is what controls the speed of the yeast doing its thing.

[The warmer the temperature – the faster the yeast rises.]

[The cooler the temperature – the slower the yeast rises.]

You can use this method to make you pizza rise faster even if you have already rolled the dough and refrigerated it. If you know that you are going to be using (fresh) dough that day.

make pizza rise faster

You are able to pull that pizza dough out of the cooler and set it on the counter to let it rise faster. This way the pizza will rise at a much faster rate than if the pizza dough had sat in the refrigerator the entire time.

How To Make Pizza Rise Faster

But of course, that is if you do not want to use (fresh dough). Some pizza restaurants like to use their dough fresh. They will make and cook the pizza the same day that they made the batch of dough.

There is nothing wrong with this method of making pizza dough. Like I said earlier, it is like an art. The outcome completely relies on the artist making the pizza dough. And they are all different.

If you want to check out more information on pizzas and pizza equipment then check out our home page.

 

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Pizza Cutter and Server

We will talk about a few of the Pros and Cons of the Pizza Cutter and Server on this page.

There is a big difference between the pizza cutter and server.

The pizza cutter and server seems very insignificant but they are one of the most used pieces of equipment that you will use in your pizza restaurant.

If you are interested you can check out my in-depth review of pizza cutters here.

pizzacutter wheel

Here are a few of the things that make a pizza cutter different than a pizza server.

Pizza Cutter and Server – [Pizza Cutter]

  1. The pizza cutter made to cut through the pizza that just came out of the oven.
  2. 2. The pizza cutter is very sharp and is capable of cutting your finger and requiring stitches.
  3. 3. The pizza cutter is typically a pizza cutting wheel or a pizza rocker knife.

Pizza Cutter and Server – [Pizza Server]

  1. The Pizza server is very dual around all of its edges
  2. Usually, pizza servers are not meant to cut the pizza. Their function is to serve the pizza
  3. Most pizza servers have a wood handle and are the shape of a semi-rounded triangle. This way it is easier to slide under and stabilize the slice of pizza that you’re serving.

The Pizza Cutter and Server

It is very important to understand the differences in all the pizza utensils that you use in your kitchen. Your knowledge of little things like pizza paddles will make a huge impact in how your kitchen flows. With the proper knowledge, you can significantly increase the productivity within your entire restaurants’ processes.

I have experienced great chefs and cooks hitting their breaking point. This happened because of either I purchased cheap equipment or the lack of the piece of equipment that they needed. I prefer a happy chef because a happy chef is a well functioning and cost effective kitchen.

So I have learned the hard way to know the differences between the good and bad pizza cutter and server that are on the market.  This will make a huge difference in the kitchen workflow.

Also to make sure not only do you know the differences between the pizza cutter and server. It is much more important to understand the difference with all of your restaurants’ equipment. You can lose a lot of money very fast by buying the wrong restaurant equipment.

If you want to check out some more reviews and some general information about pizza restaurants  or restaurants in general at Paisanospnp.com

 

 

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How To Make Pizza Dough

On this page I will teach you How to Make Pizza Dough.

I have been making pizza for over 30 years and I learned from an owner who was making pizza dough before I was born.

To help explain, I will try and summarize how our family has been making pizza dough since the beginning.

Use whichever flour that gets you the end result that you are looking for. Every type of flour will give you a different end result but they will all work.

How To Make Pizza Doe

  • Step 1: 45lb of flour – Dump your flour into your dough mixing bowl.
  • Step 2: Sugar – Add your sugar to the flour that you already have inside the mixing bowl
  • Step 3: Salt – Add your salt to the ingredients that you already have in the mixing bowl.
  • Step 4: Yeast – Add your yeast to finish up your dry ingredients.
  • Step 5: Let all of you dry ingredients mix for 3 minutes
  • Step 6: Water – After the dry ingredients have mixed for 3 minutes. It is time to add the water.
  • Step 7: Oil – After all of the water has been added to the flour it is time to add your oil. So go ahead and dump in the oil.
  • Step 8: Mix for 10 minutes – After all of the ingredients are mixing in the dough bowl. This is when you let it all mix for 10 minutes.

pizza dough rising.

How To Make Pizza Dough

After all of your ingredients have mixed in the dough bowl for a total of 10 minutes. Turn off the dough mixer because your dough should be done. Now you are able to take the giant dough ball and cut it up.

Everybody has a different way of making their dough. Also, there is a lot of different ways people prepare their dough after the dough is made. For instance, some people let their dough sit out for hours before they refrigerate it. While some people refrigerate their dough first – before – they cut and need their dough.

how to make pizza dough

So keep in mind the number of differences in dough making. Every one of these techniques is ok to use. It is completely up to you and your preferences.

I hope this article on how to make pizza dough has helped. If you are interested, check out my Pizza Cutter Page or one of my Pizza Blogs. Thank and good luck!

 

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Wood vs Metal Pizza Peel

A photo of 2 pizza peels

Pizza Peel Wood vs Metal Pros and Cons

I have used both the Wood Pizza Peels and the Metal Pizza Peels in the restaurant industry for the last 30 years.

In this article, we will be talking about Pizza Peels – Wood vs Metal.

Wood Pizza Paddles Pros :

  • [The wood pizza paddle absorbs the oils much better.] This allows you to serve your pizza without all of the grease and oils on the bottom of it.
  • [The wood pizza paddle is a much better-looking pizza utensil.] When you have an open kitchen style like we do. You need to think about how pleasing your kitchen looks. This includes all of your kitchen utensils.
  • [The wood pizza peel is much easier to grip.] With the wide handle that the wood pizza peel has it is much easier to hold than the round handled pizza peels.
  • [No pizza screen needed for a wooden peel] With wooden pizza peels, you generally lay the pizza dough directly on the peel. This eliminates the need for pizza screens.

wooden pizza peel

Wood Pizza Peel Cons :

  • [Wooden pizza peels are very heavy.] This will affect the stamina of the oven man. If he is wielding a large heavy wood pizza paddles all night. He is more likely to fatigue at a faster pace than if he had a lighter metal pizza paddle.
  • [Wooden pizza peels are more expensive than metal pizza peels.] Take into consideration that you might not go through as many wooden pizza paddles throughout the year. So it might be worth looking deeper into this metric.
  • [Wooden pizza peels are very thick.] This makes them hard to use with some types of pizza ovens and pizza cooking methods. Make sure to take into consideration how you are cooking your pizzas.
  • [Removing a pizza from the oven is harder with a wooden paddle] The head of the wooden peel is very thick so it is hard to get the wooden paddle underneath a cooked pizza.

metal pizaa spatula

 

Pizza Peel Wood vs Metal Pros and Cons

Metal Pizza Peel Pros :

  • [The metal pizza peels are much lighter than wood pizza peels.] Metal pizza paddles are actually made of aluminum. This makes them very light which will make the oven guy happier.
  • [Metal pizza paddles are generally much thinner.] A thinner metal pizza peel means the oven man can slide the pizza peel under the pizza much easier than a wooden pizza paddle.
  • [Metal pizza peels are much cheaper than a wooden pizza peel.] This is strictly a cost factor, but an important factor anyway. This should not be the main factor but it does deserve consideration.
  • [The metal peels come in a lot of different lengths and head sizes] There are just more options when it comes to pizza paddle when you are looking for a metal peel.

 

Metal Pizza Peel Cons :

  • [Metal pizza peels do not soak up the oils and grease.] This means that when you place your pizza on top of the metal pizza peel. All of that grease gets on the bottom of the pizza and makes it greasy.
  • [Metal pizza peels bend and break easier than wooden pizza peels.] Because metal pizza peels are thinner and lighter. They are also weaker and easier to break.
  • [These pizza peels are very slippery] It gets pretty difficult to grip these pizza paddles with aluminum handles. As you can imagine the handle will not soak anything up.
  • [The handles on these peels feel very thin] The handles are thin and slippery so the peel never really feels secure in my hands. For this reason alone I don’t like the all aluminum pizza peel.

A photo of a pizza peel

The peel we use is a hybrid of both peels.

Editors choice – In our restaurant, we use this hybrid pizza peel. As you can see it has an aluminum head and a wooden handle

Hybrid Pizza Peel Pros:

  • [It’s much lighter than the wooden pizza peel] Even though this paddle is a little heavier than an all-metal peel it is much lighter than a wooden peel
  • [The handle allows you to keep your grip in all conditions] The handle is wooden on this peel, it is very absorbent and soaks up all the greases. This way your pizza man keeps a good grip at all times.
  • [There are a lot of different options for this peel] This pizza peel comes in a lot of different sizes. You can get the aluminum head wide or slim and you can get the wood handle very long or very short.
  • [The hybrid peel is very inexpensive] The hybrid pizza peel is actually very inexpensive compared to the wooden peels out there. Even the all-aluminum peels tend to be a little more expensive than these paddles.
  • [Easy cleanup] The cleanup on this is very easy. We just bring it to the dish room and scrub it with soap and water, rinse and you’re done.  Give it a few good spins just to make sure its dry.

Hybrid Pizza Peel Cons:

  • [Metal pizza peels need to be filed down to work with some ovens.] You have to manually file down the edges of a metal pizza peel for it to work with pizzas on top of pizza screens.
  • [There are too many options] Sometimes it’s possible to have too many options and this is one of them. There are so many different sizes, lengths, and thickness. You need to do your homework so you don’t waste your money.

Pizza Peel Wood vs Metal Pros and Cons

Remember these are just Pros and Cons of the pizza paddles wood vs metal. All of the information above is to be taken into consideration along with all of the other variables that come with different restaurants.

When choosing Wood vs Metal pizza paddles. You must take into consideration things like Type of oven to be used, the method of pizza cooking, budget, and your experiences that you have had over the years.

Also, remember that there are a lot of different choices pizza paddles wood vs metal. I can think of 4-5 different metal pizza peels I have used over my course of making pizza. I have also used 2-3 wooden pizza peels over that time.

So if wooden pizza peels fit your restaurant but you did not like the first wooden pizza peel you bought. I would recommend trying at least 1 more different type of wooden pizza peel before giving up on the wood pizza paddles for good.

The same goes for metal pizza peels. There are a lot of different types of metal pizza peels. So do not give up before trying a different variation of the metal pizza paddle before throwing in the towel.

I hope this helped you in your quest for the perfect pizza peel. You can always check out my Pizza paddle Review page other blog posts that I have posted. Thanks and good luck!

 

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Implementing New Systems For Your Restaurant

I am going to talk a little about implementing a new system. This can be challenging for employees who are very comfortable with the old ways of doing things. Everyone knows that change is necessary but nobody wants that change to happen to them or their position in the restaurant.

So, as a leader, you have to approach this particular decision carefully. You will have to keep a few things in mind while you are creating the changes and then implementing the changes.

1. Recognize the problem.

Recognizing the problem is one of the hardest steps. Especially for somebody who has been doing the same way for a very long time. But once you do see that there is a problem don’t let it continue to go on. We are always busy but leaving a known problem will cause you more work and money in the long-run.

2. Creating the solution to eliminate this problem. 

Anybody can point out a problem. The good ones create a solution to the problem that they recognize. Once you recognize a problem in the system or flow of your restaurant. You should begin working on a solution. This does not mean you must have the solution immediately but you should at least be thinking about the problem and how to fix it.

3. Implementing your solution.

Once you have are ready to implement your solution. Then you have to announce this process in a very direct way to everybody at the same time. You should gather your managers first and discuss how you’re going to implement those solutions. Then depending on the size of the solution. You can either let your managers carry out your orders or you can announce them to the staff yourself. Then you should call a meeting with all the employees that will be affected. This way everybody is told of the changes at the same time.

“The biggest mistake I have made with implementing solutions was trying to tell all the employees individually.”

It is natural for you as a business owner to want to fix a problem by telling that individual employee what they are doing wrong and what to do right. But what this does is trap you into a babysitting job. You have to be there 100% of the time to watch over everybody and everything they are doing. For the owners who love telling people to do things all the time, then maybe that method is working just fine.

For everybody else, when you implement your solution. You should implement them through your management team. This way you are only telling 2 or 3 people and then it is their job to install your solution from the top down. This way if an employee does not use your new system that your managers installed. Your managers can recognize it much faster and are able to handle it immediately. So everybody in the restaurant is on the same page without you having to tell everyone individually.

What I have found is that my business is much more profitable and runs much more smoothly when I am working on my business, not working in my business. So I highly recommend that you allow your managers to manage the minor issues that come up throughout the day. Do not confuse that with you not handling the problems or just letting the manager do everything. Your job is to communicate regularly with your managers. This way your managers and you are on the exact same page.

“Then your management team can more effectively handle those kinds of issues on a daily basis without you being bothered constantly.”

 

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