It's not just for the oven.
Ceramic or cordierite pizza stones trap and even out heat, just like the surface of professional pizza ovens. It makes pizza extra bubbly and crispy, and cooks them faster than you can order delivery. When you set one on your grill—and let it get very, very hot—it gives everything from raw dough to thick tortillas a charred, crispy crust. For pizza, pile on the sauce, cheese, and toppings and close the lid to let it cook through, no flipping necessary. (Build your pizza on a floured wooden pizza peel, then slide it onto the hot stone. The whole pie will be done in a matter of minutes.) It’s one of our favorite ways to cook pizza for a crowd during the summer.
Because the pizza stone needs to get hot before you add the pie, we prefer this outdoor technique, which takes the entire to indoor pies, which require you to blast the oven and the AC. And though we also like cooking pizza directly on the grill grates, this technique requires no flipping, making it easier for grilling newbies.
Pizza stones don’t have to be thought of as a splurge, either. Some of the best models cost as little as $28, and we guarantee you’ll put it to good use. Plus, you’ll be saving money by not going out to eat pizza every Friday. Pizza stones also make great housewarming or hostess gifts. Gift them with both a wooden and steel pizza peel.
