Are you tired of scrubbing your pizza steel with harsh chemicals to achieve that perfect non-stick surface? Look no further! In this blog, we’ll guide you through the steps of how to clean a pizza steel, keeping it in tip-top condition for years to come.
Nowadays, pizza has become one of the most adored food choices for people all around the world, leaving little room for other diets. Consequently, we love making it at home with our customized spices and healthy ingredients. For this purpose, we use many utensils, most of which are made of steel. To ensure the long life of these utensils and maintain hygiene, proper cleaning procedures must be followed.
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Why to use Pizza Steel?
As we know, pizza can be cooked using various materials like wood, stone, steel, and many others. However, pizza steel is a much better heat conductor, providing a quick and crispy crust. Moreover, in pizza, steel heat distributes evenly in steel utensils, helping the pizza cook evenly and giving it that pizzeria-quality taste right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
How to clean a pizza steel?
Using your pizza steel frequently can cause grease buildup, making your pizzas stick and burn. To avoid this, it’s crucial to know how to clean your pizza’s steel properly. Here’s a simple guide to help you keep your pizza steel in top shape for your next homemade pizza’s night.
Step 1: Cool the Pizza Steel
You need to cool your pizza steel completely, before you try to clean it. Pizza steel gets very hot and can tend to stay very hot for a long time, and it burns. It is highly suggestable to leave it to cool for at least 1 hour before using the cleaning procedure on it.
Step 2: Scraping Food Residue
Using a metal spatula, gently scrape off any leftover pizza, cheese, or toppings stuck on the surface of the steel. This step is essential as it removes the bulk of the food debris, making the cleaning process much more manageable.
Step 3: Wipe with Damp Cloth or Paper Towel
Use a damp cloth or paper towel to lightly wipe down pizza steel after removing food residue. It gets rid of the crumbs, and the steel gets ready for the next phase of the cleaning process.
Step 4: Use Hot Water and Dish Soap
Fill a sink or basin with hot water and just a few drops of mild dish soap. Dunk your pizza steel in the soapy water and let it sit for a few minutes. They help to further break down any food particles left behind, which will make it easier to clean down the line.
Step 5: Scrub with Non-Abrasive Sponge
Take a mild sponge and scrub that pizza steel gently. Steel needs to be buffed to a shiny finish after removing grease and sauces, and you never want to use steel wool or a harsh scrubber. Be gentle while taking out all of the remaining sticky food.
Step 6: Rinse and Dry
Rinse the pizza steel with hot water to wash away any residual soapy water. Dry it carefully with a clean cloth or paper towel. This is a very important step as if you let moisture sit on your steel, it will cause your steel to rust.
Alternative Method: Seasoning the Pizza Steel
Instead of using soap and water, some people prefer seasoning their pizza. Spread a very thin layer of oil on the steel surface and heat it in an oven for 1 hour at 450°F. This will season the steel, which will help to make the steel non-stick and enhance the flavor of the pizza over time.
Maintaining Your Pizza Steel
The following are some tips to sustain pizza steel in excellent condition:
1. Avoid Temperature Shock
Never shock your pizza steel with abrupt temperature fluctuations,, whether from a hot oven to cold water, or from an extremely cold to extremely high oven. This results in steel bending, cracking, and further tears.
2. Use a Pizza Peel
Transfer Your Pizza to Oven Using a pizza peel is ideal for getting your pizza into and out of the oven. This means it can stop your steel from becoming a mess and will generally keep it a lot cleaner for much longer.
3. Use parchment paper
To make this go around, place a pizza peel or parchment paper under your pizzas to prevent further cleaning from sticking to the steel.
4. Avoid excessive topping
Prevent excessive buildup of residue by refraining from regular use of greasy toppings and conserving cheese on your pizzas. Since it will be ejected in the pizza crust as well as shed alongside pizza steel, making it tough to clean.
5. Handle with Care
Please remember that pizza steel is a heavy item, and it can cause injury if it is dropped or banged against other objects. It can lead to dents or scratches to the surface.
6. Follow the cleaning steps
This is normal and nothing to be alarmed at if you see any rust spots on your steel. Remove rust and re-season to replenish the non-stick properties — Follow the cleaning and seasoning steps above with your steel.
7. Store Properly
Place the pizza steel in a cool, dry area without any dust. It will be best if it is stored in a fabric or cloth bag. Do not keep it prone to moisture, as it can result in rust formation.
Conclusion
Learning how to clean a pizza steel and properly maintain it is essential for any pizza lover. By following the steps mentioned above, you can ensure your pizza steel stays in top condition, providing you with delicious homemade pizzas for years to come. Don’t forget to clean your pizza steel after each use, and it will continue to produce mouth-watering, crispy crusts every time.
With these simple steps and bonus tips, you’ll have a clean and well-seasoned pizza steel ready to use for your next pizza night. Happy cleaning!