Thread: Seasoning a baking stone and using it questions

On 9/10/2011 9:14 PM, Cheryl wrote:
> I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. I
> only bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party
> otherwise I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. But it sure is nice.
> Much bigger than I expected at 15". Nice handles for lifting. Is there
> any reading for how to use these things? The only instructions I got
> with it said to season it with cooking spray or cook things like high
> fat refrigerator biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or
> dishwashing liquid, and of course, not dishwasher safe. Other than that
> it just says to scrape off any food but how do you clean it? I don't
> even own any cast iron so I don't get the concept of how to clean
> something that you can't use liquid detergent on.
>
> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
> most of the surface with food. Are there any good tips out there for
> what you can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza? Thanks.

I use my pizza stone for baking challah. I have been using pizza stones
for years as they helped make an RV propane oven work better and I never
heard of seasoning them with anything. Of course, mine were cheapies
from Kitchen Collection and not elegant ones from Pampered Chef <g>

I solve the problem of cleaning it by putting a silpat on top of it.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Sat, 10 Sep 2011 21:30:30 -0500, Janet Wilder
<[email protected]> wrote:

> I use my pizza stone for baking challah. I have been using pizza stones
> for years as they helped make an RV propane oven work better and I never
> heard of seasoning them with anything. Of course, mine were cheapies
> from Kitchen Collection and not elegant ones from Pampered Chef <g>
>
> I solve the problem of cleaning it by putting a silpat on top of it.

Mine is even cheaper... unglazed quarry tiles that I don't clean other
than to get the obvious off. Some are quite shiny and black... does
that remind you of anything?

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Cheryl wrote:
>
> I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. I
> only bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party
> otherwise I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. But it sure is nice.
> Much bigger than I expected at 15". Nice handles for lifting. Is there
> any reading for how to use these things? The only instructions I got
> with it said to season it with cooking spray or cook things like high
> fat refrigerator biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or
> dishwashing liquid, and of course, not dishwasher safe. Other than that
> it just says to scrape off any food but how do you clean it? I don't
> even own any cast iron so I don't get the concept of how to clean
> something that you can't use liquid detergent on.
>
> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
> most of the surface with food. Are there any good tips out there for
> what you can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza? Thanks.

Most of the time when you are using a baking stone, you are running it
as hot as your oven goes, 500F+ so it is rather self cleaning and you
just scrape off any carbonized residue.

On 9/10/2011 10:30 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> On 9/10/2011 9:14 PM, Cheryl wrote:
>> I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. I
>> only bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party
>> otherwise I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. But it sure is nice.
>> Much bigger than I expected at 15". Nice handles for lifting. Is there
>> any reading for how to use these things? The only instructions I got
>> with it said to season it with cooking spray or cook things like high
>> fat refrigerator biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or
>> dishwashing liquid, and of course, not dishwasher safe. Other than that
>> it just says to scrape off any food but how do you clean it? I don't
>> even own any cast iron so I don't get the concept of how to clean
>> something that you can't use liquid detergent on.
>>
>> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
>> most of the surface with food. Are there any good tips out there for
>> what you can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza? Thanks.
>
> I use my pizza stone for baking challah. I have been using pizza stones
> for years as they helped make an RV propane oven work better and I never
> heard of seasoning them with anything. Of course, mine were cheapies
> from Kitchen Collection and not elegant ones from Pampered Chef <g>
>
> I solve the problem of cleaning it by putting a silpat on top of it.
>

Thanks sweetie. I will keep looking for how to use this thing. I have a
silpat. I also had to support my niece by getting one of those big PC
pizza cutters. Much better than my 20 year old one that rips through
the cheese if you don't angle it right. I miss the old fundraisers with
cheaper items.

On 9/10/2011 10:13 PM, Cheryl wrote:
> On 9/10/2011 10:30 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>> On 9/10/2011 9:14 PM, Cheryl wrote:
>>> I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. I
>>> only bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party
>>> otherwise I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. But it sure is nice.
>>> Much bigger than I expected at 15". Nice handles for lifting. Is there
>>> any reading for how to use these things? The only instructions I got
>>> with it said to season it with cooking spray or cook things like high
>>> fat refrigerator biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or
>>> dishwashing liquid, and of course, not dishwasher safe. Other than that
>>> it just says to scrape off any food but how do you clean it? I don't
>>> even own any cast iron so I don't get the concept of how to clean
>>> something that you can't use liquid detergent on.
>>>
>>> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
>>> most of the surface with food. Are there any good tips out there for
>>> what you can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza?
>>> Thanks.
>>
>> I use my pizza stone for baking challah. I have been using pizza stones
>> for years as they helped make an RV propane oven work better and I never
>> heard of seasoning them with anything. Of course, mine were cheapies
>> from Kitchen Collection and not elegant ones from Pampered Chef <g>
>>
>> I solve the problem of cleaning it by putting a silpat on top of it.
>>
>
> Thanks sweetie. I will keep looking for how to use this thing. I have a
> silpat. I also had to support my niece by getting one of those big PC
> pizza cutters. Much better than my 20 year old one that rips through the
> cheese if you don't angle it right. I miss the old fundraisers with
> cheaper items.
>
My niece sells Pampered Chef, too. I ordered a tomato knife from her and
I really like it. It's green and serrated and it does a great job
dicing fresh tomatoes.

I do have to admit that if she was not selling the stuff, I'd never have
considered paying so much for a tomato knife.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

my sister uses hers for cookines and breads of all kinds,

as to cleaning, my dh had one of these my ssister got him for christmas one
year, he just scraped it clean with a plastic scrubber, not one that digs
in, then he wiped it with a damp cloth, I don't recall him doing anything
towards seasoning he just started using it.

beyond pizzas breads and cookies, he also uses it from time to time to
increase the temp of the oven, i can't recall the thing its called, but he
puts it on the bottom shelf and preheats with the oven then bakes a pie on
the higher shelf to cook the bottm more quickly so the picrust doesn't get
mushy.

Lee

ps, my best friend is well on her way to being his new best friend, as soon
after the house burnt she found his exact stone on ebay for cheap, lol, Lee
"Cheryl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4e6c19a2$0$26479$[email protected] .com...
>I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. I only
>bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party otherwise
>I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. But it sure is nice. Much bigger
>than I expected at 15". Nice handles for lifting. Is there any reading
>for how to use these things? The only instructions I got with it said to
>season it with cooking spray or cook things like high fat refrigerator
>biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or dishwashing liquid, and
>of course, not dishwasher safe. Other than that it just says to scrape off
>any food but how do you clean it? I don't even own any cast iron so I
>don't get the concept of how to clean something that you can't use liquid
>detergent on.
>
> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover most
> of the surface with food. Are there any good tips out there for what you
> can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza? Thanks.

i guess i should have said he sometimes uses parchement paper when the
cookies are particularily high fat, Lee
"Janet Wilder" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4e6c1d47$0$1054$c3e8da3$[email protected] b.com...
> On 9/10/2011 9:14 PM, Cheryl wrote:
>> I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. I
>> only bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party
>> otherwise I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. But it sure is nice.
>> Much bigger than I expected at 15". Nice handles for lifting. Is there
>> any reading for how to use these things? The only instructions I got
>> with it said to season it with cooking spray or cook things like high
>> fat refrigerator biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or
>> dishwashing liquid, and of course, not dishwasher safe. Other than that
>> it just says to scrape off any food but how do you clean it? I don't
>> even own any cast iron so I don't get the concept of how to clean
>> something that you can't use liquid detergent on.
>>
>> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
>> most of the surface with food. Are there any good tips out there for
>> what you can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza? Thanks.
>
> I use my pizza stone for baking challah. I have been using pizza stones
> for years as they helped make an RV propane oven work better and I never
> heard of seasoning them with anything. Of course, mine were cheapies from
> Kitchen Collection and not elegant ones from Pampered Chef <g>
>
> I solve the problem of cleaning it by putting a silpat on top of it.
>
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Way-the-heck-south Texas
> Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On 9/10/2011 11:03 PM, Pete C.
wrote:
> Most of the time when you are using a baking stone, you are running it
> as hot as your oven goes, 500F+ so it is rather self cleaning and you
> just scrape off any carbonized residue.

Thanks. So after you wipe it off and put it away for the next use it
isn't grubby?

no most it ever needs is a damp cloth, and btw the stone is used to
satabilize really, whatever heat your oven is is the temp the stone will
come to, it doesn't have to be all the way hot to be useful, but it really
does an excellent job on pizza done that way, Lee
"Cheryl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4e6c37fc$0$26452$[email protected] .com...
> On 9/10/2011 11:03 PM, Pete C.
> wrote:
>> Most of the time when you are using a baking stone, you are running it
>> as hot as your oven goes, 500F+ so it is rather self cleaning and you
>> just scrape off any carbonized residue.
>
> Thanks. So after you wipe it off and put it away for the next use it
> isn't grubby?

Cheryl wrote:
>
> On 9/10/2011 11:03 PM, Pete C.
> wrote:
> > Most of the time when you are using a baking stone, you are running it
> > as hot as your oven goes, 500F+ so it is rather self cleaning and you
> > just scrape off any carbonized residue.
>
> Thanks. So after you wipe it off and put it away for the next use it
> isn't grubby?

It will be a bit discolored, but that isn't a problem. I also don't put
it away, it always stays on the bottom rack in my oven since it provides
thermal mass to stabilize oven temps and provides a shield from direct
radiant energy from the bottom element in the oven.

Il 11/09/2011 06:30, Storrmmee ha scritto:

> no most it ever needs is a damp cloth, and btw the stone is used to
> satabilize really, whatever heat your oven is is the temp the stone will
> come to, it doesn't have to be all the way hot to be useful, but it really
> does an excellent job on pizza done that way, Lee

My cousin regularlu uses a pizza stone, he always puts it on the
stovetop's biggest fire and hets it like that, then he puts itg into the
oven with the pizza over it. He's getting close to the topstove heated
cast-iron pan and broiler. He still uses the normal oven but I suggested
him to try with the broiler a-la ALton Brown. We'll see
--
Vilco
And the Family Stone
Let the liquor do the thinking

On Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:24:28 -0400, Cheryl <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On 9/10/2011 11:03 PM, Pete C.
>wrote:
>> Most of the time when you are using a baking stone, you are running it
>> as hot as your oven goes, 500F+ so it is rather self cleaning and you
>> just scrape off any carbonized residue.
>
>Thanks. So after you wipe it off and put it away for the next use it
>isn't grubby?

I don't put mine away. I leave it in the oven. It is always ready,
after the time needed to preheat it.

Christine
--
http://nightstirrings.blogspot.com

On 9/10/2011 10:14 PM, Cheryl wrote:
> I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. I
> only bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party
> otherwise I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. But it sure is nice.
> Much bigger than I expected at 15". Nice handles for lifting. Is there
> any reading for how to use these things? The only instructions I got
> with it said to season it with cooking spray or cook things like high
> fat refrigerator biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or
> dishwashing liquid, and of course, not dishwasher safe. Other than that
> it just says to scrape off any food but how do you clean it? I don't
> even own any cast iron so I don't get the concept of how to clean
> something that you can't use liquid detergent on.
>
> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
> most of the surface with food. Are there any good tips out there for
> what you can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza? Thanks.

Never heard of seasoning a stone. I simply scape off excess food as it
instructs. That isn't a food safety issue because you always heat it to
high temperatures before use. This concept of cleaning is the same one
you use for cast iron.

On Sep 10, 10:14*pm, Cheryl <jlhsha...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I bought a Pampered Chef baking stone, first stone I've ever owned. *I
> only bought it to support a sales drive my niece was doing for a party
> otherwise I wouldn't have bought one so expensive. *But it sure is nice..
> Much bigger than I expected at 15". *Nice handles for lifting. *Is there
> any reading for how to use these things? *The only instructions I got
> with it said to season it with cooking spray or cook things like high
> fat refrigerator biscuits for the first few uses. Not to use soap or
> dishwashing liquid, and of course, not dishwasher safe. *Other than that
> it just says to scrape off any food but how do you clean it? *I don't
> even own any cast iron so I don't get the concept of how to clean
> something that you can't use liquid detergent on.
>
> I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
> most of the surface with food. *Are there any good tips out there for
> what you can use a 15" baking stone for other than a large pizza? *Thanks.

I never did anything to mine. Just slapped on the first pizza.

I leave it in my oven and stick other pans of stuff on it - oven
fries, bread. If the cookware fits on it, it stays.

I just scrape off any food bits with a sharp knife. Sharpens the
knife too.

On Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:14:58 -0400, Cheryl <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
>I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
>most of the surface with food.

I have a Pampered Chef baking stone, and I must have missed those
instructions. I have never worried about covering the surface. I
love it for baking biscuits. I also use it to reheat anything that
needs to be crisped back up -- chicken tenders, fries, etc.

I just wipe off any visible dirt.

Tara

You don't season a baking stone -- the pores must be open to cook things
properly.

You dont clean a baking stone, other than to scrape off any obvious burned-on
black stuff. The heat of the oven does short-term cleaning under normal
conditions.

The stone will be cleaned ultimately during the oven's self-cleaning cycle --
after which you just wipe off any grey power with a damp sponge.

-- Larry

On Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:24:28 -0400, Cheryl <[email protected]> wrote:

>Thanks. So after you wipe it off and put it away for the next use it
>isn't grubby?

It's best to leave it in your oven at all times. It slows down the heat-up
slightly, but also stabilizes your oven temperatures.

I have two in my oven at all times -- one on the bottom (concealed heating
element) and one on the lowest of three racks.

-- Larry

i am very interested in that, DH's grandfather was cicilian, sp, he said
pizza when he was a kid was a way to stretch food and was nothing like what
we have here, Lee
"ViLco" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:j4iho7$em$[email protected]..
> Il 11/09/2011 06:30, Storrmmee ha scritto:
>
>> no most it ever needs is a damp cloth, and btw the stone is used to
>> satabilize really, whatever heat your oven is is the temp the stone will
>> come to, it doesn't have to be all the way hot to be useful, but it
>> really
>> does an excellent job on pizza done that way, Lee
>
> My cousin regularlu uses a pizza stone, he always puts it on the
> stovetop's biggest fire and hets it like that, then he puts itg into the
> oven with the pizza over it. He's getting close to the topstove heated
> cast-iron pan and broiler. He still uses the normal oven but I suggested
> him to try with the broiler a-la ALton Brown. We'll see
> --
> Vilco
> And the Family Stone
> Let the liquor do the thinking

iirc that dh's came with a scraper, so he just scraped and wiped, ours lived
in the oven also. Lee
"Tara" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:14:58 -0400, Cheryl <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>I also noticed the instructions said to use it only if you can cover
>>most of the surface with food.
>
> I have a Pampered Chef baking stone, and I must have missed those
> instructions. I have never worried about covering the surface. I
> love it for baking biscuits. I also use it to reheat anything that
> needs to be crisped back up -- chicken tenders, fries, etc.
>
> I just wipe off any visible dirt.
>
> Tara