# Over-Pre-Heat Pizza Stone, Then Reduce Heat...



## Endorush (Feb 3, 2013)

I'm a n00b compared to ya'll, but wanted to ask something...

Cooking Digiorno pizzas, I use a pizza stone, and I've been trying something new... 

The box says (for crisper crust) to cook on the rack for 23-26 mins @ 400F, or to cook (for softer crust) for 25-28 mins at 425F...

Anyways, I've been pre-heating the oven to much higher temps like ~470F with the pizza stone inside, and letting it sit for about 10 minutes to let the stone get to full temp...  Then I open the oven and throw the pizza onto the stone (air temp obviously drops)... I turn the heat down to like 400-410F and let it cook until it looks done.

This way, the stone is wayyy hotter than the air in the stove, so the crust/dough cooks fast while the cheese/sauce/toppings cook slower, so they don't get all burned.

Basically trying to cook the dough/crust at a different speed than the cheese/toppings.

It's working out great.

I was just wondering if this was some already common technique and if there's any advice related to this type of cooking pizza.  I can't be the first person to use a pizza stone this way.

Just throwing this out there to get some advice from any of ya'll pros.

Appreciate any feedback


----------



## Addie (Feb 3, 2013)

Well, I don't buy frozen pizzas. So I can't be of any help to you on that. We have just down the street from where I live, the #1 pizza in New England. But I did want to welcome you.


----------



## justplainbill (Feb 3, 2013)

Endorush said:


> I'm a n00b compared to ya'll, but wanted to ask something...
> 
> Cooking Digiorno pizzas, I use a pizza stone, and I've been trying something new...
> 
> ...


Bake longer and at a higher temp for a softer crust?  Does not sound right.


----------



## Zagut (Feb 3, 2013)

My stone needs more the 10 minutes to get hot.

I keep the temps up to the hottest my oven will go and don't turn it down.

Haven't done Digiorno in a long while but I do use the pre made crusts like Boboli when I get lazy and have had success with both topping and crust being done at the same time.

But your statement "It's working out great." says to keep doing what you're doing. Don't mess with success.


----------



## roadfix (Feb 3, 2013)

Placing pizza onto the stone robs heat from it, reducing its temperature, so it makes sense to preheat the stone to a high temp.  What also helps is using two layers of stones, doubling the heat mass, but doing so will take longer to preheat.


----------



## chopper (Feb 3, 2013)

I typically give the pizza stone lots of time to heat up with both frozen pizza and home made.  I think your idea for the frozen pizza is a great one.  I'm glad it works well for you.  Imay have to try it the next time I get a frozen pizza.


----------

