I love making pizzas at home but one of the biggest challenges is to get the pizza off of a pizza peel.
It is quite hard when you do not know how to clean a wooden pizza peel properly.
That is why I have this post and a simple guide in it that will help you clean your wooden pizza peel easily.
It is important to know these skills but it is also important to keep your space clean.
A wooden pizza peel is perfect to get the pizza off of your workspace and into the oven.
Once the pizza is cooked, you can also use the pizza peel to transfer the pizza to your table.
The wooden version of a pizza peel is more popular and more commonly recommended than its metal counterpart.
This is because the dough slides easier on and off the wood than on steel.
If you use a wooden pizza peel or pizza paddle, then you should also know how to take care of it.
There are different options for the best wood for pizza peel and how do you take care of it.
Depending on the finish of the pizza peel, it can either be oiled or just left as it is.
Most guides on proper care for bamboo peels will tell you that it needs to be oiled, so let us settle the confusion.
How Do You Clean A Pizza Peel: Step-By-Step Guide On Cleaning A Wooden Pizza Peel
Even if you have the best wood for pizza peels, you should still know how to take care of it properly.
This is a very simple guide as it is really easy to clean a wooden pizza peel.
I will be talking more about the proper care later on so you will know not only how to get pizza off of the pizza peel but also how you can improve the finish on the pizza peel you have.
Step 1: Scrape Off Any Leftover Dough
The main problem you are going to face when using a wooden peel is the dough sticking to its surface. This can be really hard to remove as you also need to take care of the peel itself.
That is why as soon as you are done cooking or if you no longer need to use the pizza peel, scrape off any leftover pizza dough that is sticking to the pizza peel using a plastic scraper.
The wooden pizza paddle can attract a lot of debris.
That goes even with the best wood for pizza peel, hence the proper care for bamboo peels as it is one of the most common wood for pizza paddles or peels.
Step 2: Wash The Pizza Peel
Washing a wooden pizza peel might seem easy but you need to make sure that you do not destroy it in the process. Once you scrape off the dough sticking to the pizza peel, wash it.
I recommend soaking up a soft sponge with water and then scrubbing off gently the rest of the residues on the pizza peel. Make sure to use a soft sponge so you do not damage the finish on the peel.
This is recommended in many guides or proper cares for bamboo pizza peels because if you scrub the surface too hard, the bamboo can produce splinters that might injure you.
Want to know how to care for bamboo pizza peels, a great piece of advice I can give you is to never soak it in water. This also goes with the best wood for a pizza peel or any wood as well.
That is because it can warp the pizza peel and break it. The wooden pizza peel can also develop a foul smell if the water seeps through the surface as it drags down more dirt.
Step 3: Wipe The Pizza Peel
If you accidentally soak the pizza peel in water, then you should use food-grade oil to revert the surface of the pizza peel. Just use a very thin layer of it and then spread it on the pizza peel.
Do not use olive oil or vegetable oil on the pizza peel. This can leave a strong smell especially if the pizza peel is under high temperatures and can even transfer the foul smell on your pizza.
The best wood for pizza peels will not let the dough stick too much to the surface. So wooden pizza peels do not always need to be oiled in order for you to take care of them properly.
The oil will only help prevent the pizza from sticking to the pizza peel but it has more disadvantages. Plus, you can prevent the dough from sticking to the pizza paddle with flour.
If you insist that the pizza peel should be oiled, just make sure to wipe off any excess oil from the surface. This can help get the pizza off of the pizza peel but it is not necessary.
Step 4: Allow The Pizza Peel To Dry
Once you are done washing the wooden pizza peel, you can either hang it on the cupboard or put it in the dish rack. Allow the pizza peel to air dry and put it in the drawer once it is dry.
Never put the wooden pizza peel in the dishwasher. You will see this reminder in most guides for proper care for bamboo pizza peels as the harsh movements in a dishwasher can scratch the surface.
Premium And Proper Care/Maintenance Of Your Wooden Pizza Peel
Since you now know how do you take care of your wooden pizza peel with the first step of keeping it clean, you should also know how to take care of it in the long run.
Wooden pizza peels are great but they tend to last shorter than their metal counterparts. That is why you need to know how to properly maintain them so they can last longer than expected.
1. Always Prevent Scratches
The main reason why your pizza dough keeps on sticking to the pizza peel is because of the rough surface caused by dents or scratches from the years of usage and careless actions.
A large pizza peel is tempting to use as a wooden chopping board but you should always, always, always, avoid this.
The knife can easily scratch the surface of the pizza peel.
That goes with any sharp object as well.
So even if you serve the pie on the pizza peel, you should never cut the pizza into slices while it is resting on the pizza peel to prevent scratches.
The scars on the finish of the wooden pizza peel will ultimately make the surface ugly and uneven.
This can cause splinters that might get to you or hold the dough to the pizza peel.
That means that you will not be able to get pizza off of the pizza peel easily.
In fact, it can ruin the whole pizza if you suddenly jerk it and then the toppings go flying off while the dough sticks to the peel.
2. Avoid Burns
As a newbie, I have burnt quite a few pizza peels in my cooking career.
That is why I feel the need to remind you that you should never leave the pizza peel too long in the oven.
Since you are using a wooden pizza peel, which is obviously not fireproof, make sure that you only use it to transfer the pizza in and out of the oven and not leave it in there for too long.
Pizza ovens can be really hot and if you leave the pizza peel even just for a few seconds inside them, the fire can burn the wooden pizza peel and leave a really ugly mark on the surface.
This is not only unaesthetic but it will also prevent you from sliding the pizza on and off the pizza peel flawlessly.
It can also transfer the charcoal on the pizza and that is not the char we are looking for on a pizza crust.
3. Keep It Simple
There are professionals that use a seal on the pizza peel in order to transfer the pizza easier into the pizza oven.
This is good for those who know it but it is unnecessary, especially for home cooks.
The seal on the pizza peel is not needed since the wooden surface is enough to launch the pizza into the oven.
What I would recommend is using just a bit of flour on the pizza peel.
Extra flour can damage the consistency of the pizza dough and it can even burn the crust.
However, if you use just a sprinkle on the wooden pizza peel, you will be able to transfer the pizza smoothly.
Some even use cornmeal instead of flour but I recommend using flour if it is your first try.
You can experiment with other alternatives on your next pizza.
So now that you know how to properly care for your wooden pizza peel, you should always remember to keep it clean and safe from damages so it will be ready for your next homemade pizza recipe!
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