Preparation & usage
preparing your steel
Each and every steel is inspected and sanded by me personally before I apply a thin layer of oil. I sand each face and each edge, making sure that no sharp burrs remain and that even the smallest scratches are sanded out.
It is really important to me that I take great care in preparing each steel before it is sent out.
Preparation & usage
preparing your steel
Each and every steel is inspected and sanded by me personally before I apply a thin layer of oil. I sand each face and each edge, making sure that no sharp burrs remain and that even the smallest scratches are sanded out.
It is really important to me that I take great care in preparing each steel before it is sent out.
preparing your steel at home
Initial Care
Apply a little rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil to the steel using a lint-free cloth. Remove any excess oil with a paper towel. Don’t worry about dark residue on the paper towel, this is normal until the steel has been sealed. You can then store the steel until you are ready to use it or go straight to sealing it as outlined below.
Sealing your steel
The first time you want to use your steel, preheat your oven to 250 degrees (or as high as it goes if it does not go up to 250 degrees). When your oven is hot, place the lightly oiled steel inside and keep it there for around 45 minutes. The oil will burn off and seal the steel, darkening its appearance in the process. After this time, the steel is sealed, preheated and ready to be used. It is a good idea to oil the steel and seal it, as above, a couple more times as and when you use it to give the appearance a more uniform look. The first sealing can appear a little patchy - this is ok and you can use the steel straight away. The colour will further darken and the steel will be easier to clean should you have any leaks from pizza toppings etc in the future.
Using your steel
I like to preheat my steels for at least 30 minutes at a high temperature (250 degrees or as close to it as your oven can manage) before using them for bread or pizza. You can keep your steel in your oven at all times if you wish. You can bake directly on the steel although I do prefer to use baking paper or reusable parchment when making pizzas or other foods where ingredients might leak onto the steel - purely as it makes cleaning the steels easier and bread and pizzas glide more easily from peel to steel.