4 BEST REASONS FOR USING A TURNING PEEL IN YOUR PIZZA OVEN

There are various shaped pizza peels used for launching the pizza into your oven and also for turning the pizza when inside the oven. These are the most common types of pizza peel:

Square wooden peel for launching pizza
Square metal peel with perforations for launching pizza
Round solid metal peel for turning pizza
Round perforated metal peel for turning pizza.

It's handy to have a square peel to launch your pizza and a round metal peel to turn your pizza.

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In this article we will cover:

Which peel to use
Wood peel or metal peel
Square peel or round peel
Benefits of using a turning peel

1. WHICH PEEL TO USE?

When you first buy a pizza oven you will also need to buy some pizza peels. The oven will get very hot and the peel will provide you with some distance and comfort from the heat when you manage your pizza at the different stages of cooking the pizza.

2. WOOD OR METAL PEEL?

You can buy pizza peels made of wood and metal. The launch peel has traditionally been made of wood. The launch peel is used to place the pizza into the oven. The wooden launch pizza peel is lightly floured to ensure the pizza doesn't stick to the peel as it slips off and placed onto the stone of the oven.

Metal launch pizza peels are also available and these are mostly non-stick and perforated. The perforated metal allows the flour to fall through and off the pizza base before it is launched into the oven.

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3. SQUARE PEEL OR ROUND PEEL?

Normally, a square pizza peel is used to launch your pizza into the oven. This could be wood or metal.

A round pizza peel is used to turn the pizza in the oven. The round peel can be angled and the pizza tipped against the stone to allow you to turn the pizza around in the oven without touching it. This has its advantages:

prevents you from burning your fingers
stops the pizza from changing shape

Many pizza cooks also like to use a square pizza peel to turn their pizza. This process is different from working with a round pizza peel. With a square pizza peel you will need to bring the pizza out of the oven on the peel, turn it with your fingers on the peel and then return it into the oven.

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4. BENEFITS OF USING A TURNING PEEL

Learning to use a round pizza peel and developing your turning skills in the oven is most beneficial and recommended.

It will take a bit of practice to use the round turning peel but with some time it will be worth it.

Round turning pizza peels are made of metal and they can be both perforated and solid.

The perforated pizza peels have the benefit of allowing the heat from the pizza stone to cook your pizza as it turns and also allows excess flour to be dislodged from the pizza base.

The turning peel can also be used as a handy tool to prevent the top of your pizza from overcooking when needed. You can do this by using the peel to shield the top of your pizza from the flame.

The peel can also be used to lift the pizza toward the flame when you need to cook your crust or when your base has cooked but your crusts have not. This procedure allows you to manage the cook of your pizza with more precision.

With some practice, learning to use a turning peel for your pizza cook will give you the opportunity to cook your pizza with more precision against the heat. It will also allow you to turn your pizza without burning your fingers and misshaping your round pizza.

Plus, don't forget the handle length of your peel. If you are using a pizza oven with a flame close to the front of the oven you will need to use a long-handled peel to protect your hands.

The size of your pizza oven and the pizza size will also determine the size of your peel. The peels are sold in various sizes and the portable pizza ovens normally use size 7" to 8" pizza peels. Larger pizza ovens use 9" to 10" pizza peels.