How many times have you tried to slide a pizza onto the stone in the oven, and the dough ends up stretching in the wrong direction while the toppings start separating from the dough? One should know the correct technique for putting a pizza in the oven. Find out in our article how to put a pizza in the oven properly.
Open the oven door and pull the rack with the pizza stone out. Then put the pizza on the pizza lifter and gently shake it onto the pizza stone. Make sure that your dish fits on the stone perfectly. Then, lift the rack a bit, put it in the oven, and close the door.
How to Put a Pizza in the Oven and Prepare an Amazing Dish?
Many people think that making a pizza is quite simple. Preparing the dough, pouring pizza sauce, grating cheese, and layering toppings does seem like an easy task. However, some are terrified when it comes to lifting the dough and putting it in the oven.
A lot can go wrong; the pizza can get stuck to the counter, the topping can fall off, and the dough can lose shape. But one shouldn’t worry. Make sure to follow our step-by-step guide, and you’ll be enjoying a delicious pizza just like from Pizza Hut or Domino’s in no time:
- First, spread the dough and layer toppings on the pizza lifter since it will be easier to put it in the oven.
- Once you complete the pizza, put oven mitts on and open the oven door.
- Take the rack, lift it up slightly, and pull it slowly out of the oven.
- Don’t place the dish on the rack directly, but have a pizza stone on the rack.
- Check whether the pizza and the stone are the same sizes.
- Carefully shake the pizza lifter and see whether the pizza wiggles; if it is loose, you can transfer the dough to the stone.
- Lower the lifter and slide the dough off gently. Bear in mind that one should pay attention to the corners of the stone and make sure that the dough and the corners line up perfectly.
- Put the mittens back on, lift the rack and slide it into the oven.
- Finally, close the oven door and start your cooking timer.
The impeccable chewy pizza should be baked at 475 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. When the crust starts to turn into a golden brown color, and the cheese starts to melt, it’s ready to be taken out of the oven.
Should You Cook the Pizza on the Rack Directly?
The raw dough should never be placed directly on the rack. It is simply impossible to cook a perfect pizza this way since the dough will slowly but surely fall through the wide gaps. However, if you are reheating a leftover pizza or cooking one that has a pre-made crust, you can safely put them on the rack. The tough crust can be cooked evenly on the rack. Additionally, frozen pizza can be placed on the rack in case it isn’t prepared with raw dough.
How to Take the Pizza Out of the Oven?
The cooking timer has sounded the end of cooking. What now? How do you take the pizza out and serve it? The key is to be prepared. Once you hear the familiar sound, take your oven mitts again and follow these instructions:
- Open the oven door, carefully lift the rack and pull it outside.
- Check whether the dish is properly cooked, and look at what color the crust is.
- Take the pizza board or a pizza lifter, wiggle the crust a bit, and quickly slide it below the pizza.
- In case you make a mistake and push the pizza off the stone, don’t panic. Simply grab the pizza and pull it onto the lifter.
- Push the rack into the oven and close the door.
How to Cut the Pizza Into the Slices?
The pizza will cool down easily if you choose to slice it immediately upon taking it out of the oven. The trick is to ensure that you cut through each piece. Many people use the pizza cutter and just mark the slices without separating the crust.
What one needs to do is press the pizza cutter firmly and slowly drag it across the pizza. In this way, you will get evenly cut slices, just like at Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Little Caesars as well as Papa John’s.
How Do You Keep The Pizza Warm?
Perhaps you are throwing the party, and the guests have yet to arrive. Your pizza should stay warm enough if you take proper measures. You can keep it warm for up to three hours using the following methods.
| Method 1 – Wrap the slices in aluminum foil | You can never go wrong with aluminum foil. It will trap the heat, so the slices will be warm for up to two hours. You can also reheat the pizza for about ten minutes in the oven if you want them to be piping hot when your guests arrive. |
| Method 2 – Keep the pizza in the oven | It will take some time for the oven to cool down after the pizza has been cooked. Take advantage of this and keep the pizza in the oven, so it stays warm enough for the guests. |
| Method 3 – Reheat in the microwave | If you’ve forgotten to leave the dish in the oven or wrap it in aluminum foil, your fail-safe option is always the microwave. Place the slices on the plate and put a bowl with water next to it. Reheat the pizza for about 5 minutes. |
You Are Now Ready to Make a Perfect Homemade Pizza
Once you know the essential techniques for putting the pizzas in the oven and removing them safely from it, you will be ready to tackle every pizza recipe. Ensure that you have all the necessary tools, such as a pizza stone, pizza lifter, pizza cutter, and kitchen mitts. Once you prepare a piping hot dish, use our helpful methods and keep it warm for up to three hours. Enjoy a delectable and appetizing pizza that you’ve made yourself.