2 best baking steel for bread

A baking steel for bread is a specialized kitchen tool used in the process of baking bread. It is related to pizza pans and stones because it shares the same principle of providing even and intense heat to create the ideal baking environment. Here's what you need to know about a baking steel for bread:

  1. Material: Baking steels are typically made from thick, high-quality steel. This material has excellent heat-retention properties, allowing it to get very hot and maintain that high temperature, similar to a pizza stone.

  2. Heat Distribution: Baking steel distributes heat evenly across its surface, which is essential for achieving consistent results when baking bread. This even heat helps create a crisp and well-browned crust on the bread.

  3. Versatility: While primarily designed for baking bread, baking steels can also be used for other baked goods like pizzas and flatbreads. They are incredibly versatile and can even be used as a griddle for cooking various foods.

  4. Preheating: For best results, a baking steel should be preheated in the oven before placing the bread dough on it. Preheating ensures that the steel is at the right temperature to promote oven spring and crust development.

  5. Steam Generation: Many bakers use baking steels in conjunction with steam-generating methods to create a steamy baking environment. Steam is crucial for achieving a beautiful, crispy crust and an open crumb structure in bread.

  6. Thickness: Baking steels come in various thicknesses, typically ranging from 3/8 to 1/2 inch. Thicker steels have greater heat-retention capabilities but take longer to preheat.

  7. Maintenance: Baking steels should be seasoned and maintained like cast iron cookware to prevent rust. They can develop a natural non-stick surface over time with proper care.

To use a baking steel for bread, you would typically place it on a rack in your oven and preheat the oven to the desired temperature. Once the steel is thoroughly heated, you transfer your bread dough onto it for baking. The steel's heat radiates into the dough, creating the perfect conditions for oven spring and crust development.

Baking steels have gained popularity among home bakers looking to elevate their bread-baking game. They are prized for their ability to replicate the intense heat of commercial bread ovens, resulting in artisan-quality loaves with crispy crusts and tender interiors.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best baking steel for bread on the market
  

NerdChef Steel Stone - High-Performance Baking Surface for Pizza (14.5"x16" x1/4") - (.25" Thick - Standard)

NerdChef

Based on 604 reviews Check latest price
  • 20x higher conductivity than ceramic baking stones and twice the heat capacity. This lets it send much more heat energy to your crust so you can get the great performance of a 1000F oven in a home oven at 450F.
  • Creates gorgeous crusts, better blistering, and faster cook times. "The ultimate pizza stone" - LifeHacker
  • Low-friction surface: textured, sanded smooth, seasoned with flaxseed oil.
  • Solid steel, unbreakable, guaranteed for life.
  • 16"x 14.25"x.25" - 16lbs (Warning: it's heavy!) Made in USA.

User questions & answers

Question: Instruction says to heat the stone in oven that's preheated to 500F first. my counter top convection oven has the maximum temp of 450. Will 450F work
Answer: I liked them. As a rough estimate, I felt that they keep ice cream cold about twice as long as a glass bowl which is probably about right inasmuch as the top is open so you still have quite an exposure to warm air from that direction. You'll also notice that your hands don't get cold like they would holding a glass dish.
Question: can i use this as a griddle
Answer: I haven't tried these bowls in the microwave and I wouldn't.
Question: Can anyone scientifially prove that the .375" or 1/2" would be better than the .25"? I can't find a reason to buy the thicker ones
Answer: Hi dear, Thank you for your interest. Our manufacture factories are located in Indonesia, India and China. Our products are made of high quality 18/0 stainless steel, durable and rustproof. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. HaWare
Question: Maybe a dumb question, but after this preheats to 550 in oven, how do you slide your prepared pizza onto it
Answer: Yes I did not buy this product I bought the the plates and the steel is extremely sturdy

Product features

Makes incredible crusts

Creates gorgeous crusts with beautiful blistering + faster bake times.

Excellent performance

Nerd Chef's Steel Stone has 20x faster heat transfer than ceramic stones and double the heat capacity. This gives you the performance of a 1000F wood-fired oven, in a home oven, at half the temperature.

Easier to handle

Steel is heavy and can be hard to handle. We designed finger holes in the NerdChef Steel Stone to make it much easier to move + you can hang it on a wall.

Durable for life

You'll pass Steel Stone to your grandchildren. It's unbreakable and we promise its use forever. Simply care for it like cast iron.

3 thicknesses to choose from

Our standard 1/4" blows away ceramic pizza stones. And the thicker versions do it even better. The heavier the Steel Stone, the more heat it can hold & transfer to your pizza. All are 16" x 14.25".

Works great cold too

Put some ice underneath and use it as a cold plate. Use dry ice and you can make ice cream directly on top.

Proudly made in the USA

With precision laser cut, low carbon American steel.

Low-friction & pre-seasoned

We bead-blast for texture then sand them smooth by hand. After cleaning, we apply thin layers of flaxseed oil and season them in our oven (no expense spared). Pizza slides easily.

Conductive Cooking - Square Pizza Steel Plate for Oven Cooking and Baking (3/8" Deluxe, 16”x16” Square) - Made in USA

Conductive Cooking

Based on 271 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Restaurant quality pizza is now achievable without an expensive brick-oven stove or stone. Introducing the ultra-conductive Square Pizza Steel from Conductive Cooking! We made the ultimate cooking plate for home chefs to help them create the perfect brick-oven like pizza.



Our Pizza Steel is Made in the USA from high quality low carbon steel, each plate is finished and cleaned in house. We craft each Pizza Steel from highly conductive metal alloy. This baking plate outshines even the best ceramic pizza stones due to the intense amount of heat transferred from the steel to the crust. Once you go steel you will see and taste the difference!



The durable Steel Plate allows you to create brick oven quality pizzas using your standard home oven! This allows families using just their oven to cook wood-oven like pizzas in a matter of minutes.



You don’t have to wait around for your pizza to cook for twenty plus minutes like you're used to, all you need to do is simply slide your freshly made pizza on to the Conductive Cooking Steel Plate and watch it cook to completion in under 5 minutes!



Our standard thickness is 3/16" thick and is perfect for cooking one or two pizzas extremely quickly. If you plan on cooking more than two pizzas at a time, try our deluxe model (3/8" thick) due to its increased heat storing ability.



These Pizza Steels will slide on and off without the worry of the pizza sticking due to our smooth and low drag surface. This item ships freshly shot blasted, but will need to be cleaned, oiled, and heat seasoned before use. It is easy to get cooking, simply wash and oil your pan. Next, put the steel in your oven at 375 for one hour and let it cool.



Get ready for a game changing experience regardless of whether you use your pizza steel in the oven, on the grill, stove top, or even in the freezer. We are here to help you conduct the perfect culinary symphony time and time again!

  • FAST SHIPPING: Guaranteed Next Business Day Handling, Ships via Ground.
  • HIGH QUALITY: Our ultra-conductive steel material outshines even the best ceramic stones. The durable Steel Plate allows you to create delicious brick oven quality pizzas using your standard home oven!
  • VARIETY: Choose the metal plate’s thickness that fits your needs! We offer our Standard (3/16") thickness for low volume use, or our Deluxe (3/8") thickness for extra heat storing and transfer capabilities for high volume use.
  • FAST COOK TIMES: Our steel cooking plates provide you with extremely fast cooking times, restaurant quality texture and flavor! This is easily achieved due to extremely high heat transfer and a proprietary cleaning and preparation method.
  • CRAFTED IN THE USA: We carefully CNC laser cut each pizza plate from a single piece of metal for extreme durability, conductivity, and finish. We take pride in our product so that it is low maintenance and easy to use. This way even the busiest of families can enjoy restaurant style pizzas that taste like they were cooked in traditional brick wood fired ovens! We are proudly made in the USA.

User questions & answers

Question: Does this need to be seasoned like a carbon steel skillet
Answer: If the ps4 is in rest mode it will keep charging
Question: Can this withstand direct heat such as from a charcoal grill? How long does it have to pre-heat
Answer: Yes it comes with a wall adapter it works awesome 👍❤️
Question: How to remove rust
Answer: There is no code engraved onto the bowl. However the description says it’s 304 stainless steel which translates to 18/8. 18 chromium / 8 nickel.
Question: Can this be left in the oven all the time
Answer: China

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