How do I...get hold of a baking stone?

[Calum]

Hi everyone

My first post here - please be gentle ;)

I've been pondering the pros and cons of using a baking stone in my oven, but I don't really want to buy one of those readily available pizza stones as a) they don't seem very good value b) they aren't really big enough to take more than one loaf at a time.

I know some people use paving stones and the like, which would be perfect, but I don't know what's the best kind of stone to go for. Any ideas / experiences to share?

Thanks!

Calum

[Green Aura]

Hi Calum and welcome.

I've got an outdoor bread oven which has a terracotta bakestone - or I suppose tile not stone. It takes the high temperatures just fine and cooks a pizza from raw in approx 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness of crust.

The only thing is you can't dunk it in water to wash it - most stuff gets burned off it anyway, but you can only give it a wipe with a damp cloth.

Hope that helps.

[Calum]

In B&Q yesterday and found good sized sandstone slab reduced to £2. Works a treat! Flat breads done on it were really great. I used my rimless baking sheet as a peel, although I was more successful in using it to remove the breads from the oven than I was putting them in. Practice required I guess.

[Green Aura]

Keep an eye out for reductions in the barbecue section as well - we got a short handled bread peel for a couple of quid a few years ago. Not sure what you'd use it for on a bbq.