Cast-iron cookware is very durable and, if properly maintained, can last for generations. Cast iron is ideal for baking food. What makes this cookware material stand out is its exceptional ability to retain heat. Some chefs believe that a cast-iron skillet is the best possible choice to get a delicious pizza that has a golden-brown crust and is chewy on the inside. Let’s take a closer look at why a cast-iron skillet is a good choice for those who like to make crust-crispy homemade pizza.
1. Ergonomics
When you cook pizza in a cast iron pan, you don’t need any additional equipment except heat-resistant gloves. The handle gives you more control, making an iron pan much easier to handle than a traditional pizza stone. It is easy to slide oven mitts underneath when the pizza it’s ready to serve. The handles are particularly convenient if you want to rotate your pizza for uniform heating during the cooking process, or if you need to add more toppings while the pizza is cooking.
Traditional pizza stones don’t have handles and it can be tricky and messy to get the pizza in and out of the oven. You need to be careful and use additional equipment when transferring pizzas to and from the stone.
The lip helps to keep the dough and all the ingredients in the pan and prevents the spilling of cheese and juices onto the bottom of your oven. This also prevents cheese and other ingredients from burning onto the bottom of the oven, causing it to smoke.
2. Easy Preheating
It takes longer for an oven with a stone to reach the required temperature than for a cast-iron skillet. The stone absorbs heat and slows down the heating. To cook your pizza using a stone, you need to put the stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 F for at least 30 minutes. You should never place a cold stone into a hot oven since the thermal shock will cause it to crack.
A cast-iron pan will not break if you place it in a hot oven, but for best results, it is recommended to preheat cast iron before filling it with the ingredients. Cast iron needs some time to spread the heat evenly, but once it reaches the desired temperature, it stays hot. Placing pizza in a thoroughly preheated cast-iron skillet ensures that your pizza is uniformly cooked and, also allows for an easy release from the pan.
It also takes longer to cook pizza using a stone than using a cast iron pan. An iron pan shortens the cooking process by 1-2 minutes compared to cooking on a pizza stone.
3. Strength and Durability
A cast-iron pan is nearly indestructible and, with proper care, it will last decades. The non-stick performance improves with use. Cast iron can be used at any temperature and it resists cracking when exposed to sudden changes in temperature. It won’t break if you accidentally drop it on the hard floor. You can place the cold dough or frozen pizza in a hot cast iron pan without worrying, while you should refrain from placing cold food on a hot pizza stone.
Pizza stones can’t handle sudden temperature changes. They often break due to thermal shock or when dropped. You need to put the stone in the oven while the oven is cold or keep it in the oven all the time. You must also wait until the stone is completely cold before removing it from the oven. When liquid ingredients in the topping fall onto the stone, they can cause fluctuation in temperature, creating small cracks which can lead to breakage in the future.
4. Versatility
The cast-iron pizza pan is a very useful multi-functional cookware item, much more versatile than a pizza stone. It can be used with almost any heat source, including a stovetop, BBQ grill, in the oven, under the broiler, and over a campfire. It can also serve as a griddle for cooking many types of meals.
You can cook hundreds of different foods in a cast-iron skillet. It works great not only for cooking a homemade pizza, but also for making eggs and bacon, roasted vegetables, breakfast pancakes, crepes, cookies, biscuits, rolls, breaded fish fillets, and much more.
5. High Performances
Once preheated, the cast iron pan heats evenly and holds heat very well, bringing the whole pizza to the same uniform oven temperature. This ensures that your pizza cooks evenly without hot spots. Your pizza should be thoroughly cooked, without uncooked portions or burned crust.
The cast-iron pan will remain hot even when you remove it from the oven. The crust will continue to cook for several minutes, while the topping won’t get burnt. The pizza stays warm for a long time after cooking.
Is a Cast Iron Pizza Pan Worth Buying?
All materials used for baking pizza have their own advantages and disadvantages. Pizza stones have been improved over time and have become more durable than they used to be. Many people prefer the taste and crust of stone-baked pizzas. There are also stones with an improved ergonomic design such as added handles. Stainless steel pizza pans also have their advantages, such as high durability and extremely easy maintenance.
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Buyers select cookware items for cooking a pizza according to their personal preferences. If you prefer cast iron over other cookware materials, you might want to consider Lodge BOLD 14 Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Pizza Pan. This pan has met the expectations of many satisfied customers and is highly recommended by users for making delicious homemade pizzas.
There really are a surprising number of benefits that you can get from cast iron pizza pans. As the article points out, one of them is that they can be used to cook more than just pizza. After all, because of how conductive cast iron is, it can be used for anything from grilling to stovetop cooking.