How to Build a Pizza Peel

Making pizza at home is a great idea. You can either make it in a pizza pan and place the pan in the oven or you can use a pizza peel. Using a pizza peel at home is a great alternative to a pan. It lets you slide the pizza directly onto the oven grate or into a pizza oven, making for a better crust. When the pizza is done, use the pizza peel again to slide under the pizza and remove it from the oven. Making one can be done in one afternoon.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 20-inch square of untreated inch-thick sassafras wood
• Jigsaw
• Miter saw or planer
• Sander
• Bevel (optional)
• Large sheet of white paper
• Pencil or marker
• String of leather
• Goggles
• Measuring tape or ruler

Instructions

1. Draw a pattern on the paper that is approximately 14 inches by 15 inches. On one of the 14-inch sides, draw two nine-inch lines that are two inches apart. Draw a line across the top of the nine-inch lines. This is the handle.

2. 
    
   Construction of pizza peel

   Trace the pattern on the wood piece. Cut the design out with a jigsaw, rounding or angling the edges if desired.

3. Starting in the middle of the peel, plane the wood down to half an inch on the side opposite the handle. This will be the end that slides under the pizza.

4. Drill a hole one inch from the end of the handle and insert a string of leather. Sand the rough edges and the surface of the board to a really smooth finish. Work mineral oil into the top surface and allow it to dry thoroughly.

5. Flour the board liberally before use. When the pizza is ready for the oven, gingerly pick it up and lay it on the pizza peel. Insert the pizza into the oven and give the pizza peel a slight jerk. The pizza will start to slide off. Continue the slight jerking motion until the pizza is completely on the oven grate.

6. Remove the pizza from the oven when done by sliding the pizza peel under the crust and gently pushing to peel the crust from the grate.

Tips & Warnings

• Add strips of wood to the handle to make a thicker handle.
• Do not use treated lumber of any kind. The chemical will transfer to the food.

Resources

• Recipes and Techniques

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