What Is a Pizza Peel? Wood Vs. Metal Pizza Peel

Believe me, each component of pizza making is hell important. You make a little mistake, and your pizza is gone, just like your EX. We divide pizza making into two parts; The Recipe making and preparing the pizza oven properly.

However, there is one thing that acts like a bridge between these two steps.

And you make a mistake here, Phwef; you can’t have a worse day than this. Transferring your raw pizza into the oven is the thorniest part you should be a master at. This is where pizza peel comes in.

So what is pizza peel? Pizza peel, pizza oven spatula, pizza board, pizza shovel, pizza paddle; whatever you name it, is a tool to impeccably transfer your raw pizza into your oven. Maybe you have faced it; if it’s a bad day in your kitchen, your pizza will stick to the surface through which you’ll be launching pizza in the oven.

Let’s discuss how to effectively use this pizza slider tool to add more perfection to Chef Skills.

What is Pizza Peel – Which is the Best Type of Peel for You:

Pizza peels act like a pizza slider tool and an alternative to heat-resistant gloves for successfully launching your pizza into your oven. But I am not shy of bursting some fact bombs here; from professionals to beginner chefs, everyone makes mistakes on his worst day, even having the nicest pizza turning peel.

Don’t be like that, Buddy!

The reason is you sometimes use the wrong category of pizza paddle that turn things in the wrong direction. Know what is best for you at particular times;

Regular Vs. Perforated Peels:

In this category, you can see different materials like wood, metals, and aluminum with flat surfaces without holes.

A perforated peel is a bit different in terms of performance. You can see tiny-to-big holes at the surface for steam and heat ventilation. This performs better in terms of smoothly launching pizza in the oven.

Types of Pizza Peels – Which is the best Pizza shovel?

Pizza peels come in various materials, making it easy for you to enjoy variety in case you are not comfortable with one type.

Wooden Peel or Wooden Paddle:

Traditionally styled and Loved by retro-style chefs, wooden peels are made of different types of timber. I remember, I first used a thick bamboo pizza peel that was sort of a white elephant in terms of maintenance.

Wooden Pizza Peel or Wooden Pizza Paddle

In the case of bamboo, and all other pizza peels like acacia, basswood maple, black-walnut, etc., it can skillfully do the purpose, but on the maintenance part, there would be high stains, odor, grease, and other residues if not adequately managed.

Moreover, wooden peels are supposed to be thick, which makes pizza launching palpable but picking out the pizza from the oven is a mind-bending trick for newbies.

Probably, you have to practice it, again and again, to land at perfection. No doubt, wooden pizza peels are coming in thin density these days, but this doesn’t even whip the thickness of metal pizza peels.

PROS

Good at launching Pizzas
Much durable and sturdy
Easy pizza launching saves you from a pizza disaster.

CONS

Heavyweight and thick
Difficult to pick pizzas
Maintenance demanding thing

Metal Pizza Peels – The Blades:

The other material you’ll see in most of the pizzeria’s squad is the metallic peels, which are much thinner and sharper to pull and drop pizza from and in the pizza.

Remember, the thinnest is the finest.

For that purpose, most commonly, stainless steel comes convenient. Nonetheless, to be light-weighted is the cherry on top; this vouches for aluminum pizza peel which most of the home and professional chefs use these days.

I recommend this for beginner chefs in terms of being much more lightweight and less deceptive to withdraw the pizza out of the hottest temperatures in the oven, so there will be less chance of burning your body parts. Plus, you won’t be dismayed at the maintenance part. Yet, if you take things lightly, the probability of dough sticking is bizarre.

PROS

Lightweight and sharp to pick pizzas from the oven
Easy to use for beginners
Less demanding at maintenance

CONS

Launching pizza is a bit difficult due to the sticky surface

But What’s The Final Recommendation – Wood Vs Metal Peel:

You have a variety of options in the Metal vs. wood Pizza Peel battle. But what is the best pizza peel to use in everyday pizza activity?

Look my friend; every pizza paddle poses good practicality with some down points at certain levels. But being in the baking matters for quite a long time, I would suggest you “always keep plenty of options with you.”

Only Relying on metal or wooden pizza paddle at a single time may risk you multiple pizzas. Try to make a combo of Wooden and Metal peel to use the right tool at the right time.

Let’s see which one does good or bad at different levels.

Wood Vs Metal Pizza Peel — **Infographic**: But What’s The Final Recommendation – Wood Vs Metal Peel

Pizza Launching:

As most of the wooden pizza oven spatulas have nonstick surfaces, launching will be breezy for beginners.

In the case of the metal pizza slider tool, the ratio of adhesiveness to surfaces is relatively high. So, the chances of a hard-luck are higher while launching your pizza.

Pulling out of From Oven:

Even the thinner wooden peels are thicker than metal peels, so sliding the tool under the cooked pizza is a tough job. If you have more exposed areas of skin, you may get burnt due to this struggle.

Metallic regular or perforated pizza peels are sharper in density, so sliding underneath the pizza is not a hassle here.

Effects on Pizza Quality:

You may get added pizza flavor or scents as per the wooden type and quality.

A metal pizza peel is almost neutral in this regard, providing no extra taste or fragrance.

Maintenance:

Even the premium wooden pizza shovel needs high care to avoid stains, grease, foul odors or oil, cheese, and moisture.

Metallic, aluminum, or stainless steel pizza peel, needs almost no care or maintenance.

How to Use Pizza Peel – Keep Pizza From Sticking to Peel:

So, how to keep pizza from sticking to the peel even after choosing the best pizza slider tool for you?

No matter what you choose, wood, metal, square, round, short, or long-handle pizza peel, if you don’t know how to set the platform for perfect launching, you are at the ultimate risk of wasting the opportunity to cook a perfect pizza.

So, this is how you do it;

Whether you use metal or wooden pizza boards, it’s a good move to dust your platform with cornmeal, wheat, or rice flour. You can also use olive oil.
In the case of a metal peel, you have to hurry as wasting time after dusting will potentially waste the move due to absorption of the dry floor by wet dough. Your pizza will still stick.
Fold the Edges of the pizza dough and slightly give a lift so it will be easy to leave the peel.
Just give a trial by slightly jerking the peel to check if raw pizza is leaving its place or not.
In case it’s moving, and you are using a metal long-handled pizza peel, keep the dough for 3-5 minutes on the pizza peel in the oven. This will dry the moisture and dough surface.
Now slightly jerk off the peel tool to slide the pizza into the oven.
When retrieving it, again slide your peel beneath the pizza with a moderate jerk.
It’s party time now.

The Bottom Line – Hope You Learned Using it:

So, what’s a pizza peel? I guess, we have gone beyond this very basic question and tried to give you a solution on how to keep pizza from sticking to peel. If you still confuse between types of feels, like wood vs. metal pizza peel, I would say again; USE THE BOTH. Nothing is perfect here; you’ll learn with experience and practice.

What Is a Pizza Peel? Wood Vs. Metal Pizza Peel – Pick the Best