Spraying Pizza Pans: To Spray Or Not To Spray?

To prevent your pizza from sticking to the pan, you should grease the pan before baking. This can be done by spraying the pan with non-stick spray, such as Pam, or by adding a tablespoon of oil or butter. Olive oil is a good choice due to its high content of antioxidants and unsaturated fats, which benefit overall health. Alternatively, you can use cornmeal on the pizza pan, which doesn't contain any extra fats.

Non-stick spray

There are many different options for non-stick sprays, and they can be found at most major grocery stores in the baking aisle or with other oils. They typically come in 6-ounce or 14-ounce sizes, but larger sizes may be available at bulk stores. The cost is usually around $3 to $5.

When using a non-stick spray on your pizza pan, simply spray the bottle onto the surface of the pan to coat it. This will help prevent your pizza dough from sticking and make it easier to remove your cooked pizza.

In addition to preventing sticking, non-stick sprays can also be useful for other tasks in the kitchen. For example, they can be used to prevent tomato-based sauces from discolouring plastic containers and to make cleaning cheese graters easier.

While non-stick sprays are convenient, they may not be suitable for all types of cookware. For example, they can build up residue on non-stick cookware, making it more difficult to clean. Dark-coated pans are particularly prone to this issue due to the faster heating and cooling. Therefore, it is important to read the instructions and warnings on the non-stick spray before use.

Olive oil

There are a few ways to apply olive oil to your pizza pan. You can pour a small amount of oil directly onto the tray and use a paper towel, brush, or another spreading tool to evenly distribute the oil across the entire surface of your tray. Alternatively, you can put the oil off to the side and dip your tool into it before spreading it onto the tray.

If you are using a perforated pizza pan, it is recommended to put something under the tray to catch any oil that goes through the holes.

Some people also recommend using a non-stick cooking spray in addition to olive oil to create an extra barrier and give the olive oil something to cling to.

In addition to olive oil, you can also sprinkle cornmeal or flour on your pizza pan to further prevent sticking. Cornmeal is the traditional choice as it adds a unique flavour and texture to the crust, while flour will not add any special flavour.

By properly greasing your pizza pan with olive oil, you can ensure that your pizza doesn't stick and that it has a delicious crispy texture.

Butter

Should You Grease Your Pizza Pan with Butter?

Greasing your pizza pan is an important step in ensuring your pizza doesn't stick to the pan and is easily removable. There are several options for greasing your pizza pan, including oil, butter, or margarine.

However, it's important to note that whatever you use to grease your pan will transfer to the pizza dough, so you may want to choose a healthier option. Olive oil, for example, is a good choice as it has a distinctive flavour that works well with pizza, and it is also known to be a healthier alternative to butter due to its high content of antioxidants and unsaturated fats.

In conclusion, while butter is a popular and effective option for greasing pizza pans, there are other alternatives like olive oil that may be healthier and work just as well.

Cornmeal

Dusting the pizza with cornmeal will help to add a crunchy texture and a delicious nutty flavour to the pizza. It also acts as a non-stick agent, creating a protective layer between the pizza dough and the baking surface, making it easier to remove the pizza once it has been fully baked. However, cornmeal can potentially burn, especially when using it on extremely hot surfaces like a pizza stone. When choosing which type of cornmeal to use for dusting, it is recommended to go for medium-textured cornmeal to avoid overwhelming the dough with texture. Yellow or white cornmeal are good options as they won't add a strange colour to the pizza dough and will brown beautifully.

The second way to use cornmeal is to incorporate it into the pizza dough itself. Making a cornmeal-based pizza dough will give a unique flavour and a divine texture, especially if you like crispy pizzas. A cornmeal-based dough is also easier to make than regular pizza dough. For this method, it is best to use fine or medium-textured cornmeal to achieve a lightly textured base. White cornmeal is recommended if you want to go for a traditional option, as it will give a nutty flavour without adding a noticeable colour to the dough.

So, while you don't have to use cornmeal on your pizza pan, it can make a big difference in terms of texture, flavour, and preventing the pizza from sticking.

Boiling water and vinegar

To prevent your pizza from sticking to the pan, you can grease the pan with oil or butter before baking. However, this can lead to a greasy, baked-on mess that leaves your pan with a thick brown layer of polymerised oil. To remove this, you can try the following method with boiling water and vinegar:

Start by boiling a gallon of water with 2 cups of vinegar. If your sink can fit more than a gallon of water, just remember to keep the ratio of 2 cups of vinegar per gallon of water. Once the mixture reaches a boil, pour it into a large, plugged sink. Place your pizza pans in the sink, rotating them a few times if they are too big to be fully submerged. When the water has cooled down enough for you to touch it safely, sprinkle the pans with baking soda and scrub with a scouring pad. The acid in the vinegar will help loosen the baked-on grease, while the baking soda acts as a mild abrasive to scrub it away. Don't worry about the fizzing reaction when the baking soda and vinegar mix—this is normal and will stop on its own. Finally, clean the pan as you usually would with soap and water, then rinse and re-season the pan with vegetable oil.

Frequently asked questions