The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Quarry Tiles ("Baking Stones")

Feelin Crumby's picture
Feelin Crumby

Quarry Tiles ("Baking Stones")

I recently bought unglazed quarry tiles (floor tiles) to line my oven with for "hearth" baked breads. Does anyone know if there is any preparation that needs to be done to the tiles before use, other than washing?

Thanks, Jim

logdrum's picture
logdrum

and bring up to operating temp. slowly the first time you use them. i.e.: 150F for 10min, 250F for 10 min etc.

 

-d

BettyR's picture
BettyR

When you say line you oven...do you mean just on the bottom?

janij's picture
janij

My bottom rack.  Make sure there is a clearance along the edges of the rack for air circulation.  Mine did have some glue on the bottom that stunk and burnt off.  Then my husband scraped it off my second set.  Other than that you are good to go.

OldWoodenSpoon's picture
OldWoodenSpoon

the bottom-most and top-most shelves.  I don't usually have the third shelf in, and bake directly on the tiles on the bottom shelf.  To prepare mine I washed them thoroughly, and drained them dry, and put them into a cold oven as described.  I slowly brought the oven temp up to 500F over a period of about two hours, and then let them "soak" for about 15 mintues.  Then, since I had invested in a nice hot oven, I put some pan bread in and baked it.

Next time I used baked, I mopped the tiles off with just a damp-dry kitchen towel and baked directly on them.  Happy baking!  You will love your tiles.

OldWoodenSpoon

Feelin Crumby's picture
Feelin Crumby

Thanks to you all! OldWoodenSpoon, how you described it is how I plan to use them - - - 2 shelves worth. Thanks for the reminder to go ahead and bake while the oven's hot . . . I probably would've let that slip by me :-). You say " you'll love your tiles", so I take it you have had success with yours. I just found out my county allows home bakers to sell goods at local farmer's markets, and am thinking of all possibilities to get the best breads I can make 'out there'.

Thanks again to everyone, Jim aka Feelin'Crumby

OldWoodenSpoon's picture
OldWoodenSpoon

both for and against, as you can readily discover on this site.  I considered my options and decided to go ahead with the tiles.  Others choose to go other ways for their own reasons.  I find I get excellent results with my setup and with my tiles.  I get great oven spring on my sourdough, and great crusts on my pizzas.  I have not yet had any failure, or insufficiency of results, that I layed any blame for on my tiles.  I'm keeping that excuse in reserve for when all my other, better ones, run out. :)

Good luck with the farmer's market circuit.  I don't have enough time, or enough oven, to try to bake that much.  I'd sure like to though!

OldWoodenSpoon