The Fresh Loaf

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Sourdough Pizza Crust STICKING to aluminum deep dish pans

Nick Sorenson's picture
Nick Sorenson

Sourdough Pizza Crust STICKING to aluminum deep dish pans

I put it in caps because these crusts become so stuck that it takes a good 20 minutes to get all of it off of a small personal pan dish.

Here's our procedure:

-the usual folding every 50 minutes 3 times

-oil the pans very well (pizza hut style hard coat anodized aluminum deep dish)

-shape to 130g balls let rest 30 minutes in pans

-smash the balls into crust shapes. At this point the mashed crusts already seem to be sticking to the pans (the minute they're mashed out).

-let rise 2 hours

-add sauce, cheese, toppings

-bake at 500F preheated oven or directly on a thin bed of coals (the coals cooked pizzas stuck even worse)

 

NOTE: This works GREAT! with Lodge cast iron skillets. It doesn't stick at all using the same procedure. This time we're trying fresh lard (rendered) instead of the oil. Maybe that will help.

I'd like to use these small pizza hut style pans because they have proofing lids and are stackable. Very convenient. Just wish they didn't stick.

pall.ecuador's picture
pall.ecuador

You could try this http://yumarama.com/952/home-made-cake-release-recipe/ I normally am too lazy to make it though so instead I oil my pans and then dust them with flour before I put my dough in. I haven’t tried this with pizza dough, but I have with a really wet focaccia and it worked well. 

suave's picture
suave

Perhaps you need to line your pans?  Or cut your dough with more fat?  FWIW, I bake my deep dish in heavy gauge Cuisinart non-stick pan and nothing sticks.

GAPOMA's picture
GAPOMA

I make pizza's a lot in my home oven.  I too use an anodized aluminum deep-dish pan.  I have used oil in the pan and it works, but I prefer to use Alton Brown's "Kustom Kitchen Lube" which is similar to the link above from pall.ecuador.  It's basically 2 parts shortening and 1.5 part AP flour mixed together, and I put in on my pans with a pastry brush.  Honestly it's kind of gross looking, but nothing (and I mean nothing) sticks when I use this stuff.  Cooked at 500 degrees for 10-ish minutes my crusts come out brown and crisp and the pizza will easily slide right out of the pan!

Nick Sorenson's picture
Nick Sorenson

Did it with Lard tonight and it turned out fine in the oven. On coals stuck but not as bad as with oil. I also burned the one on coals which didn't help. So... lard seems to help.

The lard doesn't impart any flavor however and I prefer that oiled Pizza Hut taste for pan pizzas. I would guess they have a less sticky dough and can get away with just oil.

MonkeyDaddy's picture
MonkeyDaddy

you spread your dough out on a floured or oiled surface first then laid it more gently into the pans, rather than "mashing" it?  That might help it stick less - it would also give you the opportunity to give the dough a nonstick coating as well as the pan.

I'm glad the lard worked for you too.  As Emeril Lagasse says, "There ain't nothin' bettah than pwok faht."

     --Mike

 

Nick Sorenson's picture
Nick Sorenson

Great idea. The mashing process isn't the best. What you mentioned with the floured or oiled surface makes great sense. Plus maybe I could use oil on the dough when mashed to give it that nice pizza hut pan fried crust taste that the lard on the pan by itself isn't giving me.

Nick Sorenson's picture
Nick Sorenson

Update for Mike. We've been doing what you recommended and it's working. No more stuck crusts!