Everyone enjoys pizza! When discussing the flavor of pizza, we mostly concentrate on its ingredients. But pizza’s flavor also majorly influences how it is prepared. So, if you need help deciding whether to cook pizza on a pan or stone, this article may be of assistance.
What are their key distinctions, then? Despite the fact that both of them are used to make pizza, their methods for shaping the pizza flavor differ. Not only that, but they also serve a variety of culinary purposes.
Pizza pan and pizza stone are different equipment used to bake pizza in an oven. A pizza stone is made from ceramics or clay. On the other hand, a pizza pan is made from steel or aluminum. When compared between the two, the pizza stone cooks better and faster than the pizza pan.
Read on to find much more differences in detailed explanations and the difference between both of them. We highlight the differences and will also try to tell you the pros and cons of each of these products in detail!
Pizza Stone Vs. Pizza Pan | Difference Table
| Basis Of Difference | Pizza Stone | Pizza Pan |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Distribution | High | Low |
| Texture | Crispy | Dense |
| Ease Of Use | Hard to use | Easy to use |
| Price | Little expensive | Cheap |
| Durability | Easily breakable | Long-lasting |
What Is a Pizza Stone?
A pizza stone serves as a baking surface for you to cook the pizza in an oven. This is often known as a baking stone. It is made of stone, clay, or ceramics and often comes around.
A pizza stone can be used for a variety of baking purposes. It has an even surface and helps to distribute heat evenly across the stone. A pizza stone is a recent find for many. However, it has been in culinary usage for ages.
Pizza stones are often preheated before putting pizza on them. This makes the pizza cook faster. The pizza stone is often porous and helps to absorb the moisture from the pizza dough more quickly, helping to cook it better.
What Is a Pizza Pan?
A pizza pan is made of metal and serves the same purpose as a pizza stone. Unlike pizza stone, pizza pan comes in different shapes and sizes. They come in aluminum as well as steel. There are two types of pizza pans – perforated and non-perforated.
There are different types of pizza pans available to us. Given below are some of them.
Deep Dish Pan – They come in both round and rectangular. Their high metal wall can identify them. Aluminum, non-stick and stainless versions are available.
Cast Iron Pizza Pan – Cast iron pans are extremely versatile and can be used for multiple purposes. They are, as their name suggests, made of cast iron. However, they are pretty heavy.
Coupe Pizza Pan – These are the most common types of pizza pans. This allows pizza to be cooked and served in it.
Pizza Stone Vs. Pizza Pan | Similarities Between The Two
Most people don’t even know the differences between the two. Even though pizza stone and pizza pan are two different things, they are often thought of as the same. Hence given below are some of the similarities between the two.
Both Are Used For Making Pizza
Pizza stone and pizza pan serve as a base for much we can cook pizza. If you are new to cooking pizza, you might not even notice the difference.
Pizza Stone Vs. Pizza Pan | Differences Between The Two
Even though both pizza pan and pizza stone serve the same purposes, there is some difference between the two. In this section, we are going to discuss the difference between the two.
1. Heating Time
When it comes to the taste of pizza, the amount of heat does matter. The better and faster the heating process, the better would be the taste. Thus, when compared, the pizza pan heats faster than the pizza pan.
This is because pizza stone, as its name suggests, is made of either ceramics or stone. It holds the heat for a longer time and fastly absorbs the moisture from the pizza. Pizza paan is much slower when it comes to heatings the pizza.
2. Texture
The base on which we cook pizza directly contributes to the texture of the pizza. Since preheating is possible for pizza stones, the pizza cooked in it becomes crispier. Crispy pizza is an outcome of the hotter pizza stone.
On the other hand, a pizza pan takes some time to heat. Many people often arrange their pizza on a pizza pan and put it directly into the oven. Since the pan takes some time to heat, the pizza cooked on it would have a dense pizza crust than a crispier one.
3. Fluffiness
The pizza cooked in a pizza stone would have more oven springs than the one cooked in a pizza pan. The oven spring is directly proportional to the heat of the pan. The better the heat, the more oven springs there will be!
4. Ease Of Use
When compared between the two, pizza stone requires some practice. If you are not someone who is accustomed to using a pizza stone, you will find it extremely difficult to use. You need to find the right preheating time for your pizza stone.
You also must practice placing pizza right on the pizza stone once it is preheated. But pizza stones are extremely easy to use. If you are new to making pizza, go for a pizza pan. You can quickly assemble your pizza in the pan and cook it directly.
5. Ease Of Cleaning
A pizza stone will easily absorb anything that falls on it. Pizza stone, as we have said, quickly absorbs the moisture content of the pizza. Not just that, it will also absorb the fat, or any oil dripped from the pizza.
Thus, it becomes extremely hard to clean a pizza stone. But nowadays, most pizza pans come as non-stick! Some can even be put into the dishwasher. Thus when it comes to cleaning, pizza span is a better option.
6. Price
When compared between the two, the pizza pan is much cheaper than the pizza stone. You can easily find a good pizza pan for under 5 dollars. Thus if you are not planning to bake often, a pizza pan will do its job for you!
7. Durability
A good pizza stone is definitely an asset! However, if you are not an expert in finding the right one, you may have to break one or two to find the ideal one. Some pizza stones break very quickly.
However, this is not the case with pizza pans. The pizza pan is often long-lasting and doesn’t break that quickly.
8. Perforation
Another major difference between a pizza pan and a pizza stone is perforation. A pizza stone comes with a porous surface. The porous surface absorbs moisture faster, making the cooking process faster.
However, a pizza pan has a very smooth surface and takes a longer time to cook pizza. You might take some time to preheat the pizza stone, but the taste of pizza cooked in the pizza stone is just too delicious.
How To Use A Pizza Pan?
We all love to bake some pizza. If you are someone who is new to baking, you might not be familiar with using a pizza pan. So in this section, we are going to see how to use a pizza pan.
- If you are planning to buy a pizza pan, try to buy a porous one to get a crispy pizza.
- Start by oiling the pizza pan with a brush. You can also spray your pizza pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Roll your pizza dough on a plate. Make sure to add some flour to the dough while rolling it to avoid any kind of stickiness.
- Place the perfectly baked dough into a pizza pan. While placing the pizza on a pan, make sure that the edges of the pizza are within the pan. Any hanging of pizza dough will result in burning.
- Bake the pizza crust according to the instructions and add the toppings as per your requirement.
- Bake it until the cheese melts, and your pizza is ready to serve!
How To Use A Pizza Stone?
Pizza stones aren’t common equipment in our kitchen. However, if you want to try the real taste of pizza, you need to try making pizza with a pizza stone. Not only does pizza stone make tasty pizza, but they also cook it so fastly!
Hearing the word pizza stone, many people assume that it’s too traditional and hard to use. They are surely little but nothing too much. If you have little patience and time in your hand, a pizza stone will work for you.
- Start by placing a pizza stone in an oven.
- Preheat the oven to 500 F. this will help to preheat the stone.
- Carefully slide the pizza onto the stone.
- Bake until the cheese is cooked.
- Turn off the oven and carefully remove the pizza from the stone.
- Once the stone cools down, brush all the remaining out of it.
Pizza Stone Vs. Pizza Pan | Which Is More Versatile?
Compared to the two, a pizza pan is more versatile than a pizza stone. Pizza pans come in different shapes and sizes and are available at different costs. On the other hand, pizza stones have much fewer varieties.
Pizza Stone Vs. Pizza Pan | Which Is Better?
Both pizza pan and pizza stone have their own pros and cons. Which one is better for you will depend on how expert you are in pizza making. However, when it comes to taste, pizza made on a pizza stone tastes much better than one made on a pizza pan.
Pizza stone requires a little practice! However, if you manage it, you will be rewarded with fluffy, crispy pizza with brown patches. That being said, we cannot forget the ease of use that a pizza pan provides us!
Conclusion
Now that we are at the end of the article, I hope I have given you a fair idea about both the pizza pan and pizza stone. Both of them serve as an excellent base for pizza. If you are an expert in cooking, try and use a pizza stone.
The pizza stone is tricky to use but rewards you with better-tasting pizza. However, if you are new to cooking, start with a pizza pan. They are more convenient to use and are easily available.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it better to cook pizza on stone or metal pan?
It is always better to cook pizza on a pizza stone.
Can you use a pizza pan instead of a stone?
Yes. Pizza stone works well as a pizza stone substitute.
Does pizza taste better on stone?
Yes. Pizza cooked on a pizza stone will have even distribution of heat. Thus, it will be crispy and would taste the best.
Is a pizza stone worth buying?
If you are someone who wants to enjoy the authentic taste of pizza, then pizza stone will be a great addition to your kitchen utensil. However, that is not a necessity and there are many other simpler way where you could cook a pizza.
