How To Keep Your Wooden Pizza Peel Kickin' For The Next 100 Years
Do you love pizza enough to have a section in your will on which grandchild gets the family pizza peel? Well, you're not alone. Now, you just have to keep that wooden pizza peel looking good for the next 100 years. The good news is that it's not that difficult. Below are the basic steps. The most important key is to not let too much, if any, water get into the peel. Water will dry your wooden peel out and make it warp and crack.
Step 1 - Cover the wooden pizza peel with mineral oil. You do not need special pizza peel oil. Save yourself some money and just pay a visit to your local area hardware store and acquire some USP-grade mineral oil. Basically wipe the oil on the surface area of your peel and observe it soaking in. When the wood won't take any more oil, you can rub off the excess with a dry rag. Don't get worried about applying too much - more is better. You should do this process monthly or as often as desired. Whatever you do don't use vegetable or olive oil. They will essentially turn sour. Not ideal.
Step 2 - Wash your pizza peel when you finish each use. How can you thoroughly clean the peel and not get it wet? Great question. Most of us don't understand how to use anything except for soap and water, but as luck would have it some brilliant people figured out that you can (and should) use full-strength white vinegar. The acetic acid in the vinegar is a great disinfectant, successful against such harmful bugs as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. If you don't believe me, check out this worthwhile scientific guide on the question by O. Peter Snyder, Jr., PhD: http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Cutboard.html
Step 3 - Brush your wooden peel when not in use. By always keeping it really clean, you can preserve the life of your peel. Crumbs, melted cheese, and sauce can accumulate on the peel and render the surface uneven.
Step 4 - Always Keep your wooden pizza peel dried. Water is the rival so keep your peel far from the front lines of combat.
Step 5 - Do not leave your wooden pizza peel on hot surfaces. If a wooden peel is left on a hot surface, it will warp. Once warped, balancing a pizza on it can be quite a feat. If your wooden board is already warped, lay it out overnight with the warp (curved side) facing upward. In most cases this significantly reduces the problem. If the problem isn't resolved, it is time to replace.
Now you know how to care for your wooden pizza peel for the next 100 years. Tell your grand kids "your welcome" for me.
Step 1 - Cover the wooden pizza peel with mineral oil. You do not need special pizza peel oil. Save yourself some money and just pay a visit to your local area hardware store and acquire some USP-grade mineral oil. Basically wipe the oil on the surface area of your peel and observe it soaking in. When the wood won't take any more oil, you can rub off the excess with a dry rag. Don't get worried about applying too much - more is better. You should do this process monthly or as often as desired. Whatever you do don't use vegetable or olive oil. They will essentially turn sour. Not ideal.
Step 2 - Wash your pizza peel when you finish each use. How can you thoroughly clean the peel and not get it wet? Great question. Most of us don't understand how to use anything except for soap and water, but as luck would have it some brilliant people figured out that you can (and should) use full-strength white vinegar. The acetic acid in the vinegar is a great disinfectant, successful against such harmful bugs as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. If you don't believe me, check out this worthwhile scientific guide on the question by O. Peter Snyder, Jr., PhD: http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Cutboard.html
Step 3 - Brush your wooden peel when not in use. By always keeping it really clean, you can preserve the life of your peel. Crumbs, melted cheese, and sauce can accumulate on the peel and render the surface uneven.
Step 4 - Always Keep your wooden pizza peel dried. Water is the rival so keep your peel far from the front lines of combat.
Step 5 - Do not leave your wooden pizza peel on hot surfaces. If a wooden peel is left on a hot surface, it will warp. Once warped, balancing a pizza on it can be quite a feat. If your wooden board is already warped, lay it out overnight with the warp (curved side) facing upward. In most cases this significantly reduces the problem. If the problem isn't resolved, it is time to replace.
Now you know how to care for your wooden pizza peel for the next 100 years. Tell your grand kids "your welcome" for me.
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