Making your own pizza from home is both fun and delicious. You can customize the pie with all your favorite toppings, and incorporating a pizza stone into the process gives the pizza a restaurant-quality bake.
A pizza stone works so well because it heats the pizza the same way that a brick oven can. Not everyone has this type of oven to work with at home, so using a pizza stone is the next best thing.
When you work with a pizza stone, you will need to know whether or not to season it ahead of time. “Seasoning” is another term for “oiling.”
This process has nothing to do with the flavor of your pizza but focuses more on whether or not the dough is going to stick while it bakes. Each pizza stone differs, so it is necessary to understand what to do with your Big Green Egg before you use it.
Different Big Egg Products
Big Green Egg makes a few different pizza stones. You need to determine which one you have before you use it.
Some of them do need to be seasoned while there is no need to season others. By taking a look below, you can determine what to do before cooking with your Big Green egg product.
rEGGulator
The rEGGulator is one of the newer products and it is made from cast iron, which makes it incredibly durable. Its anti-rust coating is ideal for keeping the pizza stone outdoors.
With this model, there is absolutely no need for seasoning. If you season this Big Egg product, it actually ruins the surface.
The coating is going to make the appliance naturally non-stick, and any addition of oil or grease will only damage its surface. You can immediately begin cooking with your rEGGulator with virtually no additional preparation involved.
It comes with a cover for protection when you are not actively using it. The silicone handle protects you from getting burned and will also become damaged if you do accidentally season it before use.
Make sure to give the rEGGulator time to cool down before placing its lid back on. In cases when the outside of your product begins to look dull, you can use a soft cloth or paper towel to rub a little vegetable oil on it to shine the outside.
Cast Iron Dual Function
Big Green Egg makes a pizza stone with a dual-function metal top. This model is one that needs seasoning before use.
It is highly recommended by the company, and they warn that a lack of seasoning can lead to the attraction of dirt. As you know, cleanliness is ideal when you are cooking outdoors.
Once you determine the kind of Big Green Egg that you have, you will be able to prepare it for use appropriately. Since the two models have very different processes, it is important to double-check.
How to Season
To begin seasoning your Big Green Egg pizza stone, heat the Egg at a temperature of 180° to 200° C. You will then place the dual-function metal top on the grid while it is inside of the egg.
The Egg comes with a snuffer cap that should be placed on the Egg after closing the draft door. This cap is made of ceramic and will help to regulate the appliance.
It is normal for the temperature to drop once you open the draft door. The charcoal will go out, but this is not a problem.
You will leave the Egg this way for an hour, then return to find the cast iron with a change in coloration. This is an indication that the process is working.
After the top cools down, you can rub it with Crisco or vegetable oil to season it. Then, you will bring the temperature back up to what it was before.
Place the dual-function top back on the grid, and close the snuffer cap. At this point, you can close the draft door to allow the Egg to fully season for another hour.
Remember that only the dual-function model needs to be seasoned, not the rEGGulator. Once you finish this process, you will be good to cook with it.
How Often to Season
A Big Green Egg pizza stone only needs to be seasoned about once or twice a year. This is not something that you need to worry about every single month.
It is recommended to season the product when you first get it and then do maintenance again in six to twelve months. This is all it takes to keep your Big Green Egg pizza stone in good condition.
To keep the stone in good condition between seasonings, you should also be sure to place the ceramic snuffer cap on top when the device is cool. This is all you need to do to make amazing pizza from home with your Big Green Egg product.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
--
If you want more backyard tips including recipes, how-tos and more, make sure you subscribe to my youtube channel