Seasoning Your Pizza Steel for Perfect Pies: A Simple Guide

Updated at: 08/05/2025

Pizza steel. The name conjures images of perfectly crisp, bubbly crusts, the kind you only dream of achieving in your home oven. But a new pizza steel isn't ready to perform at its peak right out of the box. Just like a cast iron skillet, it needs seasoning – a crucial process that creates a natural non-stick surface and ensures even heat distribution, ultimately leading to superior pizzas. This initial seasoning is an investment in countless future pies, protecting your steel and enhancing its performance over time.

Forget complicated techniques and long, drawn-out procedures; seasoning your pizza steel is surprisingly simple. This straightforward guide will walk you through the essential steps, providing clear instructions and helpful tips to achieve that perfect, seasoned surface. Ready to unlock the true potential of your pizza steel and start making restaurant-quality pizzas at home? Let's get started!

Preparation and Safety Guidelines

Tools Needed
Safety Guidelines
  • Always allow the pizza steel to cool completely before handling. High temperatures can cause severe burns.
  • Use oven mitts or tongs to handle the hot pizza steel; never touch it directly with bare hands.
  • Proper ventilation is crucial during the seasoning process. Open windows or use a kitchen exhaust fan to prevent smoke inhalation.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • Clean and wash the pizza steel thoroughly.
    • Apply a thin layer of canola oil to the pizza steel, covering the entire surface.
    Apply a thin layer of canola oil to the pizza steel, covering the entire surface.Apply a thin layer of canola oil to the pizza steel, covering the entire surface.
    Preparation

  2. Oven Baking

    • Place the oiled pizza steel on the second to top rack in your oven.
    • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
    • Bake for one hour.
    Bake for one hour.
    Oven Baking

  3. Cooling

    • Turn off the oven and allow the pizza steel to cool completely inside the oven.
    Turn off the oven and allow the pizza steel to cool completely inside the oven.
    Cooling

Read more: Pizza Stone vs. Baking Steel: The Ultimate Home Pizza Bake-Off!

Tips

  • This method uses canola oil. Other oils may be used, but canola oil is a popular choice for its high smoke point.
  • Ensure the pizza steel is completely cool before handling to prevent burns.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using Oil or Butter

Reason: Oil or butter will burn at high pizza steel temperatures, creating smoke and a bad taste, and potentially damaging your steel.
Solution: Season your pizza steel only with high-heat oil like canola oil at a lower temperature initially, then gradually increasing the heat for a few rounds.

2. Insufficient Heating/Incomplete Curing

Reason: Not heating the steel to a high enough temperature or not repeating the seasoning process enough times results in a poorly seasoned surface that sticks.
Solution: Ensure the steel reaches a very high temperature (around 500°F/260°C or more) and repeat the seasoning process at least 3-4 times, letting it cool completely between each seasoning.

FAQs

How often do I need to re-season my pizza steel?
Re-seasoning isn't usually necessary unless the surface becomes damaged or starts to stick significantly. With proper care, a well-seasoned steel should last for many uses without requiring re-seasoning. However, if you notice sticking or a dull appearance, a light re-seasoning can restore its performance. This usually involves just a light coating of oil and a low-heat bake.