If you're the lucky owner of a carbon steel baking steel, then you certainly already know how simple it is to care for and maintain. But as important as the baking steel is for your crispy pizza crusts, so is the proper maintenance for your baking steel.
The baking steel is made of carbon steel, which is a reactive material. This means that if the iron is exposed and subjected to moisture, your baking steel can rust.
To make it as easy as possible, we've pre-seasoned the baking steel with vegetable oils, so you can use it right away. But precisely to keep rust away, it's important to maintain the seasoned oil layer - and to store the baking steel dry and warm.
In this simple guide, we give you 3 tips for caring for and maintaining your baking steel.
Tip 1: Clean with a dry cloth or brush
A baking steel is super simple to clean after use. In fact, even simpler than most other kitchen tools in your arsenal.
If you've baked bread, buns, or pizza on your baking steel, it's super easy to clean the baking steel afterwards. You can easily remove excess flour and dirt with a dry cloth or a dry brush. Since the baking steel is sandblasted, it has a slightly rough surface. Therefore, it's often easiest with a hard brush, but both work - so it depends on personal preferences.
What does it mean that the baking steel is sandblasted? Read more about production and design here→
Although it doesn't happen often, there can of course also be more stubborn stains on your baking steel. This could be, for example, if you've been a bit generous with the tomato sauce on your pizza, so the sauce runs out onto the baking steel.
In this case, you should wipe the baking steel with a well-wrung cloth.
As you can understand, it's never necessary to wash the baking steel in water and soap, and likewise, your baking steel should never go in the dishwasher.
Tip 2: Grease the baking steel with cooking oil every six months
As you already know, the baking steel can rust if the iron is exposed and subjected to moisture. Therefore, the surface must be protected both by the right cleaning after use, but also by a semi-annual treatment.
Fortunately, it's easy and simple and takes no more than a few minutes.
Just as you did the first few times the baking steel was in use, simply smear the surface with a thin layer of cooking oil and wipe it off with a dry, lint-free cloth.
It's important not to put too much oil on, as you will otherwise get a sticky result.
You can either grease the baking steel with oil just before it's to be used, or put it back in place afterwards. Then the oil will be burned in the next time you use the baking steel.
Read more about how to give your baking steel seasoning here→
Tip 3: Store warm and dry
As important as the correct cleaning and maintenance is, so is the storage of your baking steel.
Your baking steel should be stored warm and dry, so it's not exposed to unnecessary moisture. Therefore, we recommend that you do not store your baking steel outdoors - so you should not leave the baking steel on the grill.
At the same time, it's also important that your baking steel is completely cooled down before you store it, as otherwise, condensation will form in the drawer or cabinet. Read more about how to use your baking steel here→
Are you ready to bake? We have gathered our favorite recipes here→
