How Do I Not Burn the Bottom of My Pizza?

By Kitchen Warrior | Pizza Baking and Cutting Tips

How Do I Not Burn the Bottom of My Pizza

One of the most common problems while baking pizza is that the bottom can frequently burn. No matter how hard you try, it might feel as if the burning is just a natural part of the process. However, that is not actually true. You can do things to prevent the bottom of your pizza from burning.

There are many reasons why the bottom of your pizza may be burning, and in this post, we will discuss the most effective technique to avoid this and ensure that your pizza is perfectly and evenly cooked every time. Your pizza's bottom being burned after it has been cooked is most likely because it is put too close to the heat source, which causes the food to cook unevenly due to its high temperature.

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Is It OK to Eat Burnt Pizza?

The health effects of charred foods are a point of contention. According to research, bread cooked at high temperatures produces the chemical acrylamide. According to the FDA, this substance has been demonstrated to cause cancer in animals and is thus a human health issue. As a result, you should avoid eating burnt pizza because it may be harmful to your health.

Pizza Requires a Balance When Baking

You need to make sure that the baking temperature of the top and bottom of the pizza is the same so that the pizza doesn't burn. This can happen if the baking pan is too hot. The bottom of the pizza will get burned before the top is done. Another thing that could happen is that the toppings could get burned while the bottom is still raw if there isn't enough heat from the oven.

When baking the pizza, keep an eye on it. It's also vital to check the bottom of your pizza for doneness, as it's difficult to see. Use a pizza peel, or better yet, a pizza turning peel, created expressly for this purpose.

Finding this equilibrium with the diverse baking processes is difficult. Some are more prone to scorching the top, while others are more prone to burning the bottom. So know your baking procedure.

Avoid Burning Pizza in a Wood Fired Oven

Temperature management in a wood-fired pizza oven is difficult. Controlling the temperature of fire takes practice. In a wood-fired oven, the floor's temperature must be balanced with the dome's radiating heat.

Before baking pizzas, the fire is usually started in the center of the oven and moved to the rear or side. The dome-shaped oven will circulate and emit heat to bake the top of the pizza. You should be aware that the floor is rarely temperature-controlled.

An infrared thermometer can help verify the hot and cool spots inside the oven. Using it, you can tell when your oven is hot enough. You may also check the temperature of the oven's floor and dome.

You may need to flip the pizza to ensure uniform baking and avoid burning one side. A rotating peel is the easiest way to achieve this in a wood-fired oven. You may also use a conventional pizza peel and turn the pizza at the oven's mouth. Return the pizza to the oven in its original place, as moving it to a different one would certainly burn it.

I also suggest monitoring the bottom of the pizza during baking. Use a pizza peel or a rotating peel. If you finish the bottom before the top, you can lift it closer to the dome for a few seconds to finish it.

Avoid Burning Pizza in the Oven at Home

A baking sheet bakes pizza evenly from both sides. The primary danger is time. So, watch the pizza and remove it before it burns. Another way to bake a pizza at home in your oven is with a pizza stone. The issue is that a pizza stone or steel bakes the pizza faster. 

You need a fast heat source to bake the pizza's top. Using the broiler or grill option is ideal. You can even design the classic charred leopard pattern on the curst! Your pizza crust may go from done to charred in seconds with the broiler.

You need a balance of stone or steel heat and broiler heat. A thicker stone (or steel) retains more heat during preheating, baking the pizza faster. If your oven becomes hot, use a thicker stone or steel for baking the pizza evenly. If your oven doesn't have a broiler or can't reach that hot, a thinner stone or steel is best.

Cooking Pizza in a Portable Pizza Oven

Using a tiny, portable oven to bake pizza is comparable to using a wood-fired oven. Because these little ovens are so small, they frequently have difficulties with uneven heat. The part of the pizza closest to the flames will burn more quickly. As a result, keep an eye on it while baking and turn as needed.